Ten Good Reasons to go pro PDF  | Print |
One chance to get it right
As much editing after the event as you like will not make up for the best man speech being missed-off because the battery ran out.  A professional crew will come prepared, and will, catagorically, miss nothing.
Moving pictures are unequaled
enabling you to re-live the atmosphere of the day over again, with sound, actions and expression. Well-produced footage can be watched repeatedly without a single yawn; badly produced footage will contaminate your own memories of the day and make you wish that you'd never watched it. 
Accountability
You simply cannot blame well-meaning guests who bring video cameras for wonky, grainy or blurred footage. A professional videographer is totally accountable for the results - and therefore will not leave anything to chance so will get it right every time. 
    No grain! no_blurr.gif No skew! Everything correct!
Editing is an art
Filming is only half the story! After your wedding day, it may not be straightforward getting hold of the various tapes. If and when you do, they may be in a number of different formats, will probably have lengths of footage of the same scenes (mostly from the same angle), and of relatively unimportant events with no real clues as to where they all fit together.
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Editing down the footage into a viewable format is not just a few hour's work. Editing takes time and more than a little understanding.  Unless you have a high-end editing suite, it is unlikely that you'll end up with professional results, no matter how well you visualise the result in your mind.

Always on-task

no_wine.jpg The videographer won't be wanting to catch up with Uncle Peter instead of filming you so there won't be breaks at important points in the film. Also, the videographer won't be taking advantage of the bar, and the effects that that might have on the stability of the camera!

Totally your interests at heart
A good videographer will want to make you look your absolute best at all times. Nothing embarrassing or distasteful will ever end up on a professional production. If it is raining, the videographer will do their best to minimise it's effect during filming and post-editing. If there's poor light, extra lighting will be provided, accoustics will be checked beforehand and necessary adjustments made to the equipment to compensate.
Experience counts
Knowing what makes a good scene is important in knowing what to capture and what not to.
Professional equipment
Off-the-shelf video equipment has come a long way, but the equipment used by a professional videographer will usually be of a significantly better standard and accounts for notable differences between amateur and professional footage. The lens, audio input and image stabilisation are all part-and-parcel of professional video equipment; aspect that will be tested beyond the limits of amateur tools.
It's all about timing
The videographer will be there before, during and after the event, something that guests or family would normally find quite difficult.  He or she will have made arrangements with the officials and thought things through prior to turning up.