Documenting the Day with a Videographer

This story first appeared in the Spring/Summer 2019 issue of Columbus Weddings, published December 2018.

Almost no one will argue that finding the right photographer for your wedding is imperative, but fewer people are certain about videography. When the budget is an issue, this is often one of the first services to get cut—and according to Julie and Chris Hedrick, owners of Blue Skies HD Video, it’s one of the first things that couples regret cutting.

“A common theme we’re seeing, this year in particular, is all of these people who don’t do video, and the week of the wedding or two weeks out from the wedding, they call, freaking out,” says Julie. “All of a sudden, they want a videographer. That’s happened six times this year, which is crazy because we don’t often have the dates available, because we book 18 months out.”

So what is their tip for avoiding this last-minute panic, while still leaving flexibility to adjust the budget early in the planning process?

“At least get your deposits down, then they can figure out their package whenever,” Chris says. “That allows them to better home in on their actual budget; that way they’re only putting $250 down to block the day, and that gives them another year to figure out the package.”

Blue Skies offers roughly seven packages, Chris says, while most other companies only offer a few. They range from a single camera recording the ceremony only to two videographers with three cameras capturing everything from the rehearsal and pre-wedding-day interviews with the couple to photo montages and a bulk of the reception.

“A common booking is two videographers, and they choose the getting ready” portion of the day in addition to the ceremony and formal reception events, Chris says.

When it comes to selecting a videographer to book, Chris says companies’ sample videos are everything. “I always encourage people to look at the samples they’re showing you, and you either like it or you don’t,” he explains, while cautioning that couples shouldn’t strive to recreate any one video exactly. “Every wedding is different. … We’re trying to capture the actual feel of what’s happening and not try to create a feel.”

“The big thing is, when you do find a vendor that you like, book them, because tomorrow or the next day or next week or next month, they could be gone,” Chris says.