You’ve planned everything down to the last detail: your dress is fitted to perfection, the flowers have been selected, the cake is like a slice of heaven, and you’ve finally figured out where everyone is going to sit so that both hurt feelings and family feuds can be avoided. In short, the preparations for your special day are well underway.
Now there’s just one last thing to attend to, and it may be the most important in the long run; it’s time to find an amazing videographer to capture your entire day and immortalize it on film. But you’re a little nervous about the prospect of hiring a stranger.
You certainly don’t want to let your brother hold the camera, but you’ve heard the horror stories of people who have been scammed out of thousands of dollars only to have the cameraman flake, or worse, show up but never deliver the footage. How can you be sure you’re hiring someone qualified to take on this heavy responsibility?
Here are just a couple of ways to ensure that you get the videographer (and the video) you want so that you can revisit the biggest day of your life for the rest of your life.
- Look over portfolios. The best way to ensure that you get the video you want is to look at a portfolio or demo reel. You can’t hope to determine if a videographer is qualified without seeing his previous work. And frankly, even someone who is a professional with tons of experience simply may not offer the aesthetic you’re going for. You need to find a style that fits your sensibilities rather than just hiring a name.
- Ask for referrals. One of the best ways to ensure that you’re getting quality goods and services without the worry of problems is to take referrals. This doesn’t necessarily mean you should ask the videographer for references. He could easily provide you with names and numbers of cohorts if he is running some kind of scam. Instead, ask family, friends, coworkers, and other trusted acquaintances who they have used. By going with a trusted source, you can be sure of finding someone fantastic who will deliver.
- Don’t cheap out. Most brides are working with a pretty tight budget, but this is one area where you shouldn’t skimp. There are plenty of people out there advertising lower prices, but you’re going to sacrifice quality. Since this video will be with you for the rest of your life to remind you of your wedding day, you want it to be perfect. So spend a little more for someone with experience and a proven track record of happy clients.
- Go local. It’s surprising how many people are willing to import photographers based on their online portfolios (without ever meeting them in some cases). But this only increases your odds of something going wrong. What if their plane is delayed? Or they simply decide to take on a higher-paying job somewhere else? Hiring within your community provides a better assurance of accountability because you can show up at their doorstep to complain or even lambast them to the community that supports their business. So it’s in their best interest to deliver.
- Insist on a contract. Without a contract for service and payment, you have little legal recourse should something go wrong. Of course, financial restitution is no substitute for capturing your memories on film, but it will sting less if you don’t have to pay for something you never got. And it might just keep your videographer on the straight and narrow.
Sarah Danielson writes for CD Duplicaton San Francisco which offers blu-ray replication and an array of other video related services.
