Professional Wedding Videographer Contract Essentials

You’ve had a great meeting, reviewed online streaming video, found the right program for your wedding video budget, and heard glowing references from other couples--in other words, you were able to find your wedding videographer. Now it’s time to sign on the dotted line. But before you do, be sure these essential points are included in your wedding video contract.

Contact Information

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A wedding video contract should include the name, address, telephone and fax number of the wedding videographer or studio you’re hiring. Since many weddings take place after business hours and on weekends, be sure to get the mobile phone number of someone who will be on-call and available on your wedding day.

Likewise, you should provide the wedding videographer with contact information of your designated wedding-day helper. A wedding coordinator is an excellent choice, as is a trusted family member or friend.

Date, Time and Venue

You may want your wedding videographer to start shooting when you walk down the aisle, or perhaps hours before as you put the finishing touches on your makeup. Whether it’s the ceremony site or your beauty salon, the starting location’s name, address and telephone number must be in your wedding videographer contract. If your wedding videographer needs time to place their digital video camera, digital camcorder or microphones before guests arrive, finalize their arrival and set-up time.

Be sure to discuss the conditions of your wedding site, as your wedding videographer may need to make adjustments for sound and light. Including these provisions in your wedding video contract will help your wedding videographer properly prepare for your big day.

Contracted Hours

Include the number of hours you expect the wedding videographer to be at your event in your wedding video contract. If you hire an experienced wedding videographer, chances are they’ll have a good idea of how long they’ll be needed. Still, if you’re unsure what time your event will end, ask your wedding videographerto stay until a specific activity has taken place, such as the last dance or the getaway. Many wedding videographers agree that the last hour of a reception can be fairly repetitive, so don’t be alarmed if they suggest leaving before your wedding is officially over.
 

Who’s Coming

Make sure your wedding videographer contract lists the full names of your videographer and any assistants who will attend. If your venue has a dress code—like yarmulkes for men or covered shoulders for women—be sure to include it in your wedding video contract. On the same note, explaining the level of formality of your event is both critical and considerate. Since you won’t be sending your wedding videographer an invitation, it’s important to let them know if your fairytale ball is strictly black tie, or your outdoor soiree is “jeans optional.”

Equipment

Finalize the number and types of digital video cameras your wedding videographer will be using to shoot your wedding. If a single camera is being used, be sure the wedding video contract states that an equivalent camera will be readily available as a backup, should technical difficulties arise. Your wedding videographer should agree to use a pull-out screen, a confidence head, or a color monitor to check the quality of footage and sound throughout your event.

Program Details

Make sure you thoroughly understand the specific products, services and details included in the wedding video program you’ve selected. How many copies of your Wedding Video DVD will you receive? How long will the final video be? Are you receiving the the raw digital videotapes, or just the edited video? Will your wedding DVD include a “special features” section where you can add running commentary or a chapter for family pictures? How easy is it to order additional copies? Will you be able to share video of your wedding online? Can you download your video to video iPod?

The Bottom Line

What is the total cost of the program you’ve chosen? If possible, get a line-item breakdown of the costs, in addition to a list of upgrade and reorder costs, as well as overtime fees.

Make sure a payment schedule is clearly spelled out in your wedding videographer contract. Your deposit amount and the date it was paid should be included, as well as the balance of fees owed and their due dates.

Cancellation Policy

What is the videographer’s cancellation and refund policy? How long before your event can you cancel the wedding videographer without losing your deposit? Is the work guaranteed? What happens if they are unable to perform the services they’ve been hired to do?

Once the details are clearly spelled out, sign the wedding video contract and remember to keep a copy for your records.

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