If you are lucky, you will get personal recommendations from people you trust to have similar tastes to yourself. Otherwise, you face a long search through the telephone directories and the Internet. Once you have made your initial selections for a shortlist, based on availability, cost, location, it is time to do more research to find the best candidate.

The things you are interested in are:

• Personality
• Experience
• Style
• Professionalism

Your final choice has to be someone you can rely on to get the job done and someone you don't mind spending all day with.

Personality

Some of the rudest people I have ever met are "wedding professionals". Every weekend, they are out ruining people's big days. They get away with it because it is a one off event and too late to do anything about it. Your videographer has to like people. I know several that are hell to work with because they have their own agenda and take over your wedding. Remember that this person is going to be in sight for maybe ten hours - you better like the look of him! That means not just how well you get on but personal appearance too. Your videographer should fit in with the location and settings and be smart no matter how formal.

Your videographer needs to be calm. That comes from experience and practice. Even after 10 years, I expect the unexpected because every wedding is different and even micro planning can go wrong. We have all seen clips of spilt glasses, falls and other mishaps. You need someone who will cope, get the shot and still make you look good.

You need someone you can trust to be there on time, take the shots you chose and finish the video before next year.

You should be able to discuss your plans and question if you want more information.

Whenever possible, you need to meet in person before the day or at least spend a lot of time talking on the phone so you can get a feel of the character. Don't forget to confirm that you are booking the same person you are speaking to.

Experience

There have never been more people ready to video your wedding. Digital camcorders are cheap enough for anyone to buy one and start advertising as a videographer. And many people do; students, part-timers, bored housewives, failed photographers, dentists, accountants, the retired - the list is endless. Everybody thinks they can pick up a camcorder and be a wedding videographer - until the first wedding! They learn their mistakes at your expense. Even people who are used to camcorders can find themselves out of their depth unless they specialise in weddings and work regularly in the industry. I cringe every time morning TV has a wedding special because I know I am going to see some of the worst wedding shots ever. Professional broadcast cameramen are NOT trained as wedding videographers and it shows in poor selection of shot, positioning and edit.

Choose someone who is good enough to be doing weddings full-time. That is the only way to be sure of their ability. And I don't mean an add-on from the stills photographer. They are not used to concentrating on composition for more than a couple of seconds at a time, do not understand audio and cannot make a flowing storyline. A lot of new businesses claim to have ten years or more experience. Don't believe it. Some are changing employment, some are just starting. Require referees and proof of several completed wedding videos and business records.

Style

In your search for the right videographer, you will have to watch several sample videos before you find one that is suitable for you. Ask to see full videos instead of selected clips, so that you can check for consistent quality. Ask for a sample that matches the style and theme you have chosen for your wedding. You might even be able to get a sample at the same venue, so then you can see how the videographer and the venue work together.

Professionalism

A professional cares about you and makes sure that your day is safeguarded. Firstly, that means charging a fair rate. Someone running a proper business knows how much to charge to stay in business and deliver a reasonable service. People that offer discounts or special deals do so from a position of weakness. You have to find out why. Do they lack skills? Are they beginners? Are they in financial trouble and will they still be around for your wedding?

All businesses should be able to prove that they have insurance, back-up equipment and crew and sufficient ability to deal with your requirements. Of course, that all costs money, which returns me to the point about a fair price. When someone is offering a service at below the normal rate, there has to be something missing. Examine the contract carefully to see what is offered and what clauses seem out of place or should be there. There are no infallible industry qualifications. Many videographers claim membership of trade organisations but in a lot of cases, this is no guarantee at all. Personally, I have never joined any institute or association that allows me to buy a professional status and you should beware of businesses that adopt such a practice.

In the end, it comes down to you putting your trust in someone. You can reduce the risk of disappointment by thorough research and checking. You can increase the chances of getting the right match by starting your search early and booking in reasonable time.