NYC Wedding Videographer: What Your Film Includes, What It Costs, and How We Capture It
NYC Wedding Videographer: What Your Film Includes, What It Costs, and How We Capture It
Hiring an NYC wedding videographer comes down to one question: will you feel the day again when you press play? At Dane Nelson Weddings, we make cinematic documentary wedding films in New York City and across the tri-state area, and you can add photography anytime for one team that covers both.
Planning a New York wedding? Book a free consultation and let’s talk about your film.
What you get in your wedding film
Every film package includes a teaser, 60 to 90 seconds that’s quick, flashy and full of transitions, and a highlight film, 3 to 8 minutes covering your day from start to finish with slow motion, B-roll and speeches. Video Platinum adds a documentary edit: 30 to 60 minutes with your full ceremony, full speeches, first dance and every major moment. You also get direct access to me for questions, ideas and advice, so you’re not just hiring a videographer. You’re getting a vendor who’s there to help.
Our style: cinematic documentary with a luxury feel
We capture what’s actually happening on your day, and we film it in a polished, luxury way. One film I’m proud of is a Trident Castle wedding in Jamaica for a New Jersey couple who wanted a high-end feel. We captured their vision and helped guide the day so it ran the way they pictured it.
How we capture vows, speeches and real moments
Both of you get mic’d up, and so does your officiant. When it helps, I also connect directly to the venue’s sound system, so vows and speeches come through clean. During the ceremony we shoot on zoom lenses so we’re never in your face. We want you to actually enjoy yourself, not perform the whole time. Coverage can be just me, or two, three or four shooters, depending on how big you want the production to be.
Filming a wedding in New York City
New York has so much life and energy. It’s fast paced, so expect crowds and a lot of moving parts, but people here are friendly and love cheering on a couple. Golden hour between the buildings gives you that urban look you can’t get anywhere else. Central Park mixes nature with the skyline, and Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central is a favorite. We keep it handheld there, since tripods and stabilizers in the terminal need a permit. Getting between locations can be tricky, but if you’re open to the subway, you’ll get some great subway shots too. Two more NYC venues we’ve filmed are Terrace on the Park and Russo’s on the Bay in Queens.
One thing we don’t do in the city is fly a drone. NYC requires an NYPD permit to take off or land almost anywhere, so we save drone footage for Long Island and the suburbs, where we’ve filmed at Gatsby on the Ocean, Crest Hollow Country Club and more.
[Internal links: “Central Park” links to /blog/central-park-proposal-spots-nyc. You could also add a line linking to /blog/nyc-city-hall-wedding-guide-2026.]
NYC wedding videography pricing (and adding photography)
Video starts at $5,500 for 10 hours of coverage on a full wedding day, and 10 hours is what I recommend. Video Platinum is $7,500: up to 12 hours with two videographers, plus the documentary edit and drone where it’s allowed. Want photos from the same team? Hybrid Signature is $9,500 and Hybrid Platinum is $13,000. Elopements are quoted separately. Most films are delivered in 4 to 10 weeks.
What couples get wrong when hiring a videographer
The biggest mistake is choosing on price alone. “You get what you pay for” is very true here. You want someone who specializes in weddings and has the experience to get you exactly what you’re looking for, not just a random videographer. The other mistake is skipping video. Photography matters, but video lets you relive the moments: five years from now, you’ll see how you felt and how you looked. Couples who opt out often regret it.
Who we’re a fit for
If you want a film that feels like your day, a team that gets you the clean audio and the real moments, and a videographer you can actually call with questions, we’d love to hear from you. We film across NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut and upstate New York.
Send me your date (and venue) and we’ll set up your free consultation.
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