Every couple needs a photographer. Whether you also need a videographer is a real question, and there is no single right answer. Here is an honest look at what each one gives you, with real weddings that went each way.
Photos show you how your wedding looked. A film brings back how it sounded and moved: your vows in your own voices, the toasts, the music and the people you love laughing. If those voices matter to you, add film. If you mostly want an album and prints on the wall, photography alone can be enough. And remember that film is the one thing you can't add after the wedding is over.
PhotographyWhat photos do best
Photographs are how most couples relive their wedding: the album on the coffee table, the frame on the wall, the one picture your mom prints for everyone. A great gallery holds the details you chose, the portraits you planned and hundreds of small moments you never saw because you were busy getting married.
That is why we are a photography-first team. Most couples come to us for photography first, and some choose photography only. Our full wedding galleries usually run from 600 to 1,800 photographs, so a photo-only wedding is still a very complete story.
FilmWhat a film adds that photos can't
A film gives you back the parts of the day that a still image can't hold. The crack in someone's voice during the vows. Your best friend's toast, with the timing that made the whole room laugh. The song you walked down the aisle to. The way your grandfather danced. Years from now, those voices can matter more than any single picture.
Sound is half of a wedding film, which is why we record vows and speeches with dedicated audio rather than relying on a camera at the back of the room. Clear audio is the difference between hearing your vows and guessing at them.
A real exampleSame ballroom, different choices
We have photographed three weddings at The Riverdale in Endwell. Christina and Erick had photography and film, and so did Laura and Dante. Alice and Mitchell chose photography. All three couples got a complete gallery. Two of them can also press play and hear their day again.
Here is their highlight film, so you can judge for yourself what film adds:
And here is the photography-only side of the same venue. Alice and Mitchell's candlelit reception and champagne tower made beautiful photographs on their own.
What you actually getHighlight film, trailer or long edit?
"Wedding video" can mean very different things, so it helps to know the terms before you compare quotes.
- Highlight film. The main event. Ours typically run 5 to 10 minutes and come with every film collection. A good highlight film tells the story of the whole day, with the vows and speeches woven in, short enough that you will actually rewatch it.
- Trailer. A short cut of about a minute, made for sharing. We have cut trailers for weddings like Maddy and Dan's Halloween wedding.
- Long edit. A longer film for couples who want more of the ceremony, the speeches and the reception. Longer edits are an add-on. Anyah and Peter's long edit from Camp Hoffman in Rhode Island runs 23 minutes, and you can watch it on YouTube.
Every film on our portfolio is marked with its running time, so you can see the difference for yourself before you decide.
Honest adviceWhen photography alone may be enough
We would rather you book the coverage that fits your day than the biggest package. Photography only can be the right call when:
- Your budget is tight and you would rather put it into a great photographer and an album.
- Your ceremony is short and simple, without long speeches or performances.
- You are planning a small, quiet day and mostly want portraits and candid photos with your closest people.
Worth itWhen film is worth adding
- You wrote your own vows, or someone you love is giving a speech you will want to hear again.
- There is music, whether it is a live band, a surprise performance or a dance floor that never empties. At Maddy and Dan's wedding the band was the groom's, and the bride sang with them.
- Grandparents and family are a big part of the day. Voices and the way people move are what photos can't keep.
- Your day has many parts, such as a ceremony in one place and a reception in another, or traditions and moments that unfold over hours. A film ties all of it into one story.
Booking bothWhy one team for photo and film helps
You can book photography and film from us separately or together. Both are produced in house, and our photographers and filmmakers plan and work side by side under one creative direction. That keeps the photographs and the film feeling like the same wedding, and it keeps two unrelated teams from fighting over the same moments in a small getting-ready room. You also get one plan and one timeline for the whole day.
BudgetIf you are torn
If you are on the fence, look at a highlight film before you look at anything bigger. It covers the moments that matter most in a length you will rewatch. You can see current collections for your area by entering your venue's ZIP code on our pricing page.
Just don't wait too long to decide. The one thing nobody can do is film a wedding that already happened.
FAQCommon questions
Do we really need a wedding videographer?
Not every couple does. Photos show how the day looked, while a film brings back how it sounded and moved: your vows, the toasts and the music. If those voices matter to you, add film. If you mostly want an album and prints, photography alone can be enough.
How long is a wedding highlight film?
Our highlight films typically run 5 to 10 minutes and come with every film collection. Longer edits that include more of the ceremony, speeches and reception are available as an add-on.
Can we book photography and film separately?
Yes. You can book photography and wedding film separately or together. Both are produced in house, and our photographers and filmmakers plan and work side by side under one creative direction.
Can we add a film after the wedding?
No. A film has to be captured on the day, so it is worth deciding before your wedding.
Still deciding?
Watch a few of our wedding films, see real weddings in our venue guides, or tell us about your day and we will help you choose the coverage that fits.
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