AWARD-WINNING WEDDING FILMMAKERS · NEW YORK CITYNew York City Wedding
Videographer
Wedding films for New York couples from two award-winning filmmakers
FEATURED FILM · new YorkWedding videography in New York, made by two filmmakers
Arrakis Films is a wedding videography studio in New York run by two filmmakers: Andrew, a director, and Roma, a producer. We film weddings in all five boroughs, on Long Island, in the Hudson Valley and in New Jersey. We edit every film ourselves, sound mix included. Coverage starts at $1,900 for an elopement and at $3,500 for a wedding day.
Award-Winning Wedding Filmmaker New York
VIDEOGRAPHER OR CINEMATOGRAPHERWedding videographer or wedding cinematographer:
what’s the difference?
On paper there is none: both titles describe the person who films your wedding. The difference shows up in the edit. A videographer records the day in the order it happened. A cinematographer builds a story out of it, deciding which moments carry the film and where the sound leads the picture. We work the second way.
We came to weddings from film sets. Andrew directs, and he builds each frame from light and color the way a painter would. Roma performed at the Bolshoi Theatre for over a decade before he turned to making films. Between us that adds up to more than 11 years in the industry: independent short films and music videos, plus commercials for brands like Adidas and Mercedes.
Festival juries have noticed the documentary side of our work: Best Short Documentary at Venezia Shorts in 2021, Best Super Short Documentary at the UK Doc Awards in 2022, Best Documentary at the Boden International Film Festival in Sweden in 2021, and Best Director at the Seattle International Fashion Film Festival in 2021.
At a wedding this background turns into dramaturgy. Your film gets an arc, and the strongest lines from the vows and speeches hold it together. Framing and sound serve the story of the two of you, so the order of events matters less than how the day felt.
ON THE DAY
What we film on a New York wedding day
A full wedding day in New York usually means eight to ten hours of coverage, from getting ready through the reception. Our base is documentary: we let the day happen on its own and step in only for portraits and a few staged frames built on fashion and art references. This is how the day usually breaks down.
Getting ready. We film the dressing and the people around you, usually in a hotel suite or an apartment. In New York this is often a different building from the ceremony, so the transfer is planned in advance.
Portraits. This is the editorial part of the day. We choose the light and the backdrop and give you simple directions. Then you are back with your guests.
Ceremony. Vows are recorded with professional audio. On packages with two videographers we cover the ceremony from two angles, so no reaction is missed.
Cocktail hour. We switch to documentary mode and film the guests and the room, with nobody asked to perform for the camera.
Reception. The speeches, and later the part of the evening nobody planned. A good line from a toast can become the narration of the whole film.
Super 8, if you book it. Each cartridge holds only a few minutes of film, so we save it for the moments that matter most to you.
Super 8Is Super 8 worth it for a
wedding in New York?
Super 8 is worth it if you want part of your wedding film to have the grain and warmth of real film, which digital filters only imitate. In New York it works best in daylight and in scenes with movement, such as a walk through the park or your first dance. It comes included in our 10-hour package and can be added to any other.
Our Super 8 camera is a vintage Braun Nizo 3056. A cartridge lasts a few minutes and nothing can be reviewed on the spot, so every shot is decided before the camera rolls. After the wedding the film goes to a specialized lab for developing and color work. It is a different process from digital grading and takes its own time.
VENUES WE KNOWWe film across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, Hudson Valley and New Jersey. There is no single venue that guarantees a great film — the couple brings the energy to the place — but five locations keep pulling us back:
Where Do We Film
in New York City?
The Plaza
Palm Court, Fifth Avenue and a view over Central Park. New York luxury with real history in the walls.
Peconic Bay Yacht Club
A North Fork waterfront venue with docks, boats and wide bay horizons, made for relaxed coastal films with room to breathe.
The Skylark
A rooftop high above Midtown that fits the Empire State Building into the same frame as the couple. Sunset portraits need exact timing here, since the light over Midtown changes within minutes.
Oheka Castle
a French-style chateau on Long Island with formal gardens and grand staircases, made for wide cinematic shots.
The Surf Club on The Sound
A restored seaside mansion in New Rochelle with its own beach on Long Island Sound, a short drive north of the city. The open-air ceremony by the water and the reflecting pool at the entrance give the film wide, calm frames before the evening moves into the ballroom.
Reid Castle
A stone Gothic castle in Purchase, Westchester, with grand interiors and manicured grounds that carry the kind of cinematic scale you usually travel for.
New York asks for planning. A transfer that looks like 15 minutes on the map can take 40 in traffic, popular spots are crowded most of the day, and some parks and landmarks require filming permits arranged in advance. We build the timeline around this and always keep a weather plan B. At one venue the house lamps flickered against our frame rate and drew moving black bands across the footage; we adjusted the shutter speed, set our own light and kept shooting. Neither the couple nor the guests noticed a thing.
What Couples Say About us on Google
“Beyond and forever grateful I chose Arrakis Films for my special day. They provided a comforting and reassuring energy, open to my vision and preferences, executed and delivered exceptionally. The edited photos were authentic yet professionally and gracefully polished. I look forward to booking them again.”
“Arrakis Films delivered both stunning photography and an incredible wedding film for our NYC elopement. Roma and Andrew work seamlessly as a photo and video team—the photos are beautifully composed and emotional, and the film is cinematic and heartfelt. What sets them apart is that both services feel equally important and equally beautiful. We love rewatching our film and cherishing our photos in equal measure. Highly recommend for any couple wanting artistic, professional work in both photo and video.”
“I couldn’t have asked for better photographers and videographers. They did an amazing job of capturing my wedding day. My wedding day was on May 17,2025. Not only were they supportive throughout the day, but they also made me feel special and beautiful. I’m grateful to have met Andrew and Roma. They helped me with everything, from the smallest details to the biggest ones. When you showed me the pictures and then the videography, I was blown away. The quality of the photos was stunning, and the passion and warmth in them were incredible. The video was even more impressive. I couldn’t believe you could create such a piece that we would laugh, cry, and watch over and over again. Thank you so much, Roma and Andrew, for being the team who captured my wedding day. I was blessed to meet you both.”
“Andrew was an absolute pleasure to work with from start to finish. He has an incredible creative eye and artistic flair that truly sets his work apart. Every photo is beautifully composed and captures not just the moments, but the emotions of the day. Our gallery exceeded every expectation and perfectly tells the story of us. If you're looking for a talented photographer who creates timeless, artistic images, we highly recommend Andre. We will cherish these memories forever.”
“We couldn’t be happier with our wedding photos and video—they came out absolutely amazing. They captured so many intimate, beautiful moments that we’ll cherish forever. Also such wonderful people to have around on our wedding day! They made us feel comfortable, were a joy to work with, it felt like we’ve known them for forever!! We’re so happy we chose them to create these memories for us. Thank you for giving us something we’ll treasure for a lifetime!”
“I could not imagine my wedding day without Arrakis Films. They are without a doubt the most transparent, organized, and determined team to tell your love story, the way you want it, in a way that's beautifully authentic and heartfelt, including everyone present for such a classic wedding day. It's a little nerve racking picking a vendor as a bride. We thought that since they were both Photo + Video/ Super8 Film, it was a no brainer we wanted them to be our photographer. They go above and beyond to get the perfect shot when it matters most, and still when you're not looking, capturing the most perfect moments. It’s been such a gift from them to us to be able to relive a day for that flew by in the blink of an eye. The photos and the videos—are absolutely incredible. I am so in love with every single moment they have captured, and grateful for their guidance and ability to move from one part of the day to the next. I had absolutely no worries!! Especially with everything else going on. I find myself watching our Wedding Film, remembering each moment more and more as it was, and each time I realize that I’m smiling from beginning to end, every. single. time. These memories mean more to us than I can say (especially cause it went by too fast!). The team is truly amazing. They kept us laughing and easing all of our nerves, made me and all of the girls feel so beautiful, while capturing everything and everyone so thoughtfully and meaningfully. Words truly can’t express how grateful I am for Arrakis Films. With love, The Bride”
PRICINGNYC Wedding Photography and Videography Packages
ABOUT ARRAKIS FILMSWho is behind the camera at Arrakis Films
Andrew
Founder, award-winning film directorLooks at a wedding the way a painter looks at a canvas: frame first, then light.
Roma
co-founder, film producer.Brings a performer’s discipline from ten years on the Bolshoi stage and a producer’s feel for timing.
Andrew and Roma work as equals. During the wedding both of them shape the frames and watch how the two of you are feeling, which tells them when to give direction and when to disappear into the room. Back in the studio they go through the footage together clip by clip, and the edit and the sound mix stay in their hands until delivery.
More than 11 years in film left them with habits that help at a wedding. They plan light and weather in advance, and they know how to work with people who are not actors.
THE PROCESSWhat Happens After You Book
2We meet on Zoom, you tell us how the day will run, we suggest the package that fits.
1You send an inquiry through the site
4if the venue is new to us, we visit it in advance to read the space and the light. If there is no planner, we help build the timeline of the day.
3Proposal, contract, and a 50% non-refundable retainer that locks the date.
6Post-production: we review every clip, build the story, grade the color, mix the sound.
5The wedding day itself
7Delivery through a private gallery: photos within a month, the film within 4 to 6 months (most couples receive it in 4 to 5).
PLANNING YOUR DATEThe Best Time for an NYC Wedding
RECOMMENDEDSpring, Early June & Fall
Spring brings soft light and blooming parks without the heat. Fall gives golden color in the trees and comfortable temperatures for outdoor scenes. Early June still works: warm days, before the sticky humidity of July.
PLAN CAREFULLYSummer & Winter
July and August are hot and humid, which wears down couples and crews over a long day. In winter the cold shortens time outdoors, and in December the sun sets around 4:30 pm, so portraits move to early afternoon. We raise this while you are still choosing the date.
FAQSCommon Questions
About NYC Wedding
Videography
Everything you need to know before booking a wedding videographer or photographer in New York City.
-
For a Saturday in May, June, September or October, start looking a year or more ahead, because these dates go first across the city. Winter weddings and Friday or Sunday dates usually leave more room. With us, the date is held as soon as the contract is signed and the 50% retainer is paid.
-
For six hours in one venue, one videographer is usually enough, and our Whispered Vows package is built that way. A second videographer pays off when you get ready in separate places or the day moves between locations. Our 8- and 10-hour packages include two, and a second one can be added to shorter coverage.
-
Yes. Runaways in Love, our elopement package, gives you four hours with one videographer, a 3–5 minute film and a 1–2 minute trailer for $1,900. Four hours covers the ceremony and time in the city afterward. Couples choose all kinds of places for that part: a hotel, an unusual bar, a museum, the subway.
-
Yes. Pre-wedding photo and video sessions run three to five hours and cost $1,890 to $2,990. The footage works well for a save-the-date or a screening at the reception. Proposal films start at $990. Both are a good way to get used to our cameras before the wedding day itself.
-
Six hours of coverage becomes a 4–5 minute film, and eight hours a 6–8 minute one. The 10-hour package gives a 7–10 minute film, and elopement films run 3–5 minutes. Every package also includes a short trailer of about one to two minutes, which is easy to share with family and friends.
-
For most couples, yes. Photos keep how the day looked, and video keeps your voices and the room’s reaction to every toast. We think of a wedding film as a letter to your future selves: in 20 or 40 years you will watch it to remember who you were that day.
Ready to see what your
New York City wedding film could look like?
We take a limited number of weddings each year. Tell us your date and we will check availability.
INSPIRATION & ADVICEFrom the Arrakis Films Blog
1 Videographer
Up to 6 hours of coverage
4-5 minute cinematic
1 minute trailer
Professional audio recording
Cinematic color grading