When you are figuring out your budget, you may realize that photography and videography account for about 12% of your overall costs. After seeing this, many brides choose to exclude videography and allocate that money to another item on the budget. Some brides even exclude a photographer on the basis that they are placing disposable cameras on each table for guests to take pictures with. This idea is not good. Here are the advantages of having a photographer or videographer (of course the disadvantage is cost).

Photographer- A wedding should not take place without a photographer. Even if it's your uncle, cousin, roommate, or someone you met off the street, you need a photographer. What about disposable cameras? This question is very common, but there are many disadvantages to disposable cameras. First of all, they are not as good quality as the pictures a photographer's camera can make. Second of all, the people taking the pictures are not as experienced as a photographer. Third of all, guests do not want to spend time taking formal (posed) pictures of you and your families.

A photographer will be able to think of great poses or locations a lot better than you or your guests could. They are also skilled at making sure a picture looks good- symmetry, all faces visible, nothing cut off, etc. Plus, many photographers will be able to offer you a basic package that may be something like: 2 hours of shooting, 1 11x14, 1 8x10, and 30 pictures in a basic album. This type of package will be sufficient for your wedding photo needs and you will get professional pictures that are professionally developed.

Videographer- You're in luck; videography is completely optional at a wedding. Since prices start somewhere upwards of $1,000, you may want to exclude this cost and spend a little extra on your pre-wedding pampering. However, you'll want to read these advantages first. The main advantage is that you are able to capture both the sight and sound (and essentially, the mood) of the wedding day. Many videographers can do special effects that will play your favorite songs during the video, have family interviews spliced in, etc. You're sure to love the video no matter what.

A videographer can often get some better shots than a photographer can because the camera is always on, so you don't have the wait for a flash, or changing a lens. Also, videographers can catch more of a candid view of your wedding. Since most photography is posed, it doesn't really show the feeling of the day. With videography, you get to see the bride's spontaneous smile, the groom leaning in for a kiss, the flower girl dancing with the ring bearer, and much more. Even if you just have Dad bring his video camera, you'll be glad you got some real action from the wedding.

So, cutting to the chase- Yes, you do need a photographer, and No, you do not need a videographer. However, both of these have great advantages, so you will want to review those before making any set-in-stone decisions.