Wedding Highlights CDs

[Konrad Czystowski]

Hi. It's my first post here and at the beginning I would like to thank you all folks contributing to this forum. I've been on this forum at least once a day for over half a year right now and let me tell you, 90% of decisions concerning purchasing all my video equipment was based on the opinions found here. And back in June I didn't have anything, not even a cheapo cam. I just knew I wanted and could do it. Fortunetly I spent few months doing research mostly on this forum... Once again THANK YOU and I promise that I will try to cotribute to this forum too.

Back to the topic.
I couldn't find anything right now but think I've seen it before about doing wedding highlights cd instead or together with thank you cards for the wedding I shot a week ago. I have 3 weeks for that but want to start soon to be on top of thigns (still learning). It was shot with canon xha1 and will be edited with fcs 2 on mac pro.
I would like to know if someone did it before and what's the best way to output. Should it be just for playing on the computer or video cd, or maybe go to dvd?
I want to do max 8-10 min recap, dynamic to the music. Couple wants about 80 of them. I'm also interested about packaging. I want it to be impressive. How about price? For the future. How much do you guys charge for stuff like this?

Any help appreciated

[Konrad Czystowski]

Nobody?
Has anybody done thank you cds/dvds for guests?

[Tom Tomkowiak]

Konrad, even tho I shot my first wedding more than a dozen years ago I find this forum a great place for new ideas for wise advice.

So the couple wants to include their wedding highlight video with their thank you notes to about 80 people. I've never had a request for that, but it sounds like a nice gesture. Could be a little expensive, tho.

I would definitely go with DVD, since almost everyone now has at least one DVD player. Maybe I haven't seen the best examples, but I think Video CDs are only a step above VHS tape, so the quality isn't there plus not all DVD players can play VCDs.

Packaging. Well, how much is the couple willing to pay? The least expensive would be to simply place the DVD inside a CD/DVD sleeve and place that in the envelope with the thank you card. Minimum, if any, increase in the cost of postage.

More expensive would be to place the DVD in a case. Cases can be relatively inexpensive to very expensive per unit. But then with a case, you have to design and then print the front and back cover. A case will also considerably increase the mailing expense -- higher postage plus a larger envelope.

How are you going to label your DVDs? Paste on labels used to be a no-no because the heat inside the player could cause them to come loose. I think there are now labels designed specifically to handle the heat, but I've never tried any. I use either my Epson inkjet designed to print directly on printable DVDs, or my LightScribe burner that literally burns an image on DVDs made for the LightScribe. In terms of price, paste on labels would be the least expensive, followed by printable DVDs, then LightScribe at the top of the scale.

Best I can say for price is that you have to sit down and figure out how much your time is worth to design whatever the couple wants, the time to reproduce the number of copies needed, and the cost of materials + profit. You have to remember the whole reason for doing this is to make a few dollars.

Speaking of dollars, I don't know what the cost of living is where you're at, but since the Canadian dollar is now worth more than the US dollar, maybe you'd come out ahead subcontracting the project to someone on the US side of the border. ;-)

[Konrad Czystowski]

Tom, thank you for reply.
I actually did find a place, where they will duplicate dvds for $2 per one with full color print. That's pretty good I think, considering that i don't have to do anything and $160 - the couple will pay for that, they will also take care of sending it to the guests.

I will tell them then to put in the paper sleeves and you can still see through the print on the dvd.

I offered it to them myself, cause I think it's an excelent way of advertising, since only maybe 20% of guests will see the final copy.
Doing this I make sure everybody sees my work and by showing them 5 min hihglights I can maybe gain future customer or at least sell 10 more copies of the final dvd. If the short is nice, I think some people will want to own a copy of the whole wedding.

And since the couple pays extra for that, I don't loose anything and actually gain... They also have something new and can impress their guests.

Originally Posted by Tom Tomkowiak

Speaking of dollars, I don't know what the cost of living is where you're at, but since the Canadian dollar is now worth more than the US dollar, maybe you'd come out ahead subcontracting the project to someone on the US side of the border. ;-)

That's right. Too bad I'm not buying my equipment right now, and in The States :)

[Don Bloom]

Wow, I can't believe I missed this thread before :-(

Anyway, I have done a few of these for couples and can say that it is great advertising. A wedding day highlight with your name on the credits can pay for itself many times over in a fairly short time.
I have always done DVDs and include them in a jewel case or envelope as opposed to a full blown case for financial reasons. Depending on the amount I have both done them myself and have sent them out to be duped and printed which frankly I prefer. Time is money as they say.
IF you do decide to do it yourself I agree 100% about the label issue-stay away from the stick on labels-a printer to print the DVDs is pretty cheap these days and looks very professional especially when printed on a watershield type disc such as the TYs.

The most important thing is to make it a knockout highlight. 4 to 6 minutes is plenty-1 song and be sure the most important parts of the day, her coming down the aisle, the vows and rings the unity candle if they do it the kiss and pronouncement with the start of the walk out. Perhaps a few really knock out shots of the couple from the formal photo session, their walk in for the intros at the reception, cake cutting (not the whole thing) and part of thier first dance. Thats the basic idea I start with for any wedding day highlight peice and then add or subtract from there. This is a peice you want to WOW them with. You want to make them smile and cry (should be tears of happiness) and ultimately you want them to salivate for more.
Do charge enough to cover your time, materials and any outsourcing.
I'm sure it'll be a hit.

Don

[Konrad Czystowski]

Thank you Don.
I'll try my best.