It's your fifth anniversary and you have just arrived home from a romantic candlelight dinner with your spouse. the two of you are sitting together trying to recall the excitement of your wedding day. You remember laughter, emotion, and the thrill of sharing the day with the people you love.

Those memories could last forever with the help of a quality professional wedding video. Why hire a professional? Perhaps you have a friend or relative who has volunteered their services. After all the cost is free, right? Think again.
The experienced videographer is familiar with a variety of locations. Look for a professional that has invested in video equipment specifically designed to record weddings. Find a professional that uses a combination of microphones to capture all the sounds of your wedding day. For example; a wireless is placed on the Groom to record the vows. Another microphone may be placed at the podium to capture the readings. A third or fourth may also be placed with a soloist or with your music. These sources are then fed into a mixer to provide superior quality to that of any home video equipment.

There are five basic components that determine the quality and cost of your wedding video.

• First is the amount of coverage during your wedding day. Some videographers offer packages with set amounts of time, others work by the hour. Reception coverage is often over looked as coverage the bride and groom want, but is often the most enjoyable to watch. Interviews of the wedding party, your favorite grandma telling stories of you when you were little, throwing of garter and bouquet, along with all those fun dances may be the highlight of your video.

• Second is the number of cameras used to video tape your ceremony and other coverage. The number of cameras used to record the ceremony can make a great difference on your final video. A professional video with 2 or 3 cameras can capture all of your ceremony beautifully. The video is then edited on professional editing equipment, putting together all the footage gathered from the different cameras to one video tape, showing the best shots from each camera. For example; one camera could be positioned in the pew along the aisle for the processional, to capture the bride, while the second camera gets the grooms reaction.

• Third is the quality of equipment being used. Look for a professional which has the latest in video camcorders, microphones, lights, batteries and other equipment needed to do a great job. Digital Camcorders, VCRs and DVD recorders are the latest in high quality wedding videos. With 3-chip cameras and digital tape recording, these cameras offer unmatched quality of sight and sound. For a durable copy with the highest picture and sound quality choose a videographer that can produce DVDs. Wedding ceremonies, receptions and dances are often recorded in low light, a professional camcorder can make a huge difference in these conditions. The non professional will not have the proper equipment to do the job right. For example; non professionals seldom bring enough video batteries to capture all the events they want. They usually miss more footage than they get. Adding a video light is also very important at receptions to catch all the important events and interviews. When looking for a videographer ask about their equipment.

• Fourth, professional editing puts all the footage together, along with music, titles and special effects to give your video that professional look. Without quality editing even professional footage would not be as exciting and creative. Look for editing done with digital equipment for the best quality.

• Fifth and perhaps most important is the skill and experience of the person behind the equipment. Your Wedding Day is a live event. You can not do a second take. It takes a skilled professional to capture all your events beautifully, and to then edit that footage into memories that you will always treasure. Don't trust someone to do your wedding without looking at their work. You will most likely be disappointed with the end results. Make sure you see & hear video from all aspects of one wedding, not just a music video. The professional videographer may also offer additional services such as Video Reflections; photos transferred into a music video of your life. Shown at the reception on a large screen, it will makes a big hit with your guests. Quality of this equipment varies a lot and good equipment is very expensive, so ask to see a live demo of a Video Reflection on the equipment that is brought to the wedding.

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