If you're looking for ways to economize on wedding expenses, realize that you will have to live with the consequences of your choices in videography and photography. Years from now it won't matter much what the cake tasted like or how much chicken wings you had available for guests at the reception; but if you come away with a second-rate video or so-so photos, you'll always regret not having made a better investment. It's up to you to decide how much your memories of a once-in-a-lifetime event are worth.
You may also save on video by waiting to the last minute to book and then look around, and if by luck, you can find a videographer who is open on your date, you may get a reduced rate from him at the last minute. Some videographers will offer a lower rate to fill a date. But you are taking a large risk in waiting. Some brides will book wedding videographers 12 months ahead of the wedding dates, so many times prime dates are already booked. By any measure it is a big "if" waiting until the last minute to secure the services of a video or photo professional.
As a side note on saving money on a wedding video, some brides opt to allow relatives or friends who volunteer to video the wedding for free as a "gift". With the advent of small digital cameras and the drop in price of these items, everyone has the abilty to get "good" quality video with these cameras. The quality of the video itself is not what should concern the bride, but with the ability of the person behind the camera.
In a perfect situation almost everyone can get decent footage from a digital camera, but where the true test comes in is knowing what and how to shoot to get the proper footage. A wedding is a very intense project for a professional who knows the importance of getting it all and getting it right. A wedding is something that when events occur it has to be caught right the first time. Usually there are no "do overs" at a wedding.
Having the correct equipment and knowing the best way to use it and record everything in the best way is something only obtained by experience. Bad audio, poor or low lights, shaky camera moves and missed shots are all concerns that follow an inexperienced video operator. It is always a poor choice to have a close friend or relative tape something as important as your wedding. Because of emotional involvement these well intentioned folks usually end up with a video that is at best amateur.
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