Most couples I speak to have no reference point for this. You've never booked a wedding videographer before and you'll probably never book another one, so 'is that a lot?' is an impossible question to answer on your own. Here's the honest version.
What's the average cost of a wedding videographer in the UK?
Across the UK, most full-day wedding videography sits somewhere between £1,500 and £3,500. Below that you're usually looking at someone newer, working alone with limited kit, or offering only a few hours of coverage. Above it you're typically paying for a two-person team, same-day edits, or a name that carries a premium.
For wedding videography in Derbyshire and Staffordshire, House of Tattersall's Core package is £2,100. It includes 10 hours of full-day coverage, professionally recorded vows and speeches, your ceremony and speeches in full, and travel included for the first 50 miles, which covers both counties. The Complete Story package, which adds a second videographer and a one-week teaser, is £2,750.
Why is there such a big range?
Four things move the price more than anything else.
Hours of coverage. A film that starts at the morning prep and runs to the first dance takes a very different day to one covering the ceremony and speeches only. I film 10 hours as standard, because the moments couples end up treasuring are rarely the ones on the schedule.
One filmmaker or two. A second shooter means two angles on the ceremony and someone else catching the reactions while the main camera is on the couple. It also roughly doubles the day rate. I film every wedding personally, and my Complete Story package adds a second videographer alongside me for the whole day.
Edit time. This is the part nobody sees. A 7 to 9 minute film built around story rather than chronology takes days of editing, not hours. Cheaper packages are usually cheaper because the edit is faster and more formulaic.
How many weddings they take. Someone filming 40 weddings a year can charge less per wedding. Someone filming 15, as I do, can give each couple more attention but has to price accordingly.
What should be included as standard?
At the price point above, I'd expect to see:
- A pre-wedding consultation, so the film is planned rather than improvised
- Full-day coverage, not a three-hour window
- A feature film of at least 5 to 7 minutes
- Professionally recorded audio from your vows and speeches
- Delivery through a proper platform, not a link that expires
My Core package includes all of that, plus your ceremony and speeches in full as standalone films, a landscape trailer and drone footage where the venue allows it, with a 6 to 12 week turnaround. I deliver through Vidflow, a premium platform that plays properly on all smart devices, and which also acts as storage for your films for 10 years.
What are the common extras, and are they worth it?
The ones couples ask for most:
Your ceremony and speeches in full. The two I used to argue for hardest, so I stopped charging for them. Both are now included as standard in my Core package. The feature film will only ever use fragments of your vows, and speeches are usually the single most emotional part of the day and the part guests most want to rewatch. If a videographer you're comparing charges for these, factor it into their quote.
A one-week teaser. A short film delivered within a week of the wedding, while everyone still wants to talk about it.
A home movie. Every usable clip from my main camera in one long film. Unpolished, but some couples love having everything.
Do videographers charge for travel?
Most do beyond a certain radius. My first 50 miles are included in the price, which covers all of Staffordshire and Derbyshire, and there's a small charge per mile beyond that. Always ask, because a quote that looks competitive can change once travel and accommodation are added.
When should we budget for it?
Videography is usually one of the last things couples book and one of the first they cut when the budget tightens. I'd gently push back on that: your flowers, your cake and your dress all exist for one day. The film is the only supplier whose product you'll still be using in twenty years.
What if it's out of our budget?
Say so when you enquire. I'd rather have an honest conversation about what's possible on your budget than have you not ask. Sometimes a smaller package works. Sometimes I'm simply not the right fit, and I'll say so and point you towards someone who is.