Videographer Leaving Early

I have just started getting in touch with videographers and a couple that I have talked to said that they leave the reception after the cake is cut. Is that normal? It seems to me that there is a good 2- 2 1/2 hours left of the reception after the cake is cut. Aren't they missing out on a lot the good stuff?

Videographer Leaving Early

I think that is normal (mine said that to me too). Usually after you cut the cake, there is only a little more dancing and then the night is over. Get a couple more opinions,I could be wrong.

Videographer Leaving Early

General etiquette dictacts that once the cake is cut - its ok to leave. So don't plan on cutting your cake too early.

Mine stayed till end......

My videographer stayed all the way to the last dance, and had everyone wave at the camera. Our photographer stayed till a little after our dances with parents. I think that is a good time.

Photog/Videog leaving early...

Try to negotiate having them stay until the end. Truth is, your paying enough for them to stay until the sun comes up!!! (ha!) Spontaneous things sometimes happen toward the end of the evening, that you will want on tape or in pictures. Our photog/videog left after parent dances and cake cutting, and they missed me dancing with my grandfather, and a very special last dance dedication that our band did for us - which was a wonderful surprise! Also, we had the band sing a special song for someone's birthday, and that's not on our video either. So my advice is to decide what you want, and try to get them to stay later - even til the end, if possible. Good luck!

Timing issue

Your cake is general cut when there is only about 1 hour left in the reception. Some video companies stay till the last dance, others leave after the cake is cut. You should discuss this with your vendor or ask when you meeting new vendors. Usually the last hour is a few more dances and people saying Good night.

Video stayed till end, but main photographer left early

My video and photography were from the same studio, and surprisingly, my videographer stayed until the end, as he SHOULD. And, although he had assured me to the contrary, my main photographer left before the reception was over! I was furious, and was only left with the 'backup' photographer, who I did not want as my main photographer (I had contracted for the main photographer). So, you need to definitely spell this aspect out in your contract before you sign it! Good luck.

We requested...

our videographer stay til the end and tape our last dance. I insisted our last dance song would have to be 'At Last' because I just thought it was the perfect ending, so I wanted it captured on tape, and I`m glad I made this perfectly clear with everyone. It turned out cute on the raw, uncut tape .. just after the song ended, my husband and I embraced, then he stepped back and said, 'that`s it.' What better ending could we have asked for, or gotten had our video guy not stayed? Also, I know this recently came up, but I want to add my vote that people get the raw, uncut tape from their videographer. We payed an extra $150 for it, but to me, it`s money well spent. I haven`t seen the edited tape yet, and I know we`re not going to sit and watch either tape month after month for all our years to come, but I know I have it, and I can look back whenever I want. The $150 over our lifetime is really a small price to pay to be able to look back as completely as possible.

We requested...

My videographer also stayed till the very end. Like Kel, he got our last dance on film, which was great. He also grabbed us right afterward and handed us the mike to say a few words for the video and it came out great. It was the ending of our video before the recap and love the way it ended because it really followed the story of our day to it`s true ending. I actually don`t recall when my photographer left but I don`t think it was till the end either because my hubby & I were both handling tips. But given the choice, I`d rather have the videographer stay vs. the photographer.