Wedding Videographers Dallas FAQ
How many weddings have you and/or your team done?
Hundreds and hundreds. Our founder, John Lenihan, began shooting wedding videos in 1977, starting with his own.
Have you ever shot a wedding at our venue before?
We’ve done hundreds of weddings throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, so chances are, we’ve shot a wedding at your particular location. However, even if we haven’t, we make sure that prior to the wedding date we visit your wedding venue to check out the physical layout, lighting conditions and any other unusual features that may affect the videography. Once we’ve become familiar with your specific site, we can be better prepared to meet any challenges, from dim lighting to small spaces. Our extensive experience in just about every type of wedding – outdoor, indoor, different wedding traditions, different event sizes, etc. – have given us the confidence to overcome any limitations a venue may present.
What’s your storytelling style?
We believe in letting your love story unfold before our cameras, with little interference from us. We capture the highlights of your wedding as well as the little details that create the perfect romantic backdrop for your day. We document your story with the knowledge in mind that you and your family will be watching and sharing this video for many, many years to come, so we are ever mindful of ensuring that it showcases the power, drama and emotion of the event.
To get an idea of our video storytelling style, click here to view our extensive Gallery of previously shot weddings.
What makes you different from other wedding videographers?
Our attention to the smallest detail; dedication to excellent customer service; commitment to continuing education in our profession; and our passion for the art of wedding videography – all of these distinguishes us from many in the industry, particularly in this era of cheap, consumer-grade cameras. We use only professional-standard equipment used by the best in the industry and continue to invest considerable time and energy in keeping up with the latest trends, techniques and equipment so that we can always offer the very best services to our clients. Most important, we do all of this while still maintaining a very affordable menu of packages to fit most budgets.
How many other weddings and/or other events will you be shooting on the same day as mine?
It depends on how long each wedding is. Naturally, if your event will be an all-day affair, we will have no other event scheduled for that day so that we can focus all of our attention on your wedding. If you have a relatively short wedding and reception, however, we may have another one before or after. We always ensure that we leave a very generous cushion of time before and after an event for set-up, take-down and travel.
Who will be shooting my wedding? Will it be the same person I speak to during our initial consultation/meeting? If not, will I have the opportunity to meet him/her before the wedding date?
Your wedding videographer will more than likely be the same person with whom you met during your initial consultation. Occasionally, however, it may not be due to circumstances beyond our control. Regardless, you will be informed beforehand of any changes and will be given your new videographer’s contact information should you wish to speak to them before the event. You can also request a particular videographer if you have a preference.
Please be advised that, although we try and make every effort to assign your preferred videographer to your wedding, illness or other unforeseen events may force us to make last-minute changes.
What type of equipment do you use? Will you have backups?
Regardless of the type of wedding we shoot or the length of the assignment, we always bring backups. Weddings have a tendency to introduce a few surprises into the most organized plan, so we always take that into consideration when we bring equipment to a venue.
LeniCam uses high-quality, professional-standard, full-featured cameras that can shoot in both high-definition and standard-definition. Clients can choose from either option, depending on the wedding video package they select. Our high-definition videos offer the fullest resolution images on the market, at 1920 x 1080. You’ll need a Blu-Ray player and HD TV in order to view these videos.
Our standard definition videos offer superior quality images as well, often even better than many other high-definition cameras on the market. They provide crisp, clear images even in low-light conditions, making them ideal for interior and/or evening shots. Standard definition videos can be viewed using a DVD player and TV set or a Blu-Ray player and HD TV.
We also have an arsenal of professional-standard, rugged, wireless microphones and may bring up to 8 at a time to a wedding to ensure that all vocal recordings, ambient sounds and background music are captured for post-production. After hundreds of weddings and many years in the business, we’ve been blessed with the deep experience and knowledge to know exactly how to position and monitor all of our equipment at an event so that when we sit down at our studio to do post-production, we’ll have all the elements we need to create a truly unforgettable wedding video.
My wedding venue has fairly dim lighting conditions. Will you be able to work within those limitations and still make a great video?
All of our high-speed cameras work beautifully under most lighting conditions, including evening and dim interior shots. Most important, we also make sure that we are very familiar with the venue itself prior to the event so that we can prepare for manual adjustments to our cameras as lighting and shadows change during the wedding. Even if we have not worked at your venue before, we not only have shot weddings under the most challenging lighting conditions, but we also get to know it well before we even set up our cameras.
How early will you arrive at the venue?
We make sure that we’re at your venue no later than 1 ½ hours before the ceremony begins. We need about 30 minutes to set up our equipment, after which we test video and do sound checks. We also take that time to record footage of the bride and groom preparing in their respective dressing rooms and also interview arriving guests.
We don’t want video cameras in our faces during the ceremony, but we still want to make sure that our video captures the scene clearly. Can you do that?
Absolutely. Our cameras have a 20-to-1 zoom, allowing us to shoot vivid, detailed close-ups and footage from the balcony in the rear of the church. And if the church doesn’t have a balcony? No problem. We have a specially-built portable “balcony” that’s both unobtrusive but very effective in shooting video from an elevated, unobstructed position. We also have remote control camera mounting so that we can install cameras at various, discreet locations throughout the facility so that they don’t interfere with the ceremony.
How will you be dressed?
We’re your videographer, not your guests, so we carefully dress to ensure that we seamlessly “blend” in the background at your event. It’s about your day, not our work. We’re just there to document it.
Will you work with the other vendors, e.g., photographer, wedding planner/coordinator, officiant, etc.?
We are more than happy to coordinate logistics and activity with your vendors throughout your wedding day. We try to work as unobtrusively as possible, and as part of that we will collaborate with your other vendors as necessary to make sure that we don’t interfere with anyone else doing their job. Our mutual goal, after all, is to help ensure a smooth, carefree wedding for you and your family and friends!
How does your post-production, editing process work? What’s included in the process?
We spend a tremendous amount of time in the post-production phase – much longer than the time that we spend recording the actual event! Once we return to the studio from the event, we store all of the digital and audio files to our servers in our climate-controlled editing room. When we’re ready to edit them, we load them onto our workstations and carefully parse through hours of video and sound to select the best footage from the various cameras and audio recording devices. We also synchronize the sound to the video and may also add additional sound from elsewhere in the footage – such as background music played during the pre-ceremony stage – to particular events, such as the bridal preparations in the dressing room.
Selected footage is divided into chapters, e.g., “Pre-ceremony,” “Settings,” “Ceremony,” “Reception,” etc. Once we’ve run through the entire video a few times to make any adjustments or corrections to the video or audio, we create a menu featuring a list of the chapters and extract the best footage to include in a special “highlights” section. The final product is a DVD proof that the bride and groom can review. We can then make changes and edits based on their feedback, if any.
Can I see recent samples of your work?
Absolutely! Our work speaks for itself, and we encourage couples to review our comprehensive gallery of previously shot videos to get an idea of our storytelling style and technique. Click here to view our Gallery.
What’s included in the wedding video?
Your wedding video includes: comprehensive, fully edited wedding footage (including background music), a special “highlights” video, and a menu. Each DVD will also have a custom label and case wrapper. Your family and friends can also view the “highlights” over the Internet on our website.
For an additional charge, we can also offer optional features such as a special “love story” video. Contact us for more information about other options you may want to add to your package.
In what format will I receive my wedding video?
You can choose between receiving your video in Blu-Ray or standard DVD. All of our cameras can shoot in either format, so you’re free to select the one that fits your needs and budget.
How soon can I expect to receive my DVD proof and final video?
You’ll receive your DVD proof within 3-4 weeks after the event. The final video will be available within approximately 4 weeks, although the timeframe may depend on the number of changes and edits you request and how soon you want to receive the video.
Do you keep copies of the raw footage in storage? If so, for how long?
Yes, we keep copies and backups of all the raw footage in our climate-controlled server room indefinitely.
How much do you charge for wedding videography? Do you have packages?
We don’t believe that you should have to compromise your dreams of a beautiful wedding video because of cost. We’ll create a wedding video you’ll want to view over and over again in the years to come, all at a price well within your budget. Click here for more information about our different packages, then contact us to ask about how we can create a custom wedding video package for you.
Do you require a deposit? If so, how much?
We require 50% of the estimated amount at the time you book our services.
When is the final payment due?
Final payment is due the day before the wedding.
Do you charge for travel?
If your entire wedding – including reception – will take place at one location, there will be no additional charge for travel. Travel to a second location incurs a flat fee of $100.
How much do you charge for overtime?
Weddings can be unpredictable, and clients and their families and guests may need to take more time than they had estimated to get ready for the send-off, or they may want to throw in a few extra songs to close the night. We completely understand and typically won’t charge if the overtime is minimal.
However, if you need us to stay much longer than the original, agreed-upon timeframe, we charge $75 per hour per camera person.
How much do you charge for additional copies of the video?
Additional DVD copies are $20 each, and additional Blu-Ray copies are $40 each.
What’s your payment policy?
We require a 50% deposit at the time of booking and signing. The final balance is due the day before the wedding.
What’s your cancellation policy?
We typically do not offer refunds on the deposit. However, each cancellation is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and we understand that, occasionally, circumstances beyond our clients’ control force them to cancel an event. If you must postpone your wedding, we may choose to apply your deposit to the new wedding date. Please contact us as early as possible if you need to change and/or cancel your wedding so that we can discuss optional arrangements.
Do you have a contract?
Yes. Our contract protects both your interests as well as ours so that there are no surprises. We are tireless in our pursuit of superior customer service and guarantee 100% client satisfaction within 90 days with all of our work.
Do you have liability insurance?
Yes, we do.
Will you provide references of previous clients?
Absolutely. We have a number of testimonials (including video testimonials!) already available online. However, if you would like to talk to some of our clients, we would be happy to make arrangements.
Do you do wedding videography full-time or part-time?
LeniCam Video Productions is a full-time wedding videography business. We invite you to call us or stop by at our Plano studio to discuss your wedding videography needs.
LeniCam Video Productions – Wedding Videographers Dallas