First off, thanks for choosing me to be your videographer!
I feel so lucky that I get to do this as a career. With every video that I create I pour all of my energy into it and want to make it the best it can possibly be.
To do that, and to make it enjoyable for everyone during the wedding, here are a few things I’ve seen that create the best films.
-One thing I’ve seen quite a few times is the bride being late getting into the dress, which cuts down on the time for everything between then and the ceremony. To make sure you aren’t stressed, and that nothing gets skipped I would try to keep this in mind.
-Since I usually work without a second shooter it’s really helpful to stagger the timing. What I’ve found works best looks something like this:
*Details > Groom prep > Bride prep
-For getting ready I'd try to build this much time into each piece:
*Details, venue shots - 30min
*Groom prep - 30min
*Bride prep - 45min
-To set up for ceremony with multiple cameras and audio I need 30 minutes minimum, and would prefer 45 minutes if possible.
-To tell your story, having either personal vows during the ceremony or letters to read and film privately will make a huge difference in the emotion and feeling of your video.
-Being able to film the two of you hand writing your vows/letters makes for great shots, and also really helps in the storytelling aspect of your film.
-If you can, leave 4-5 sentences left to write during the getting ready portion of the day.
-I will always put a lav mic on both the groom and officiant, as well as plug into the DJs system.
-If you're saying personal vows during the ceremony please ask your DJ to provide a handheld mic for that.
-Some DJs will say that the groom's lav mic will pick it up just fine, which is true for them to broadcast during the ceremony but the recording doesn't sound as good. Using a handheld mic will give us clean, amazing quality audio.
-Standing in one place - I'll either set up a mic stand or put a small piece of tape on the floor indicating where to stand. Knowing where the speaker will be allows me to light it properly and make them look as good as possible.
-Hold the microphone close - the microphone needs to be held up by the chest to get a quality audio recording, holding it low or waving it around will compromise the audio.
Here are examples from weddings where a mic stand was used, vs not being used and the speaker walking around. Please share this with anyone that will be giving a speech at your wedding.
-Unfortunately due to legal and licensing reasons we can't use mainstream music.
-If you'd like to be involved in choosing music I'm happy to share more info on that. I just ask that we do that before the wedding day.
-There is a lot of nuance that goes into choosing music so most of the time I end up doing that, but I'm happy to work together on it if you'd like.
Those are just a few key things that I’ve noticed will help create a film that you love.
Lastly, can you reply to this email and let me know which of my videos you like most? And what style of video are you hoping for - fun and upbeat / romantic / a combination of both? Thanks!
