Budget * 5 min

The wedding video you can actually afford

Video is usually the first line cut from a wedding budget. A full-day videographer runs $3,000 to $6,000, and most couples would rather spend that on the bar or the honeymoon.

But here's what couples tell us a year later: the photos are beautiful, and they wish they could hear the toasts again. They wish they could see their grandmother dancing. Photos freeze a moment. Video gives you the voice.

A guest-filmed camcorder is the middle path. Your people film from the inside, nobody is stiff in front of a stranger, and you get a professionally edited film for a fraction of the price.

Our tips for getting the most out of it: name two directors, tape the shot list to the bar, and put the interview prompts at every table. The more hands on the camera, the better the film.