Videography Unveiled
A wedding video is a very special way to remember the fun, romance and love that you enjoyed on your wedding day. It captures the smiles and messages of the friends and family most special to you in a real way, not one that is static. There are any effects, ideas and approaches that, if implemented professionally and tastefully, can make your wedding video even more special:
Don’t Compromise
Do not hire the cheapest videographer or use a friend of your mother’s boss simply because you feel obligated or because they have offered you a good deal. You will watch this wedding video for years to come, in good times and bad, and you never want to let your choice of videographer detract from the tone and value of the occasion. When choosing the company to do your video, do not rely simply on their demo reel, as this gives little indication to their manner and appearance at the actual wedding. Ask for a list of contactable references and follow through with these.
Preparation
To ensure that the videographer knows exactly what to do and when, make sure that he or she has someone to whom they can turn with questions or requests. This can be the Maid of Honour, bridesmaids, Best Man or you. This person should know you well, as a couple, and should be able to advise the cameraman of which guests to capture on film if it is not possible to get everyone in.
It is imperative that the videographer attend all rehearsals so that they can make the necessary preparations for specific lighting requirements and possible spatial challenges.
Footage Before the Ceremony
Tell the story of how you met and what you are like as a couple by doing a short pre-wedding intro video. This can be a quirky spoof of how you met, or a more accurate, sweet rendition of the event. This reminds you, but also tells your special tale to your family and friends, who may not know the background. Narration, signboards and cute text screens between shots can tell the story in a shorter space of time.
Let the videographer in on the preparations of you, the bridal couple, and your entourage. Getting a sneak peek into how your partner was feeling and acting before the big moment is a unique opportunity.
At the Ceremony
It creates a realistic, first-hand account when the videographer captures the ‘behind-the-scenes’ shots of the ceremony (and, for that matter, wedding reception). These may include the musicians tuning their instruments, the decorators adding their final touches and the guests waiting in anticipation. If there are certain aspects of the ceremony that are especially important to be captured on film, tell your videographer well ahead of time so that these are not missed.
At the Reception
Encourage your videographer to interact with guests by getting onto the dance floor with them, standing on tables to get group shots, doing whatever he or she has to do to get great footage. The MC may need to make an announcement that requests that guests cooperate with the videographer, but they are generally quite keen to get in on the action when there is a camera around. Of course, the feelings of shy guests need to be respected and it would be inappropriate to force anyone into being on camera.
What has become quite popular and special is to have a clip of each wedding guest or couple saying something personal to the bride and groom. The cameraman can go to each table and request these, or the guests can be asked to approach the cameraman when they are ready.
Once the footage has been captured, edited and collated into a storyline, it is best to leave it with as few special effects as possible. It may be a good idea to have a highlights reel, music and one or two quotes or textual pieces of information but the original footage is usually more meaningful and special without the frills. The most important thing is that your video conveys to you and the friends and family with whom you choose to share it how special and wonderful your wedding day was.
Photo Credit: www.rcvideography.com
