Best Wedding Video Editing Software

Hannah Warren // Senior Writer & Editor

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The Best Software for Wedding Video Editing

Wedding video editing software doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated – whether you’re a complete beginner or have video editing experience, you can create a beautiful wedding video yourself (or for your clients) without breaking the bank.

Just as high-quality video cameras have become affordable (the average iPhone has more power than most video cameras did twenty years ago), the software to edit that footage has too, and many of those options are incredibly user friendly.

“You can create a beautiful wedding video yourself without breaking the bank.”

So, whether you’re going to edit the video of your own wedding or start providing a service to others, here are 5 of the best wedding video editing software to choose from.

The 5 Best Wedding Video Editing Software Options

From Beginner to Pro, these are the top editing programs for wedding videos

01.

iMovie®

The best for beginners on Mac®

Why we love iMovie

iMovie is the ideal beginner wedding video editing software, and if you own an iPhone, iPad or Mac, you’ll probably already have it sitting on your device. It’s free, is incredibly easy to use, and can produce professional videos even with the basic templates.

If you own a Mac and want to edit your wedding footage, try doing so with iMovie before you buy anything else. Chances are iMovie will do the job. Its interface is easy to use, clean, and all you have to do is drag and drop what you want into the timeline.

When you finish your video it’s easy to upload straight to YouTube or share elsewhere. While it lacks some advanced options, such as motion tracking, 360-degree video, as well as limited output settings, that won’t be an issue for most wedding video editors.

02.

HitFilm Express

The best for beginners on Windows

Why we love HitFilm Express

HitFilm Express is completely free, provided you’re willing to share it on social media and has a great user interface that is simple and easy to navigate. Once you’ve got a grasp on the basic functions, you can easily put together an elegant wedding video with your footage.

You also have the option to purchase add-on features, so if there’s a particular effect you had in mind, you can simply purchase the add-on that will allow you to do so. Since the software is free in the first place, a $9.99 expansion pack won’t break the bank.

03.

VideoPad

Best free wedding video editing software

Why we love VideoPad

“It’s fast, it has a huge range of features, and it’s free.”

VideoPad is designed to be user-friendly for all, so is perfect for newlyweds, friends, and family who want to put together a video of their wedding-day footage. It’s fast, it has a huge range of features, and it’s free.

VideoPad is fast, offers over 50 different effects and transitions, and easily allows you to edit your audio tracks and apply additional effects. Most wedding videos are minimalistic in their editing, with elegant transitions and audio editing that emphasizes the emotion of the event, and VideoPad makes this easy.

Features to note

N
Burn videos to DVD/Blu-ray or upload directly to YouTube
N
Drag-and-drop editing
N
Add text and overlays
N
Supports all popular video formats and files
N
360-degree video editing
N
Audio mixing tools

04.

DaVinci Resolve

Best free advanced wedding video editing software

Why we love DaVinci Resolve

“If you’re happy to climb the steep learning curve and start a new hobby, it will be worth doing so.”

DaVinci Resolve is a great choice for those who are a little more advanced in their video editing abilities but don’t have the need to invest in something like Final Cut. DaVinci Resolve is cross-platform, meaning you can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux, and is the only software to offer 8k editing with color correction, visual effects, and audio editing all in one tool. Considering it’s free, that’s really saying something!

Some notable features

N
8K editing
N
Color correction
N
Dual timelines
N
Intelligent edit modes
N
Fast review
N
Extensive effects and tools for retiming, stabilization and zoom
N
Facial recognition

While it does have an intuitive interface for basic functions, it will likely overwhelm true beginners, and requires a high-end graphics card to get the best out of their graphics functions. However, if you’re happy to climb the steep learning curve and start a new hobby, it will be worth doing so. If you master DaVinci Resolve and get seriously into video editing in the future, you’ll be able to put off the expense of buying professional video editing software for some time. (The upgraded version of DaVinci Resolve is DaVinci Resolve Studio, which is $299.

05.

Final Cut Pro®

The best for experts and professionals

Why we love Final Cut Pro

“Final Cut Pro is the industry standard for serious professional video editing.”

Final Cut Pro isn’t going to be the right option for beginners and one-time editors or even those who plan to continue video editing as a hobby. But, if this is a new profession for you, Final Cut Pro is the industry standard for serious professional video editing – provided you’ve got the computer power to do so.

Final Cut Pro features

N
Filters and special effects
N
Motion graphics
N
360-degree video editing and real-time VR headset playback
N
2D & 3D titles
N
High-quality audio editing
N
Advanced color grading
N
Presets
N
Additional plug-ins

Final Cut Pro offers a free trial and then a one-time payment of $299 if you choose to purchase the software. There is a learning curve to climb when you start with the software, but if you’re looking to start your own business doing wedding video editing, or simply want the best software available this is it – provided you have a Mac. If you don’t, try DiVinci Resolve, as that’s a great alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do wedding videographers use to edit videos?

Wedding videographers tend to use a number of different pieces of video editing software to ensure their work is perfect for the client they are shooting for. They have often been trained or received schooling in their preferred video editing software, which you will find ranges from videographer to videographer. The most often used programs are those from the Adobe suite, this type of video editing software is generally quite expensive to gain access to and require a fair amount of prior knowledge to get a good finished product from. This is why many amateurs tend to look for less sophisticated programmes where the software is easier to use but the range of effects that can be produced are lower.

How can I edit my marriage video?

If you are looking for video editing software so that you can edit your own raw footage for your wedding video, the best video editing software will be something that is user friendly and that you can pick up quickly, so it may be best to stay away from difficult to learn professional programs that take years to properly master. There are some great mid-level apps and PC programmes available that are designed to be user friendly and make editing a breeze.

How much does wedding video editing cost?

The cost of wedding video editing varies hugely depending on your provider, the length of the footage and the level of editing requested. As a guide, the average wedding video in the states costs between $1200 and $1,500 for shooting on the day and editing afterwards. You may find that some videographers prefer to give you an hourly cost or work on a package cost system whereby you are charged for the amount of time they spend with you on the day and subsequently editing. It is worth taking a look at videographers in your area and getting at least three quotes to get a good idea about what they offer.

How do you make a wedding video at home?

There are a few different ways you can edit your wedding video at home. You could look into free applications for tablet and phone, resources online or purchase a video editing software license for a more professional feel. However, you may be surprised at how time consuming video editing can be, particularly if you have a certain style in mind, so it may be worth investing in a short video editing course to compliment your chosen program if you are really set on editing it yourself.

Which app is best for wedding video editing?

There are a few video editing apps that can be used to edit video footage at home, some of our favorites are: vidicrew, wedbox and wedding video maker. These are just a few we have tried and tested and are useful for cutting and trimming, adding music and simple effects. If you have more ambitious ideas in mind, consider looking into video editing software for PC, as the capabilities of working on a PC are generally better.

What is the best video editor for free?

One of the best video editors that you can find for free is Imovie by Apple. You will find this to be extremely user friendly with a surprising amount of features that you can get to grips with and produce an interesting and timeless wedding video to be treasured. If you are looking for video editing software for PC then try Windows movie maker which has similar, but in our opinion, more difficult to master capabilities.

Which video editing software is best?

It’s difficult to say what video editing software is best because each has different positives and negatives. Also, it depends hugely on what your existing skills are and what features you are looking for as to what will be the best piece of equipment for you. The Adobe suite is probably the choice of most professionals for its impressive range of video editing features but comes at a cost, as well as being difficult to pick up for the beginner. Imovie by Apple is a popular choice due to its ease and number of features available.

Why are wedding videographers so expensive?

Videographers can be seen as expensive due to the fact that videography and video editing takes time and is very labour intensive. A 90 minute long wedding video will likely have taken hours to plan, film and edit using professional equipment and editing software. The plus side is that should you decide to hire a videographer for your wedding day, you will have a great video full of lasting memories that you are sure to play over and over again.

What is the hourly rate for a video editor?

Hourly rates vary depending on your area, package choice and also experience of your chosen videographer. As a rough guide $30-$60 per hour for editing by a professional although very experienced top end editors command as much as $100 per hour to video edit.

How long should a wedding video be?

Wedding videos will vary in length depending on the package you choose with your videographer, for example, you may only have the ceremony filmed or you may choose to have the whole day filmed from getting ready all the way through to the end of the reception. The most popular length of video offered is around 90 minutes, this length ensures enough time to capture important parts of the ceremony such as the ceremony itself and speeches, as well as capturing the essence of the day and interactions between guests and the bridal party.

How do you make a wedding video on iMovie?

Using Imovie to edit your wedding video is one of the most user-friendly ways to do so. Make sure the app is downloaded on your device and upload your raw video clips into the app. We definitely suggest using an Ipad or larger for this as editing directly from your phone is no fun. Then it’s a case of cropping, adding music and effects to your liking, to produce a video you are happy with. There are a number of tutorials online that you can find that will help if you are stuck on difficult parts such as adding titles and music.

Is it worth it to have a videographer at your wedding?

Videographers are seen as a very worthwhile part of your wedding as they ensure that you have timeless footage of your big day that you can keep forever. Whilst the cost is off putting to some, time and time again newlyweds rave about the value they got from having a professional wedding video filmed. If cost is a barrier to you, explore other options such as having a student videographer film your day and editing yourself on one of the aforementioned apps.

Do wedding videographers give you raw footage?

Oftentimes, wedding videographers are not keen to let you have the raw footage much like a wedding photographer doesn’t like to send out the raw, unedited images to their customers. However, if you are after simply the raw footage and just want your day filmed using professional equipment, then it’s definitely worth speaking to local videographers and explaining your particular situation.

How much does raw footage cost for a wedding?

You may be able to speak to you wedding videographer and persuade them to let you have the raw footage of the wedding, but you may still find that the cost is not as low as you would like, due to the fact that the videographer will still have to be on hand to film and use their equipment on the day itself. As a rough guide, think about how long you would like the videographer to be around on the day and factor in time such as equipment set up and take down and find their hourly rate to calculate overall cost. The videographer is also handing over the ‘rights’ to the imagery they took so you can edit it so be sure to factor in extra for this also.

Closing thoughts

Editing the footage from your wedding can be a lot of fun, provided you choose the right software. Overcomplicating things will just cause frustration and mistakes, so keep it simple if you aren’t going to be editing regularly.

If you think this may become a new profession for you, there’s a lot of great professional options out there to try before you choose a $299 option, so try one of these options and see which is the best fit for you.

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