As your wedding day draws closer, you will have spent tireless hours on the finer details of your special day. Now, you need someone to help capture the people and things that make your wedding day unique.
• Where do you start looking?
• Do you really need a professional?
• Why do prices vary so much?
The Search
There are a lot of great photographers and videographers in the Central Minnesota area. Each company has its own style and unique way of doing things. Ask to look at examples from past weddings they have shot. Pay attention to the style and quality of the images. Can you picture yourself in the photos or video? Would you be happy with their final product?
Narrow your search based on research in magazines, Web sites and bridal fairs. Contact a few different companies to set-up meetings. You will want to make sure your photographer and videographer are people you can get along with. Remember, you will be spending a large portion of your wedding day with these people!
Be sure to ask questions about their experience level, delivery timelines, payments & contracts and the final product. Do you have rights to the final images or raw video? Who will be the actual people shooting your wedding?
Hiring Professionals
Aunt Sally just bought her own digital camera and really wants to save you some money and shoot your wedding for free. While this may sound appealing, it may end up costing you more in the long-run.
Professional photographers and videographers shoot weddings for a living. They have experience in getting unique angles and know how to anticipate shots that Aunt Sally couldn’t dream of. Professionals know how to work with wedding parties and properly pose and frame shots. They also carry an arsenal of professional lights, filters, microphones and tripods to obtain the best possible images and sound from your wedding.
Friends and family may have good intentions of saving you money, remember this is your wedding day. You will only walk down the aisle once with this person- and you don’t want to look back and remember your wedding day as being unfocused and out-of-frame.
Investment
It is important to frame the purchase of your photographer or videographer as an investment. Remember, these are the images you will hold onto for the rest of your life. The cost of this investment varies quite a bit; depending on a variety of factors.
This investment can vary depending on experience level of the photographer/videographer, equipment used, location of the company and coverage options. Some companies charge by the hour- and others may charge by the day. Compare all of the factors that matter most to you- and determine who you can trust and who can provide you the best value.
Remember, not all photo and video packages are created equally. Be sure to ask questions and see what is included- and what is extra. Some companies may throw in “extras” that other companies charge for. Ask to see a copy of their contract and read all of the fine-print before making your decision.
Showing posts with label northern lights video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label northern lights video. Show all posts
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
More than a Web site
Many people planning weddings only get to see one side of the Central Minnesota Wedding Association...our work connecting you to vendors in our group through our Web site and Bride Guide.
There's another side of our organization that works with wedding vendors in the Central Minnesota area to educate them about new trends and bring them together as a group to share ideas and network with other vendors.
Last night we had our bi-monthly meeting at The Pillar Inn in Cold Spring...just west of St. Cloud. If you are looking for a great bed and breakfast, or a place for a ceremony with fewer than 40 people...this is it.
Here you see Adam Welz, the CMWA President, playing "Wedding Pictionary." Games like these kind of bring the "kid" out in you- and you forget how much fun you can have playing a silly game.
Most of the night was dedicated toward networking with other wedding vendors. This was a lot of fun (and it wasn't all about weddings!). We got to meet people and hear about their interests outside of work, and really start to build relationships. That truly is the key to networking...because you never want to refer someone that you don't trust- because if that person doesn't follow through, it makes you look bad.
It is so cool that we can have multiple photographers, florists, cake decorators and reception hall planners all work together toward- and put the fact that many of them are competing for the same business aside. I often refer Northern Lights Video to clients if my busisness, Capture Video is booked on a particular day.
I'll share more about what our organization does in future blogs...but I thought you might find it interesting that we are a lot more than a Web site.
There's another side of our organization that works with wedding vendors in the Central Minnesota area to educate them about new trends and bring them together as a group to share ideas and network with other vendors.
Last night we had our bi-monthly meeting at The Pillar Inn in Cold Spring...just west of St. Cloud. If you are looking for a great bed and breakfast, or a place for a ceremony with fewer than 40 people...this is it.
Here you see Adam Welz, the CMWA President, playing "Wedding Pictionary." Games like these kind of bring the "kid" out in you- and you forget how much fun you can have playing a silly game.Most of the night was dedicated toward networking with other wedding vendors. This was a lot of fun (and it wasn't all about weddings!). We got to meet people and hear about their interests outside of work, and really start to build relationships. That truly is the key to networking...because you never want to refer someone that you don't trust- because if that person doesn't follow through, it makes you look bad.
It is so cool that we can have multiple photographers, florists, cake decorators and reception hall planners all work together toward- and put the fact that many of them are competing for the same business aside. I often refer Northern Lights Video to clients if my busisness, Capture Video is booked on a particular day.
I'll share more about what our organization does in future blogs...but I thought you might find it interesting that we are a lot more than a Web site.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
