Wedding & Life Events: Wedding Video Planning Guide

A well-produced wedding video is a highly cherished keepsake. These days, anyone can go out and buy a camcorder and start passing themselves off as a "professional wedding videographer". If you want a quality video rexord of your special day and are not just looking for the lowest price, we suggest you ask you any professional wedding videographer the following important questions:

1. How many years of experience creating professional wedding and special event video productions?
2. Do you shoot ALL of your weddings using 3-chip digital cameras?
3. Do your videographers carry cell phones to be able to confer with other staff members in case of problems?
4. Will you stay to the end of the reception festivities or do you have a time limit? Do you charge overtime?
5. Do you use a non-linear editing system that maintains the digital quality throughout the entire editing process?
6. Do you provide a custom edited video as well as copies of all raw video shot during the day?
7. Can you provide my edited wedding video on DVD and/or streaming web video?
8. Do you accept all major credit cards, as well as cash check or money orders.
9. Do you offer flexible payment plans?
10. Do you consider each wedding video as a unique and independent creative effort?
11. Will you customize the wedding video to the specific wishes and desires of the bride and groom?
12. Will the videographer who shoots my wedding be involved in the editing?
13. Do you have a production studio where I can come to screen your work?
14. Do you have the experience and equipment to handle outdoor weddings?
15. Do you offer a complete customer satisfaction guarantee?
16. How much business liability insurance do you carry?

At SEVideo, we pride ourselves on meeting all the needs of our wedding clients. We love the creative aspects of producing your wedding video and making you a delighted customer.
SEVideo's answers to the above questions:

1. The Principal of SEVideo started doing professional video productions as Micrin Video Productions in Upton, Massachusetts in 1984. Our event coordinator has shot dozens of weddings in the Rochester area.
   
2. Our primary camera is the Sony VX2000. We have experience with Canon GL1 and XL1 cameras and believe that the Sony is far superior in the lighting conditions one finds in most weddings.
   
3. We bring backup 3-chip digital cameras, either a Sony VX2000 or a TRV900. We also bring backup videotapes, microphones, etc.
   
4. All SEVideo staff members have their own cell phones. Key SEVideo staff members carry Nextel business phones that offer cellular as well as direct-connect capabilities.
   
5. We do not have a time limit. We will stay until YOU feel it is right. We do not have overtime charges.
   
6. We utilize Media 100 Cinestream non-linear editing systems that do not degrade the picture quality in the slightest. Be wary of any analog editing systems as they usually mean making a copy of the original video as part of the editing process. Making a copy during the editing process means significant picture degradation!
   
7. We provide a creative, customized video as well as copies of all the raw video.
   
8. We can provide your editing video on DVD or as a streaming video on the Internet. Check the Video Gallery link off our main web page for an example of this technology.
   
9. We accept Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover, checks, cash and money orders. We will work with any prospective bride and groom to develop a payment plan that fits their budget and cash flow.
   
10. We are not just in this for the money. We love shooting and editing video. We approach each wedding as a unique and special project. We do not start with some cookie-cutter approach. Your day is a special once-in-a-lifetime event and we want the video to reflect that.
    
11. We welcome your ideas for what you DO and DON’T want in the final edited video. You can confer with our Event Coordinator or one of our skilled and experienced editors to make sure your video is exactly what you dreamt of.
    
12. It is always our goal to have the videographer who shoots your event involved in the editing process. In fact, what better way to connect the mind of the shooter with the mind of the editor than if they were the same person. Many of our editors are also highly skilled videographers and we make every effort to make them one in the same.
    
13. We are proud to be located in a very attractive and functional office studio located at 60 Saginaw Drive in Henrietta, NY. We have a well-appointed reception area where you can screen our work and discuss our capabilities.
    
14. We have professional all-weather Portabrace covers for all of our cameras and do quite a few outdoor events.
    
15. Our work is unconditionally guaranteed. We will do whatever we can to meet your expectations and to maintain our high level of creativity and quality. If that is not possible, a full refund will be given upon return of all videotapes.
    
16. We carry full business insurance with St. Paul Insurance Company that includes $2M of Liability Insurance.
    

Some other tips for making your wedding day and wedding video extra special:

• It is important that you discuss the wedding video with your Clergy or Officiant and let us know of any restrictions that might be imposed. We will arrive at least an hour before the ceremony to discuss camera positions, etc., with the Officiant.
• Let us know of any special guests and/or events that will be a part of your wedding festivities. We want to make sure we don’t miss anything.
  
• A guest or friend with an outward personality and a good sense of humor can be an effective interviewer providing lots of laughs at the reception. Feel free to suggest someone close to you for this role.
  
• A meal and table place setting at the reception for our crew is important so that we are in the main reception area and are ready to catch all of the important events as well as the occasional candid shots that can make your video that much more special.