Will you regret not having a videographer at your wedding? Honestly, probably yes. Not every couple, and not forever in a painful way, but most people who skip video feel it later. It usually hits on the first anniversary or the day a grandparent passes. I've been photographing and filming weddings in Los Angeles for 17 years. The line I hear most often is not "I wish we'd spent less." It's "I wish we had my dad's voice."

I'm a photographer first, so this isn't me pushing the thing I love more. I think photos are the one thing you can't skip. But I've sat across the table from enough couples, two or three years after their wedding, to know which gap they talk about. It's almost always the missing video.

What couples actually miss (it isn't the drone shot)

When couples tell me they regret skipping video, they almost never mention cinematic slow motion or sweeping shots of the venue. They talk about sound and movement:

  • Vows in their own voices. A photo shows you crying at the altar. Video lets you hear why.
  • Toasts. Your best friend's speech is four minutes of inside jokes, timing and a voice crack at the end. You can't get that back from a photo.
  • People who aren't here anymore. This is the big one. A grandmother dancing, an uncle laughing at the bar. Stills are precious, but a few seconds of someone moving and talking are worth more than you'd guess.
  • The chaos between the big moments. The flower girl refusing to walk. The groomsman who dropped the ring box. Photos catch the peak of a moment. Video catches the whole mess, and the mess is usually the part you want back.

I'll be blunt: guest phone videos don't fix this. I've watched hundreds of them over couples' shoulders. They're vertical and shaky, the audio is mostly the DJ's speaker, and someone's head is in half of every frame. Nobody has a lav mic on the officiant. Nobody filmed the vows from a tripod at the right height. It's better than nothing, but it isn't the thing you'll wish you had.

Who genuinely won't regret it

I'd be lying if I said everyone needs a wedding film. Here's who I tell to skip it without guilt:

  • Couples doing a 12-person courthouse ceremony at the Beverly Hills or Norwalk courthouse, with a nice dinner afterward. A photographer for two hours covers it, and a friend with a phone on a tripod can catch the vows.
  • Couples who hate watching themselves on screen and know it. Some people rewatch their proposal video weekly. Others physically can't watch themselves talk. If that's you, trust it.
  • Couples whose total budget is under about $8,000 for everything. Put the money into a great photographer and good food. A cheap videographer is worse than none, because you'll pay and still end up disappointed.

If you're planning a 100 to 200 guest wedding at a Malibu estate, a downtown LA rooftop or a Pasadena hotel ballroom, with speeches, family traveling in and a real dance floor, you're exactly the couple who ends up regretting it. That's most of the weddings I shoot.

The money question, with real LA numbers

This is usually what's behind the question. In Los Angeles right now, a decent solo videographer with a highlight film runs about $1,800 to $3,500. A two-person crew with a highlight film, the full ceremony and speeches is usually $3,500 to $6,500. High-end studios with same-day edits and multiple cinematographers go past $9,000. I break those tiers down in how LA wedding video packages compare.

At ConneryFilm, cinematography on its own starts at $1,799, and our combined photography and film coverage starts at $3,500. That's two cinematographers and one photographer, one team, one contract, one timeline. That last part matters more than it sounds. When photo and video come from two different companies, they spend the day stepping into each other's shots and arguing over who gets the aisle. When it's one crew, we plan the angles together weeks ahead.

If the budget is truly tight, here's what I'd do if it were my wedding: cut the florals by 20 percent, drop the photo booth and the late-night food truck, and put that $2,000 to $3,000 toward a solo cinematographer. No couple has ever told me they miss their centerpieces. Payment plans help too. Many studios, mine included, split it across months, which I explain in how videographer payment plans work in LA.

You can't add it later

Most wedding decisions can be fixed afterward. You can reprint the album, recolor the photos, or throw an anniversary party. Video is the one vendor you can't add after the fact. By the time you realize you want it, the only footage that exists is whatever guests happened to record.

That's why I push couples to decide early rather than "see if the budget works out." Good LA cinematographers book 9 to 12 months out for Saturdays from April through October, and October weekends in Malibu and Santa Barbara go first. If you're torn, lock in a smaller package now. It's much easier to upgrade coverage later than to find an open, competent videographer six weeks before the wedding.

If you're still on the fence, get the minimum that matters

If you can't justify full coverage, don't skip video completely. Get the version that protects the moments you can't redo:

  1. Ceremony, start to finish, with clean audio. A lav mic on the officiant and whoever says vows, plus a recorder at the podium. This is the single most-rewatched piece of any wedding film I've made.
  2. Toasts and speeches, recorded from the mic feed or a recorder taped under the podium.
  3. First dance and parent dances.
  4. A short 3 to 5 minute highlight film that ties it together.

That's four to six hours, not ten, and it covers most of what couples cry over later. If you'd like a clear picture of what a longer film adds, I explain the difference in highlight film vs. full wedding video.

What I tell couples at consultations

When someone asks me this across the table, I ask them one question back: "Is there someone coming to your wedding whose voice you'd want to hear again in twenty years?" About nine times out of ten, the answer is immediate, and they already know what they want to do.

Photos are how you remember what your wedding looked like. Video is how you remember what it felt like. You don't need a $9,000 film to get that. You need someone competent with good audio, standing in the right place when your dad stands up to speak.

FAQ

What percentage of couples regret not getting a wedding videographer?

Industry surveys over the years have consistently put video at or near the top of couples' post-wedding regrets. In my own experience, most couples who skip it wish they hadn't, especially when there were speeches or elderly relatives involved.

Is a guest filming on an iPhone good enough?

For a tiny courthouse ceremony, sometimes. For a full wedding, rarely. The problem is almost always audio and angles, not the camera. A friend in the fourth row can't hear the vows clearly and can't be in two places for the first kiss and the processional.

How much does a basic wedding videographer cost in Los Angeles?

Expect roughly $1,800 to $3,500 for a solo cinematographer with a short highlight film and ceremony coverage. Two-person crews with full-length edits usually run $3,500 to $6,500.

Can I just get the ceremony filmed?

Yes. Many videographers, including us, will quote ceremony-only or ceremony-plus-toasts coverage. It's the smartest minimum if the budget won't stretch to a full day.

How far ahead should I book a videographer in LA?

Nine to 12 months for a peak-season Saturday. Weekday and winter dates can often be booked with three to six months' notice.

If you are still on the fence about video, or you just want an honest number for your date, I would love to hear about your wedding. Tell me where it is, roughly how many people are coming and what matters most to you, and I will tell you straight what I think you need and what you can skip. Call or text 818.749.7039, or take a look at our work at ConneryFilm.com.

Meet the Author: Connery Davoodian Hello, I'm Connery Davoodian, the visionary behind ConneryFilm, and I'm thrilled to share insights from my 17-year journey through the world of wedding photography and videography. My passion extends beyond simply capturing images; it's about artfully weaving your unique love story into a timeless, cinematic masterpiece. My artistic path began long before I ever picked up a camera, deeply rooted in music as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. This diverse background in directing, producing, and editing has cultivated a unique perspective, allowing me to approach each wedding not just as an event, but as a dynamic narrative waiting to be beautifully told. This blend of technical mastery and creative storytelling is the heartbeat of ConneryFilm, ensuring that every frame, every shot, and every film is infused with depth, emotion, and unparalleled artistic integrity. At ConneryFilm, we believe your wedding memories deserve nothing less than bespoke luxury. My philosophy centers on capturing the authentic, unscripted moments – the genuine smiles, the tender glances, the joyful laughter – that truly define your day. While we obsess over exquisite details and sophisticated aesthetics, our true joy comes from making you feel completely at ease, like a "friendor" who genuinely celebrates alongside you. This calm, organized presence allows your true personalities to shine, resulting in images and films that are as real and vibrant as your love itself. Based in the heart of Los Angeles, California, my team and I are privileged to serve couples across the globe, bringing our signature high-end wedding photography and videography to destination weddings worldwide. Through these blog posts, I aim to share invaluable insights, luxurious inspiration, and practical, fun advice to guide you through your wedding planning journey, helping you make informed decisions about preserving your most cherished moments. Thank you for trusting ConneryFilm to be a part of your extraordinary adventure. I'm excited to share my knowledge and passion with you, helping you create memories that will last forever.