If you’re planning a wedding in Los Angeles, its no surprise wedding videography has grown very popular. For some, it’s the desire to preserve those special memories with your children. For other’s, it’s the ability to replay the excitement of the most important day of their lives. In fact, there are just as many great reasons to invest in a wedding video, as there are videographers. Finding the right videographer can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

The “cheese" associated with wedding videography turns off a majority of brides. The truth of the matter is that the average videographer is a semi-professional at best, and lacks any formal training in video production. For most, wedding videos look cheap.

In the 1980s Sony introduced the first camcorder, which required bright lights, limited resolution, and monaural sound. Ten years later, manufacturers introduced digital video (dv) cameras, which featured a digital video image and cd-quality sound. This was known as the “DV revolution". Wedding videographers embraced the digital camcorder and paved the way for a newfound respect in wedding videography.

As the equipment evolved so did the shooting methods. Some of the current trends to emerge include “Reality" and “Cinematic" shooting styles.

Cinematic wedding videos embrace the filmmaking techniques of Hollywood movies. In essence, the wedding is captured and produced in a more dramatic and romantic fashion. Popular editing techniques include the use of slow motion, b&w filters, and original soundtracks.

On the other hand, reality-wedding videos incorporate commercial-like filming styles with flashy editing techniques pioneered by MTV. These types of work feature fast cuts, heavy use of sound bytes, and a slicker look and feel.

Wedding videography has significantly improved since its inception. Today, brides can find an assortment of packages and services to preserve their memories.

Love Story: A short presentation (5 – 7 minutes) of interviews documenting how the bride and groom met, how they fell in love, and what they like best about one another. This is often edited with romantic footage of them re-enacting their story.

Photo Montage: A montage of photographs set to music and often animated with zooms, pans, and transitions.

As of now, you can find more video styles than you can imagine. Wedding videos have new meaning and have proven very popular as complimentary medium to photography for preserving those special memories.

It should be to nobody’s surprise that Los Angeles has become the epicenter of wedding filmmaking. Pricing and options vary greatly, with areas such as Orange County and San Diego costing more than other regions. When searching for the right videographer it’s imperative to request a sample DVD and contract. Make sure to read the terms and conditions and never assume anything.

Inspect the quality of the video and audio. Can you hear the vows? Is the camera shaky? If you’re getting married, make sure to request demos from all the major videographers. There are a lot of talented professionals in LA. Compare the creativity and approach of several videographers before you decide.