When it comes to remembering their big day, an increasing number of couples are investing not only in a photographer, but a videographer to capture the key moments of their wedding both at the ceremony and beyond.

In 2022, there more weddings in the United States since 1984, and with higher budgets. Part of that was attributed to the lingering effects of COVID-19, and wedding delays and backlog from 2020 and 2021.

Emma Muhonen of New Ipswich, owner and videographer for Pioneer Films, officially launched her business in March of 2021, and said even as an unknown coming into the field, she was immediately compiling a full schedule.

“It was a lot more than I was expecting,” Muhonen said.

Celia O’Brien of New Ipswich, owner and videographer for Get Lost Wedding Films, who has been doing wedding videography since 2018 but only seriously began to dedicate herself to the business in 2021, said that this coming year appears to have come down from the boom.

Muhonen said modern wedding videos are a way to relive the day in a way even photos may not capture.

“It does, in a different way, more justice in being able to watch you day that you’ve worked so hard for,” Muhonen said. “I think it’s always worth it. You’re spending so much money; you want to spend the money on something that will allow you to relive that whole day, again and again. A photo can spark a memory, but a video, you can replay, and hear your vows and the speeches all over again.”

O’Brien agreed, saying wedding videos can become a family treasure.

“What I don’t think people always realize it that it’ll be an heirloom for years to come,” O’Brien said.

And because it’s such an important memory of the day, it’s important to make sure that when choosing a videographer, their portfolio isn’t the only point of consideration.

“Your photographer and videographer, they’re going to be spending a significant amount of the day with you,” O’Brien said. “Paying attention to personality and finding someone that clicks is key.”

Some videographers will even spend time with couples outside of the wedding day for other significant moments. Muhonen said she often meets with couples at least once or twice prior to the wedding, to get a sense of their story and how she’ll approach telling it.

"I try to get more knowledge on who the are, how they met, what their style is,” Muhonen said. “That’s where getting to know them in the booking process is so important.”

Depending upon the videographer, the wedding video can include moments such as wedding preparation, first looks between the bride and groom, the ceremony itself, the reception and speeches and after-party.

O’Brien said it’s not unusual for her to spend eight hours on-site during a wedding for a video that may be pared down to 10 minutes. She said some of her favorite moments to capture are those between the bride and groom, either before the ceremony for a first look, or immediately after, when they spend their first hours as husband and wife.

“It’s not easy, but it’s fun, and inspiring,” O’Brien said. “You want to be able to get a sense of the day, scenes that represent what’s going on outside and inside, and the people that are with you. It’s about noticing the feel and capturing the emotions of the day.”

Videographers like O’Brien and Muhonen are essentially one-person operations, and O’Brien said the editing process takes between 40 and 50 hours, meaning customers should expect several weeks of turnaround time before receiving their final video.

Muhonen advised couples should review a potential videographer’s portfolio, and chose one whose style matches what they want to see in their wedding video. While videographers can adapt to some extent, often, what people see in that exploratory phase will be what they get. 

Couples should expect to pay prices comparable to wedding photography, with low costs for simple packages starting around $1,000 and ranging upwards of $6,000. O’Brien’s rates range from about $1,865 to $2,600 and Muhonen’s from $1,700 to $2,200, depending upon options chosen.

Ashley Saari can be reached at (603) 924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.

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