We just MUST do a divorce party for Pixie! I'd even volunteer to host it!
Now back to the thread...
I'm just gonna play devil's advocate, and jump in on the cost of the video thing... As a graphic designer, I KNOW how complex and difficult it is to price projects. You don't always know the Pain-in-the-A** (PITA) factor, so with strangers you HAVE to build that into your pricing. If you don't, you'll get hosed when it comes to the final changes/edits/go arounds/etc.!
So, let's say the videographer attends/films EVERYTHING on the day of your wedding, which includes wedding prep (bride primping), the ceremony, and the reception. That's probably a LONG 6-hour event...
Then the actual work starts: editing the film, designing/inserting the graphics (titles, still shots, etc.), re-editing (if you want changes) and final production. (Easily, according to several of my friends in the business who have done this, a 16-20 hour process). So now you have put 26 hours into the project, not counting your travel, equipment, and supply expenses. If you're a freelancer, you also have to incorporate social security, taxes, and healthcare into your final hourly rate... SO, say you pay $1600 for the service; that breaks down to around $60 bucks an hour. Which, after taxes and expenses, probably means the poor guy only cleared about $15-20 hour!
And just think – if you get divorced down the pike, you'll be paying that attorney at least $150-200 hour! So quit complaining about paying the person who's going to document this once-in-a-lifetime (hopefully!) event a measly $60 bucks an hour!