The only reason you would ever need a backup videographer for your event is if your primary videographer could not do the job well. When you hired a photography and videography team, it is expected that you will check their works before signing the contract and binding your event to them. But of course, this is not always the case.

Unfortunately, what many people don’t understand about hiring a photographer and a videographer is that there are different teams managed by one service provider. Most of the videos and the photos they post on social media are the works of their best teams—these are the teams they deploy to their most important clients unless you somehow managed to clinch a date when the team is still available. You see, the quality of the photos and videos is highly subjective. It is still up to the photographer and the videographer to decide which angles will work best and how to compose the shots.

As a result, even when you hire the same company for two different events, the quality of shots will not be the same. One will always be superior to the other unless you booked the same team. The beauty of a shot is dependent on the eye of the photographer or the videographer. So, how do you know you need a backup videographer for your event?

When you booked a package for a wedding, it will include a prenuptial shoot. Consider this as your test shot prior to the wedding. This is when the photographer will search for your “angle” and where you could decide if the photographer did justice to your photos and videos. After you have seen the output and realized that this would be the same team to handle my wedding, it is time to think about hiring a backup.

Did you like what you saw? Were they able to capture your smile and your emotions? Did the videographer follow the scenes you want to be taken and did he miss anything important? All of this information will lead you to a decision about whether you need a backup supplier or not.

Why not just cancel the package, you ask? Unfortunately, most of the contracts of these suppliers are iron-clad. This means there’s no way you would be able to refund the deposit you made. That’s a waste of money because most contractors would ask you to pay 30 percent to 50 percent of the total cost of the service by the time they rendered their prenuptial shoot duties. In essence, you might as well pay the cost of the whole service, negotiate for the company to give you a better team, and hire a backup videographer just in case the team still did not deliver.