This is a complete guide to how much you should pay for a wedding videographer in 2023.
Your wedding video is the most important investment you can make on your wedding day.
It’s true.
You are not just paying for a service, you are investing money in preserving your memories.
According to Weddings Online, the average cost of a wedding videographer in Ireland is €1,283. With the average wedding in Ireland costing €26,015.
There are a few factors that determine these costs which I will get to shortly, and I’ll tell you how much you should be paying for a wedding videographer at the end of this informative guide.
I'm Michael, and I'm an award-winning wedding videographer based in Waterford. Let's get started.
Wedding Videographer Michael Hurley
You’re probably thinking, “Is a wedding video worth it?”
In a word. Yes.
In fact, Wedding Ideas Mag said that “not having a wedding video to cherish after the big day is one of the most common regrets felt by today’s real brides.”
“...while I had an amazing photographer, I didn't hire a professional videographer. So many wonderful moments were captured frozen in time, but there are no moving images." - Sheila
No other medium allows you to hear you say ‘I do’ again, or lets you see and hear your families heartfelt reactions as you walk down the aisle to a huge round of applause.
With your other wedding costs, you leave your wedding venue at the end of the day, your dress goes back into its bag, and your flowers wilt away.
Your wedding video will be there forever.
Your wedding photos come a close second, but think of the chill as you both watch yourselves dancing to your first song, or hearing the music play as the bride dances with her dad on the dance floor - both with tears in their eyes.
Trim Castle Wedding - Michael Hurley Wedding Films
Your wedding video isn’t just for you either. There are people not even alive yet who will want to watch your wedding video.
How much would you pay to watch your grandparents' wedding?
It’s priceless, right?
That’s why you shouldn’t just go for the average price of a wedding videographer, you should invest in a good wedding videographer.
Do not rely on someone from your family to capture those moments on a mobile phone. The audio will be bad, the camerawork will be shaky and they simply won’t capture the emotions that a professional wedding videographer will get.
Don't trust guests with such an important task
After years of planning, your wedding day will fly by without you realising. A professional wedding videographer will capture all of the parts you miss. Your wedding videographer will capture your friends and family enjoying themselves at the reception, we’ll get the crystal clear audio from the cheesy jokes your dad is bound to say in his speech. And your own reactions during the speeches as the groom recounts back the story of how you first met and how much he loves you.
These are emotions that no other medium will give you.
Every couple has their own budget, and every wedding videographer has their own price tag depending on the services they offer.
What factors affect the cost of a wedding videographer?
There are a few factors that determine the price of a wedding videographer in 2022, which I will break into four sections.
1. Amount of coverage and videographers
2. Style and quality of their work
3. Costs associated with their work
4. Deliverables
Amount of coverage and videographers
This comes down to when they start and finish. A lot of wedding videographers now tend to start with the bridal preparations in the morning and finish after the first dance. But check to see whether they start at the ceremony instead, or offer any bespoke packages. These may be more affordable. But remember, you won’t get the memories of you and your bridesmaids getting ready in the morning, laughing and joking while drinking your bubbly. The more coverage, the higher the cost.
How many videographers do they supply? If there is more than one then the cost will be higher as you are paying for more people. I am able to keep my costs down as I work on my own throughout the day.
Bridal prep is included in my packages as standard
Style and quality of their work
You’ve done your research and looked up a few local wedding videographers. You’ve probably noticed the different styles each one has. There are two styles of wedding videographers. Documentary and cinematic.
A documentary wedding videographer is a more traditional style of wedding videography. The video will begin at the start of the day and run in the order that the day happened. Ceremony, speeches, party. This type of wedding video will be in the lower to mid price range for wedding videography as it’s easier to film and edit.
A cinematic wedding videographer will offer a story-telling approach to your wedding film, much like a film or love story. The order may not be in the way it happened on the day, instead it may start with a few shots of the couple hand in hand in their wedding attire, then flash back to the bride getting ready in the morning with a voice over from the speeches of the groom saying how much he loves her. These are the style of video which I produce and are the main reason why couples keep on booking me.
There is much more involved in this type of wedding film, more expensive kit is required to get the correct cinematic look, and more time is spent in post production while crafting your love story.
Cinematic wedding film - Michael Hurley Wedding Films
Costs associated with their work
Each wedding videographer will have different business costs associated with their work which will vary wildly. Personally, I need to pay for insurance, music licences and advertising to name a few.
As a cinematic wedding videographer I also have a higher spec of kit. I film with Sony 4K cameras, expensive lenses, professional audio equipment to capture crystal clear sound, and a professional editing suite using professional editing software.
I offer free travel if the wedding is in Waterford, Kilkenny or Wexford. But the further away the wedding, the higher the cost for things like petrol and hotel stays.
I am also continually investing in my training and personal development. This is through online courses and attending seminars around the country
The better kit and better investment in training allows me to produce a higher quality wedding film which is reflected in my prices.
Deliverables
Each wedding videographer will offer slightly different ways of delivering their films to their couples. Gone are the days of giving DVDs to couples. Instead you are more likely to receive your wedding film via USB, or digitally online. This way you will have your own personal webpage set up where you can download your films straight to your laptop or tablet. The benefit of this is that it is delivered quicker and you can never lose your wedding film. It is backed up in the cloud forever.
How many films do they supply? A traditional wedding videographer will tend to supply just the one film, usually about 30-60 minutes long.
As a cinematic wedding videographer myself I offer three films. In this day and age of social media, this is key. My most popular film is the cinematic highlights film. This is usually between 4-8 minutes long and showcases the best parts of the day, all set to the perfect cinematic soundtrack.
I also offer a short one minute teaser which is perfect to share on Instagram and is delivered just days after your wedding day. I also provide a longer edit which covers the day in full.
These will obviously push the price up due to time spent in post production.
This is how I deliver my wedding films
So let’s get down to the nitty gritty. How much should you pay for a wedding videographer in Ireland in 2022? The prices below reflect my own personal opinion based on my 15 years in the industry.
Lower range cost of a wedding videographer - €800 - €1250
Mid range cost of a wedding videographer - €1250 - €1800
High-end cost of a wedding videographer - €1800 - €2500
Remember, there will be people who charge more, and people who charge less. But these will be reflected in their quality and style of work, along with the delivery of your wedding film.
Now it’s over to you. How much do you plan to spend on a wedding videographer? Don’t be one of those brides who regrets not hiring a professional wedding videographer for their wedding.
Get in touch with me to see if I’m available to film your wedding. I have limited dates left in 2023 and 2024.