If the decision of whether to get a wedding film or not is at the forefront of your mind right now, we’d love for you to join us in weighing up the matter. That’s because we are conducting a debate to end all debates, with the question being: “To Wedding Film, or Not To Wedding Film?”
To kick us off, this blog will start with the ‘For’ side, presented by New Zealand Wedding Films (you know, ...us).
The Argument ‘For’
ONE.
Your wedding will be one of the top You-At-Your-Best days of your lives, and for most people, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity to be captured in top quality film, so why not take it up? Brides, you'll be in your ultimate happy place, with the hair, the makeup, the dress, the shoes, the girl gang, and of course, the love of your life. And grooms, you got the girl! (And there’ll be a ton of good food and beer too, if that helps.) The point is, you’re gonna look and feel amazing! A wedding film immortalizes all the beauty, love, and happiness in motion like nothing else can, leaving you to relive your “glory day” like it was yesterday, for decades to come.
TWO.
Unfortunately, there’s no second opportunity to make this decision again, so if you regret going without, there’s no way to rewind the clock. But, if you do get a wedding film, trust us, you won’t want to rewind the clock—except to experience your special memories all over again because the film takes you right back there.
We can’t say it better than Sarah-Jane (from Sarah-Jane and Colin on our website) who emailed us this testimonial:
“I can't remember if we told you, but we were not going to have a videographer... Thank god we did. Best decision ever. We can look back at this for the rest of our lives and relive the day exactly as it felt to us. THANK YOU.”
THREE.
We don’t just take great video, we give you a great experience. When we’re off shooting with you, we want it to be fun, lively, and comfortable for you. Building a personal rapport with you is of the utmost importance; doing this enables us to bring out your best and ensure you have an awesome time.
Marina and Andrew Arps, from Harpers Homestead shared this online about our working style:
“Apart from the professional, high quality and emotive end product, it's the full experience they give our clients that captures us the most. Fun and respectful engagement, their ability to connect in the moment and get clients to step outside their comfort zone and have fun doing it, is a pleasure to watch. We highly recommend this company to our clients.”
FOUR.
Having a wedding film to share with loved ones means no one misses out on seeing your special day and celebrating with you. There are a few reasons why you may be missing some important people on your special day.
Some people are unable to travel, but you still would really like them to experience something of your wedding and ‘raise a toast’ to you from afar. Then, there are those who have smaller weddings or are just super popular and can’t have everyone they would love to invite. But with a wedding film, you can share your day with anyone and everyone! On top of those absences, sometimes unexpected ‘life stuff’ hits your would-be guests and prevents them from being able to make it, and by having a video lined up, you’re safe—not sorry. So whatever the reason, when loved ones can’t be with you in the flesh, film is the quintessential way for them to be there in spirit!
FIVE.
One of the biggest reasons why you should invest in a wedding film is because it’s a record for YOU to treasure for years to come. The day flies by so fast that most people say they forget many details (and you’ve put a lot of time into planning those details!). Not only that, but the team at New Zealand Wedding Films gets to witness and capture some pretty special vows and speeches in our work; and the reality is, without film, the words, tears, and laughter all become but a faint memory. Chances are, your wedding will be packed full of special moments too. So let us catch it on video, and you’ll be sure to remember the day for a lifetime!
Thanks Katie Hennebry for these encouraging words:
“We can't recommend NZ Wedding Films highly enough! They captured our day so perfectly, and created the most incredible highlights video, showing each aspect of our wedding day as it unfolded. Watching the video takes us back to the day.”
SIX.
Our films tell a story. Your story. Wobbly one-shot wedding films are a thing of the past—and for good reason. They were static, drawn out, and didn’t reflect the feeling of being there. When your wedding story is told by us, we get to know you so we can bring your personalities to life and capture your unique connection exactly as you know it. Our films use music dynamics, a narrative structure, and all kinds of filmic goodness—from intimate close ups to picturesque epic drone shots—to take you and your loved ones on a journey through the magic of your day and your very own love story.
The Arguments ‘Against’
ONE.
"We have a tight schedule and having a video shoot might take too long on top of everything else.”
Our rebuttal:
Leshie Lu shared her experience online, saying:
“Michael and Adrien were so lovely to work with. They were able to capture all of the little details I’d wanted without really “slowing down” the day. Incredibly friendly, professional and excited to work with my other vendors, which I so appreciated. Michael and Adrien, thank you so much! Ben and I LOVE our wedding video, as do our friends and family.”
TWO.
“It might look cheesy or cringe.”
Our rebuttal: We aren’t really into the “cheesy” or “cringey” aesthetic. It’s just not our thing. So the chances of this happening if we make your wedding film are pretty slim to zero. Unless, of course, that’s what you’re after! The reality is, we can do any style. Our approach is to get to know you as a couple, find out what you like, talk you through some different ideas and options, and lift off from there in a direction that is 100% tailored to you. We’re all about making your film, your own. But when it comes to our go-to style, we’d describe it as modern, cinematic, personal and fun. So fear not, because delivering quality film is what we do.
Rebecca Lawton summed her wedding film up this way:
“It captures all the special moments and feels exactly like the day—happy, fun & full of love.”
THREE.
“I might feel awkward being videoed or not like the way I look on film.”
Our rebuttal: Just like your make-up artist and hair stylist, we are experts at making you look good; that’s the art of professional videography. And we have never shot for a couple who didn’t gush over how beautiful their film was (and we’re pretty sure that means they feel beautiful in it too). It’s also our job to blend in, so with all the excitement going on, you will totally forget we are there. But as for feeling awkward on the shoot, we totally get this, which is why it is so important for us to put you at ease and help you feel yourself—and your best self, at that.
Speaking of, how kind is this review from Chantal Allen?
“Adrian and Michael at NZ Wedding Films are amazing! They made us feel so at ease and comfortable and fitted in so well with the bridal party and our other vendors. We are so, so happy with the way they captured the wedding, and watching it back is exactly how we remembered it! We will treasure the footage for a lifetime and look forward to showing our family one day.”
FOUR.
“It might be overkill on top of photos. Do we really need both?”
Our rebuttal: In short, yes! A thousand photos does-not-a-video-make. Film captures your wedding in a totally different way than photos can… Photos can’t talk, films do. But both have their place. What we rate about film is seeing faces light up with smiles, eyes well up with tears, and little glances exchanged between lovers. And, nothing beats listening back to all the wonderful things that were said on your wedding day in 10, 20, 30, and 70 years’ time, not to mention the laughter and “aww”s along with it.
FIVE.
“It might look overcrowded and messy on the day with both photographers and videographers around.”
Our rebuttal: In our experience, this is not the case at all. We work with photographers all the time and are still yet to have our first fight over who’s hogging the best spot... The truth is, the good angles are endless! We also stay super discreet, and clients always tell us they can’t believe the footage we got because of how invisible we are throughout the day.
This review from Sanaya Master got us pretty chuffed:
“On the wedding day they were the perfect mix of discrete and low key, but engaging and fun to be around and added to our enjoyment of the day. We were absolutely over the moon with our final wedding videos and wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone looking for a wedding videographer.”
And more from the lovely Katie Hennebry:
“They are professional, friendly and inconspicuous, being everywhere at once, capturing each moment, even when you didn't realise they were there. If you're looking for wedding videographers, then NZ Wedding Films are a must!”
SIX.
“We can’t really afford it.”
Our rebuttal: Being able to afford something is usually down to your personal priorities, and we totally respect that. But, in addition to all our ideas on ways to style and save in our blog "12 Tips to Make Your Wedding Affordable", we want to share with you one trend we have been noticing more and more, which could save you several thousand dollars in one decision (for the time being, at least) and you wouldn’t miss out on anything. In fact, you’ll get the best of both worlds. Ready?
Many couples are opting for a New Zealand honeymoon (rather than an overseas one) immediately after their wedding; and then with the wedding costs behind them, they save up for their ‘second honeymoon’ overseas between 3-6 months later. Besides the big savings in the wedding budget—allowing you to afford your stunning wedding film—there are many additional benefits worthy of a second thought.
One is that couples are often very stressed, tired, and drained the week of their wedding. All they are looking forward to (besides marrying the love of their life) is having a good night's sleep and a day without a to-do list as high as the wedding cake. So resting up and nestling in somewhere scenic for one’s honeymoon just a couple of hours away—rather than gallivanting around jetlagged in an unfamiliar country, trying to pack in as many experiences as possible into every day—is becoming an increasingly attractive and accepted option. That way, you can settle into married life and save up after your wedding—money and energy—and do the big one half a year down the track!
The other thing you save on with this idea is time. Planning and packing for an elaborate honeymoon takes a lot of time and energy, which could be better spent resting up before your big day. And all the decision-making, booking, and planning involved in travelling abroad comes on top of those sanity-siphoning wedding choices you are already struggling with (like what cake to have, what song to walk down the aisle to, and what quirky socks the groomsmen should wear).
Honeymoons should be fun, so by delaying it a little, you will not only be able to enjoy the epic time away, but you’ll even have fun planning it! Think about it: rather than double-downing on the stress and joy of having two major life highlights in one month, why not spread them out over the year and enjoy them all the more? ...and cherish a beautiful wedding film you were then able to afford!
For more on our range of affordable film packages, please click here. From there, you will be able to make contact with us, should you wish to find out more. You can also talk to us about the option of spreading your wedding film payment across weeks or months in smaller instalments, if that helps to make it more accessible to you.
