Over the past few months, my FI and I have been agonizing over whether or not to hire a videographer for our wedding. We've felt that it's one of those things that is nice to have, but not 100% necessary for the Big Day to be a success. After a bit of prodding from our parents, we looked into a few Cincinnati videographers and here's what we found (in order from most expensive to least):
- Studio Z: Their videos are amazing and definitely "television-worthy"... but their cheapest package starts at $4500 -- ridiculously expensive! If the wedding video is the most important aspect for you and there is room in the budget, then feel free to check them out. We couldn't justify the price for something we only plan on watching a few times over the next 25 years.
- Poetic Cinemas: We met with Dan and really fell in love with his personality and filming style. I would say that his videos are as polished as Studio Z, and his equipment is very compact and non-intrusive. He's charging $2200 for his basic package, which is still expensive but worth it if you plan to spend a lot of time watching the video after the wedding. I would also say that Matt from Lifetime Video is also very similar in style (and price) since Matt and Dan formerly worked together before splitting into separate businesses.
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Brett Hatfield: I chatted with Brett over a few emails and have been following his latest videos online. Brett's been getting some bad press on these boards since he allegedly asked brides to promote his business on this message board. Poor judgment on his part... but his videos are ok. He's only charging $1000 for his standard package, but we weren't thrilled with his style (personal preference, I guess). Here's his video account if you want to judge for yourself:
vimeo.com/user2700719/videos
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Jeff Cooney: This is our current front-runner for videography, We met with Jeff and his fiance/assistant last night and thought they were a really nice relaxed couple. Jeff's equipment is similar to Poetic Cinemas (small and less invasive... something very important to us). Since they are just starting to build their business, Jeff is only charging
$500 for the entire day. That's definitely the best price I've seen for 2 video cameras, sound equipment, editing, and 3 HD DVD's. I do think that they are less experienced than other "veteran" videographers... but since my FI and I just want to catch the highlights of the day, we aren't looking for the fanciest videographer. So if you're "on the fence" about videography, Jeff Cooney may be a good option for you.
http://www.jeffcooneyweddings.com/