For Brides
When to Book Your Wedding Videographer
Honest thoughts on when it makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to decide what fits your day.
Here's the uncomfortable truth: good videographers book out fast.
In Tasmania? Where there's maybe a dozen serious wedding videographers operating across the entire state? Even faster.
Wait too long and your top choice is gone. Book too early without doing your research and you might end up with someone who does not match your vision.
So when is the right time? Here's what I've seen from researching the Tasmanian wedding film industry.
Twelve to eighteen months before your wedding is the sweet spot.
Especially if you are getting married during peak season. In Tasmania that is September through April. November and March? Those dates can book eighteen-plus months out because they are perfect weather, long daylight hours, and everyone wants them.
I'm new to the scene and have still had two weddings booked this far in advance. I only expect more of this as I step into the wedding scene more.
Especially for off-peak weddings. May and August are shoulder season - still beautiful, just cooler. June and July are proper winter, which honestly I love - dramatic light, cosy venues, no sweating in a suit. Either way, shoulder and winter dates have way more availability even booking closer to the date.
A few of my weddings have been booked within this time frame.
You can definitely still find someone, but your options narrow fast. Peak season Saturdays at this point? Top choices are mostly gone. You are choosing from who is available, not who you want most.
You are looking at videographers who had cancellations or people just starting out. If video really matters to you, this is too late.
Here is what I see happen constantly.
Couple books their venue. Books their photographer. Then they figure they will get to video eventually because it feels less urgent than all the other stuff.
Six months pass. Planning is exhausting. They are tired of researching vendors. They just want to check boxes and be done.
Suddenly the wedding is four months away and they finally look at videographers. Their top three choices? All booked. They are left choosing from whoever is left or skipping video entirely.
A year after the wedding, they tell me they wish they had prioritised it earlier. Do not be those couples.
September to April is peak season. Spring through autumn. November and March are the absolute busiest because weather is perfect, days are long, venues look incredible. These dates book fastest - good videographers fill November and March slots twelve to eighteen months out.
May and August are shoulder season. Still beautiful, just cooler. More availability, often better pricing. If you are flexible on timing, this is a genuinely good move.
June and July are winter. And winter weddings here can be stunning - dramatic moody light, cosy atmosphere, fireplaces, no wilting in the heat. Way better videographer availability even if you book relatively late. I love filming winter weddings.
The other reality about Tasmania: we have a small vendor pool. There are not fifty videographers to choose from. If your top choice is booked, your second choice might be it. This is not Sydney where you can scroll past dozens of options.
You get your actual first choice. The videographer whose work you love, whose style matches your vision, who you want specifically. You have time to build a relationship, coordinate with your photographer early, and you lock in their current pricing.
You are picking from who is available, not who you want most. You have to decide faster - less time to research properly, watch multiple portfolios, really figure out who fits. Sometimes when you are rushed, you book someone who does not quite match your vision.
You are mostly looking at newer videographers or cancellation slots from established ones. You are scrambling. And desperation can lead to poor decisions. For peak season Saturdays, you might not find anyone at all.
Start with the obvious: are you available on this date? No point having a detailed conversation if they are already booked.
From there, ask about their booking process. Deposits in Australia are typically twenty-five to fifty percent to hold your date, with the remainder due a few weeks before. Know the cancellation policy.
Ask them how far in advance they typically book for this time of year. This tells you if you are ahead of schedule, right on time, or cutting it close.
And if it matters to you: do you have other weddings that same weekend? Some videographers book multiple weddings on different days of the same weekend. You want to know their capacity and headspace going into your day.
Take your time. Watch full wedding films on their website, not just Instagram reels. Instagram shows you the highlight of the highlight. The website shows you complete work. Meet with two or three videographers. Build rapport. Ask your photographer for recommendations.
Move quickly but do not skip the research. Watch their work. Make sure their style actually matches what you want. Be flexible on secondary stuff - your second choice might be just as good.
Start looking today. Every day matters at this point. Check out newer videographers - less experience does not automatically mean poor quality. Be decisive. When you find someone whose work you like and who is available, book them.
The vendor community here is tight. Most of us know each other. Your photographer probably knows which videographers they like working with. Ask around.
And book early. Tasmania has fewer options than mainland cities. When someone good is booked, you do not have twenty other options to choose from.
November and March weddings? Book twelve to eighteen months out if you want your first choice. Winter weddings? You have got more flexibility, but still - sooner is always better than later.
Either way, if video matters to you, do not wait.
Honest thoughts on when it makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to decide what fits your day.
Honest thoughts on when it makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to decide what fits your day.
Honest thoughts on when it makes sense, when it doesn't, and how to decide what fits your day.
I only take on a small handful of weddings each year. It is a deliberate choice and it means when your day comes, I am completely present. If we are a good fit and your date is free, I would love to hear more. I'll get back to you within 48 hours.