How to Get Your Proposal Filmed Without Paying a Wedding Videographer

The problem

You've got the ring. You've got the spot. You've got the speech, sort of. What you don't have is anyone to film it, because the only person who could is the one you're proposing to.

Then you look up prices. The average wedding videographer costs $2,300, according to The Knot. Proposal photo packages from services like Flytographer start at $425 for a 30 minute shoot. For 90 seconds of you on one knee.

Your options

Hire a pro. Best quality, planned shots, editing. If you have the budget, it's worth it. You're paying for experience and a guaranteed result.

Ask a friend to hide in a bush. Free. Also the most common way proposals get ruined, because your friend is terrible at hiding and your partner knows their jacket.

Hire someone nearby who films for fun or for their own reel. On Secret World you post a task, a coin on the map, for someone close to your spot. Lots of people with a good phone or a camera and a Creator Card full of reels will happily do it for $40 to $100.

How to set it up on Secret World

1. Post the task. "Proposing in the park Saturday at 4pm by the fountain. Need someone to film from 30 feet away and act like a tourist. Phone vertical, start recording when I kneel. $60."

2. Check their Creator Card. See what they've filmed before and what people said about them.

3. Meet once before. Same spot, same time a day earlier if you can, so they know the light and the angle.

4. Agree on the plan in chat. Where they stand, what you're wearing, the signal. A hand on the back of your neck works.

5. Pay them directly. Cash, Venmo, Zelle. Secret World takes nothing.

Get two people, not one

One person films wide, one films close. If one phone dies or someone walks in front, you still have it. Two people at $50 each is still a fraction of a pro, and you get two angles to cut together.

Tips from people who've done it

• Golden hour. The hour before sunset makes everyone look good.
• Vertical and horizontal. Ask one person for each. Vertical for socials, horizontal for the TV at the wedding.
• Keep recording after the yes. The best part is usually the 30 seconds after.
• Have them leave fast. A stranger hugging you after is weird. A stranger who disappears is perfect.

FAQ

How much does a proposal videographer cost?

Professional proposal photo packages start around $425 for 30 minutes from services like Flytographer. A full wedding videographer averages $2,300 according to The Knot.

What's the cheapest way to film a proposal?

Hire someone nearby who films reels to record it on their phone or camera. On Secret World you can post the task and people close to your spot can take it, usually for $40 to $100.

How do I hide the person filming?

Have them act like a tourist or someone on a walk, 20 to 30 feet away, and give them a simple signal for when to start recording.

Should I hire two people?

Yes if you can. Two angles means you're covered if one person misses the moment.