A couple of weeks ago, I was curious how much wedding videographers charged in different areas of the U.S. I started by Googling "how much is a wedding videographer?", and I was shocked at what I found.
The number of websites that are claiming you can find a good wedding videographer for $1000-$2500 is staggering. It's also incorrect; $1000-$2000 is what a videographer charges when they're just starting out and are inexperienced.
What a wedding videographer charges for their services depends on a number of factors. Experience, quality of work, how much equipment need to use, and location are just a few factors.
Let's look at the Black Hills. Based on the what I found, the average cost of a wedding videographer is about $3000. I'm putting an emphasis on "about" because that's not a 100% exact calculation. Other videographers in western South Dakota don't have all of their prices on their websites, or don't list any at all, so there was admittedly some estimation on my part. But based on my experience, and also what my own prices are (which I do list on my website, in case you were wondering), I believe at least $3000 is what you can expect to pay for a Black Hills area wedding videographer. If you're getting married in another area of the country or are planning a destination wedding, don't be surprised to see wedding videographers charge more. I've seen videographers in places like California and Texas start at $5000+, and some don't leave their house for anything less than $12,000.
My inspiration for writing this blog post is to make sure that engaged couples who are looking for a wedding videographer have a better idea of what we really charge, don't have inaccurate information, and experience sticker shock. I also want to reiterate that I'm not the sole authority for what wedding videographers across the country charge. Ultimately, the only way for you to find that out is to reach out and talk to wedding videographers.
"Ok, so a good wedding videographer is going to cost me about the same as a photographer. Is it worth it to make room in my budget for one?" Yes, yes, and yes!
If you find the right wedding videographer, you will be investing in a family keepsake that will allow you to relive your wedding day in a way photos alone can't offer. From watching moments unfold in real-time, to re-listening to your partner's vows or your maid of honor's reception speech, having a high-quality wedding film is one of the best investments you can make for your wedding. Also, not hiring a wedding videographer is one of the most common regrets among couples.
If you're in the midst of wedding planning and are searching for a videographer to capture your big day, you are more than welcome to head over to my website! I'm available to film weddings across the Black Hills, the rest of South Dakota, or wherever else in the United States your wedding or elopement might be taking place.