EVERYONE SHOULD STAR
IN THEIR OWN ROM COM
By Ruby O'Dowd, Down the Road Weddings
Are you and your better half considering the idea of hiring a videographer for your big day? It’s something I hear couples contemplate all the time. It’s a quick way to save on the budget, but let me educate you on why I think investing in a videographer is priceless (well it does come at a price, but the sentiment is there). If you’re going to spend endless hours and a fair amount of money planning one epic party, I know I would want to experience it more than once!
​
We’ve all heard the saying that the day goes by in the blink of an eye. Well, it’s no joke. Your wedding day is a whirlwind of emotions, and before you know it, it’s over. On your wedding day, there will be moments that words can’t describe. That’s where video steps in, creating your very own rom-com recap of the day!
​
A videographer captures the essence of your day, the moments that photos alone can’t quite convey. Don’t get me wrong, great photos say a lot about a point in time, but capturing the atmosphere around that moment can give you all the feels and bring you back to exactly how you felt in a moment. There is something about the combination of audio and movement that takes you back to that epic dance floor, and a moment during the first look - watching your partner hold back tears for a split second before the floodgates broke open. It’s the sound of your aunt’s laughter bellowing through the crowd at speeches and being able to figure out whose fault it was that the champagne tower toppled down and broke into a million pieces.
​
Photographers freeze moments in time - it’s an art form - and I am damn lucky to work with some of the best. And a videographer? They’re the storytellers who bring those frozen moments to life, creating memories that you’ll cherish forever. I just know how much fun it is to pop my Mum and Dad’s wedding film into the dusty VCR player. Film is one of the closest things we have to time travel, and I love that I can jump into the 80s to see all that permed hair and puffy sleeves - not only is your film a new guilty pleasure to watch over and over and over, it’s a gift for generations to come. And if I do say so myself - they’re a tad more fancy than the old camcorder wedding films from the 80s.
​
Now, let’s talk about finding the best videographer for you. There are endless styles of videographers out there ready to lend their lens to capture your day. But which style/company is for you? I would start by getting some popcorn ready and binge-watching wedding films from a wide range of businesses. When you find yourself getting goosebumps, laughing, and tearing up watching a couple of strangers saying ‘I do,’ this one could be for you! Because if you are moved by a wedding film featuring two strangers, just imagine when you watch a film featuring you and your soulmate.
​
The second most important part of choosing your video dream team is to make sure you get along with them like a house on fire! You will possibly spend more time with your videographer and photographer on your wedding day than you will with your better half. Who you get on board will play such a huge part in the energy and experience you and all of your loved ones have on the day. So my tip is to jump on a Zoom, a bit like a first date, and get to know them, and feel like they could actually be a friend that you would go to the pub and have a beer with! You want a videographer who really clicks with you guys because when they sit down to make your film and create your memories, it makes all the difference if they understand you and your style.
​
Another aspect of finding your perfect videographer is making sure that you have a video/photo dream team! These two will work hand in hand to create your dream day, so you want to make sure they are on the same page and not giving you mixed signals. My top tip here is to just ask! If you book your photographer first - ask them who they think would be a great fit to capture your day and vice versa. Usually, these memory-makers have favourite vendors they love to team up with or have a list of vendors they dream of teaming up with. If you can get a photographer and videographer duo who are just as passionate as each other and share the same vision - that is where the fun begins! Guaranteed good times ahead!
​
So, when it comes to choosing where to spend your hard-earned money, consider this: memories are worth every penny. Photographers and videographers help you relive one of the happiest days of your life over and over and over! There’s just something about video that truly captures emotions – grandma’s teary eyes, the warmth of a hug, the crowd going wild. It’s not just footage; it’s the voices, the laughter, and the love that bring the memories flooding back. I think this quote from my favourite book, The Great Gatsby says it all – “Have you ever stood in a moment and wished that you could stop time?” A videographer lets you do just that, capturing the most precious of moments you can revisit whenever you want.
​
That is why hiring a videographer is an investment you’ll never regret – it’s a ticket to reliving the magic of your special day whenever you want.