Trying to decide whether to hire a professional videographer to capture your wedding day? This is your sign to do it! In this golden age of social media, video content is more common—and enjoyable—than ever. Having a professionally produced wedding video gives you another mode to enjoy your wedding memories, but there are countless reasons why you should add a videographer to your vendor list. We rounded up the top benefits of hiring a professional wedding videographer:

1. They capture movement

Movement translates emotion in a way that still photography simply doesn’t. This means that those special wedding moments, like your first kiss as married spouses, can be captured forever. Wedding photography is excellent for getting snapshots of those memories, but professional wedding videography is ideal for bringing your nuptials to life. From dancing at your reception to hugging loved ones, wedding videography is a way to savor every moment for years to come.

2. They capture sound

Just like it captures motion, wedding videography uses sound to preserve the emotions and experiences of your wedding day. Your wedding videographer is able to record your vows with all of the intonations, laughter and tears that come along with them. Hiring a pro videographer gives you the ability to repeatedly hear and reminisce; the toasts, readings and music that accompany your wedding day can’t be captured by still photography, but wedding videography is the perfect way to preserve those moments.

3. Your wedding video will show you anything you missed on your big day

It’s inevitable that you’ll miss moments throughout your wedding day, and hiring a wedding videographer is one way to remedy that. If you’re taking pics during cocktail hour or getting ready separately from your spouse-to-be, you’ll be able to watch your wedding video later and get a glimpse of what you missed. Much like wedding photography, professional wedding videography allows you to experience your wedding more fully.

4. They give you a fuller perspective of your wedding day

Depending on the style of wedding cinematography you and your videographer prefer, there may be drone footage of your venue, behind-the-scenes footage of setting up the ceremony, or other little surprises that set the scene and tell your love story while showing your wedding day. With a professional wedding videographer on your vendor team, you get a fuller perspective of your wedding day, one that you’d never see otherwise.

5. Pro videography is high quality

Thanks to their video equipment and honed editing skills, pro wedding videographers offer a high-quality product that cannot be replicated by amateurs. While it’s nice to have some cell phone footage from your wedding, pro videography is the best way to capture your day from start to finish. Another perk to working with a pro is their ability to provide or recommend the best modes for saving your video: digital copies, CDs and vinyl records are just a few possibilities for preserving those memories, and your videographer can guide you to the right decision for you.

6. You get to star in your own film

Who wouldn’t want to be the star of a film about their love? With professional videography, your wedding day effectively becomes a movie that you get to share and replay. As the field of wedding video production grows, there are videographers out there to meet every aesthetic preference. From a trendy, quirky Wes Anderson vibe to a classic Hollywood look, there’s something out there for everyone. There are very few opportunities to have your life documented like this, so why not seize the chance?

7. You’ll get a “highlight reel”

While combing through an album of wedding photos can take time, a wedding video, by nature, shows lots of moments packed into a short time. One of the many benefits of hiring a pro wedding videographer is their artistic creativity and ability to include the highlights of your day in a way that brings the emotions of your day to life.

8. You’ll get content to share

One of the best parts of wedding videography is that you get content to share on social media and beyond. If you have invited guests who were unable to attend, or if you just want to celebrate the event with your following, a wedding video is a condensed, easily digestible piece of content for people to enjoy.

9. You’re creating a family heirloom

Just like photography, your wedding video is a great way of preserving this occasion for future generations. Similar to a wedding photo album, wedding videography can be a source of nostalgia and a way of sharing your memories with those who are important to you. Beyond just being easily shared content, a wedding video is the intentional creation of an heirloom that could become precious to your chosen family and any potential future children who want a peek into your wedding day.

10. It’s an investment

Like most big-ticket items for your wedding, good professional videography is an investment. While the cost may seem intimidating, remember that you’re investing in the quality, technology, time and expertise that your wedding videographer brings with them. Pro videographers, just like pro photographers, spend hours after your wedding day editing and perfecting the footage and audio they captured so that you can enjoy the finished product for years to come. The Equally Wed heart is a trademark of Palladino Publishing, LLC.

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Featured image by Ali B Photography