The "Above and Beyond" Approach
Budget
Let's talk about process. Everyone has heard the saying: "you get what you pay for." This statement sometimes gets ignored when it comes time to make the budget for any endeavor. Certainly, it can be tempting to cut the budget in an area like videography when so much has already been dedicated to the photography side of things. Sacrificing your videography budget can be a big mistake.
I had the unique opportunity to help out with a couple of weddings in the last couple of months on a different team than the videography one. It was a very interesting experience, and I always appreciate the chance to get a new perspective on familiar situations. In this particular case, I watched a different videography team capture some reception events. I immediately was struck by what steps they weren't taking. This made me realize that a lot of the extra work that I do isn't even visible to the client either before or really even after I've done it.
Extra Steps
Just as in every endeavor in which we want to see success, the devil is in the details. We succeed through systems that are developed through experience and well thought out planning. One way that I try to set myself apart is by making sure that my equipment is in position in advance of the event that I'm capturing. Sounds simple, right? Well apparently that's not always the approach that everyone takes.
I coordinate with planners and DJs to try to anticipate speeches and make sure that sound equipment is connected and recording before the father of the bride gets up to give a toast. I prefer to have lights up and in place before the first dance happens. Both of these create large differences in the final product's quality.
It's the attention to detail and the experience to know how and when to anticipate events that truly separates the experienced, high-quality professionals from a budget friendly option when it comes to selecting a wedding vendor.
Recommendations
It can be difficult to know the questions to ask to assess whether your vendors are good at planning and anticipating your needs. That's why vendor recommendations are such a strong way of building your vendor list. Once you find a planner that you feel fits your personal style and preferences, then you can follow their recommendations and the recommendations of the other vendors as you book them as well. We vendors work together a lot, and there's no mystery as to why. Good teams are built from experience.