Story-driven and candid
Relive the most special day of your life.
While photos allow you to see it all again…
That is a treasure you simply cannot do without.
Your day is about a future you can’t wait to begin, the people you love most, and the moments you don’t want to forget:
• Your grandma’s voice as she prays over you.
• Your mom helping you into your dress.
• The pure joy on your newly-married faces.
• Or perhaps your best friend busting a move on the dance floor…
HI. I’M RICHARD!
BRISBANE WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER
Your wedding day will fly by! And if you don’t have a filmmaker who knows what they’re doing, you just might miss it. I want to be there to capture those precious moments for you. I’m honoured to use my creative talent, passion for storytelling, and 10 years of experience to create that same magic for you.
featured
FEATURED WORK
Grab the tissues, sit back and feel the love!
NICOLE &
JOSH
The Valley Estate, Gold Coast
The incredible love story of two high school lovebirds, at the incredible Valley Estate wedding venue in the Gold Coast!
no.1
LAUREN & MITCH
Summerholme, Plainlands
Romantic is the best way to dsecribe this wedding… Lauren & Mitch tied the knot at their families property in Summerholme. Watch their sweet, boho styled rural wedding!
no.2
MADDY & BEN
Hillstone, St Lucia
All of the heart and sweet emotion you could imagine on a wedding day, with two fellow medical students, Ben and Maddy at Hillstone St Lucia
no.3
THEY HAVE THE KINDEST THINGS TO SAY
“From the early start right through to the dancing he didn’t miss a thing.”
– Lewis & Kristen
“We absolutely love our wedding video and all our family and friends did too!!”
– Maddy & Ben
– Dasuni & Luke
I have been fortunate enough to be able to work on a lot of amazing weddings in Australia. The Sunshine Coast is one of my favorite places to shoot weddings, and the couples who book with me are always happy.
I love capturing the spirit of a wedding, but I also love capturing the surroundings. Whether it’s on a sun-drenched beach or in a small backyard, I capture the spirit of the wedding while also celebrating the surroundings.
If you’re lucky enough to live on the Sunshine Coast, you would understand what an incredible paradise it is – most of all for the couples lucky enough to get married on the Sunshine Coast! As a wedding videographer, I am so lucky to be able to harness the golden sunshine year-round to create stunning films for couples on the Sunshine Coast. Of course, I can take footage on the ground but many wedding venues in the Sunshine Coast are perfect for captivating, 360 views from the sky using my drone!
If you’ve made up your mind to have your wedding and reception in the Sunshine Coast (great decision), whether it be a destination wedding or if you are lucky enough to live in the sunny coast, there are many incredible places you can choose from that will allow for spectacular views and amazing footage from your Sunshine coast wedding videographer.
People come from all over the world to see the stunning beaches in the Sunshine Coast. So it makes sense for you to exchange your wedding vows, surrounded by family and friends, right on the beach.
The Sunshine Coast region has many attractive parks and beaches where you can hold your wedding or other formal ceremony.
To hold a wedding or ceremony on a beach or park, you will need to make an application to council.
Here are some suggestions for beaches where you can hold your wedding ceremony.
Alexandra Headland and Cotton Tree
Alexandra Headland offers an idyllic beach location for weddings or ceremonies and Cotton Tree’s parks offer a range of facilities
Coolum area
With its delightful bays and amazing views from the boardwalk, Coolum is a highly sought after area for holding weddings and events
Offering picture-perfect beaches and the iconic ‘Loo with a View’ as well as a range of beachside parks, Mooloolaba is the choice of location for many couples to hold their special day
From Happy Valley to Kings Beach, Caloundra offers a host of facilities and opportunities for holding the perfect event or ceremony near the water
Offering wonderful backdrops and spectacular views, the parks in the Caloundra area are an ideal location for any event or wedding
With its lush open lawns and friendship colonnade, the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden is one of the Coast’s most spectacular locations for holding a wedding or ceremony
With its lush open lawns and friendship colonnade, the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden is one of the Coast’s most spectacular locations for holding a wedding or ceremony
Dear Reader,
Please understand that this whole article is not a big ‘pick me, pick me I’m the best wedding videographer in the Sunshine Coast article. Trust me there is no sales pitch at the end of this. I actually prefer shooting a relaxed country style wedding usually hours away from Sunshine Coast!
The reason I am writing this article is I know first hand how difficult it can be for engaged couples to choose the right wedding videographer for them. Many wedding directory sites are clawing up to the first page of google advertising hundreds of different vendors and it just gets confusing. Social media is dominated by people willing to pay top dollar to get their ads to the top. Social media has become less and less ‘social’ and is more how much small business is willing to pay to have their work seen by their followers! Yes, this includes Facebook and Instagram. I can’t believe the hoops you have to go through, trawling through hundreds of websites and videos to find the perfect Sunshine Coast wedding videographer for you!
Let’s talk about wedding videographers in the Sunshine Coast. Unfortunately, wedding videography is largely an unregulated industry… meaning anyone with a camera can shoot a wedding and call themselves a videographer/cinematographer. Create a facebook page about weddings and make a basic website, charge a couple of hundred dollars for a wedding and now you are a professional!
In Queensland there is about 23,000 marriages annually, and almost every year there is always one or two ‘viral’ news articles of a dissapointed bride being ripped off by a dodgy videographer or complaining about their video (or missing video!)
So the question becomes… how do you sift through these videographers? How do you find who is good or not so much?
That is why we created this guide, to give you insider tips on exactly what you should look on your quest to find the best Sunshine Coast wedding videographer that is perfect for your wedding day!
The first question I and any other videographer will ask you is when and where you are getting married. We want to know your date so we can check we aren’t booked. Knowing the venue is helpful as we can let you know if there will be any extra travel fees.
You don’t HAVE to have you date locked in, often couples will enquire with a range of dates and I am happy to send over my availabilty for these dates. Unfortunately without a date locked in it is impossible to secure your spot and the more popular wedding videographers are often booked out years in advance.
The top wedding videographers in the Sunshine Coast can easily book out one or two years in advance, particularly during peak times like spring or autumn. So it is important to contact them early. If possible contact your favourite wedding videographer ASAP. Find out their availability during a certain period and book them based on when your venue is available.
It is not unusual to have couples change their wedding date so they get the videographer that they love.
If you are still looking for a wedding venue… not to worry! I have compiled a list of some of my favourite venues in Sunshine Coast and other locations in Queensland.
If you get along well with a particular wedding videographer, contact them to check availability and to get an idea of their pricing. There are only so many Saturdays in a year, so they can book out early.
It is also worth noting, that specialist wedding videographers will only do a limited amount of weddings per year. 30 to 50 weddings per year is pretty standard for a full time professional videographer. Many are happy to do more.
Big wedding photography/videography studios are happy to take on hundreds of weddings per year as they employ or contract out a bunch of videographers to shoot them. This is not right or wrong, it’s just how they run their business. These types of business’ will generally be more available as they have multiple ‘crews’ they can use to film your wedding.
The worst feeling is paying for your wedding video for the first time and straight up not liking it. While wedding videography often isn’t the biggest expense of your wedding day, it is still a significant investment and getting a mediocre wedding video hurts!
My advice?
Watch as many wedding videos as you can! Start on YouTube and find videos you really enjoy. Ask yourself why you liked it so much… Was it romantic, did it give you a warm fuzzy feeling? Did you like the incredible cinematic shots? Or where you more enamored with the story of the wedding video?
By digging into the wedding videos you love you can figure out what style of wedding video you enjoy.
There are a couple of main styles that I will list below:
This is the most common wedding video style. This is where your wedding videographer will pull out all the stops to make your wedding look as ‘cinematic’ as possible. What does that mean? It means that you could watch your film in the cinema and it wouldn’t be too out of place – basically the opposite of a home video.
This a ‘cinematic’ wedding videographer will capture your wedding in a more sytlised way, parts of your speeches may be overlayed with footage of you posing for photos or getting ready for your day. Often the whole film has some heartwarming background music, along with voice-overs recorded during the day.
A traditional wedding video will likely capture those important parts of your day is your everyday stock standard wedding video, including your vows, speeches and first dance. Often traditional styles will have minimal editing or transitions but will include all of the important moments.
Most traditional wedding videos are edited in chronological order, starting with either bride prep, or your ceremony and finishing with the reception dances. Modern wedding videographers are starting to provide a wedding higlight video which is a shorter (5-8 minute) video perfect for sharing on social media. The shorter video allows you to relive the best parts of your wedding, without including any of the boring bits! A good wedding videography company will have editors who can create these shorter videos for you.
Couples are looking for wedding videographers with shorter highlight videos. Wedding video highlights are a great way to share the best moments of your wedding with your family and friends – particularly those that couldn’t make it to your wedding!
This style is relatively new, and influenced by the resurgence of indie, lower budget documentaries. This style is very similar to the cinematic edit, however you will find that it will be longer and more about the story and what happened on the day.
It is different from the cinematic approach because it takes a more ‘in the moment’ approach instead of the dramatic and epic videos you will see from montage wedding videos. It’s a bit more candid and down to earth, if that is something you are a fan of.
These types of wedding videos often include quick interviews with the couple, their family and friends before they get married. Talking about your wedding before you tie the knot makes most couples nervous, but its a great way to capture your true emotions on your wedding day!
Unlike the cinematic style, this type of wedding video will
This style of wedding video will also go through the paces of your wedding day from the very beginning to the very end in chronological order. There will be sections focusing on getting ready, arriving at the ceremony and exchanging your vows, all the way to getting photos taken and heading into the reception.
Documentary edits are perfect for those couples who love to tell their story and want to share their feelings before the wedding. This makes watching it and reliving it all the more fun, as there are sure to be surprises and things that were said and forgotten!
Finally, the last major popular wedding style is vintage, with 12% of couples choosing this style. Vintage editing will often include filters to give it that old-style similar to that of videos back in the 1970s. Elements on your day are captured in a specific tone, lighting and colour.
Vintage style videos are unlikely to suit most wedding themes but are well suited to rustic, vintage and boho style themes. These themes already carry vintage themes in them so will be a great way to capture that atmosphere in the way that you film.
Mostly, vintage videos capture the more candid side of your wedding day, making it well suited to a lot of candid photography. So, if you’re looking for something that’s stylised but still natural, vintage is definitely for you.
I like to think that my wedding video style is a mix of all of the above styles. I love capturing candid moments, I try my best to make my shots look ‘cinematic’ as if they wouldn’t look to out of place in a cinema. When it comes to editing I feel as though my style is a mix of the montage and documentary style – I try to keep my wedding videos engaging, but I also try to add as much ‘story’ as I can to my wedding videos so your wedding video is personal and memorable. If you haven’t had a chance yet, please have a look at some of my recent wedding videos!
Invest some time into doing some research around wedding videography – most videographers will have their packages and some FAQ’s on their website. Search wedding videographers in your area and look at what they include in their packages
Here are some common things to look for:
A little research will quickly show you that you’re not comparing apples with apples – each videographer will have their own style, their own vibe and it’s up to you to find the one that best resonates with you.
When researching wedding videographers, don’t solely focus on price, read their ‘About Us’ page and try and find out more about their goals and their style of film-making. You are looking for someone that is organised, creative and shares similar values around their approach to filming your day as you do.
It’s a common misconception to assume that videography and photography are basically the same thing – in reality they’re totally different – from the equipment and cameras, to the lighting requirements, the audio requirements and the end result photography and videography are different kettles of fish.
Many brides figure that videography and photography as essentially the same thing – in reality they are quite different. From the equipment and cameras used, to the lighting requirements and professional audio equipment used. Wedding videographers will be different in their approach to capturing your day. Wedding videographers want lot’s of movement and sound, whilst your photographer want’s you to stand still. Good videographers and photographers will touch base with each other before the day, team up and work closely together to achieve the best result for you! Personally I work fast and candidly to capture natural moments, without taking away to much time from your photographer and being a burden on your wedding day.
Spending some time researching what’s on offer in the Sunshine Coast in terms of wedding videography will help you decide the wedding videographers you will get along with.
The most helpful advice I can give you is to go with your gut and follow your heart when it comes to choosing a wedding videographer.
Doing so will mean you will never regret your decision after your wedding day. Don’t pick a videographer because they are the cheapest – that’s how you regret getting a wedding videographer! Find a videographer that is creating films that you love and resonate with. I would also recommend going with a videographer that has similar interests to yourself and you feel comfortable and relaxed around.
With all that said it is important (with all parts of your wedding day) to set a budget for your wedding video. So shortlist your favourite wedding videographers and contact them to learn more about their packages and pricing or to get a custom quote.
Before reaching out to your prospective wedding videographers try to understand what your non-negotiables are. For example you may 100% want your speeches captured, but having drone footage is something you can live without. Knowing what your willing or not willing to let go of can immensely help you choosing the right videographer for you.
As an engaged couple, this is probably the one thing you want to know. How much do wedding videographers charge?
The answer is… it depends.
It can be anywhere from less than $500 to over $6,000+ It all really depends on the videographer’s experience, their cost of running a business, how many hours you want and extras you want in your wedding video package – drone footage, an extra videographer, longer films… like anything in life… you can spend as much money as you want.
Luckily for you, I have put together a price calculator so you can get an accurate estimate for how much your wedding video will cost!
Get an accurate idea of how much it would cost to have a wedding videographer at your wedding. Based on data from over 120 vendors.
Do you have to spend big money on wedding videography?
Some couples who have the money to spend and don’t see the importance of good wedding videography. They don’t see the poing in paying a professional Sunshine Coast wedding videographer thousands of dollars to create a wedding video for them. That’s fine!
I have friends who could definately afford a wedding videographer for their wedding but they would likely get a wedding video. Why? Because they don’t see the value of wedding videography, they would rather spend their money on having more guests, a better wedding venue or numerous other things. Thats 100% ok. Wedding videography is not a necessity – it is a luxury service.
If having a wedding videographer capture your day isn’t a priority for you, then feel free to hire a friend or an amateur videographer to capture your wedding. However, please be realistic with the results you get. You won’t be able to expect consistent footage throughout the whole day. As a wedding is dynamic and fast paced environment having experience filming a number of weddings helps capture every moment. More on videography experience down below…
On the other hand, if a wedding video is something you truly care about – invest in the wedding videographer you love. This is something you will only have one shot at. If you think your chosen wedding videographer is out of your price range, than perhaps adjust your budget? Taking five people off your guest list can easily save you $1000 or more. Many wedding videographers offer payment plans, so it is worth including this in your enquiry.
Hopefully, by using this Sunshine Coast wedding videography guide you have been able to narrow down your choices for your ideal wedding videographer. But what happens if you have found the perfect wedding videographer but they are too expensive?
Here are some things you can do:
When sending an email enquiry (or using a contact form) include as much information as you can about you and your wedding! They’ll need to know your wedding date and venue address. They’ll also need to know what package you would like to choose and how much coverage you would like (less coverage doesn’t always equal a smaller price – often full day coverage is the most cost effective).
Don’t be scared to let your wedding videographer know a little about you – your fiancé’s name, your wedding plans, what you like about that wedding videographer’s style and any other specific information about your wedding.
The more information you give upfront, the easier the process will be for both of you!
If you have you have found what style of videography you like and found a few videographers whose work you absolutely LOVE then it’s time to contact them.
I would recommend contacting through their website or via email first. Ask about hiring them and ask about more details about their pricing / availability. Don’t phone them as its good to get all of the quotes and pricing in writing.
Let the videographer know a little about you – your fiancé’s name, what you’ve planned for your wedding – what you like about their style and what information you’d specifically like them to provide you with.
Here is a common misconception: If you sound too interested – videographers will rip you off.
This is completely false.
Let me explain… wedding videographers for the most part, are delicate creatives! We are insecure about our work and are always comparing ourselves to others in order to better ourselves. We WANT to video weddings for couples that love our work. It is more likely that your wedding videographer will appreciate your excitment and work hard to create the best wedding video they can for you. So there is no need to be shy!
When a videographer gets an enquiry we are always super excited… “Wow I got this awesome enquiry from a couple living in the Sunshine Coast at a wedding venue that I would LOVE to shoot at – and the couple sounds really nice”. So if you like their work enough to contact them… let them know!
Please don’t write, “Hey, could you send your pricing? Thanks!” Videographers want to capture weddings for couples that are excited about working with them and having an awesome wedding video.
With that said, if you enquire and decide to go with someone else, please have the courtesy to write back and let them know. You don’t have to say why you didn’t go with them if you don’t want to just a quick… “Hey Richard, thanks for getting back to us with all of the info, we love your work but we’ve decided to go with another videographer. Thanks!”
Out of all the vendors and suppliers you invite to be a part of your special day – your photographer and videographer will be spending the most time with you – they’ll not only be witnessing some of your most intimate moments on the day, you’re also trusting them to craft a gorgeous wedding film that reflects your story and style – in order to do that it really helps if you all like each other!
Think of your vendors as experts that you are working with – your wedding vendors, suppliers and venue staff aren’t robots that you ask to do tasks. Great vendors will be invested in making your day be the dream wedding you want it to be, give them room to make that happen for you!
Once you have found the PERFECT videographer, watch as many of their previous videos as you can and let them know what you like about their style.
You can talk with your videographer over email before you book them and they can answer any questions you my have! If they don’t have time to chat with you, or they don’t seem interested in your wedding – they probably aren’t a great fit for you.
One piece of advice for wedding couples when hiring wedding vendors is to see how they interact with you before your Sunshine Coast Wedding Videographer and use that as an indication for their performance on your wedding day. If it takes them days to get back to you. It’s likely that when you need them on your day they might be disorganised.
The good thing about booking a videographer is that you can view their work beforehand. If their previous work isn’t great chances are the work they do for you won’t be great either.
Steer clear from anyone who doesn’t have clear terms and conditions or seems unprofessional. Also keep in mind – as with anything, you get what you pay for with videography. Bargain basement prices may mean a bargain basement job…and is that something you really want for your wedding?
Ask your videographer what equipment they’ll be using on the day – you want someone who has a lightweight, unobtrusive set up – this is your wedding day, not a Hollywood film set.
If you are looking for someone who provides both photography and videography check that they have a person dedicated to filming while someone else takes photos – if they’re going to just throw a camera on an unmanned tripod you may not be happy with the results.
Many wedding videographers will brag about getting your wedding films back to you within just a couple of days. This may be a massive red flag.
At the end of your wedding day, your videographer will have hours, and hours of footage. You want them to go through every single moment so they can find those special moments. This takes time – alot of time! Around 8-12 weeks is a pretty standard turn around time for a wedding video. If your wedding videographer is promising a super short turnaround time it’s probably worth thinking about how they are achieving this.
Woohoo! By this stage you have decided on your ideal wedding videographer.
There is just one step left.
Once you have booked your awesome Sunshine Coast wedding videographer, it is up to you to trust them before the wedding and during the wedding.
Get their advice for timings for the day and for vendors you should book. A Sunshine Coast Wedding Videographer is the one vendor that is at the wedding from start to finish (depending on the package). They see every part of the day and the experienced ones have seen it all.
On the wedding day itself, just let your wedding videographer do their thing . Enjoy yourself and put your trust them. Take their advice on the day for when and where you should do things because they just want to capture the best moments possible for you.
SAFE & ROMANTIC
TRUE TO
LIFE EDIT
CDC GUIDELINE ADHERENT
Thank you so much for visiting our website and for your interest in my wedding videography.
As you search for the right wedding videographer for you, the best advice I can give you is to choose someone whose work you connect to and LOVE. If you love my work, it connects to you in some way and you can imagine yourselves in my wedding films, then please contact us to check availability!
Let’s have an incredible time while documenting your most cherished memories!
UNLIMITED WEDDING DAY COVERAGE
To see if I an available on your proposed wedding day please enter your proposed wedding date.
My pricing starts at $3,300. For more information please visit our Packages page.
For any other enquiries feel free to contact me by visiting the Contact page.
