It’s 2017 and video is king. If you’re like most couples, you love the idea of capturing the sights and sounds of your big day to savor and share for years to come. But maybe you also don’t love the idea of dropping thousands of dollars to pay a professional videographer. To those wrestling student debt, saving for a house, or just trying to keep the lights on, I say, consider getting creative.
Add it to your registry
Depending on what stage of life you and bae are in, chances are you already have a lot of the stuff you need. Offer your guests the privilege of contributing to a memory you’ll cherish forever, instead of some obscure kitchen appliance that will likely live out its career as a shelf-warmer.
Pay for raw footage only
Some videographers agree to film the day of and then hand off the unedited footage to you for a lower price*. This is a great option to explore if you or a friend knows their way around a video editing software.
Crowdsource it
For a more guerrilla-style memento, consider creating a sort of Snapchat Story of your wedding (that won’t disappear in 24 hours). Encourage your guests to take video on their phones, and find some strategic places to set up a couple cameras of your own. Hell, go crazy and strap a GoPro to your officiant. Ask your guests to upload their videos to a file-sharing service. Then, stitch all of it together into an unforgettable piece that replays your special day from 100 different perspectives.
Do it Love Actually style
If you don’t love the idea of your guests disappearing behind their phones, find someone in your network who dabbles in amateur videography to capture the day for you. Although they may insist on doing it as a gift, offer to compensate them for their time, batteries, and any other equipment costs. (Just maybe avoid asking your best friend who’s also in love with your fiance.)
*My sister chose this option for her wedding in June. She’ll save about 30% of the total cost, and will get a free edit from yours truly!
