Wedding videos can bring back sweet memories of pure joy for the rest of your marriage. You may even start a tradition of watching your wedding video on every anniversary. For a memory as important as this, all the elements of the video must be spot-on. Wondering where to start? We teamed up with Be Inspired to get tips straight from professional wedding videographers themselves, Trisha Vuong of Juicebox Media and Soren Dickens of Peak Wedding Films.

Tips from Trisha Vuong of Juicebox Media:

Ask for a package with two different length edits.

For example, we offer a package with one edit for yourself and close family/friends (15-20 minutes in length) and one to share publicly with extended family and friends (3-5 minutes long). We even have an add-on for an Instagram-specific edit, which is one minute in length to just highlight the best and most beautiful moments, but keep some of the intimate details with those who are closer.

Have a list of VIP or “must include” people for your video.

A favorite co-worker, a special new baby, or a college friend you know will tear up the dance floor. We can touch base with your wedding party on the day of to help point those people out so we can make sure they are featured at some point in the footage.

Ask about the experience of the team that will be filming your wedding.

How many weddings has the lead and second shooter filmed together? With videography, there needs to be consistency between the style, composition, and the aesthetic between all the cameras, otherwise, they’ll seem disjointed.

Tips from Soren Dickens of Platinum Peek:

Discuss preferred boundaries/how involved you want the camera to be. 

Obviously, your wedding is one of the most special days of your life. The last thing a couple wants is their videographer invading their personal space for 10+ hours, jamming their camera in the bride and groom’s face. Yet, we do make it clear that the closer we are to you, the higher the chances are of us capturing those intimate moments. We always make the effort to be flies on the wall regardless, but we’ve found that discussing boundaries, per se, before the wedding helps establish trust.

Communicate how you want to feel when you watch your video.

Your wedding video can evoke a wide range of emotions. And your videographer has the power to influence those emotions through how they craft your video. We’ve always found that, despite being the “professional creatives,” it’s always wise to discuss with the couple how they want to feel when they watch their video. Do you want to feel happy and joyful? Do you want a more epic, magical feel? Do you want it to be sentimental—a real tear-jerker?

Specify if there are any specific shots you’d like.

Some couples trust the videographers’ judgment and say go for it. Others have a clear-cut vision of what they want in their video. If this is you, create a preferred shot list for your video team, that way they don’t miss anything during the shoot.

Pin down your preferred music genre and/or mood.

People’s taste in music varies widely. This is why it’s important your videographer sends song samples, or– if you’re more lax about the music– at least convey your musical preferences as a couple. Music can really influence the mood of the video. If you aren’t an overly sentimental couple, but the music makes you want to cry the whole time, the video might not be up to snuff.

Review the package/service details.

Not every videographer offers different packages—but most offer some type of variation with different price points. Make sure that you review exactly what you’re paying for so there are no discrepancies once you get the video. For example, perhaps you expected drone footage but didn’t realize that would cost extra.

Ultimately, you’re trusting someone to create a tribute to your special day that will be cherished for a lifetime. The more info your team has before the shoot, the smoother the actual shoot will go, and the happier you will be with the finished product!