I’m guessing you’re engaged and ready to get married… congrats! But now it’s time to figure out how long your wedding video should be. The recommended duration of a wedding film is not objective. At the end of the day, it’s your wedding, so ultimately, it is up to you. But you should know… what is the average wedding video length?
Most highlights or short films are between 3 and 5 minutes long, but some dramatic or documentary styles can go on for 30 minutes or even longer. Either will work depending on what you want and need regarding the packages for recording your big day.
As a wedding videographer, I’ll happily discuss different wedding videos, such as short highlight reels and long documentaries, their typical duration, and the factors affecting their duration. Let’s get right into it!
Types of Wedding Videos
For your wedding videos, style matters. There are different types of wedding videography that you can choose from. Here are some popular ones:
- Traditional: These videos will only capture the most significant parts of your big day, but they look perfect every time. Generally, they include everything that happened on your wedding day – from the ceremony to speeches and the first dance.
- Cinematic: If you want something more artistic, turn your wedding day into a short film with a cinematic wedding video. The camerawork, music, and editing in these films are imaginative and capture the mood of your celebration.
- Documentary: The documentary format shows real events from the first person. It follows candid moments and sincere emotions unfolding during the occasion, thus representing it realistically and intimately.
- Storytelling: I love storytelling films that blend documentary aspects with cinematic techniques. Often, these films combine pre-wedding interviews with behind-the-scenes videography, too – they create an exciting and individual account of your wedding journey.
Each type has its own features, which could represent a more traditional approach to your big day, focusing on telling stories or showing visual beauty more than others.
Try different styles to see what fits best for your wedding.
What to Include in Your Wedding Video?
It’s impossible to sum up the beauty of your wedding day in just a few minutes — each one was so unforgettable. An average wedding ceremony lasts around hours. Many essential components should be included in your wedding videography. Consider adding these:
- Preparation through different perspectives
- The couple’s first kiss as newlyweds
- Speeches and public addresses
- First Dance
- Wedding vows
- Celebration activities (cake cutting, first dance, bouquet toss)
- The B-Roll Position
- Interviews with special guests or family members
- Key points of the ceremony
Remove unnecessary footage, such as shots of the venue and guests entering or leaving, to shorten the wedding video. Even a few seconds of this footage can tell the day’s story.
Additional noteworthy points are unique glances between the bride and groom and meaningful family traditions.
Long-form vs. short-form videos: Which one do you usually prefer and why?
This is a common dilemma among soon-to-be-wed couples. But while I can see both virtues, I enjoy longer video content. Here’s why:
Long-form videos capture more moments. They help you learn more about your big day—every moment, from getting ready to the last dance.
Short videos are great for sharing easily; they’re social media gold. However, they often miss out on those little things that make your wedding unique.
I still have the footage from my own wedding: a 45-minute masterpiece. It was a feature-length film about our love story. We can relive every laugh, tear, and dance move.
Certainly, watching it takes longer. But it’s worth every minute on those evenings when we just want to sit back and reminisce.
Long-form videos satisfy my craving for nostalgia and thoroughness. They’re perfect for people in long-term relationships who like to keep memories alive.
Still, choose with taste in mind — yours and your partner’s alike.
This will be a keepsake that lasts forever. So pick wisely!
How Long Should A Wedding Video Be?
There isn’t really a right or wrong answer to this question, and each wedding videographer will take a different approach to your wedding film.
While some wedding films might extend for hours, most are only a few minutes long. But I agree, there is no perfect length for a wedding video size. You too.
Before doing anything else, decide whether to highlight reels or traditional documentary cuts. Here’s more detail about two commonly used types of video length.
Wedding Documentaries (The Traditional Way)
A typical wedding video that includes the complete ceremony and speeches lasts around 60-90 minutes.
Depending on how many hours the videographer covers during your big day. Also, its actual duration itself, these recordings can vary significantly in length.
Most documentary-style weddings have a slower pace because the shots are held longer. This contrasts cinematic wedding films, which use fast-paced edits to tell their stories.
Such films accurately capture what happened throughout the day but could be more engaging to watch or share afterward.
Don’t sweat it over exact times—especially if you’ve found two different ones whose styles resonate with yours equally well. One offers six minutes worth of highlights while another gives just five—because longer doesn’t mean better!
Signature Cinematic Style Wedding Films (What Makes Them Unique)
Here at Signature Wedding Films, we offer this style of videography. We are happy to provide creative wedding films between 5 and 10 minutes in length. But it can also accommodate longer edits if needed.
Cinematic wedding films consist mostly of short film segments from your wedding day set to music. Some audio from your ceremonies and speeches can be added to these films so they narrate your special day.
Some videographers will include drone footage and personally curated music to enhance your wedding film. You may expect an artistic cinematic highlight film of your wedding. That showcases all the best moments from 3-20 minutes long.
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At a small or low-key wedding, there may not be enough unique moments captured to justify putting together an interesting short film edit. A shorter video could better represent your day.
A five-minute cinematic wedding film is perfect for intimate ceremonies, elopements, or other low-key weddings. You’ll be amazed at how much talent can fit into just five minutes.
A fifteen-minute feature video would be better for larger, busier, or visually stunning weddings. Thanks to the cameraman’s discretion, vows, letter readings, and speeches will have more leeway in the final edit.
Here, I share the other duration of a standard wedding video:
- Wedding Day Edit (3-5 Minutes)
- Short Romantic or Feature Wedding Film (10-20 Minutes)
- Film Style Video 1-2 Time Frame
- NDE Revision: One Day Later | 3-5 Minute Time | 2-3 minutes of Documentary Style Video
- Short film/Highlight: Less than 10 min
- Feature films: 15-25 minutes
- Full Speeches:30 minutes
- Highlights film: 5-6 minutes
- Wedding video full-length ceremony: 20-30 minutes
- The “FOMO” edit:1.5 hour
Note: The length of your wedding film should depend on your decisions and the story you want to tell. No matter what length you decide, a professional videographer can tell an engaging story that serves your big day.
How Long Does A Wedding Video Take To Edit?
Once you know the different styles of wedding videos, you can pick an editing style that best suits your needs. Wedding films are edited with love and care. A videographer knows how to edit wedding videos.
Professional videographers usually take 30-60 hours to edit long wedding films. This period can be influenced by the film’s complexity, intended style, and the editor’s experience.
When editing wedding films, videographers usually follow a set process. First, they review the raw footage and make a rough cut. After that, they pick out the best shots. On average, wedding video editing takes 15–25 weeks or six months.
This first step alone can take anywhere from 10 to 15 hours. The last step, which will take another 15 to 20 hours, is to add music and sync it with the audio edit. Then, colour correction, special effects, and final touches can consume another 5 to 10 hours.
More complex stories involving multiple cameras or rushed jobs take longer than simple highlight reels or one-offs. Couples should keep this in mind while planning their wedding films. In addition, they should know that quality editing matters most when capturing the joy and emotion of the big day!
How Long Does It Take To Edit A 30-Minute Video?
It may surprise you. Editing a thirty-minute video usually takes me two to four hours, but it can take less or more time than that. Some videographers need 12 to 60 hours to do the same video edit.
I’ve edited countless videos, and editing time varies widely. Some tasks go quickly, while others stretch over many days. Complexity determines fashion-level proficiency.
Are you adding effects? Cutting between multiple angles? Syncing audio? These require extra time, and even experienced editors find them difficult.
Always remember this fact: Editing is a highly artistic process. There’s so much more to it than that; quality is king. Sometimes, downtime can be beneficial. Your speed and ability to do things faster will increase as you practice. Start slow and build your skills until you’re an expert editor!
Why Does A 3 To 30-Minute Video Take 12 Hours To A Long Time?
Producing a short video takes too much time. It’s hard to believe, but that’s the only way. Although it takes 3-30 minutes in length, most films take at least 10 to 12 hours of work.
When we talk about feature films, time does not matter. Sixty to ninety minutes may seem like a long film, but they are not when compared to months, if not years, spent preparing, shooting, and editing.
Weddings are mostly one-day live events. Videographers always try to overshoot for more creativity and flexibility while editing. We aim to give you an engaging, quality film with emotional touch-ups throughout the day. Too many clips make the film look messy, hence confusing the audience.
So remember, next time you watch a short yet powerful video, think about all those man-hours it took to create it!
Factors Influencing Wedding Video Duration
Many important factors decide the length of your beautiful wedding videos. Let’s now examine the three main elements that determine its length.
- Type of Video: Documentary-style videos can cover the entire event and go more in-depth, running for 60 to 90 minutes. On the other hand, highlight reels are often much shorter, around three to five minutes.
- Duration of Wedding Event: The more hours you add to your wedding day…the longer your wedding film will be. But it also depends on your schedule. Typically, longer days produce more film, as you can imagine.
- Editing Style: Another factor affecting running time is how a videographer edits their footage. Some prefer lengthy, impactful scenes, but others pick more shots for a comprehensive view.
Note: Keep these things in mind when planning your wedding video. They can help you set realistic expectations about the final product. Regardless of your event’s length, an expert videographer will create beautiful memories.
How Long Does It Take to Receive the Wedding Video?
The length of your wedding film influences delivery time. A company may have several editors who can efficiently edit multiple videos for you.
Individuals and groups, however, need many days to compile footage, add filters and music, and cut it down to size. Videographers usually take four to twelve weeks before delivering a final product.
Your videographer should give you an estimated date when it will be ready and keep you informed about their progress.
Do You Charge Hourly Or By Service Package Wedding Video?
In the wedding videography industry, there is a debate over hourly rates or packages. We believe service packages are the future of our studio and clients’ businesses.
When you buy a service package, there are no icky surprises or hidden fees. Our packages cover all the bases, from pre-wedding consultations to the final edited video. So you can have a beautiful wedding film.
Hourly rates seem attractive but can create unnecessary stress on your wedding day. “I do” isn’t the time to watch the clock! Our packages will capture every magical moment, from early morning preparations to the last dance.
Furthermore, we offer pricing and packaging options that are flexible enough to meet our clients’ needs. Clients can choose between a brief highlight reel and a full-length feature documentary. This means you get to pick the ideal package for your wants and budget.
It’s not about how long we spend filming—it’s about creating memories that last forever.
How to Talk to Your Videographer About Video Length?
Don’t let talking about how long your video should sound difficult. It’s just a part of planning for your wedding. Here’s what you need to do:
- Tell the filmmaker what you want. Tell them if you prefer a short highlights reel, a documentary spanning several hours, or both.
- Ask about packages. Typically, videographers offer different bundles with different durations. See what they have and decide which one suits you.
- Let us discuss customisation options. Can the videographer customise their services? You may want extra footage of specific moments or a shorter social media edit.
- Consider how much money you can spend on this aspect alone. Longer videos cost more. Because they take up more time that could have been used to do other things for other clients. Therefore, they attract higher charges over such periods, too!
- Take heed of expert advice. Trust their experience. Since this is not our expertise, we rely on those with knowledge to make informed decisions.
Note: Communication must be effective, and expectations must always be clear, leaving no room for doubt. You must first communicate clearly and honestly with your videographer about the type of wedding film you want.
Tips for Wedding Video Length of Time
Selecting the right duration for a wedding film is important. If it’s too long, people will stop watching. If it’s too short, they’ll miss key moments. Here are some easy steps to finding that sweet spot:
- Get clever with your edits; get rid of unnecessary footage. Stick to what matters most; make those transitions fast and seamless.
- Choose your music carefully. The right tunes can help time fly by and set the pace for your film.
- Don’t leave anything out. Your viewers want to see that first dance, kiss, cake cutting, etc. Keep each scene short but emotionally charged.
- Get to know the art of pace. Mix slow, languid shots with faster ones full of energy—this variety will keep people engaged.
DC Media Tips: Remember, quality over quantity always wins. A short, edited video is better than a longer one that drags on without interest. Aim to make the main movie between 15 and 30 minutes.
Also, consider making a shorter highlight reel—you can easily share this 3-5 minute version on social media platforms.
Choosing the Right Length for Your Wedding Video
One must be wise enough to figure out the average length of a wedding video. It’s not just about duration; it’s about capturing the essence of your special day. Consider your budget and preference. Short highlight reels share memories quickly, while full-length documentary films cover the entire event.
However, remember that a typical wedding film runs between 3 and 30 minutes, so you have a lot of room for choice. Your videographer can offer advice based on your goals for this video. Hear them out; they must help you find the most effective solution. Tell them about your vision during these discussions, too.
Emotions need to flow from joy to love through this movie. Hence, choose a duration that won’t bore your eyes even if watched repeatedly. Do you wish to store forever memories of your wedding day? If so, contact DC Media for details about our wedding video packages.
Frequently Asked Question
Is a full-length wedding video necessary?
A full-length film (1-2 hours) isn’t necessary, but if someone wants an entire party record, they can have one.
What’s the ideal length for a wedding video trailer?
The best length for sharing on social media platforms is between one and three minutes. It works perfectly as a trailer or teaser for your wedding video.
Is there an ideal length for social media wedding video clips?
30-second to 60-second clips are great. Because they attract more viewers and are easy to share with others on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram.
Can I request a specific length for my wedding video?
Yes, most videographers offer flexible packages, so you can choose the length of your wedding film based on your preference.
What’s the difference between a highlight reel and a full-length wedding video?
A highlight reel lasts five to fifteen minutes while capturing only the most significant scenes in longer films. On the other hand, full-length films tend to last longer than average, covering every single moment throughout couples’ big days.
How can I ensure my wedding video captures all important moments?
Speak with your videographer beforehand about what you’d like included in your filming schedule. Also, discuss other preferences regarding the order of events on your special day.