303 Magazine has put together a wedding section for their March issue and I was asked to provide some input on the subject as a wedding expert. I was interviewed by writer Jacob Cottingham several months ago about about how to make your wedding an internet sensation. I provided some insight as to what makes a popular wedding video that can become a viral phenomenon.
In my experience, as I describe in the article, short videos that mix humor and romantic moments are the best not only for creating a viral video, but for creating the most impact with our wedding couples. Videos less than 5 minutes long are essential to capture your audience, especially for the internet. If it goes longer then that: people will just lose interest.
I also mentioned that music videos are becoming popular as an addition or alternative to the typical wedding video. Couples can choose a favorite song and their videographer will capture video of guests dancing and lip syncing the lyrics to the song through the wedding day. It can be a fun look at your guests and Denver Wedding Films offers music videos as an extra feature or a standalone video for your wedding film. See more about our music videos on our Unique Addons Page.
Read the entire article at 303 Magazine Denver.
Until now, if you wanted additional copies of your wedding video, you would have to call us and order additional copies. We are now excited to offer an unlimited copies license for only $100. This will give you a license to make unlimited copies of your wedding video! No more hassle of ordering additional copies from us. Also, if you order this license, we’ll give you a usb flash drive containing an image file of your wedding video so that you can burn copies straight from that. You won’t be bothered with having to copy from a DVD.
Other videographers make you pay $20 or more for additional copies. For a one time licensing payment, you can make additional copies of your wedding film in seconds, for free!
If you choose not to buy the unlimited copies license or if you would like to have additional copies with high quality printing, you can still order copies of your wedding video from us. DVD prices are now just $10 and Blu-rays are $20 (plus sales tax and shipping). Other videographers still charge $20 or more for extra DVD copies and $30 or more for extra Blu-ray copies.
This is just another innovative idea that makes Denver Wedding Films one of the top videography studios in Colorado.
Come visit us this Saturday March 6th at the Southwest Plaza Al’s formal Wear near Wadsworth and Bowles in Littleton. The Wedding Open House is going on from 1pm to 4pm and if you aren’t familiar with the location, Al’s is located on the upper level between Macy’s and Dillard’s. We’ll be there running some HD demo videos from some of our recent wedding films and will be available to answer questions about all of your wedding videography needs. Some of the top Denver wedding vendors will be present as well and Al’s will be offering great deals on tuxedos: get the groom’s tuxedo for free and save $40 on your other tuxedos!
The official invitation can be found here. Don’t pass up this opportunity to meet with some of the best wedding vendors in Colorado.
I talk to brides all the time. They ask the basic questions: how long will the videographer be there, how many videographers are there, how much does it cost, but they don’t really know what they need to ask their videographer. And why should they? Its not like they’ve had to hire a wedding videographer before. I want to give you some things that you need to talk about before you hire your videographer.
This is round one, I’m sure there are dozens of other tough questions to ask. I’ll post some follow up questions on another day.
10. How long have you been a wedding videographer?
This may seem like a basic question, but I am rarely asked it. Granted, we have an in depth “About Us” page on the website, but this is key. Wedding videographers seem to be popping up faster than coffee shops these days and you want to have someone creating your video that at least has some experience.
9. Do you charge a travel fee?
Make sure you find out if your wedding videographer is going to charge a travel fee and if so, how much. Make sure that it is stated on the contract before you sign it.
Speaking of contracts:
8. Can I sign a contract?
Signing contracts might seem like it is something that only protects your wedding vendors. This should not be the case. A well written contract is designed to protect both parties. In fact, if a contract outrageously favors one party, it may not hold up in the court of law.
7. What video formats will my wedding video be delivered on?
Just today I was looking at a local wedding videographer’s website and noticed that they still provide their wedding videos on VHS tape. I don’t know about you, but most of my friends haven’t had a VCR in 10 years. Make sure that they’ll deliver your video on DVD at least. You may also want to see if your videographer can deliver your wedding video on Blu-ray (so that you won’t have to have it updated later) and on the internet (to make it easy to show friends and family).
6. How much does it cost for extra copies of my wedding video?
I’ve seen wedding videographers charging upwards of $30 for every extra DVD copy. To me this is outrageous, I’m not in the business of selling DVDs. I sell my services as a wedding filmmaker, DVD copies are just the medium that I deliver them on.
5. How long will it take to deliver my final wedding video?
This should be discussed in the contract you sign with your wedding videographer (hint, hint!). Realistically, anywhere from 3-6 months is an acceptable turnaround time for a wedding video, depending on how busy they are. If your videographer is promising to have the full length video finished 2 or 3 weeks after the wedding (barring a large extra price for quick turn around), then you should ask yourself why they won’t be spending more time to make sure everything is perfect. Anymore than 6 months and well, you should start sending out the bounty hunters to find your videographer.
4. Who will be my wedding videographer?
Now this may seem like a basic question, but I hardly ever get it. Maybe they just assume that the person they are talking to on the phone will be their videographer. Don’t assume anything. Always ask and find out who it is.
3. Do you talk to my other vendors before the wedding?
There is a long time rivalry between photographers and videographers. Who’s jealous of who? I don’t really know. A simple call to your photographer can open the lines of communication and make the way for a smooth wedding day for you. You also might want to make sure your videographer is going to call your DJ, unless you want the beautiful words of your toasts sounding like a muffled record player with a sheet over it.
2. Why are you a wedding videographer?
Wedding videographers are one of the vendors that needs to fit your personality well. You don’t want to find out that your videographer got into wedding videos because he needs to make a quick buck (obviously he doesn’t know anything about being a wedding videographer because we aren’t exactly living in mansions and buying yachts). You want to find someone that is passionate about what they do and just cares about your wedding specifically. They should be fun and someone that you get along with well; you’ll be spending 8 or more hours in a day with them, after all.
And the number one most important thing you need to ask your wedding videographer is:
1. Can I see recent samples videos of your work.
Let me repeat that, its so important: Can I see recent sample videos of your work. No, the most important question is not how much do you cost…. You should be able to tell the cost of a wedding videographer just by looking at his sample videos.
Is the footage shaky? Can you hear the dialogue? Is the picture sharp? Are the colors bright? Are the bridesmaids’ heads cut off? Are there candid moments that would have otherwise been lost?
If you want to risk having a low quality video that misses important parts of your day then book a cheap videographer. If you want a wedding video that looks professional and is something that you’ll actually watch over and over again, is there really a price that you can put on those memories?
Do you love our “Signature Style?”
Are you on a tighter budget?
Then we have the solution for you. Announcing “Highlight Video Only” additions to 2 of our “Signature Style” wedding video packages. If you still want a beautiful 4-6 minute highlight video of your day, but aren’t able to pay for a full “Signature Style” wedding film then ask for our “Highlight Video Only”. You’ll receive everything in the corresponding “Signature Style” package except a full length video. Don’t settle for a boring, typical style of wedding videography. Choose “Highlight Video Only” and capture your memories in a fun, memorable way.
Can’t wait to see your highlight video?
Have a big event planned soon after your wedding that you’re dying to show your wedding video at?
Then the “Next Day Edit” video may be for you. If you select a “Next Day Edit” video with any package, you’ll receive a complete highlight video online by 6pm the day after your wedding. Have something to immediately show off to family and friends that live out of state!
The “Next Day Edit” video can be added to any of our “Signature Style” wedding films or our “Essential Style” videography. Find out more at our Unique Add-ons page.
