How to plan your wedding videography budget in France

Start with the moments you want filmed

Write down your priorities: getting ready, the ceremony, family, speeches or the first dance. Coverage from morning preparations to the evening asks for a different schedule from a ceremony and portrait session. If celebrations happen on several days, describe each separately.

Give the videographer the locations as well as the times. Two preparations happening simultaneously in different places may require a second filmmaker, a revised schedule or a choice about which moments to cover.

Compare the films, not just their length

A trailer, a highlight film and a longer ceremony edit serve different purposes. A short film can involve substantial work selecting footage, shaping the story, editing sound and refining colour. A longer running time is not, by itself, a measure of quality.

Ask the quote to name each deliverable: approximate duration, format, whether speeches or the ceremony are included in full, and whether a vertical version is part of the package. Also clarify the delivery window and the scope of any revisions.

Make the practical costs visible

Ask whether travel, accommodation, additional hours and a second filmmaker are included or quoted separately. For a destination wedding, the locations and access arrangements help establish those costs before you book.

Sound deserves its own conversation. If your vows or speeches are important to the film, ask how they will be recorded and what coordination is needed with the venue or sound team. Do not assume that every quote includes the same coverage or equipment.

Send a brief that makes quotes comparable

Use the same brief when approaching different videographers. Compare both the films you connect with and the written scope. OTTO Vision defines coverage and deliverables around the celebration; send your plans to discuss availability and a proposal.

• Wedding date, venue or city, and any additional celebration days.
• Approximate start and finish times, with travel between venues.
• The moments and people you most want included.
• Preferred films: trailer, highlights, ceremony or speeches.
• Your working budget and any priorities you could adjust.