Honeymoon Videos

[Aaron J. Yates]

I was doing a little market research, checking out the websites of some of our local videographers, when I came across something I hadn't known about before. These firms are giving HD cameras (most likely HV30s or other small cameras) to the couples to take with them on their honeymoons. They also provide tapes. Then they edit a honeymoon video for them to be included on the wedding DVD.

Has anyone ever done this? What have been your experiences with it? Does the camera get damaged, and is there some type of insurance or agreement with the couple that pays for it if it gets lost/destroyed?

[Travis Cossel]

Do a search, as I know of at least two other threads on here that discuss this topic.

I considered doing it several years ago, but decided not to for 2 primary reasons.

#1 - I had absolutely no control over the quality of the footage that was shot, or how much of it was shot.

#2 - Lending out a $800+ camera just didn't feel like a good idea.

[Jason Bowers]

Interesting! Handing over a camera to a couple on their romantic honeymoon could potentially get you into a whole other line of business :) It's not a billion dollar business for nothing. lol

[Nicholas de Kock]

I've seen this but it all seems too risky for my business, insurance won't cover it and I don't think the couple would be very comfortable signing an all risk agreement.

[Travis Cossel]

And part of the problem is that if the camera does come back in a non-working condition, then how are you even going to know (much less prove) that the couple was responsible. And if the couple refuses to pay for damages, good luck collecting THAT fee.

On top of that, if you start offering this service and have several couples take you up on it, now you need to have a lot more cameras around to give out. Unless you're charging a lot for the service, it might be bad business to have to invest in that much equipment. Besides, lots of couples have their own cameras these days .. so now do you have to have an option where they take their own camera too?

And in my experience people don't shoot much video, and they don't shoot good video. What happens when the couple comes back and says, sorry, we didn't shoot any video?

It's an interesting idea, but it has too many holes for my liking.

[David Schuurman]

Travis is right I think, it's too many "what if's" and uncontrollable variables. I think that it would be appropriate to offer EDITING of a honeymoon video with the stipulation of course that you don't include inappropriate adult content. That way they can take their own camera, shoot video, come home and say "hey! we shot some video on our trip, can you make it into a movie for us to send to our friends and put on facebook and whatnot!" then you're all good. You'd better be a genius editor because guaranteed they won't shoot good video at all.

[Philip Howells]

We've been floating the idea of including the loan of a camera for the honeymoon for about six weeks. The idea is to include anything decent as a separate chapter on the DVD - probably excluded from the Blu-Ray if they opted for that - but to include a DVD transfer of their unedited material. The cost to us is nominal, a DVD disk generically face printed, and a double case etc - all part of a drive to improve the value they get from us in straightened times.

We already include a CD with 100+ stills with full copyright release grabbed from the HDV original and a transfer of their Dream Wedding (summary) to iPod etc.

The stumbling block for us is to choose a camera that's simple and cheap enough for them to operate responsibly and to insure - the only additional condition.

Response from clients is very positive.

[Paul Mailath]

I can't see this working out. If they give you crap footage and you put the effort in and do a great edit, all they'll say is "see we shot that bit ourselves - pretty good eh"

We are saying that couples should use a professional and that shooting and editing takes skill & experience and then showing them how good it turns out when they do it themselves.

If the footage is really bad and you can't make much out of it, are you still charging them rental for the camera?

if they do shoot inappropriate material (it is a honeymoon) and want it edited in - what do you do? (hey you gave us the camera and said just press record!)


ideally they would invite you along so you'd take care of everything - but that's not going to happen so ...
What about subcontracting a local at or near the honeymoon destination to get some footage for you. We've got a fair spread of locations among the people on the site - lets say I have a couple that are having the ceremony here in Aus and having a week at Niagra falls, surely there's a couple of shooters close by I can deal with - check out their work, sort out a price for footage only in a certain format and edit it back here.

think of it as inferflora for videographers

just a thought

[Taky Cheung]

I did a honeymoon slideshow for the couple. Charge them $100 sometimes as freebies. I will ask them to give me 60 photos in sequence and subtitle for each photo. Then some short video clips they shoot with their point and shoot camera. Mix the photos and the short video clips together (videos will be in between photos too). The client loves it! It feels a more complete wedding.

LA Color - Vivian and Spencer Honeymoon