how much does a wedding film cost in 2024?

The price of your wedding video depends on several aspects. In this post we'll be giving you the keys to understand those factors affecting the price so you can make an informed decision about the wedding videographer that best suits your needs and budget.

Make the most of your budget by knowing the aspects that affect the price of a wedding video

Are you planning your wedding and wondering how much the video will cost? Then you are in the right place. You'll be able to understand the many factors to take into consideration when setting prices in the wedding videography industry and, therefore, you'll be able to plan approximately the cost that the wedding video will have for your budget.

Let me start with a price range: In Barcelona and surrounding areas, prices for a complete wedding video (filming and editing) range between approximately €1,200 and €4,500, although it is possible to find options considerably below and above this price range. Our rates are in the middle of this range, always depending on several factors that we will discuss later.

Low-cost wedding films:

So, is it possible to find wedding videos under €1200? Of course, although in order to offer these prices the wedding videographer will likely have to sacrifice several aspects that we consider essential. To lower rates this much it will be necessary to cut expenses on cameras and gear and reduce editing hours, which significantly impacts the final quality of the wedding video. Not only that, but a low-cost wedding video business is based on being able to deliver a large volume of edits as fast as possible and mechanize processes in order to be profitable, sometimes booking 2 or 3 weddings a weekend.

For us, every wedding and every couple is special, and it will continue to be so as long as we don't do 40 weddings a year.

The many aspects involved in wedding videography pricing

1. Filming gear isn't exactly cheap

Not all wedding videographers have the same cameras and lenses and it is something that definitely affects the final price of the video. If a wedding videographer offers you an "unbeatable" price it might be due to a lower cost of their equipment, which can translate into certain limitations. For example, not all cameras record in 4K and 120 frames per second, and not all cameras behave equally good under bad lighting conditions which is a common adversity in wedding cinematography.
‍
Not only cameras, but also lenses are essential. It is important to have a wide range of lenses to be able to adapt to any situation that may arise at the wedding. Furthermore, these lenses must be high quality filming gear, as an entry-level glass will not be as sharp or as bright as a high-end lens like the ones we use at All You Need Is Love Films. Worst case scenario, it can ruin a beatiful scene due to focus problems.
‍
Well stablished wedding videographers also use several filming accesories that set them apart the amateurish competition, such as stabilizers, polarizing filters, neutral density filters, tripods, microphones and much more.

Wedding filmmakers with high-end gear are certainly more expensive but it can be a life-saver

2. Experience and demand of the wedding videographer

We have all been beginners at one time or another and, if you get a quote that seems lower than you expected, it may be because this particular videographer is starting out his/her career and trying to gain experience and portfolio.
‍
Of course, filming wedding videos is far from easy and requires years of experience to stand out in the market. Being a cameraman on a set filming a cereal ad is not the same as being a camera operator at a wedding, since the situation and skillset required are completely different.

Those of us who have been filming weddings for years have faced all types of unexpected situations and mishaps and we already know what difficult situations we may encounter and how to solve them, as well as "little tricks" that help us achieve the best results.
‍
Experienced wedding videographers know how to give instructions to the bride and groom and their families, we know how to deal with people who do not feel comfortable in front of the camera, we know where to position ourselves without disturbing the photographer, what type of shot we need to get, when's the moment to be creative and when we should play it safe. I'm not saying that it's a bad idea to hire a less experienced videographer to save you some money since, sometimes, they make up with talent for the lack of experience but, of course, an experienced videographer is a much safer bet.

3. How many videographers will be needed

Another factor that shapes the final price of a wedding video is the number of professionals involved. Obviously, if a couple hires two cameramen and a drone pilot the price will be higher than hiring just a single videographer. However, a greater number of cameras will also affect the price of editing since it would imply more footage that will have to be reviewed, selected, stored, cut and processed.

For legal and safety reasons, it is not advisable to go cheap on the drone pilot

4. The number and complexity of edits will affect pricing

There are many ways to edit a weeding film and it is important to clarify with the videographer of your choice which video or videos will be delivered and, all of this, will also affect the price. There are short edits, long edits, short films made on the wedding day itself, individual clips just with the speeches, etc. Therefore, it is important to clearly agree with your wedding videographer which edits will be delivered and how they affect the total price.

5. Take into account travel and accomodation expenses

Travel expenses can definitely be one of the factors that can increase the price of a wedding video. The easiest solution to avoid this would usually be to hire a local videographer but, in some cases, this is not an option due to the lack of offer in the area where the wedding is taking place or because you simply love a particular videographer located somewhere else. In that case, the important thing is to clarify the costs of travel and, if necessary, accommodation.

6. Ask about overtime charges

Weddings are very intense days that usually last many, many hours. They actually begin way before the first guests arrive with the bride and groom getting ready and usually finish late at night. The length of the wedding can affect the price of the video if the chosen videographer charges overtime, something we at All You Need Is Love Films do not do. We charge per day, so we are usually the first ones to get to the wedding location to record the preparations (hairdressing, makeup, flowers and so on) and we only leave when we have filmed the whole party regardless of how late it is.

It is important to take this into account and talk it out with the videographer of your choice to avoid confusion and unexpected costs not initially included in your carefully planned budget.

Other wedding videographers might charge overtime, but we stay until you kick us out

Let's wrap it up!

As you can see, there are some aspects that might not be obvious but can affect the price of your wedding video. Therefore, the best thing you can do is establish a transparent, constant and honest communication with your wedding videographer to avoid misunderstandings and unforeseen expenses. It's a good thing that now you know the different aspects that will affect the wedding price (gear, travel expenses, overtime, edits to be delivered, etc.) and, whenever possible, agree on the total price and payment conditions with your videographer beforehand. This way, you can focus on what really matters: enjoying your wedding day.