You will have to watch a lot of videos before you find your videographer, so what should you look for? The first thing is that you can sit through five minutes without noticing the time. If it can't hold your interest for that short while, there is no way it will be worth watching an hour. Story is crucial, so the clips should flow into each other but progress events from one part of the day to the next seamlessly.

Do effects get in the way or do they help convey meaning? What is the reason for that transition there?

The technical aspects cover balanced colour and contrast, clear sound without distortion or breaks, sensitive use of music, lack of image blur and shake and you should pick up on the general quality fairly easily.

When you ask for a sample, see if you can get one that is close to the one you have in mind for yourself, with a similar style, theme and length and on the same format ( DVD or VHS ). That way, you can see how the videographer deals with the different pace and surroundings involved during the event. Notice whether the videographer maintains the feel, quality and flow at the later stages or if he loses concentration and rushes to a finish. Make sure that the sample you get is for the price range you want. Check which options are available to you, whether at the time of booking or after the event. Check on available formats - does it cost more on VHS? How much for extra copies? In short, you need to know how much it will cost for exactly what you want in the right quantity. When you have made your choice, confirm all the details in writing and make sure that they become part of the contract.