Highlight Film vs. Feature Film vs. Raw Footage: What You’re Actually Getting

Wedding video wording can feel like alphabet soup, so here’s the clear breakdown!

Vertical Reel

30 Seconds 
Designed specifically for social media, this is our only film that is uses our footage (shot horizontally) and creates a vertical film best for viewing on your phone. It's short, fun, and only includes the BEST seconds of our footage. 

Best for: social media sharing right delivered quickly after your wedding.  

Turn around: 3 weeks after the wedding date

Example: Kathleen + Chris

Teaser Film

1 minute 
Consider this the trailer for your full wedding film. It includes snippets from the best parts of your day set to music in a brief but thoughtful recap.

Best for: A thoughtful short recap of your day 

Turn around: 3 weeks after the wedding date

Example: Megan + Michael

Highlight Film

2–10 minutes 
A tight, emotional recap of your day — best moments, best vibes, best story beats. This is the movie magic film that you'll want to share with everyone you know! It's set to music, has a voiceover (if you want it to) and includes highlights of ALL parts of your day in summary from beginning to end. You choose the length when you create your contract. 

Best for: shareability + frequent rewatching

Turn around: First draft within 90 days of the wedding date

Example: Molly + Matthew

Documentary Edit Film

No set time - Generally 30-60  minutes
A fuller story with more real-time moments, longer arcs, and more context. Our documentary edit films include the raw footage of the full ceremony, reception entrances, first dance, parent dances, speeches/toasts, and cake cutting. If you did a first look or grand exit, we could include those as well.  Whatever the length of those parts of your day add up to be is the length of the film. For most couples, this film is around 60 minutes. However, if you had a short civil ceremony, 1 toast, and only a first dance, it might be closer to 20 or 30. If you had a full catholic mass, 5 toasts, a first look, and a grand exit, maybe it's 75 minutes. We don't cap this film, it's just the length of those real moments in real-time, exactly as they happened. It does not include getting ready, open dancing, decor shots, guest dancing, or cocktail hour. 

Best for: anniversary rewatches and deep reliving.

Turn around: Download link within 90 days of the wedding date

Example: Paige + Alex

Raw Footage

*Hours* long
This is EVERYTHING we captured from the whole day. Every single audio and video clip from every single part of the day. It's a few hundred clips, depending on how long we were there for your wedding. They are completely unedited and are pure raw footage. You can watch each part of your day in the raw footage,  but you'll need to open and close multiple clips to do so. For example, your ceremony might be made up of 40 different clips in varying lengths and angles. 

It’s more “archive” than “movie.”

Best for: couples who want every second preserved.

Turn around: Sent via the mail 90 days after your wedding date

What most couples choose

Highlight + documentary edit is the sweet spot for the vast majority of our couples. It's the best of both worlds!