Brides and Grooms want to capture their special day with photographs and video but many ask the question why Should I pay for a pro video when my friends or family can tape it with their camcorders ?Even with access to high-end camcorders today, most friends and family don't have the training and or experience as well as the professional broadcast equipment of a professional videographer. A professional video production company does this work on a full time basis and has the experience and the equipment to be able to pay special attention to camera angles, sound quality, lighting as well as content. We also use multiple cameras to capture all the angles of a wedding whereas an amateur cannot afford to use multiple cameras. We also use state of the art editing techniques and software such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere  to create a professional presentation. I have also been asked  if all wedding videos are the same ?There's no standard certification procedure. There is a wide variety of styles. You should evaluate candidates based on their work, their references and their unique style. The best way to come to a decision is not by price alone. Meet with the videographer and discuss what your needs are. A price quote alone can result in hiring a videographer thay may not live up to your expectations. Make sure to ask the videographer to see a completed wedding or video they have done. Demo tapes only highlight the best video clips they have compiled. You should look for shots that are stable shot mostly with a tripod. Why pay someone to do a video for you when the shots are shaky out of focus and you can't hear the sound. Be aware that there are allot of what we call weekend warriors out there and are mostly amateurs trying to make a buck on the side, but their quality and abilities are usually sub par. Make sure the videographer uses multiple audio microphones to capture every person that speaks. Look for quality of the video, make sure it is nice and clear, color corrected and is not over saturated or completely dark. Many brides and grooms have asked me after the fact to fix their video after hring a weekend warrior type or using their relatives and most times I cannot fix it all.  All these qualities are important when hiring a competent videographer.