5 best ways to get a wedding highlight video edited, ranked by cost and your time (November 2026)
By WeddingEditor, Makers of WeddingEditor · Facts checked 2026-11-05
Ranked on what one highlight film costs you in money and in your own hours, handing it to WeddingEditor's AI editing comes first for most working videographers, an outsourced editing service second when you need a person or a long-form film too, and an AI draft tool third if you enjoy finishing on your own timeline. Hiring a freelancer and editing it yourself follow. This page ranks routes, not products; for tools, see AI highlight video makers.
WeddingEditor makes one of the options in this ranking. How we compared, and where that bias shows, is explained below.
Last updated 2026-11-05
Quick picks
WeddingEditor (AI editing)
A Highlight Reel back from the whole day for one published price.
An editing service (Edit Weddings)
A company runs the edit, with packages from $549.
An AI draft tool (Vowmatic)
A highlight rough draft on your Mac timeline for $29 per wedding listed.
The five routes at a glance
| Route | Published price | Your time | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| WeddingEditor (AI editing) | $119 one-time for one wedding | Brief and review | 2026-11-05 |
| Editing service (Edit Weddings) | Packages from $549 | Brief and feedback | 2026-11-05 |
| AI draft tool (Vowmatic) | $29 per wedding ($22 in a launch sale) | Finish the film yourself | 2026-11-05 |
| Freelance editor | Set per editor; editor pay averages $33.23 an hour (Indeed) | Hiring, briefing, reviewing | 2026-11-05 |
| Edit it yourself (DaVinci Resolve) | Every hour of the edit, plus software if you buy it: Studio $295 one time; the standard download has no charge | All of the edit | 2026-10-11 |
How we compared
This ranking was written by WeddingEditor, which appears in it as the first route. Each route is judged on the same two costs: the published money price for one highlight film, and the time you still spend after choosing it.
Only prices published by a vendor or a dated public source are used. Freelance rates are not published in a citable form, so that route uses what an editor's hour costs in US job postings.
Money
What does one highlight film cost at the published price?
My time
How many of my hours does it still take?
Result
Do I get a finished film, a draft, or nothing until I edit it?
The routes, ranked
WeddingEditor (AI editing)
Upload the whole day, brief the film, and WeddingEditor's AI editing returns a Highlight Reel of about five minutes as a 1080p MP4, with up to two revision rounds. Processing typically takes 24 to 72 hours. It ranks first because both costs are low: one published price and only a brief and a review of your time. It is the wrong route if you need a long-form or ceremony film.
- Finished Highlight Reel from the whole day
- Published per-wedding price
- Up to two revision rounds
- No long-form or ceremony film
- 1080p widescreen only
Price: $119 one-time for one wedding (checked 2026-11-05)
Editing service (Edit Weddings)
An outsourced service takes the footage and returns an edit. Edit Weddings lists packages from $549 and a turnaround of less than 3 weeks, with feedback along the way. It costs more per wedding, but you hand off the work to a company.
- A company runs the edit
- Feedback during the edit
- Packages from $549
- Turnaround of less than 3 weeks
Price: Packages from $549 (£399, €499), checked Nov 5, 2026 (checked 2026-11-05)
Compare with WeddingEditorVisit Editing service (Edit Weddings)
AI draft tool (Vowmatic)
Vowmatic cuts a highlight rough draft that lands on your Final Cut, Premiere or Resolve timeline. The money cost is low; the time cost is the finishing, which stays with you. It needs a Mac with Apple Silicon.
- Highlight rough draft on your timeline
- Per-wedding credits
- You finish the film
- Mac with Apple Silicon only
Price: $29 per wedding listed, $22 in a 25% launch sale (checked 2026-11-05)
Freelance editor
A freelancer you trust can cut highlights and long-form films in your style. Rates are set per editor and rarely published; the dated reference is what editors earn, $33.23 an hour on average in US job postings on Indeed. Hiring, briefing and reviewing take your time.
- Flexible deliverables
- A person to talk the edit through with
- Rates not published
- Availability in peak season
Price: No published rate; video editor pay averages $33.23 an hour in US job postings (updated Oct 28, 2026) (checked 2026-11-05)
Edit it yourself (DaVinci Resolve)
Editing the highlight yourself gives complete control. The cost is every hour of the edit, plus software if you buy it: DaVinci Resolve Studio is $295 one time, and the standard DaVinci Resolve download has no charge (blackmagicdesign.com, Oct 11, 2026). It ranks last on this test because your time is the whole cost.
- Complete control
- Editing, color and audio in one tool
- All of the editing time is yours
Price: Your hours, plus DaVinci Resolve Studio at $295 one time if you buy it; the standard download has no charge (checked 2026-10-11)
Compare with WeddingEditorVisit Edit it yourself (DaVinci Resolve)
Best for each need
A finished highlight at a known price, with a stated processing time: WeddingEditor
One published price and a brief.
A long-form film as well: Editing service or freelancer
WeddingEditor does not make long-form films.
Your own finishing touch on every film: AI draft tool
The draft lands on your timeline.
Total control: Edit it yourself
Every decision stays yours.
How to choose
Count your hours honestly
Add briefing, reviewing and finishing time to the money price of each route.
Check what you deliver
If couples expect long-form films, the AI routes cover only the highlight.
Mix routes
You can use different routes for different weddings.
Questions
What is the lowest-cost way to get a wedding highlight edited?
Of the routes with published prices for a finished film, WeddingEditor: One Wedding at $119, or Solo at $99 per month if you edit one wedding a month. A draft tool costs less in money but leaves the finishing to you.
Is it worth editing highlights myself?
If you enjoy it and have the hours. The cost is your time.
Can I combine routes?
Yes. Use WeddingEditor for highlights and a freelancer or service for long-form films.
Final ranking
- WeddingEditor (AI editing): Best for a finished highlight at a known price
- Editing service (Edit Weddings): Best when a person must cut it
- AI draft tool (Vowmatic): Best if you like to finish yourself
- Freelance editor: Best for a long working relationship
- Edit it yourself (DaVinci Resolve): Best for full creative control
Related pages on wedding highlight video editing
Try the first route on one wedding
Upload a wedding and choose Highlight Reel.
Start your first wedding