What Are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities For Wedding Videographer Jobs
Weve identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Wedding Videographer job is above the national average. Topping the list is Atkinson, NE, with Lake Marcel-Stillwater, WA and New York City, NY close behind in the second and third positions. New York City, NY beats the national average by $19,150 , and Atkinson, NE furthers that trend with another $38,573 above the $117,425 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Wedding Videographer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top ten cities varies modestly at 18% between Atkinson, NE and Green River, WY, suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for Wedding Videographer role.
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The Truth About Wedding Photographer Salary And Pa
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The Average Cost Of A Wedding Videographer
The average cost of a wedding videographer will largely depend on where you live, how many hours of coverage you want the videographer to capture, and how experienced the professional is.
While its possible to find a videographer in the $1,200 $1,500 range, Grech says you can expect to spend $7,000 $12,000 on the lower end and up to $20,000 or more on the higher end.
As you can see, prices can vary pretty significantly, so its best to always get a clear idea of the rate before you hire a videographer.
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How Much Should I Charge For Wedding Videography
In the ten years of filming weddings and building up a highly successful international wedding film company, Story Of Your Day, the same hot topic remains on the lips of all videographers, How much to charge for a wedding video.
Unfortunately, instead of being driven by their product and service, most videographers are driven by confidence, competition, a desire to film as many weddings as possible andof coursewhat potential clients think a wedding videographer should charge.
According to The Knot and WeddingWire most couples pay their wedding videographer between $1500 and $2500. The average spend on wedding videography is $1800.
Ive done research in several communities of wedding videographers online, and it turns out that among UK-based wedding videographers:
- 55% of videographers are happy charging even less than $1800
- 28% of videographers charge between $1800 & $2500, on average, and
- 11% said they charge above the $2500 average.
But I want to focus on the how in how much to charge for wedding videography. What you really need to know is how much to charge as a beginner wedding videographer, as a wedding videographer with some experience, more experience or even how much to charge for luxury wedding video.
And its not just experience, there are several other factors which you should consider when working out how much to charge.
Should You Hire A Wedding Videographer
Like any other professional vendor you hire for your wedding, its a good idea to weigh the pros and cons. Be sure to think about the costs and benefits of a wedding videographer before you sign the dotted line.
As youre planning your wedding, whether youre on your own or with a professional wedding planner, ask yourself if spending your wedding budget on a video is worth it or not.
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Tip : Keep Your Packages Simple
If you are offering packages, dont offer too much within them. Make sure that your clients have upgrades available, because this increases your earning potential. When I coach other videographers on their pricing and packages most of them tend to give away too much. So many videographers offer ceremony in full and speeches in full edits as part of their base package. These should always be an additional product, because these are both one of the easiest edits to make the most out of an up-sell.
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Should My Location And Local Competition Affect What I Charge For Wedding Videography
There are a few different ways of looking at this subject.
As an example, I live in Switzerland. The cost of living here is three times more expensive than in the UK, so when I moved here I did look into what photographers and videographers were charging. I also took into consideration my experience, expertise, outstanding services, and the quality of my work. I knew that my pricing had to be in line with other luxury wedding videographers in Switzerland.
But in most cases, just looking at local or regional competition might lead you astray. For instance, you might live in an area where local videographers are all extremely experienced and price their services at the higher end of the market. Or maybe you live in an area where there are very few or no experienced professionals.
I firmly believe that you need to base your prices on your level of knowledge, experience and expertiseNOT on what the competition is doing. Youll feel confident doing this once youve worked on the other areas of your business.
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What Is Included In Wedding Videography Packages
While each wedding videographer is different, you can expect a few basic similarities in the packages they offer for wedding videography. In general, your wedding videography options will include tiered packages and add-ons that are listed in your contract. Some of the basics typically included in your wedding videographer cost include:
- Your wedding videography cost usually includes between eight and 10 hours of filming with one or two wedding videographers. You may be able to add more time to your contract, but that may require an additional shooter and/or lead to a higher total wedding videographer cost.
- A wedding highlight video is usually included, which consists of four to seven minutes or so of the most meaningful moments from your ceremony and reception. Your highlight film might include some of your wedding music and showcase special moments between you and your partner.
- The best wedding videographer will be sure to get all the raw footage needed to capture your ceremony and reception, including toasts and speeches by those close to you and your partner. Often this raw footage is available to you as part of a basic package, but some photographers charge an additional fee for raw cuts of the ceremony and speeches
You may also be able to request additional services that will be added to your contract. Some of the most common a la carte items that can be added to your wedding videography include the following:
The Experience Of Your Videographer
Unsurprisingly, youll pay more for your wedding videography if your videographer is more experienced. Videographers who have reached a certain level of expertise will charge what is appropriate for their skillset and the standard of work theyre providing.
Its all about getting that balance between affordability and quality, so make sure you shop around!
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How Much Does Wedding Videography Cost Prices
Ballpark Estimate: Between $500 to $6,000
In years to come, wouldnt you love to be able to watch your wedding in all its full splendor again, experiencing again all of the sights, sounds and details that made it so special the first time around? Now you can, if youre willing to invest in having a professional videographer film your event. Once your day has come and gone, this video may end up being one of your most cherished possessions.
Whats Normally Included In Wedding Videography Packages
Videographers, like wedding photographers, will have a variety of wedding packages for you to choose from. Heres what you can expect to see in a basic package, according to Grech:
- A three five-minute highlight video
- A 20 30-minute full wedding video with wedding ceremony and speeches
- Two cinematographers
- An assistant to the videographer
These included highlights and wedding videos will be professionally edited, and they will also be set to music and delivered to you either via USB or through an online platform.
If youd like access to the unedited or raw footage, this is typically an extra fee about $1,500 and with the caveat that the couple will have to provide the hard drive, Grech explains.
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Envision Your Wedding Video
Once you have a few names in mind, consider what you actually need from a wedding videographer. Do you want your whole event capturedfrom the rehearsal dinner to hanging with your bridesmaids and the getting-ready process all the way to the after party late-night shenanigans?or are you more focused solely on the ceremony? Similarly, consider what youd like to get after the fact: Are funny wedding videos or clips your goal, or do you prefer a more serious wedding highlight video? Do you want the raw footage, or a more neatly-packaged final product? Do you have dreams of a wedding drone, capturing the magic from 100 feet above? Some videographers even include custom iPads for clients, pre-loaded with all of your videos and photos, for you to keep and cherish.
And dont forget, as you think about what you want and by who, consider the videographer themselves: Do you want a number of cameras swooping and swirling around the dance floor, or is just one enough? While multiple wedding videographers can mean lots of extra footage to work with, and the ability to capture many things at once, it can also mean more people to feed and more people around you.
Why Should You Hire A Wedding Videographer
Wondering if wedding videos are worth the investment? In short, the answer is yes. Wedding videos bring your event to life in a way that still photography cant, and allow you to share these moments with friends and family members for many years into the future. Your wedding videography will allow you to relive every second of your wedding again and again. In addition, a wedding ceremony video can become a prized family heirloom for you and your children or extended family to enjoy.
Wedding videos have also become increasingly popular for couples who like to post them to social media platforms to extend the number of people who can enjoy your wedding. This is an ideal solution for guests who cannot otherwise attend to take part in your ceremony and reception. Your wedding videographer may even be able to make it possible to live-stream your ceremony to ensure that all of your loved ones have an opportunity to experience the event for themselves. Not surprisingly, virtual or live-streamed weddings increased in popularity during the pandemic, and are expected to become a mainstay in the wedding industry.
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Create A Shot List And Stick To It
Well in advance, put together a list with your videographer of everything you want documented. This will help your videographer better prepare and give you an accurate estimate of their fee. A shot list will also come in handy if youre hiring an amateurtheyll know what to expect and how to tackle what you want.
When Should I Hire My Wedding Videographer
As with most other major vendors, it’s important to hire a wedding videographer about 9-12 months before the wedding. This way, they’ll have more time to organize a second shooter who will help with the production of your video. Hiring ahead of time also helps you stick to your budget and avoid any extra costs from your videographer trying to squeeze you into their busy schedule.
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What Am I Really Paying For
Your wedding videographer does more than sit their camera in front of the altar while you read vows. They follow closely to highlight the most pivotal moments of the wedding day from the gleeful steps of the young flower girl to the moment a father walks his daughter down the aisle. This is really why we enlist professionals to film our special day.
Technically, the total cost includes videography service, many hours of post-production effort, the finished product, and equipment needs. The videography service alone can be negotiated and adjusted to fit your specific, special day needs. Want aerial footage of the entire scene recorded by drone? Make sure to request this option in advance.
Not sure how much to keep aside for gas, parking or overnight stay? Make sure this is all written clearly in the contract to avoid any last minute misunderstandings.
The meat of the process, which people often take for granted, is post-production. This is when the raw footage from your ceremony, rehearsal, reception, bridal shower, bachelor party, and whatever else was documented, is organized into a presentable, finished product. Depending on your arrangement, your video might be edited by the same person who shot the footage, or the work might be forwarded to a team of editors. This time-consuming process requires patience and faith in the professionals youve trusted with this vision.
How To Make More Money With Up
Up-selling to your clients is something many videographers forget to do or maybe its because theyre scared to do . This means they often give too much away in their basic pricing and packages and instead of thinking about how they can make money from up-selling various aspects of that service and product. Im a solo shooter and in terms of filming I offer a second shooter or drone operator as an upgrade. I charge more for these services then I pay. In terms of production, I offer very many upgrades to my clients, sometimes before their wedding and sometimes after. In my opinion, up-selling products to clients once theyve already commissioned you is the easiest way of making more money and often making the commission into something much more lucrative.
More and more videographers start out with a base offer and once the client has signed on the dotted line then they buy more, taking that commission higher than the average.
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Combining Your Videography And Photography Packages
If you want to cut costs, its often cheaper to find a videographer who can also offer photography, because theyre likely to be able to offer a discounted package price.
Leslie is a professional photographer as well as being a videographer. She said: We offer a £450 discount for our couples who book photography and videography together.
If you are looking for both, I highly recommend you choose a company that provides both for the best result possible. Having photographers and videographers working side by side on the wedding day that havent worked together before can get tricky.
Image: Moment Weddings
When Is It Worth It
Given the choice, most of us would relive our wedding days over and over again, and hiring a professional videographer to capture the entire day is our chance at doing just that.
Its worth it to hire a videographer if you have room in your budget and youre interested in seeing your wedding as your guests did especially if you missed a lot of moments while you were in another area taking photographs. Just dont forget to tip your videographer for a job well done!
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What Are The Typical Costs Of Wedding Video Services
The most basic service of a wedding videographer is a short clip of the wedding ceremony. This most popular service costs between $400-$900. Ceremony and reception coverage will cost more, that is about $900-$1,200. More enhanced services with several people working at the wedding, different angles, and several clips plus a feature film will cost some $1,200-$1,900. Luxury packages begin from $3,800 and go higher
For those willing to make a true film out of their wedding, the cost will be about $2,200-$3,200 and it includes special effects, interviews, and professional editing.
What’s Covered In A Videography Package
Wedding videography packages vary, but here are the main things included in most packages:
- Shooting. At a basic level, you’re paying for your videographer to show up and record your wedding ceremony and reception for an agreed number of hours. Travel and equipment costs may factor in, depending on where you’re getting married and whether you want anything special like drone footage.
- Post-production. This is the most time-consuming part of videography and can take anywhere from a few hours to several months to complete. It includes things like editing, color correction, adding graphics, animations, and effects. Sometimes your videographer will be doing the editing, and other times a different editor will be doing it. Additional edits after the first round may be included in a package, or they may cost more.
- The final product. The final product is usually delivered on a personal thumb drive, DVD, USB, or Blu-Ray. A highlight reel of your video might also be provided to be shared on Vimeo or YouTube.
- Equipment. The videographer should provide everything they need to record your wedding, including cameras , microphones, and lighting.
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