Congratulations on your decision to elope! One of couples’ best decisions is to forego the stress and cost of a traditional wedding and travel to a beautiful location to marry the one they love. Not only are elopements cheaper and less stressful than a traditional wedding, but they’re also more memorable in many ways.
Photography is essential for all weddings, and many believe wedding videography is equally important. While photos are great for hanging around the house and sharing online, there’s no better way to relive the day than video.
Why is Elopement Videography so Important?
With all my experience doing elopement videos on Oahu, Hawaii, I believe there are many reasons you won’t regret having a videographer for your elopement:
- You’ll want to watch your full ceremony as it was, and without video, the memory of that special moment will fade over the years.
- You’ll want to share your moment with family and friends who weren’t in attendance. Many of my couples mention how excited Mom is to see the video. 🙂
- Highlight videos from exotic places are truly magical, and what better opportunity to look like a movie star?
- And finally, elopement video is often more affordable than traditional wedding videography, so you can stay within budget and have beautiful memories for decades to come.
How to Choose Your Wedding Videographer
When choosing the right videographer for your elopement, here are a few things to consider:
- Experience: You want to ensure you’re hiring a videographer with adequate experience. Check their website, Instagram, YouTube, and Vimeo accounts and ensure they have plenty of videos posted. Avoid sites like Craigslist or ads for discount videography. Even if you’re happy to sacrifice quality to save some money, make sure your videographer has enough experience to be reliable.
- Shooting Style: You don’t need to know much about videography to know what style you like, but it’s something you should think about. If you do your homework and watch elopement videos, you’ll likely see what jumps out at you. While some like a gimbal’s slow, smooth shots, others may prefer the handheld look. The mistake some couples make is hiring based on price and then expecting a different style.
- Price: When considering the price, also consider what’s included. For example, I often include drone videography as a promotion for all my Hawaii wedding video packages. I also deliver a full ceremony video. Some videographers only include a highlight in their package, and then you have to pay extra for add-ons, in many cases, even for the full ceremony. Don’t just glance at the price; make sure you’re reading what’s included, and be careful to ask if you don’t see what you’re looking for.
- Book as Soon as You Know Your Date and Time: The good news is because so many elopements are not on weekends, it’s less likely that you won’t be able to find a videographer for your special day. That said, your options will diminish as it gets closer to your date, so you’ll want to lock in your elopement videographer as soon as you set your date and time.
Conclusion
Elopements are meant to be fun, exciting, and memorable. When planning, make sure you’re having fun, and try to choose vendors who you believe will make that day the best it can be.
Your elopement videographer and photographer should be well-experienced and reliable and have proven examples that match your preferred style.
It’s one of the most memorable days of your life. Make sure to enjoy it!
