2020 Wedding Videography Pricing Guide (Detailed)
I want to make it clear that price isn’t always a determination of the quality and level of professionalism you will get. Videographer fluctuate their price to meet their business goals and sometime that may mean charging lower or higher or even shooting for free. The guide below is merely that - a guide. In general videographers will fit this guide but I want you to be aware that you will encounter outliers.
3 Important Criteria
Most clients are concerned with 3 things:
Quality = How good or bad is the final product
Experience = The enjoyability of the service and communication (not necessarily the years of experience)
Creativity = Going above and beyond delivering what you want while adding in surprises you would enjoy to make the product unique
The Budget-Friendly Videographer
Less than $1000
Quality
I would love to show you a clip of what a budget friendly video looks like but I do not want anyone to take offense. These videos are usually shaky and poorly colored. The editing style is usually flashy or unbalanced and sticks out in an unsophisticated way. Most videographers charging in this range are typically just starting out and has very little experience with handling live weddings.
Experience
Don’t expect to be swooned by their customer service. They have a difficult time giving clear instructions and may disrupt guests’ experience trying to “get the shot”. Their delivery of your final product will be lack luster and your overall experience will leave much to be desired.
Creativity
The budget-friendly videographer will be creative in the ways that may not matter to you. They will most-likely have distracting and over-use transitions because it looks cool or trendy and the overall video may lack a logical progression. Most videos will be lackluster or visually exhausting.
The Side-Hustler Videographer
$2000 - $3000
Quality
I find that clients who don’t want to spend a lot on videography but wants something nice, tend to find the side-hustlers. The quality will look far better than the amateur and you wouldn’t mind sharing it with family and friends. The video may have a few mistakes but they would only be noticeable by other professionals.
Experience
You will find that they are utilitarian. This isn’t bad though! They understand the game and will rise to the occasion but they won’t necessarily add anything special to your event since their attention to the craft is divided Basically, They get the job done and move on. Some may be more client-focused and offer a unique personalized service and delivery but most will give you just what you need.
Creativity
Side-hustler videographers are the trend keepers. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you like what’s on trend then this is a great choice. You’ll get a trendy looking video at a modest price. However there are two things you should know:
These videos tend to look the same: They follow a format so your video will be no different than anyone else’s trendy video. You see one you’ve seen all of them.
Trends fall out of style: This doesn’t mean your video will suck in the future, only that it may be harder to watch especially for the newer generation.
The Full Time Videographer
Over $3000
Quality
Their work is flawless. They pay attention to detail and create work that’s movie quality. This level of attention usually mean they take a while to deliver the final product but you can be certain it will be worth it.
Experience
They have refined their process from start to finish. They make the process easy for you to learn about them and take next steps. They have contracts and insurance so if anything goes wrong you know exactly what to expect. They are very knowledgeable and are able to answer your questions. Even the delivery of your film will be an exciting pleasant experience
Creativity
They are the industry trend setters. Unlike the Side-Hustler or the Budget Friendly videographer, your video will be one of kind and flawless. However this creativity has a drawback: You will have little input on the style. Before you commit to the full-time videographer you must do your homework and make sure their style is what you want. For instance if you prefer a documentary style wedding video, don’t go to a videographer that only does traditional wedding videography.
Summary
You get what you pay for. You spend a lot of time planning and perfecting your wedding so make sure you invest in preserving the memory. If your having a small DIY wedding you may want to use a budget-friendly videographer but, if you are spending thousands of dollars it may be prudent to get a videographer you know will make the memory worth watching. Of course do your research as result may vary.