American Video Productions

The Wedding Videography Business – Pricing

Wedding video prices and packages are as varied as the number of individuals and companies offering the service.  Wedding video packages can range from $200 to $8,000 or more.  How much you pay depends on who you hire, what coverage you need, the number of hours and negotiated terms.

You might get someone to videotape your wedding and/or reception for $200 – but please beware.  If someone offers you a new Mercedes for $5000 – what is your first reaction?  Is it stolen?  Does it have an engine and transmission?  Why are you selling me a $50,000 Mercedes for $5000?

The same type of hesitation should be the norm when someone offers you a broadcast-quality video of your wedding and reception for less than $500.  “You get what you pay for.”

Occasionally we offer special deals to fill open dates or to promote a new service.  But whether you’re paying full or half price – we always provide a high-quality service.  That being said – it’s almost impossible to continually provide high quality productions and earn a meaningful profit when we are required to cut our rates.

For those photographers and videographers who are in business full time, there are many factors to consider when setting rates.  Unlike the “weekend warrior” (the person who has a full time job and only provide services on the weekend to earn “extra” money) we must consider the following overhead costs: equipment purchase and maintenance, advertising, insurance, business-related taxes and fees, personnel costs, space rentals and utilities, etc.  We utilize 3-chip, broadcast-quality video cameras on each shoot.  Our cameras range in price from $3,000 to $20,000.  If we are utilizing 2 to 3 cameras plus support gear (wireless microphones, digital recorders, tripods, lights, edit system, etc), that represents a potential investment in your wedding video of $10,000 to $60,000.  And after the wedding is over we spend several hours in post-production (editing), painstakingly creating a high-quality video DVD with menus and chapters.

Sometimes being the low-priced videographer can also work against us.  If I’m offering 4 hours of wedding video coverage for $200 and every-other videographer in town charge between $800 and $2100 – what does that say about the quality of my services?  Very seldom does cheaper mean better or even equal to what is considered “quality.”

Several years ago, when I first started providing video production services, I would sometimes offer my services at a very low rate as compared to other videographers providing similar services with similar equipment.  And then wondered why some of my bids, although they were the lowest, were not accepted – especially by government agencies and major corporations.  The question they were asking: “Why is it so cheap?”  The assumption was – if it’s cheap then it must not be “quality” – or – “this bidder does not understand the full scope of our project.”  Thus, I learned the hard way, and very soon, that being the lowest bidder is not always the best strategy.  The wise strategy: be the “best” not the “cheapest.”

Since starting this business in 1982 our goal has always been to provide a high quality service at an affordable price.  We’re not the lowest-priced or highest, but we’re very-much concerned about “quality.”  More often than not, quality and profits are compromised when you try to offer services at “cut-rate” pricing.

For those on a strict budget – ask the provider if they offer monthly payment plans.  But don’t compromise on quality.  It’s your wedding day and you deserve the best when it comes to photography and video.

American Video Productions

http://www.americanvideoproductions.net/

888-433-6554