Looking for a videographer / cinematographer can be a very challenging task during your wedding. I am a HUGE fan of videography, as this is the only way I have to cherish family members who are no longer with us today. The fun and their words still move me 19 years later, something that is missing from my photos. The following tips can help ensure a much smoother process and reduce your stress significantly.
1) View the creators work. You should fall in love the their work. It may take a lot of your time to visit the various videographer / cinematographer websites, but you will be glad you did. You also want to create a list of your top 3 choices because your 1st choice may not have any dates available and you will find yourself having to start all over . You’ll save yourself a lot of time by doing this.
2) Contract. The more details in your contract the better. This protects both parties and provides concrete information and guidelines for what to expect and not to expect. . Here are a few things to make sure are in your contract:

1. Video Package –  Make sure this is specified. Does it include a certain amount of DVDs? Are you restricted to a number of footage hours? Does it include the unedited footage & the edited footage? Are there categories on the DVD, if so what? Will the video be High Definition (HD) and/or blue ray?
2. Delivery Date –  Be sure the contract includes a completion date and/or date for expected delivery.
3. Deposit –  Does the videographer / cinematographer require a deposit? Most likely they will. The important part about this section is not to pay in full. Definitely provide a deposit, but definitely DO NOT pay in full. I made this very mistake.  Paying them in full and not having a set date, leaves you with no video and no recourse.

3) Responsiveness. This is probably the most important item. The videographer / cinematographer level of responsiveness to you prior to hiring is a good indication of how they will be after you have hired them. If you find it takes them a while to get back to you, it could create a lot of unnecessary stress for you during and after the wedding.  If you are willing to sacrifice waiting a very long time and poor communication for excellent work, just remember, it will cause you a lot of stress and grief.
4) Popularity. A popular videographer / cinematographer can be a good and bad thing. The good thing is people like their work because it’s probably really good work. The bad thing is they may be in high demand. It may be difficult to obtain a date from them and obtain your products on time. Also their clientele may include “important people”,  so you may get bumped continuously and put to the bottom of their priority list as  This process is supposed to leave you feeling important and happy, not unimportant and lost.

Adapted from Get Married