Planning & etiquette

Hi all,

I didn’t really consider having a wedding video in the initial planning and budgeting stage… My FH hates photos (god knows why – he’s so photogenic!) so getting him to agree to a video was always going to be a task and we didn’t factor it into our budget.

Our budget is pretty much set and we don’t really want to spend much more than we are already BUT I’ve read some good things about having a wedding video. Like how it captures the emotion of the day in a way that photos can’t etc…

Did you/are you having a video? Are they worth the cost? If you’re not having one/didn’t have one..why? Any regrets?

Thanks!

We had a video done for free due to a stuff up by the wedding chapel but I have to say it was never on my list of things to have as I consider it a monumental waste of money and we have honestly only wathed it twice since we got married and both times it was to show guests that didn’t make it to the wedding.

If you do a google search for wedding (budget) regrets you will find that forums are full of posts saying this would be the one thing past brides would have dropped. Most say they never watch it more than once or twice.

In my opinion (and yes I kniow this is harsh) if you are sitting down to constantly watch your wedding video you really need to move on and get a life.

I’m not having one for a few reasons:

1) I found a lot of better things to spend the money on!

2) Most people now have phones/cameras that can take video and often those short snippets capture the most important/amusing moments

3) I spoke to one of my bridesmaids about this and her reasoning was: After your wedding you look back and remember how amazing it all was. If you then sit down and watch the video, you could start pulling it apart and finding all those little things that didn’t go right so you are then left with a disappointed feeling rather than all these amazing memories.

Hope that helps!

I’m a sucker for home videos. They seem to capture all the right moments! at the end of the day I don’t want my wedding video to look like a movie, I want it to look exactly as it is and home videos capture that best I think. we’ll have all the professional photos to hang on the walls and put in albums and all that jazz… But really. I’d rather buy a camcorder than a camera man and a 2 minute DVD for twice the price.

Thanks for the feedback ladies! I mentioned it to FH and needless to say he shot the idea down in flames so we won’t be having one! But I am ok with that

Hey Melrae,

I’m on the yes team on this one. FH and I have our own video company (although haven’t promoted it in over a year) but when we did it last year every bride who gave us feedback said they loved it. A coworker wasn’t planning on having one but we offered her 50% off so she decided to do it, she said she can’t believe she wasn’t going to get it and is so happy she did, it was the best thing she paid for. 

I guess it depends what sort of person you are. I am a bright sparkly show pony with stars in my eyes and so I really want one, but that’s just me! I’m also a sucker for emotional videos. What I may end up doing is asking if any of my sisters uni friends (she will be 1st year media at uni) want to shoot it for a coupla hundred bucks and give us the raw footage for FH to edit, as we have all the equipment at home.

I’m on the yes team for this too!  My view is that you spend SO much on one day, all you have to remember it by is photos and videos (and memories of course).  Our wedding videographer has done both my brother’s weddings, most of my friends and will be doing mine in August.  He captures the day beautifully!  One of my girlfriends wasn’t going to get a video but I showed her my Brothers and she said it’s the best $2k she spent on the entire wedding.  She’d watch if every day if she could but her Husband has put a limit to once a year on their anniversary!  If you find someone who is skilled at capturing the emotion of the day, you will have a wonderful keepsake.  The day goes by in such a blur that I can’t wait to see the little things again – like everyone’s reaction when my flowergirls walk down the aisle (seeing I’ll miss that part!) and to watch the speeches.  Everyone is different of course but I look forward to one day sitting with my children watching the moment we said “I do”!  Good luck with all the planning!!

I’m on team yes, I remember things like 21sts and other celebrations that flew by and I barely remember.

I knew good photography to me was more important so I set aside a bigger budget for that and I am going for a fairly cheap videograher. 

I don’t want some monumental production, just the day as it is, imperfections and all…so I’m not spending that much. Meeting with one tomorrow that looks good.

I’m on the yes team as well. I’d like to be able to sit down with our kids one day, and show them mummy and daddy’s wedding day. Also, I love home videos. Even if things go wrong, that’s the beauty of it, nobody and nothing is perfect, and it makes it that bit more special.

FH’s dad owns a recording and producing company, and will be providing this as a gift on the day.. I know we will get swept up in the moment and it will pass like a blur. Plus, I’d love to look back on important moments, like the ceremony, speeches, our first dance.. 

But I’m just a hopeless romantic.. haha