Frequently Asked Wedding Videography Questions

Answers to frequently asked questions about wedding videography, destination weddings, elopements, proposals, wedding livestreaming, drone videography, wedding films, and related services.

Wedding Videography Services and Experience

What wedding videography services do you provide?

Best Made Videos® provides professional wedding videography throughout Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond.

Available services include:

Couples can review the current wedding videography packages and pricing or contact Best Made Videos® to discuss custom wedding videography coverage.

Why should we hire a professional wedding videographer?

Wedding videography preserves the movement, voices, laughter, vows, speeches, music, and candid interactions that photographs alone cannot capture.

Your wedding day moves quickly, and you will not personally see everything that happens. A professionally produced wedding film allows you to experience the day from multiple perspectives, revisit meaningful moments, and share the celebration with loved ones who could not attend.

Do you provide wedding photography?

No. Best Made Videos® specializes in wedding videography and does not provide wedding photography directly.

However, Best Made Videos® maintains a select list of preferred wedding photographers and can recommend photographers based on your wedding date, location, preferred style, and their availability. Photography services are booked separately with the photographer.

Why should we choose Best Made Videos® for wedding videography?

Best Made Videos® combines more than 18 years of professional videography and storytelling experience with a natural documentary style, clearly defined delivery timelines, professional equipment, redundant recording systems, and attentive client service.

Best Made Videos® has filmed more than 450 weddings and has earned hundreds of five-star reviews. The company has also been inducted into The Knot’s Best of Weddings Hall of Fame, maintains Better Business Bureau A+ accreditation, and was named Best Videography in Seattle Bride Magazine’s 2023 Best Of Awards.

You can also read our wedding videography reviews.

What experience does Best Made Videos® have with weddings?

Best Made Videos® brings more than 18 years of professional videography and storytelling experience to wedding productions and has filmed more than 450 weddings throughout Seattle, the Pacific Northwest, the United States, and internationally.

The company’s background includes broadcast journalism, television news, wedding storytelling, live-event production, and professional video production. Learn more about the experience behind Best Made Videos®.

Can we see a complete wedding film?

Yes. The wedding videography portfolio includes completed highlight films that represent the filming and editing style couples can expect.

Full-length examples of edited wedding ceremonies, toasts, or similar deliverables may also be available upon request.

How far in advance should we book?

Many couples reserve wedding videography approximately 8 to 12 months before their wedding. Popular Saturdays and peak-season dates may book earlier.

Last-minute availability is sometimes possible, so couples should still contact Best Made Videos® even if their wedding is approaching quickly.

Where is Best Made Videos® located?

Best Made Videos® is based in West Seattle and provides wedding videography throughout Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, Everett, Snohomish, Woodinville, the greater Puget Sound region, and beyond.

Do you travel for weddings?

Yes. Best Made Videos® is available for destination wedding videography throughout the United States and internationally.

Destination coverage can be customized around the wedding schedule, location, travel requirements, venue, and requested deliverables.

Do you film proposals and elopements?

Yes. Best Made Videos® provides coverage for proposals, elopements, intimate weddings, and celebrations that may not require a traditional full-day wedding package.

Learn more about our wedding proposal videography and wedding elopement videography.

Wedding Films and Creative Style

How would you describe your wedding videography style?

Best Made Videos® uses a natural, documentary-style approach focused on authentic emotions, meaningful interactions, and the moments between the scheduled events.

The goal is to capture couples naturally and at their best without relying heavily on staging or interrupting the flow of the wedding day. The final film is polished and cinematic while still feeling genuine and personal.

What is included in a wedding highlight film?

A wedding highlight film combines the strongest moments from the day into a cohesive, engaging story.

Depending on the wedding and package, it may include preparations, venue details, the first look, ceremony moments, vows, portraits, cocktail hour, entrances, toasts, first dances, candid guest interactions, reception celebrations, and other meaningful footage.

Do we receive the complete ceremony and wedding toasts?

Yes. The current Good, Better, and Best wedding videography packages include a cinematic highlight film plus edited coverage of the full wedding ceremony and wedding toasts.

Review the current wedding videography packages for complete details.

How do you record audio for vows and speeches?

Best Made Videos® uses discreet microphones and dedicated audio recorders to capture vows, officiant remarks, speeches, and wedding toasts.

When possible, the video team also coordinates with the DJ, venue, or audiovisual professional to capture an additional audio feed. Multiple audio sources provide redundancy in case one recording is interrupted or unusable.

How is the music for our wedding film selected?

Music used in publicly shareable wedding highlight films must come from approved music-licensing sources. Couples receive information about the available music options during the planning process.

Original wedding-day music may remain audible in private ceremony edits and RAW footage where applicable. Music selections must be submitted before the wedding to maintain the guaranteed delivery timeline.

How much staging do you do?

Best Made Videos® uses a mostly hands-off approach and avoids turning the wedding into a film set.

The video team works alongside the photographer and planner to capture important moments efficiently. Limited direction may occasionally be provided when it improves lighting, composition, or timing, but couples generally will not be asked to repeatedly recreate moments.

How much input do we have in the final film?

Approximately six weeks before the wedding, couples receive a detailed pre-wedding questionnaire covering the timeline, locations, important people, meaningful details, music preferences, planned events, and moments they want prioritized.

This information helps Best Made Videos® personalize the coverage and final films while preserving a natural documentary style.

Is a second videographer available?

Yes. A second videographer can be added to any wedding videography package.

Additional coverage may be recommended when the couple is getting ready in distant locations, multiple events are happening simultaneously, the wedding has more than 300 guests, the ceremony requires additional camera positions, or the timeline is especially complex.

How many cameras do you use during the ceremony and toasts?

Even when one videographer is filming, Best Made Videos® generally uses three cameras during the wedding ceremony and two cameras during the wedding toasts.

Multiple camera angles provide more complete coverage and help protect against blocked views, unexpected movement, and other interruptions.

Can you work alongside a wedding content creator?

Yes. Best Made Videos® can coordinate with a social media content creator.

A content creator generally focuses on short, immediate phone footage, while the professional video team captures the complete wedding day using dedicated cameras, professional audio, multiple angles, and long-term edited deliverables.

Wedding-Day Planning and Production

Who will film our wedding?

Reid Johnson serves as the primary videographer for Best Made Videos® weddings unless another arrangement has been discussed and approved in advance.

Additional Best Made Videos® team members may be added when the wedding requires a second videographer, simultaneous coverage, multiple locations, or additional production support.

How do you coordinate with our photographer?

Best Made Videos® regularly works alongside professional wedding photographers and makes coordination a priority.

The video team can communicate with your photographer before the wedding to review the timeline and coverage needs. On the wedding day, both professionals work together to avoid blocking one another and minimize requests for couples to repeat actions.

If you have not selected a photographer, Best Made Videos® can recommend professionals from a select list of preferred photographers based on availability.

Can you work with our planner, venue, and DJ?

Yes. Best Made Videos® regularly coordinates with wedding planners, venue representatives, DJs, officiants, photographers, and other wedding professionals.

Advance coordination helps confirm the timeline, camera positions, audio connections, lighting conditions, venue restrictions, and access to important areas.

What happens if the lead videographer becomes sick?

Best Made Videos® maintains relationships with experienced local videographers who may be contacted if emergency replacement or additional coverage becomes necessary.

While no company can eliminate every unexpected circumstance, advance planning and access to qualified professionals help reduce the risk of disruption.

What happens if a camera or another piece of equipment fails?

Best Made Videos® brings multiple cameras and essential backup equipment to weddings.

Primary cameras also record to dual memory-card slots whenever possible, providing immediate redundancy while filming.

Do your cameras use dual-slot recording?

Yes. Primary cameras record to dual memory-card slots whenever possible.

After the wedding, footage is copied and protected in multiple locations through the company’s data-preservation process.

How do you handle dark churches or difficult reception lighting?

Best Made Videos® uses professional cameras and lenses designed to perform well in low-light environments.

Portable lighting may be used when appropriate during receptions or other moments where additional light is necessary. The team considers the venue, available light, restrictions, and desired atmosphere before determining the best approach.

Do you provide aerial drone videography?

Yes. Aerial drone videography can be added to qualifying wedding packages.

Commercial drone flights are performed by licensed and insured operators. Flights remain subject to weather conditions, venue permission, airspace restrictions, safety considerations, and Federal Aviation Administration regulations.

Do you livestream weddings?

Yes. Professional wedding livestreaming is available for ceremonies, receptions, and other wedding events.

Single-camera and multi-camera options may be available depending on the venue, internet connection, schedule, and technical requirements.

Is Best Made Videos® insured?

Yes. Best Made Videos® is fully insured and can provide a Certificate of Insurance when required by a venue.

What does the wedding video team wear?

The team typically wears black slacks and black shirts or other attire required by the venue or couple.

The goal is to look professional, blend into the wedding, and capture the celebration without becoming a distraction.

Have you filmed at our venue before?

Best Made Videos® has worked at wedding venues throughout Seattle and the Pacific Northwest and can provide relevant examples when available.

You can also explore our favorite wedding venues.

Previous experience at a venue is helpful but not required. Professional wedding coverage also depends on preparation, adaptability, communication, and the ability to respond to changing lighting, weather, schedules, and venue conditions.

Will you conduct a site visit or virtual walkthrough?

Pre-wedding site visits are evaluated individually. Because weather, lighting, room configuration, and event setup can change, a separate walkthrough is not always necessary or useful.

When a wedding has unusual logistics, multiple locations, technical requirements, or restricted camera positions, Best Made Videos® can discuss whether a site visit or virtual planning session would be beneficial.

Do we need to provide a vendor meal?

Yes. A vendor meal is required in the wedding agreement when the video team is providing extended coverage.

The videography team prefers to eat at approximately the same time as the couple so everyone can finish before toasts, table visits, dances, or other reception events begin.

When does the videography team take a break?

The video team generally takes its meal break while the couple and guests are eating.

Once the couple has finished and begins visiting tables or mingling with guests, the team can return to coverage without missing important reception moments.

Packages, Editing and Deliverables

What wedding videography packages are available?

Best Made Videos® currently offers Good, Better, and Best wedding videography packages with 8, 10, or 12 hours of coverage.

Depending on the selected package, deliverables may include a cinematic highlight film, full ceremony and wedding toasts video, digital delivery, private online hosting, premium licensed music, RAW footage, a social media teaser, 4K video, and expedited delivery.

Visit the wedding videography pricing page for current rates and package details.

How quickly will we receive our wedding films?

The guaranteed delivery timeline depends on the selected package:

  • Good package: Within 60 days

  • Better package: Within 30 days

  • Best package: Within 15 days

Wedding films are sometimes delivered earlier. Music selections and other requested information must be submitted on time to maintain the guaranteed delivery schedule.

Do we receive the RAW wedding footage?

RAW footage is included with the Better and Best wedding videography packages and is delivered on a hard drive.

RAW footage consists of the original video files and is different from the professionally edited highlight, ceremony, and toast films. Individual clips may include camera movement, setup footage, repeated angles, incomplete moments, or unprocessed audio and color.

How many hours of coverage are included?

Current wedding videography packages include 8, 10, or 12 hours of coverage.

Additional hours can currently be added for $200 per hour. Custom and destination packages may be structured differently.

How are our completed wedding films delivered?

Delivery depends on the selected package.

Couples may receive private digital links for viewing and downloading their edited films. Packages that include RAW footage also include delivery on a hard drive.

How long is private online video hosting included?

Private online wedding-video hosting is currently included for one, three, or five years depending on the selected package.

Couples should download and maintain personal copies of all completed films even when online hosting is included.

How do you protect and archive our wedding footage?

Best Made Videos® uses a multi-step data-preservation process involving working copies, external drives, cloud storage, local archival media, and off-site backups.

The company maintains long-term archives after delivery, but couples should also download their files promptly and maintain their own backups. Learn more about our wedding video data-preservation process.

Are revisions included?

Yes. Wedding films include two rounds of feedback for light revisions.

Light revisions may include reasonable requests such as removing a specific shot, correcting a name, or making a limited adjustment to an existing edit. Significant restructuring, changing licensed music after editing has begun, or requesting additional deliverables may require an additional fee.

Can we keep our wedding film private?

Yes. Couples can request that their wedding film not be used on the Best Made Videos® website, portfolio, blog, social media, or other marketing channels.

Privacy requests should be discussed before booking so the appropriate terms can be included in the wedding agreement.

Do you film and deliver weddings in 4K?

Yes. A 4K wedding video upgrade is available.

The current Best package includes 4K video, and it may be added to other packages for an additional fee.

Do you provide social media teaser videos or vertical edits?

Yes. Social media-ready teaser videos can be included or added to a wedding package.

The current Best package includes a one-minute social media teaser. Additional edits can be formatted for platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts.

What is a video guestbook?

A video guestbook gives family and friends an opportunity to record personal messages for the couple during the reception.

These messages may include congratulations, stories, advice, or memories that the couple may not hear during the wedding itself. A video guestbook is available as an optional add-on.

What additional wedding-video options are available?

Available add-ons may include a second videographer, wedding livestreaming, 4K video, aerial drone coverage, a video guestbook, a social media-ready edit, additional coverage hours, and custom deliverables.

Availability and pricing depend on the wedding date, venue, schedule, selected package, and production requirements.

How much does wedding videography cost?

Pricing depends on the services selected, coverage hours, number of videographers, travel requirements, delivery timeline, and requested deliverables.

Review our wedding videography pricing or contact Best Made Videos® for a custom wedding videography quote.

Are taxes included in the wedding videography prices?

Yes. Current wedding videography package prices include applicable taxes.

Travel charges, additional hours, and optional upgrades may be additional.

Booking, Travel and Wedding Policies

What is required to reserve our wedding date?

A signed agreement and 25% nonrefundable deposit are required to reserve the wedding date.

The remaining balance is due before the wedding according to the payment schedule provided in the agreement.

What happens if we need to reschedule?

Deposits are nonrefundable. If a wedding must be rescheduled because of unforeseen circumstances, Best Made Videos® will make a reasonable effort to find another date that works for everyone.

Availability cannot be guaranteed for every replacement date. Couples should review the rescheduling and force-majeure provisions in their individual agreement for the terms that apply to their booking.

What is your travel-fee structure?

No travel fee is charged for weddings within 50 miles of Seattle, Washington.

For weddings farther than 50 miles from Seattle, mileage is charged at $0.725 per mile for each mile exceeding the initial 50 miles. Additional destination travel expenses may apply depending on the location and schedule.

Do you require a hotel for weddings outside Seattle?

Destination weddings and events located more than two hours from Seattle generally require at least one night of lodging.

Additional accommodations may be necessary when the wedding schedule, travel distance, weather, ferry availability, or late ending time makes same-day travel impractical.

How do we check availability or request a quote?

Use the Best Made Videos® contact page to provide your wedding date, venue, locations, estimated timeline, videography needs, and requested deliverables.

Providing these details makes it easier to confirm availability and recommend the most appropriate package or custom coverage plan.