How long is the average wedding video?
What packages do other wedding videographers offer and, on average, what is the duration of their wedding video?
I was on Zoom recently, as part of a consultation call with a potential couple looking for a wedding videographer to capture their big day.
Typically, on these calls, couples ask a lot of questions about my wedding videography approach and my style on the day itself: how do I film the wedding? Do they need to pose? Do I record the ceremony? What are my packages? All fair questions, to allow them to make a decision on whether I’m the right wedding videographer for them.
Back to that Zoom call, the bride-to-be asked me: how long is the average wedding film?
I thought this was already well documented for anyone looking to hire a wedding videographer. And it got me thinking: what packages do other wedding videographers offer and, on average, what is the duration of their wedding video?
The length of a typical wedding video varies
You guessed it. It’s a tale as old as times: the duration of your wedding video depends on who you choose to film your wedding. Truth is, different wedding videographers offer completely different packages. A quick search on Google will return the following options:
Full 90mn: now that is long. It includes a lot of raw material, and I would argue the quality of the edit won’t be great. I do not think any wedding videographer has 90 minutes worth of quality footage. This also includes full ceremony and speeches as part of the film.
1-hour wedding video: similarly to the above, the wedding video will include a lot of ceremony and speeches.
Raw footage: as well as your wedding video, some videographers will also provide unedited, raw footage, straight out of the camera.
Industry standard wedding film length
In my opinion, none of these options are good. For example, I suspect a lot of your guests will be recording small clips of the day using their smartphones, so that’ll be all the raw footage you need.
The wedding industry ‘standard’ for award-winning wedding videography is anywhere between 15-30mn for a wedding film. This is what the best wedding videographers in the UK and beyond will offer.
My view on the ideal wedding video length
As a cinematic wedding videographer, my package includes two films: Highlight and Feature films, so you get the best of both world. In my view, these two versions are the perfect combination, and there is a reason why they’re the two most popular amongst UK wedding filmmakers:
The Highlight film is 4-5 mn long. It includes only the best parts of your day, and is packed with emotions. It’s also the perfect length for sharing on social.
The Feature film is 15-20 mn long. No one wants a really long film, and the Feature is the ideal length to tell your story. It also means that I only use quality footage, something I feel really strongly about. It also includes snippets from the speeches and the wedding ceremony, but only the best moments: whether it was an emotional day, a fun wedding, or an amazing party. It is essentially a documentary version of your wedding day
My package also includes the full wedding ceremony, and all the speeches. Edited to the best quality.
If you’re looking for a wedding videographer, and would like to hear more about my cinematic wedding videography style, then drop me a message. I’d love to chat!
Is a wedding videographer worth it?
A lot of couples will be choosing between wedding videography and wedding photography. A wedding film has now become the preference for some of my couples. Which begs the questions: Is a wedding videographer worth it, and do you really need one? That, plus why you need both a wedding videographer and a photographer on your special day.
Capturing your wedding on video isn’t something new. At all. In fact, if you think about the evolution of mobile phones over the past 10-15 years, some have amazing capabilities, and can deliver great quality pictures or videos. I don’t think any wedding videographer will ever dispute this.
What has changed in the wedding industry over the past 10 years, however, is the growth in professional, experienced videography services. That’s what we’re really talking about here. Similarly to why you’d hire the services of a photographer for your special day, wedding videography has now become the preference for some of my couples. Which begs the questions:
Is a wedding videographer worth it?
Do you need both a wedding videographer and photographer?
Why do you need a wedding videographer?
That’s a question a lot of couples will be asking themselves: is a wedding film worth it? Should I hire a wedding videographer? The truth is: the value of a wedding videographer is something you’ll appreciate after your wedding, typically. Every single one of my couples will tell you: It’s the best decision they’ve made. A wedding videographer will capture things, in motion, that provides an engaging viewing experience.
A lot of my couples watch their wedding films on a regular basis. And for some, every year on their wedding anniversary, they’ll watch their wedding feature film. They want to be taken back to their wedding day and those precious memories. A movie night, about your wedding.
“If you are undecided about hiring a videographer, we would say that it was 100% worth it and we couldn’t recommend Lune de Miel studio more”
The other reason you’d want to hire a wedding videographer is because, let’s face it, everyone is somewhat camera shy. Few people are really, truly comfortable being photographed or filmed on their wedding day. And that’s ok. That’s also precisely the reason you’d want a wedding videographer: If being in front of a camera isn’t for you, you’ll want an experienced wedding videographer that can captured your big day candidly, and in the moment. You don’t want to have to pose, or be directed. Which is perfect, because that’s precisely my style.
Do you need both a wedding videographer and photographer?
Again, that’s a really popular question for all couples looking for someone to capture their big day. Typically, and historically, couples will tend to book a wedding photographer first. They’ll want to secure the services of a professional, whether it’s someone specialising in luxury weddings, or themed weddings, or destination weddings.
I believe you need both. But why? Because a wedding videographer will bring everything to life. In my view, there are two main reasons why you’d want to hire both a wedding videographer and a photographer:
Immersive experience: I wrote about this on my blog recently: a video, by definition, is a motion picture. So where a photographer will deliver a still image, a wedding videographer will bring it to life and deliver something with movement. Instantly, a video becomes more immersive, because it’ll bring back memories that simply cannot be caught with photography
Story-telling: as a cinematic wedding videographer, I’m all about telling a story. I capture beautiful emotions, and craft a story that is unique to you, and what’s led you to your wedding day. This isn’t something you can do as well with photography. However, with a wedding film, you can incorporate the speeches, the ambient sound, and a narrative that tells your story.
If you’d like to know more about my approach to wedding videography, or how I craft a story that is unique to you as a couple, then drop me a message.
What is cinematic wedding videography?
As a cinematic wedding videographer, I often get asked the question: what is cinematic, and how does it apply to wedding videography? In this article, I explain what cinematic wedding videography, and my approach to making a cinematic wedding film.
I recently wrote an article on ‘What makes a great wedding film’. In my view, a fundamental aspect of great videography is story-telling, but this is achieved differently depending on your style as a wedding videographer. One of those styles is referred to as ‘cinematic’. I’m a cinematic wedding videographer myself, and I often get asked the question: what is cinematic, and how does it apply to wedding videography?
In today’s article, I’ll explain:
What is cinematic wedding videography
The style of wedding films you can expect from it
My approach to cinematic wedding videography
What is cinematic wedding videography?
First, let’s start with the meaning of cinematic. Cinema was invented in France (Bonjour!), at a time where filmmakers were known as cinématographe. It refers to the Greek “keenema”, meaning movement. In other words, cinema is the definition of a moving picture, or the process of making a film. As we know it today, cinema refers to a movie theatre, and the experience you have watching a film.
A film in itself is all about conveying emotions and telling a story. Think about any movie you enjoy watching: they always have a well defined structure for the narrative:
Scene setting - establishing the context: this is where you learn about the location.
Character - getting to know the heroes: this is where you learn about them, who they are as people, and their life.
Change - getting to know the story: this is where you learn about what brought them here.
Resolution - getting to know the ending: this is usually the goal your character is trying to accomplish.
Cinematic wedding videography is the same. It leans on a cinema-like structure, both for story-telling, as well as powerful wedding footage.
Cinematic as a style of wedding film.
Cinematic wedding videography follows the same structure as a movie you would watch in a movie theatre, on your wedding day. So, when a wedding videographer describes their style as “cinematic”, they refer to the viewing experience, and visual story-telling approach.
Cinematic is a perfect style for wedding videography, because it allows us to deliver engaging, dramatic and emotional wedding films. As opposed to just a wedding video, a cinematic wedding film uses sound, high quality footage, and well-defined structure to tell the story of your wedding day.
My approach to cinematic wedding videography.
As a cinematic wedding filmmaker, I carefully plan the narrative of your wedding day, to make sure it stays true to who you are as a couple. Your wedding film can only tell your story if it captures what’s led you to today and the essence of your wedding day, surrounded by family and friends. Building up to the big day itself is essential, I need to get to know you as people, and as husband and wife to be. This means that, on the day of your wedding, I already know who you are, and who the most important people are to you.
The style of wedding videos I deliver are cinematic, because they stick to similar concepts for story-telling mentioned above. My approach to cinematic wedding videography uses the following:
Establishing shots: this is achieved through drone wedding videography, to capture aerial shots of your wedding venue.
Sound design: my wedding films are cinematic because they use audio captured from the day: both ambient sound, as well as your speeches. These are usually from the father of the bride, or the groom himself. Using their voice, they essentially become the narrator that tells your story throughout the wedding film.
Cinematic wedding footage: on the day of your wedding, my style is to let things happen naturally and organically. None of what I do is scripted or directed. I capture things as they happen, with two cameras. This way, I can capture the same scene but from different angles, which adds to the cinema feel. Visually, and through the editing process, I then carefully edit your wedding video so the quality of wedding films you receive looks and feels like a movie you’d watch at the cinema.
If you’d like to know more about my approach to wedding videography, or how I craft a story that is unique to you as a couple, then drop me a message.
Eleanor + Jake
"We’re having a Star Wars wedding." | Eleanor and Jake
A beautiful Star Wars themed-wedding at Rainhill Hall, in the Liverpool area.
UK and Destination wedding videographer - A Star Wars wedding
Rainhill Hall - Star Wars Wedding
As a wedding videographer, I loved to shoot Eleanor and Jake's wedding film, at Rainhill Hall in Liverpool. They are both Star Wars fans. On their second dinner date, Jake popped the question: "Do you like Star Wars?".
To read their story, head over to their movie themed wedding page here.
Review
“Joce was beyond amazing. Start to finish he was just all over it. He Took a special request of mine to do a Birds Eye view shot with a drone of me entering the venue by car. The teaser clips was phenomenal they were very sentimental and majestic to watch and they all put a smile on my face every time I viewed them . He knew exactly what moment to catch and you didn’t even see him do it. Everyone had a fantastic day and enjoyed his presence so much so thank you for being apart of our most incredible day mate you will be highly recommended.”
Jake - Groom
Photographer: Gavin Alexander
🎵 You will find me, by CHPTRS
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