Capturing Your Love Story: Choosing Between Wedding Photography and Videography

When planning your dream wedding, one of the most exciting decisions you’ll make is how to capture those unforgettable moments: through striking photographs or captivating videos. While many of us would ideally have both (so long as the video isn’t cheesy), the reality is that this is not always possible. With pros and cons to each art form, let’s dive into how you should choose between wedding photography and videography.

Face off - Wedding Photography vs Wedding Videography

Snow or rock, we’ll be there right alongside you to capture those best shots.

Wedding Photography Pros

  1. Timeless Memories: Freeze those cherished moments in beautifully composed photographs, perfect for reliving your special day. Even vintage photos have their charm many years later.
  2. Artistic Expression: Allow your photographer to showcase their creativity through unique angles, lighting techniques, and editing styles. This is also a pro to videography, but typically you spend a bit more time with the photographer so getting a feel for their style is even more influential on the final product.
  3. Efficiency: Photography editing is typically faster than video editing, ensuring you get your photos that much sooner. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but there’s definitely some speed advantages when it comes to photos.
Wedding and elopement films

Some moments are best cherished as a singular memory.

Wedding Photography Cons

  1. Motion Limitation: While photos capture still moments beautifully, they can’t replicate the dynamic energy of live events captured in videos.
  2. Narrative Fragmentation: Some intricate moments require the continuous storytelling that videos provide to convey the depth of emotions. Sometimes it’s nice to have one moment to highlight, but weddings are dynamic and have a unique structure.
  3. Limited Immersion: Photos evoke emotions visually, but videos with sound and movement offer a more immersive experience. Slide shows are popular for a reason, but even with some Ed Sheeran and a PowerPoint, the effect isn’t always the same.
Queenstown elopement

There’s some truly unique about capturing movement and the creative opportunities this presents.

Wedding Videography Pros

  1. Emotional Immersion: Dive into the emotions and atmosphere of your wedding day with cinematic videography that brings moments to life. The little in between movements and moments of the day make the story even more compelling and are not always conveyed in a curated photographic gallery.
  2. Complete Storytelling: From vows to toasts, videos weave a narrative that captures every detail, ensuring no precious moment is missed. You wouldn’t want to miss Uncle Glen’s outrageous dance moves after one too many wines and having a video record of the day’s events ensures this memory lives on (even if it doesn’t make it into the final cut of the highlight film.)
  3. Dynamic Memories: Relive the laughter, tears, and joy with sound, music, and motion, creating a more vivid memory of your day. For extra points, waft some smells under your nose whilst watching your film to really evoke those memories.
  4. Customisation Options: Personalise your video with music, voiceovers, and cinematic effects to reflect your unique love story. Our wedding films include vows over top of your imagery to really drive the narrative and the right song can really bring it all together.

The storytelling narrative is the fundamental pillar of wedding videography.

Wedding Videography Cons

  1. Time Intensity: Videography requires dedicated time for filming and editing, which may impact the flow of your wedding day. While we strive to be as discreet as possible, at some points you may feel like a bit of a movie star being asked to pose for your photographer and then separately for us. We work with our couples to make sure they’re comfortable, but it’s not everyday that you’re filmed so it’s always a new experience.
  2. Post-Production Complexity: Editing videos is a meticulous process that may take longer than photo editing, extending the wait for your final product. While you can opt for faster delivery, on the whole, expect to wait a bit longer while your film is crafted.
  3. Budget Considerations: High-quality videography often comes with a higher price tag, so it’s essential to align your budget with your vision.

Whether you choose the artistic snapshots of photography or the cinematic storytelling of videography, the goal is to capture your love story authentically and create memories that will last a lifetime. It’s your wedding day, so let’s capture it beautifully! 📸🎥✨