The short answer
A wedding videographer contract should state the hours of coverage and when they start, which films you receive and how long each runs, whether full ceremony or raw footage is included, how audio is recorded, the delivery date, how many revisions you get, drone terms, travel and meals, the backup plan and each payment date. Anything missing belongs on your question list before you sign.
How many hours of video coverage are included?
Find the number of hours and what starts the clock: the videographer's arrival, the first scheduled moment, or a time written into the contract. Check whether coverage runs continuously or can be split, and whether travel between the getting-ready location, the ceremony and the reception uses covered time. If a second videographer is included, note how many hours they cover and whether those match the lead's hours.
For example, a hypothetical package covers eight continuous hours from 12:30 p.m., so coverage ends at 8:30 p.m. If toasts are at 7:45 p.m. and the last dance is at 10:00 p.m., the last dance falls 1.5 hours outside coverage. At a hypothetical $250 an hour in 30-minute increments, that is 3 x $125 = $375 to add it now, or you move the start later.
- Number of hours and what starts them
- Continuous or split coverage
- Travel time between locations
- Second videographer and their hours
- Overtime rate, increment and who approves it
What films and footage will I actually receive?
List each deliverable by name and length, because the names vary. A highlight film might be described as "3-5 minutes", a feature film as "15-25 minutes", and a full ceremony edit as "multi-camera, start to finish". Check whether toasts, speeches and first dances are delivered as full-length edits or only appear as excerpts in a highlight film.
Raw footage needs its own line. A contract may exclude unedited footage, offer it for a fee, or include it with a note that it is unsorted and uncolored. Also record the delivery format: download link, file resolution, how long the link stays live, and whether a physical drive costs extra. Save your own copies before any link expires.
- Highlight film and its length
- Feature or documentary film and its length
- Full ceremony edit
- Full toasts and first dances
- Raw footage: excluded, extra or included
- Delivery format, resolution and link expiry
How will the vows, toasts and speeches be recorded?
Ask how audio is captured: a small microphone on the person officiating or on one partner, a recorder at the lectern, a feed from the DJ or band sound board, or camera microphones only. Each option depends on other people doing their part, so the contract or a written note should say who provides what. If the videographer needs a feed from the DJ, put that on both vendors' lists.
Also check whether the videographer will attend the rehearsal or needs a sound check, and what happens if the officiant declines to wear a microphone. A short written plan, such as "lavalier on officiant and groom; recorder at lectern for readings; board feed for toasts", is easier to check on the day than a promise to "capture audio".
What should I look for in the music and revision wording?
Find the sentences about music. A contract may say the videographer chooses the songs, that tracks come from a licensed music library, that you may request a song from that library, or that you may supply a song yourself. It may also mention sharing a film online with the music in it. Copy the exact wording, and if you plan a particular use, ask the videographer to confirm in writing that it is allowed.
Then check revisions. Look for how many rounds of changes are included, how long you have to request them after delivery, what counts as a revision (a music swap, a trimmed scene, a re-edit), and the fee for extra rounds. A deadline such as "revision requests within 14 days of delivery" belongs on your calendar.
Are drone footage, travel and meals covered?
If aerial footage matters to you, check whether a drone is included or an add-on, and whether the contract makes it conditional on weather or permission. Ask the venue whether it allows drones and whether it needs anything from the operator, such as insurance or advance notice. Ask the videographer whether they hold any certification required for commercial flights where you are, and who is responsible for getting permission. Get both answers in writing.
Travel may be a mileage charge beyond a set distance, a flat travel fee, or lodging and airfare at cost. A meal clause may ask you to feed each crew member and give them a break; add them to your vendor meal count and schedule the break during dinner service, when filming pauses.
- Drone included, add-on or excluded
- Venue permission for drones, in writing
- Who obtains any flight permission
- Mileage, travel fee, lodging, airfare
- Meals and breaks for each crew member
What if the videographer is ill, and when are payments due?
Check whether the contract names who will film your wedding or says a videographer from the company will be assigned. Find the substitute clause and ask who chooses a replacement, whether you can see their work, and what happens to money paid if no one can attend. Ask how footage is backed up after the event, such as copies on separate drives, and how long the company keeps your files.
Record the retainer, each later payment and its trigger. For example, a hypothetical $3,600 package with a $1,000 retainer leaves $2,600; if half is due 90 days before and the rest 14 days before, each payment is $1,300. Then read the cancellation and postponement terms by date. Whether any money is returned depends on the contract and the law where you are, which varies by state.
- Named videographer or assigned crew
- Substitute clause and your say in it
- Footage backup and file retention period
- Retainer, payment dates and amounts
- Cancellation and postponement terms
Videographer contract review
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Term | What the contract says | Page / clause | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage hours, start and end | — | — | — |
| Second videographer | — | — | — |
| Films and lengths | — | — | — |
| Full ceremony, toasts and raw footage | — | — | — |
| Audio plan and microphones | — | — | — |
| Music wording | — | — | — |
| Revisions and request deadline | — | — | — |
| Drone terms and venue permission | — | — | — |
| Travel, meals and backup | — | — | — |
| Retainer, payments and cancellation | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Add your document reference and the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for the contract. Before we sign, could you confirm a few points in writing? Which films are included and how long is each, and are the full ceremony and toasts delivered as full-length edits? Is raw footage included or available for a fee? How will you record the vows and toasts, and do you need anything from our DJ or officiant? How many revision rounds are included and by when must we request them? If a drone is included, will you confirm with the venue that it is allowed? Finally, what happens if you are unable to attend?
Common questions
Do wedding videographers provide raw footage?
A wedding videographer provides raw footage only if the contract says so. Check whether unedited footage is excluded, sold separately or included, in what format and how it is delivered. If you want it, ask before signing and have it added to the agreement with a delivery date, so the answer does not rest on a conversation.
Can wedding videographers use copyrighted music?
Whether a wedding videographer can use a particular song depends on how the music is licensed and on the law, not only on the contract. The contract may say tracks come from a licensed music library or that you may request a song. Ask the videographer in writing where the music comes from and whether you may share the film online with it. For what the law allows, ask a qualified attorney licensed in your state.
How long do wedding videographers keep footage?
A wedding videographer keeps footage for as long as the contract or company policy states, so look for a file retention clause. Note how long raw and edited files are kept, whether you are told before they are deleted, and whether a copy can be bought later. Save your own copies as soon as the films arrive.
How much does a wedding videographer cost?
A wedding videographer has no single cost you can rely on; each quote is set by the hours, the number of shooters, the films and their lengths, raw footage, drone work, travel and revisions. Ask each videographer to quote the same hours and deliverables in writing, then compare line by line, including overtime rates, rather than comparing package names.
Do I need permission to fly a drone at my venue?
Flying a drone at a wedding venue needs the venue to agree, so ask it directly and keep its answer in writing. Some venues restrict drones or ask for insurance and notice. Also ask the videographer who is responsible for any flight permission, since flight rules vary by location, and add the answer to your contract notes.
What counts as a revision to a wedding film?
A revision to a wedding film is whatever your videography contract defines it to be. Some contracts count any change request as one round; others list what is included, such as a music swap or a trimmed scene. Ask for the definition, the number of rounds, the request deadline and the fee for more before you sign.