You’re probably thinking about getting a wedding videographer to film your special day and wondering… “How much does a wedding videographer cost?”
You’re not alone – over 51% of brides choose to get a wedding videographer to film their wedding in Australia.
Having someone capture those unforgettable moments of you walking down the aisle, reading your vows and the wedding speeches can’t always be captured perfectly with just photos. Video captures the emotion and love you and your fiancee feel for one another.
Before we dive into the nitty gritty… let me just give you an idea of the costs involved:
The average cost of a wedding videographer in Australia, is around $2,695. The price wedding couples spend on videography depends on the coverage time they hire their wedding videographer for. 6 hours of coverage would be around $2,500 – whilst full day (12 hour) coverage would be $3500+.
So that’s the short of it, but there are many factors and considerations you should make before you finalise your budget and settle on the perfect wedding videographer for you. Read on for the full cost breakdown of wedding videography.
No worries! I have created a wedding video cost calculator so you can see exactly how much you can expect to pay based on your location and what inclusions you are after.
The prices this calculator spits out are based on research of the prices of over 120+ wedding videographers in Australia.
First things first, before you spend $1000’s on a wedding video… should you even hire a videographer?
Research shows that not having a videographer for your big day is the biggest regret for a lot of couples when it comes to looking back on their wedding.
After all, this is the one day you want to be able to remember for the rest of your lives. Whether you’re getting a teaser reel, highlights footage, or the whole shebang, having a professional capture those moments is so important.
But don’t just take it from us! 51% of real couples will hire a videographer for their big day, with 7% opting to go the DIY route and avoid paying for a professional wedding video.
You’ve probably heard that a videographer is one of the most important things to hire for your wedding.
But why?
A video can be an amazing way to capture memories and moments you might have missed on camera. It also allows you to relive those special moments over and over again, which is something photos just can’t do.
One of the most important aspects of a wedding video is capturing all the memories and moments. As an engaged couple, your biggest decision will be deciding whether or not to hire a videographer for your wedding day. If you are on the fence about this, we hope that these four benefits will help you decide if hiring a video professional is right for you.
Your wedding day is a blur of excitement, love and happiness. But what about all those special moments that happen when you’re not looking? What about the speeches, the first dance, or your dad’s toast? You might be able to recall some of these memories if they were captured on video but chances are you’ll never know for sure.
Wedding videos are an excellent way for your family and friends to relive the magic of your special day. Your guests can watch them over and over again; you won’t believe how many times even your own wedding video has been viewed! We produce a specially tailored social media video 48 hours after you wedding so your friends and family can re-watch the wedding straight away!
A wedding video is the best way to capture your celebrations on the biggest day of your life. This is a chance for family and friends who were unable to attend to see you exchange vows, party with everyone else, dance, eat cake—it’s all there! It may seem like a lot of work at first; however, it isn’t as difficult or expensive as one might think.
When it comes to the cost of your video you also want to look at how long you’re hiring your videographer for, what sort of footage you’re getting from the reel, and how many videographers you’re having. While most video companies will offer two videographers to film your day, these will often both be operated by one videographer (ie a fixed camera filming the ceremony and the videographer roaming around getting other shots).
If you’re looking at adding a wedding videographer into your wedding budget then you’re in luck, because it’s one of the few categories where the average hasn’t gone up in price over the last few years. Nationally, an Australian videographer should cost you around $2,695.
Like any supplier, the average cost can go up or down a bit depending on which state you’re based in and the suppliers available to you. Most of the time, you’ll be looking at budgeting somewhere between $2000 and $3500 for a popular videography package. But here’s the average you can slip into your budget for your wedding video in each state.
The amount of hours you hire a wedding videographer for solely depends on what exactly are you looking to be covered.
It’s okay if it’s only you walking down the aisle, but if you want more coverage, let your videographer know exactly what you need. If you’re happy with your ceremony and speeches, perhaps you want the basics, or go a step further and get some footage of you getting ready in the morning.
Typically wedding videographers will offer packages with a set number of hours. These are normally:
4 hours – Which would include getting ready and your wedding ceremony.
6-8 hours – Enough for getting ready, ceremony and reception
12 hours – Full day coverage – getting ready, ceremony, reception, speeches and dances.
It’s important that you have a clear understanding of what events you must have covered, then your videographer can work with you to figure out what package would work best, or even custom tailor their packages to make sure you get certain parts of the day covered. Whatever you’re after, factoring in the filming time, timeline of your wedding day and also what most people do can make it easier to decide exactly what you want to capture.
Don't worry about deciding on how many hours to have your wedding videographer for. Our cheapest package has All Day Coverage so you won't miss a single moment of your wedding day!
Learn moreStill not sure how many hours you should allocate? I have gathered some data on what Australian brides choose when it comes to their wedding vide.
From research conducted by easyweddings shows that most couples will have their videographer filming all day from start to finish (56%) which might turn into a 10 or 12-hour package. 37% of couples will have their videographer for the ceremony and part of their reception, for which you’re probably looking at an 8 or 10-hour package. Just 7% of couples have their videographer for their ceremony only, where you’re looking for something between 4 to 8 hours depending on what your videographer offers.
The videography package can be a barrier for some wedding couples. Some couples may not know about all the options that are available to them. A good videographer should be able to discuss and present the options in an unbiased manner for any couple choosing a video service for their wedding. Regardless of the pricing scheme, several factors can affect the cost. Here are a few examples.
Duration – The biggest determining factor for wedding videography prices is the amount of time spent on-location. Some brides and grooms offer a package that includes a certain number of hours, while others charge strictly by the hour. You need to make sure that the package includes travel time or whether you are charged extra for travel expenses. The longer the ceremony and reception, the more you can expect to pay.
Pre-wedding Content – If you want to include content that takes place before the wedding, you might have to pay extra. For instance, you might want to include footage of the engagement, or an interview with the bride and groom about the upcoming wedding. It is becoming popular to do a video & portrait session prior to the wedding – as this gives the photographer and videographer more time to get some stunning shots of the wedding couple.
Experience of the Videographer – Just like photography, videography is a craft that you can get better at with time. If you want to spend a little extra money on a professional wedding videographer, it’s worth the investment of your time and money. Think about hiring a more experienced videographer for your wedding who has built a name for themselves in the industry.
Number of Videographers – Some videographers use two people. One operates a camera from a fixed position to get those fabulous ceremony shots. They might have a second person who moves around, trying to capture different angles or the emotion of the moment. You can expect to pay more for two videographers than for one.
Length of Video – The length of a video is related to the price. Be aware that more time is spent editing than filming, so longer videos require more editing. This will drive up the price significantly.
Equipment Used – Equipment, whether it is quality or type, is important. For example, high-quality cameras and recording equipment may run into tens of thousands of dollars. It also takes considerable skill to operate. You will pay more for this higher quality than for someone who is only a beginner with basic equipment. The difference can be one between a choppy video with mediocre sound and the potential to capture a special moment.
Location – A videographer’s cost is dependent on many factors, including the distance travelled to the location. If a couple is getting married abroad, simply hiring a videographer at the location will be cheaper than transporting both them and their gear with them.
Here is a list of common add-ons wedding videographers offer that can factor into the price of the wedding video package you go with. To give you an idea here are the extra’s I offer as part of my wedding package:
Designed for lovers of social media, get 60 seconds of the best moments of your wedding delivered 48 hours after your wedding. I’ll create a couple of different versions designed for stories (15 seconds), or facebook and instagram (60 seconds) for you to post.
A neatly edited video presentation containing all of the speeches from your wedding day – start to finish.
“Remember every embarrasing moment of your wedding speeches!”
A neatly edited video presentation containing your entire wedding ceremony from start to finish.
“Never forget your wedding vows”
A fully edited ‘Feature Film’ containing as many shots as possible. This film is edited in chronological order and contains your full length ceremony and speeches.
This film is a perfect way to reminisce and look back on your wedding day.
Get fully organised raw footage. This footage is completely unedited, but has been organised into the different events of the day. I also provide a long clip of all of the raw footage tied together.
If you are planning on having a rehearsal dinner and you would like to capture the candid moments during the rehearsal dinner, I can absolutely do this for you!
*Please note that unlike the above, this can only be requested before your wedding day. Our all day coverage includes everything on your wedding day, but the rehearsal dinner is typically another day.
A wedding video is one of the most important parts of your special day. Having a professionally made wedding video will allow you to look back on that special day for years and even decades to come. The reason why it can be so expensive, however, is due to several factors including: equipment costs, location fees and labor.
A professional wedding videographer needs about twice as much gear as a wedding photographer and their editing workstations have to be very powerful to edit HD or UltraHD video quickly. Videographers also fill up hard drives rapidly and cannot readily backup to the cloud yet because of massive file sizes and the speed limitations of most internet connections.
Videography has quickly become a staple in documenting a wedding along with photography. But many couples who consider having a video of their wedding still find the cost quite expensive for something that seems rather simple to them. The truth is, wedding videography is not simple. It’s not just your uncle’s recording your wedding in a camcorder; it’s a complex process that needs to have a good investment to produce quality output.
When you understand what wedding videography really is from your photographer or videographer’s perspective, you will appreciate the value of your money. And then it wouldn’t be expensive for you anymore, but just reasonably priced.
We highly recommend hiring a professional wedding videographer for your wedding (instead of friends and family). It’s not a fun step to take, but it is an important one. By hiring a professional videographer, you’ll be able to enjoy a great video. However, there are ways to cut costs without compromising on quality when hiring a wedding videographer.
Having an experienced wedding videographer, allows you to stress less about your wedding video. You will be in good hands. An experienced wedding videographer will familiarise themselves with your wedding timeline and make sure that they are in sync with your photographer. They will know exactly where to be, at exactly the right times to get the perfect shot! Even an expensive camera can’t replace the gut instinct a long-time wedding videographer has.
Every minute of your wedding counts. Don’t miss a moment with all day coverage included in all of our packages.
Every couple is different. Your Film is tailor made for you. That’s why all of our packages are completely customizeable.
You can upgrade your package to include longer films, a full ceremony and reception film or RAW Footage any time before or after your wedding date.
