Video go or video no?

As people we make decisions every minute of every hour of every day. Some are mundane, others later the entire path of our lives. The decision I am currently faced with is neither, but in its own way it is quite momentous. The question we are currently trying to thrash out an answer to is whether or not to have our big day recorded on film for posterity. 

The idea of having our wedding videod was discussed from the off. It was never agreed upon, nor was it discarded completely but for budgetary reasons amongst others it was set aside. Until now. 

I must admit it has played on my mind for the last few weeks whether or not I might live to regret not employing a videographer. One of my primary reasons for fretting stems from my frequent Perusals of the wedding magazines. The back page of wedding ideas has a feature where married women think back to their wedding day and what, if anything, they would change. I happened to read one where the lady in question said she wished she'd had her day filmed. And I was off. 

While I don't like the idea of a camera crew intruding upon the intimacy of the day, nor do I fancy people suffering stage fright or feeling awkward because they are on camera, there are certain elements of the day that I would wish to have a record of in a way that a photograph just couldn't convey. The aspects I'm talking about include amongst others, the vows, hymns, piper, speeches and first dance. 

It would seem a shame to me that the first dance, which we have already expended many hours upon, should be lost in the ether once we have danced it at the wedding. I would also like to be able to remember the speeches. Some of those speaking I know to be natural performers and I don't feel a transcript of what they say would do justice to the way they are received or the fact that I imagine there will be some improvisation on the day. 

I would also like to be able to relive the atmosphere in the church and the moment James and I fully commit to one another. 

I brought these thoughts up with James earlier today and I think we have agreed that I will look into pricing and availability and take it from there. I have spoken to a few people who've had their weddings filmed and none of them have any regrets about it. I think it's fairly obvious which way I'm leaning...