Why You Should Book Your Wedding Videographer First
Why You Should Book Your Wedding Videographer First
(And Why Waiting Could Cost You)
When it comes to planning your wedding, there’s a natural order to booking your suppliers—venue first, then photography, catering, and so on. But there’s one essential supplier many couples overlook until it’s too late: your wedding videographer.
In reality, your videographer should be one of the very first people you book—right after securing your date and venue. Why? Because the best videographers (especially those offering cinematic, bespoke wedding films) often book up 12-24 months in advance. More than this though, there are very few suppliers who know how to link together and make everything work simultaneously like wedding videographers do- after all, they work with motion, storytelling and aesthetics in a way that no one else does.
By booking your videographer early, you ensure that your day is captured beautifully, your vision is fully realised, and you avoid the heartbreak of missing out on the storyteller who will turn your memories into a timeless film.
In this post, I’ll share why booking your wedding videographer first is a smart, stress-free move—and how it directly impacts the way you experience your wedding day.
1. Top Wedding Videographers Book Up Fast
Exceptional wedding videographers—especially those specializing in cinematic, high-end wedding films—are in high demand. My calendar often fills up two years in advance, particularly during peak wedding season (spring through autumn).
If you wait too long, you may find that your dream videographer is no longer available for your date. Whilst this could be said for all wedding suppliers, it is especially prominent with wedding videographers due to one main factor and that is- workflow.
I limit the number of wedding commissions I undertake every year due to the amount of work that they require. Typically this number is around 20 per year, and once I have those 20 bookings I don’t take on anymore to ensure each project has the right amount of time dedicated to it.
By booking early, you:
Secure the videographer who aligns with your style and vision.
Avoid the stress of last-minute searches or settling for less.
Gain peace of mind knowing your wedding memories are in expert hands.
Pro Tip: As soon as you’ve confirmed your venue and wedding date, reach out to your preferred videographer to start the booking process.
2. Your Videographer Can Help Shape the Day
Booking your videographer early means you can collaborate on your timeline and make decisions that enhance your wedding film. A seasoned videographer (like me) doesn’t just capture what happens—I help guide the flow of the dayto ensure it’s as cinematic and meaningful as possible.
Not only do they have deep and wide networks of other suppliers that can assist you in creating your perfect wedding vision, they can offer valuable insights into why certain things will and won’t work on film. But why is their opinion more important than other wedding suppliers however?
Well, it’s simple. If something works for film, then it also works ‘in real life’, meaning that the things you can plan with your videographer also benefit you, your friends, family and guests on your wedding day. There are many moments that look amazing in photographs, or may look incredible as a stand-alone feature (such as a large floral arrangement), however they don’t flow well, work or add any benefit to your wedding day or the way you and your guests experience it.
Let me give you an example- table centres. Beautiful, grand, elegant- they can completely transform a room and provide an incredible aesthetic. However, for me as a videographer, very tall table centres pose real challenges when trying to light and capture your wedding speeches. For your guests, they can also mean that a significant portion of them cannot see the speech givers- it doesnt work for film and it doesnt work in real-life. Having the same aesthetically striking table centres, but lowered down to the height of the tables, solves both of these issues. Photographers wouldn’t necessarily see this as a problem as they can use flash (rather than having to continuously light a scene and creating shadows) and they have the freedom to move around a little more than we videographers do, and so you wouldn’t get that insight.
Here’s how booking early helps:
Optimal Lighting: I’ll work with you to schedule important moments (like your ceremony or portraits) during the most beautiful natural light.
Meaningful Moments: We can plan for special touches—like letter readings or a first look—that add emotional depth to your film. We also allow moments to ‘breath’ and we never, ever want to ‘re'-take’ a shot.
Seamless Collaboration: Early booking allows me to liaise with your photographer and other suppliers, ensuring we work together smoothly or alternatively, it allows me to discuss with you about me also providing photo and film to create a cohesive team for your wedding day.
By involving your videographer early, you:
Maximise the beauty and emotion of your wedding day.
Receive personalised advice on creating a more cinematic experience.
Ensure your vision for the film is reflected throughout the day.
3. Your Story Deserves More Than Just Footage
A great wedding film isn’t just about capturing moments—it’s about telling your unique story. The sooner I’m involved, the more time I have to understand your relationship and the emotions you want to highlight, plan thoughtful storytelling elements (like personalised vows or interviews) and tailor your film to reflect your personalities and wedding style.
By the very nature of what it is, wedding videography, when done well at least, requires a deeper dive into your story and taking from it the emeotional elements that have shaped you both as a couple. These emotions are different for every couple and so the more timke I have to get to know you, the more comprehensive I can make the film for you.
When couples wait until the last minute to book, there’s often less time to weave these intimate details into their wedding film—resulting in a more generic, less personal final product.
By booking early, you:
Ensure your wedding film reflects your love story authentically.
Give your videographer time to discuss with you how to craft a bespoke, meaningful narrative.
Receive a wedding film that feels as unique as your relationship.
Pro Tip: If you want your wedding film to feel personal and deeply emotional, book your videographer early and discuss your vision in detail.
4. You Avoid Last-Minute Stress
The closer your wedding day gets, the more chaotic things can feel. Booking your videographer early means one less thing to worry about—and trust me, it makes a difference.
Most couples if you asked them would want to walk away from their wedding day with an amazing feeling, with pockets full of emotional once-in-a-lifetime moments that they can always look back on. How do you achieve that though? Well, it hinges entirely on your videographer and photographer- how they capture everything, approach the day and make everything flow will drastically affect how those special moments are given back to you.
Booking them first, when you have healthy budgets and are receptive to advice they can give you ensures you’ll not only have the best day of your life, but you’ll have the very best keepsakes afterwards. Book them last minute when theres little to no budget left and no creative input- you’ll run the risk of an unpersonalised, unpolished final product that is lacking in what you had in your expectations.
Budget is obviously always a concern, and every situation is different. All I would say is this: If you think it costs a lot to hire a professional, wait and see what an amateur costs you. These are once-in-a-lifetime moments that cannot be faked, retaken, reshot or done again. Miss it, capture it wrong, be in the wrong place- thats it, the moment is gone forever.
When you book in advance:
You lock in your date and know it’s handled.
You have time to discuss creative ideas and special requests.
You won’t be scrambling to find someone at the eleventh hour.
It curves your entire planning process and shaping the final look of your wedding.
By securing your videographer early, you:
Reduce stress in the months leading up to your wedding.
Enjoy a smoother, more organised planning experience that could save you money, as the professionals can direct you to reliable, amazing suppliers they have worked with before.
Feel confident knowing your memories are in expert hands.
5. Your Wedding Film Becomes a Priority
When you prioritise your wedding videographer early, your wedding film becomes an integral part of your day rather than an afterthought. This allows me to approach your wedding with a holistic, artistic vision—crafting a film that feels cinematic, intentional, and reflective of who you are.
For me, as a wedding videographer that specialises in bespoke, narrative-based storytelling wedding films, everything I do is intentional and nothing is left to chance. Let me give you another example by using a wedding dress reveal.
If I know that the wedding dress reveal to your father is important, we can plan towards this. This means pencilling in the right amount of time on the day, location scouting and finding a location that is aesthetically perfect for that moment, placing you in the right light and ensuring everyone is clear of that area, whilst also communicating clearly with everyone involved. Why though?
So that when that moment happens we can ‘let it breath’ and you and your father can have that special moment with no interruptions, whilst also ensuring it looks incredible on film. We can let that moment unfold in a natural and authentic way, which is very different to just turning up, hitting record and hoping for the best.
Couples who book last-minute may miss out on:
Exclusive enhancements—like drone footage or multi-angle storytelling due to time constraints through lack of planning.
Custom storytelling sessions to elevate the narrative.
Personalised touches that take time to plan.
By booking early, you:
Ensure your wedding film is a true reflection of your love story.
Access premium options for a more cinematic, multi-layered film.
Receive a product that feels exclusive and crafted with care.
Don’t Wait—Your Love Story Deserves the Best
Your wedding day will pass by in a blur—but your wedding film will let you relive every moment for years to come. And to create a film that’s as unique and beautiful as your love story, you need a videographer who understands your vision from the beginning.
By booking your wedding videographer first, you ensure:
You get the videographer you want, on the date you want.
Your wedding day is planned with cinematic storytelling in mind.
Your love story is captured authentically, beautifully, and timelessly.
Let’s Create Something Beautiful Together
Thank you for taking the time to read this article and i hope you have found it helpful and insightful.
If you are interested in me becoming your wedding videographer, or you are interested in having me as a part of your videography and photography team then I would love to hear from you.