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I’m always surprised when I hear brides (or grooms) tell me that they can’t afford a videographer at their wedding. They’ll spend thousands of dollars on clothing they’ll only wear once, flowers that they’ll have for a few hours, extras like deluxe linens and ice sculptures, and party favors for their guests. So it’s not that they can’t afford it, it’s that they’ve decided that other things are more important and more deserving of the money they’ve budgeted. And this is what surprises me. They understand the importance of capturing this once-in-a-lifetime event with still photos, but not with video.

Professional photography is an important, critical part of the wedding experience, but there are things that photos just can’t capture. You may have pictures of the best man’s toast, but what did he say? What were your wedding vows? How about that funny dance your friend always does to “Jukebox Hero”? These things just can’t be captured in still photos. And in today’s world of YouTube and smart phones, video has never been more a part of our lives. So, with this in mind, I’ve compiled my list of 8 reasons why you should hire a wedding videographer.

1. Equipment – A professional has the equipment necessary to properly capture the moments that need to be captured. Items like tripods and wireless microphones are needed to insure that you’ll be able to see and hear the entire ceremony.

2. Experience – The more you do something, the better you are. Think about your profession – did you do as well on your first job as you do now? Who would you rather have behind the camera at that special event – someone who has done this many times before, or Uncle Steve with his new camcorder?

3. Expertise – While it’s true that experience is the best teacher, not everyone learns from it. Just because a person does something over and over, that doesn’t mean that they’re doing it right. A good videographer tries to learn from every job he or she does, and strives to make every project better than the one before.

4. Editing – What happens in editing, or post-production, is as important as what footage is shot. In editing, we cut out bad or embarrassing shots, fix problems, enhance image and sound, reorder shots to better tell the story, and add titles, effects, transitions and music – all of the things that turn raw footage into a finished product.

5. Expedience – When a friend shoots your video as a favor, you’re at his or her mercy. You’ll get the video when they are ready to give it to you. And, although they have the best of intentions, post-production is time consuming and, with all of us leading busy lives, favors tend to get pushed to the back burner.

6. Exclusivity – A professional videographer is at your event for only one reason – to record it. He’s not catching up with old friends, socializing, or drinking. His attention is entirely focused on making sure the event is well documented.

7. Exclusion – Whoever is videotaping your event is not IN the video. A videographer is there as an observer, not as one of the important people in your life.

8. End Product – A video is useless if no one can see it. A professional videographer understands the different ways to deliver the final product. He or she can give you your video in the best format to suit your needs – DVD, Blu-ray, thumb drive… And your videographer can help you post highlights online to share with friends and relatives or in your social media.