How Long Should My Wedding Video Be?

Today I want to delve into a question that many of my clients probably don't realize is actually an option. Many videographers present final film lengths as a non-negotiable part of their packages. I'm not really exempt in that. I offer a 20-30 minute documentary cut and a 8-10 minute highlight reel for your wedding video. This is my preference, based on what I think works best for later watching and enjoyment of your wedding video.

But this doesn't mean you can't ask to do things a little differently!

Let's look at what different run times will look like.

8-10 minutes: this length is enough to tell the emotional story of your wedding day in a concise and easily digestible fashion. This is probably the perfect length for social media because it's a lot of run time for the average person to absorb. You may have heard that our attention spans have gotten shorter. I've been distracted five times since I started this post. Hopefully it doesn't mess up the flow of this

20-30 minute documentary cut: this length tells the same story but important moments can play out, and we are able to get more shots of guests, more quotes from speeches, more beautiful shots that simply couldn't fit in the longer version. I think this is perfect runtime for the couple as well as their close friends and family.

1+ hour runtime: This length will really allow moments to play out including the entire ceremony. I recommend this runtime if you've planned lots of specific activities. Maybe you're going to have a parade. I would definitely recommend this length of wedding video for multi-day weddings. The bride and groom and maybe some super close family members will probably be the only ones to watch this. I currently only offer this on my top package.

I don't take on a feature length wedding film lightly. I want to make sure that the couple understands what the product is and that it is, in fact, something they will use and enjoy over the years. A video that is too long is not great for revisiting often, so I offer an 8-10 minute cut to accompany it.

Maybe at this point you're saying, "Zach, I have too many choices when it comes to planning my wedding, why did you give me one more thing to think about?"

I want you to have the opportunity to make an informed decision, but if you don't want to stress over things like this... well that's why you hire a professional to help give you advice! In our conversations, before you ever book, this is a decision we'll help you make!

There aren't really set rules to how long we can make your video, but longer is not always better. You don't want to be bored during your own wedding film. So take a minute to think about what duration your final film merits, and talk with your wedding videographer to make it perfect for you and your partner!

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