10 Questions a Wedding Videographer Should Be Asking You

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re on the hunt for the artist who will essentially remember your wedding day—or weekend—for you. No pressure, right?! Regardless of your budget, there’s also a good chance this investment is not one you take lightly financially, and rightfully so.

Whether your wedding videography budget is $1,000 or $50,000, potential videographers/cinematographers/filmmakers/[insert whatever they call themselves here] should be—Nay! Must be!—asking you some combination of the following questions.

“What’s Important to You?”

I know. I’m supposed to save the most important question for the end to keep you reading, but this is the first question I ask after we’ve introduced ourselves and the organic chat has dissipated. It is the foundation for the rest of the consultation—or as many of us in the industry call them, the “discovery call”.
I don’t care if you sell boats, tax prep, sweaters, or wedding videography: this is the magical question. Why? For one, it immediately shows you—the potential client—that the person you’re speaking with is customer focused, and likely intends to deliver a bespoke experience and deliverables. This is the new luxury, really. Maybe more importantly, it is a good sign that they are doing this for the right reasons. If they’re talking about deliverables and lenses and cameras, that may be a red flag that they’re not focused on the right thing: you—and yes, pun intended.

“Can You Describe the Style & Theme of Your Wedding?”

Yes, another open-ended question. Spoiler alert: they all are! This is by design. I have an HR background, and I’ve interviewed hundreds of people. Open ended questions work, and a consult/discovery call really is just an interview, isn’t it?
This question is important because the aesthetic is almost always meticulously crafted by you, your planner, your florist, and beyond. This isn’t just about showing off the “pomp” of the day. The theme and choices you make are an extension of your personalities, and it should motivate your videographer’s choices to some degree.

“Can You Share Your Vision for the Wedding Day?”

This one may seem almost identical to question 2, but we’re focusing more on the experience of the day with this question. In other words, walk me through the day from the perspective of you, or your guests. How will your guests describe the weekend when they get back to work? This is, in essence, the personality of the day, and it is something great videographers pay very close attention to.

“What Do You Love About Wedding Films, and What Do You Dislike?”

If you’ve already considered this question and formulated an answer, chances are your short list of videographers possess the qualities you’re looking for, and lack the ones you want to avoid. Good on you! Still, we’re talking about art here, and it’s decidedly subjective. The more you talk about your taste, the more opportunities your videographer will have to understand what you want—even if you don’t know you want it yet.

“What Made You Decide to Hire a Videographer?”

As mentioned above, even budget videographers aren’t “cheap”. Someone is paying for this, and you expect to get some value out of it. Again, if you’re here, it’s probably really important to you. Whatever that reason is, your videographer should want to know. This is often where your ‘stories’ will come up, and in my experience, where I often feel the connection form.

“What Is It About My Work That Intrigued You?”

This question is great because it gives you something tangible to discuss. Thus far, it’s been very holistic and conceptual, but this is an opportunity to talk about their work. Chances are, the work they’re advertising and showing on their website and socials is the kind they want more of, so this is more of a verification that you’re both in the same neighborhood in terms of the type of storytelling you expect from them.

“What Places or Elements in Your Day Have Significance to You?”

This one can really bare some fruit. I can’t tell you how many shots in my films exist for the sole reason that it is somehow important to my clients. To the casual Instagram viewer, it may seem like some B-roll, but for my couples, they are details that remind them of something more. For example, one of my sweetest brides, Mariah, lost her mother when she was a teenager. One way she honored her mother’s memory was by wearing her necklace. To me, the necklace was her mother. And the shot—which appears quite early in the wedding film if you’d like to go see—brings me to tears every time I watch it, and even her friends have told me it does for them too. It is clearly a bittersweet moment as her bridesmaid puts it around her neck, but an incredibly beautiful one. Weddings are full of symbolism that may not matter to most, but for you and your people, their gravity is immense. Make sure your videographer—and everyone else you hire—are also “your people”.

“Are There Any Logistical Challenges You Anticipate?”

Here’s another tangible one! For those of you who love organization—a quality a shockingly high percentage of my couples possess—you’ll probably enjoy this one. These topics typically revolve around transitions from one moment to the next, time management, etc. A unique example that comes to mind is Molly & Kyle’s June 9th 2023 wedding at The Colony Club. On any ordinary weekend there’d be no concern, but this Friday night happened to be the first of two nights Taylor Swift was in town—just a few blocks away at Ford Field. We planned for traffic, we were assertive and efficient with portraits at the DIA, and we arrived at the reception with time to spare. While your videographer should be focused on your values, preferences, and traditions, they also need to manage the day. Too often this responsibility is placed unceremoniously on the photographer, and it’s not really fair. Make sure you’re confident they can manage the day—and your wedding party :-)

“How Involved Would You Like to Be?

I almost hesitate to put this in here, but I think it’s another great “speed dating” question. I would encourage you to find someone who’s expectations match yours, rather than either party giving up or taking on more decision making than they’d like. I for example, prefer clients who are very hands-off with the details and trust me to be the consummate professional that I am. I once had an inquiry send several emails asking about the gear I use, down to the lenses and models. I felt that was a red flag and we did not work together. There was nothing wrong with them asking those questions, but it was enough for me to believe we wouldn’t be a good match. In other cases, I’ve had clients suggest or request certain songs, and we made it work. If you are looking to be deeply involved in the creative process, make this known on the discovery call. You’ll save yourselves a ton of headaches.

“Did I Miss Anything?”

This was a common question I’d ask interviewees before we convened. It gave them an opportunity to share something positive about themselves that we didn’t touch on during the interview, and it gave me some insight into how much they prepared and how well they could sell themselves. In this case, it still shows self awareness, and allows space for anything either party missed during the discussion.

I love a good list as much as you, so I didn’t want to end it on an odd number—not to mention a prime number—so I’ll give you a bonus bit of advice here. You’re going to meet with a lot of wedding vendors. Whether its a potential wedding videographer, or a florist, or a cake artist, the most important thing might be the answer to the following: who did you enjoy your time with the most? Trust your instincts, and if you do have any concerns, make them known; shine a light on them so it’s clear to your videographer of choice what’s important to you. Your videographer and photographer will be with you for the entire day. You need to like them.