jdweddingvideos.com Blog

Back in February, a woman called me about filming an interview with her father. He was a WW2 veteran and accomplished businessman. She was able to get most of her family together on a sunny Sunday afternoon for a picnic and interview. Family members would take turns asking him about his life. The filming process took about two hours.

He talked about his childhood, the war, his marriage and children, political thoughts and business dealings. It was a wonderful interview and very enlightening for both Jack and myself.

After the interview, we waited for his children to compile photographs to insert into the video. This enhanced what was being discussed. We also went to Monticello (where he had owned much of the land that now holds many businesses) and filmed around where their home had been, his companies, and much more. The rough draft was ready on Father’s Day, and was completed after our family vacation a couple of weeks later.

His daughter then called me to say that her dad had been diagnosed with cancer, and was not given much time. He was able to see the final DVD and was very proud of it. I have to say, this was one of my favorite projects and it turned out very well. Family and friends have had the chance to view it and they ordered quite a number of copies for their large family.

I just received an email letting me know that he passed away last night. Although it is heartbreaking, I am just glad that we were able to accomplish this before his passing. What a wonderful opportunity it was to meet with him and get his memories on tape. His family will always be able to view this when they are missing him. His personality and sense of humor show through on the video and it is priceless.

Jack and I now think that we will want to do that with our own parents and the only living grandparent from either of our sides.

I love the blogging because it gives me the chance to brag about past weddings and events as well as give advise and knowledge. This particular blog is for those of you who don’t know why you should invest your money into a videographer.

First, lets be clear - this is our livelihood. This is how we make our money. I’m obviously going to be biased on this issue! But in all honesty, it baffles me that couples will spend thousands of dollars on a professional photographer, florist, caterer, dj and wedding trinkets… and then have a friend videotape their wedding! From my experience, most women agree with me too…after their wedding! A good percentage of my income comes from making an amatuer video into something “watchable”. Of course, there is only so much I can do once the event is over. I can’t go back and get video clips of that day, I have to use what you have.

Over the years, we have had to increase our pricing. When we first got started, we charged very little for the end product. Anyone can expect prices to rise with inflation. But then there is the issue of running our business. For each wedding that we book, a full 1/3 of that money is already gone. Unfortunately, most of that is becuase of the cost to advertise. Lately, we have been trying to decrease that cost by connecting more with other wedding vendors. The more our names get out by word of mouth, the more of a savings that we can pass along to you! It is also a great benefit to the client when they know that their vendors work well together. Thankfully, we also have many happy brides spreading the word! Aprox. 1/3 of our clients are referred from past ones. I think that’s a pretty good percentage!

Now we get into the equipment. It seems that the video business is ever-changing. When Jack first started filming, he had an old analog video cam-corder. Each year since, we have had to invest in new cameras, editing programs, microphones, tripods, etc., etc.,etc. Now, HD is steadily creeping into the business, and we will again need to change. But rest assured, that our equipment is above and beyond what any of your friends will have. A quality tri-pod is a must. Without this, you will have shaky footage. Quality cameras are a must. Without this, you will have grainy footage. Quality microphones are a must. Without these, you will not hear your vows.

Professionalism is a must. First, we must stay competitive, so we spend many hours researching the video business. We’re constantly reading and watching the newest trends in video and editing.

Many hours go into each wedding. Between emails, phone calls and meetings, we average between 3-4 hours on each client before their wedding. Of course that number increases if you are having a montage created. The hours are very high for a couple opting to tell their “Love Story”. The hours at each wedding varies between packages. But during that time, we are always on our toes looking for a “photo-op”. We’re trying to capture your entire day so that you can relive it. I love to hear back from couples - especially when they say something like “we had no idea you were even filming that!” That always makes the best footage.

If you’re thinking of having a friend or relative videotape your wedding, consider the following:

1. Do I want my friend to be focused on the video or having a good time? There is little time for both.
2. What kind of equipment will be used? Can I live with grainy footage? Can I live with shaky footage?
3. When will I expect to have the video? If I hire someone, I can expect to have it complete within a few months. If I ask a friend to edit it in their free time, how long could that take? Do they have the right software for creating a professional look, or romantic scenes?
4. Can I trust that my friend will be videotaping the first dance, and not catching up with other guests at the bar?
5. I could come up with many case scenarios, but you get the gist.

Editing a wedding will take us an average of 40 hours each. During the wedding peak each year, we try to get out two weddings a week, which just means more hours per week.

I decided to figure out how much money I make per hour. I’m not going to write it here, but if you follow my blog, you can get an idea of what that might be. The reason we keep doing this is pretty simple. I get to make money while working from home. This is a great benefit when you have four kids. And second: What better job is there than spending your time with happy people? My job is to document the happiest day of your life, and that to me is priceless!