How to Get the Most out of your Wedding Videographer.

Planning a wedding comes with a huge list of tasks to be undertaken. If you’ve invested in a wedding video, here are some tips to get the most out of your wedding videographer and hopefully save you some time and stress! It’s highly advised you save yourself a few breaths and just forward THIS LINK to all those that will be involved in your wedding including your bridal party and vendors. Here are some essential tips to get the most out of your wedding video.

Writing Letters and Vows

Do you want your vows or letters to each other included in your wedding video? Then you won’t want to wait until the last minute to write them. You will have enough going on already on your big day and even if your good at winging it, you don’t want it to sound rushed or forced.
Make plans to both write 1-3 pages with double spaces. You should both aim to have around the same length. If each of your vows or letters are significantly longer from one another it will throw off the pacing of the video. Even if you could write books about each other – sometimes less is more.
Not sure what to write? Here are some ideas that you could include.
how did you first meet?
what was your first date?
what’s your favorite quote from each other?
what have you learned from each other?
what are their best qualities?
tell us about your partner for someone that has never met them.
what intentions have you both made together?

Speeches

Whether its your best man, maid of honor, parents, or YOURSELVES – anybody giving speeches at your wedding will want to check out these tips to ease their nerves AND your own! Give your entourage a heads up and send them this link!

Whether you get intoxicated or not, have a game plan and don’t just wing it!
What was your first impression when you met the bride or groom?
What’s changed since that day you first met them?
Tell us about these people for someone that has never met them.
What do you love about them?
Do not tell stories just because you are fond of them. Tell stories or memories that speak to their character.
Still having writer’s block and need a cheat sheet? Check out THIS LINK.

Everybody at this wedding will know and love their own version of the bride and groom. Your Speech doesn’t have to be epic. A great speech will simply reveal to everyone how you know them. Sharing your unique perspective of the bride and groom lets everyone learn more about them in ways they may not have otherwise.

Venues

Are there any rules or regulations about the venue that we should know about? There have been occasions where we arrive at the venue only to realize that we have to remain at the back of the room during the ceremony. This can really restrict the quality of your photos or video, but we can adapt if you let us know ahead of time. So ask these questions with your venue ahead of time and let us know so we can be prepared.

Will there be any parts of the Ceremony or Reception where the Photographer/Videographer will not be able to move freely to get the shots they need?
Do your Venues have a PA system that we can hook into to record Audio?
How is your venue lit? Is it dim inside? If you plan to have a Grand Entrance where you enter from outside on a bright day, it will not look ideal for photos or video. If you want to go the extra mile, ask the venue to initially keep the lights on to match the brightness of the outside location you are entering from – at least until you’ve made your entrances. Another option is to find a different entry point.
Know your entrance and exit points and make sure your crew does too. If you haven’t planned your entrance route and your party members take a different slightly different path, it can throw off the photographers/videographers of where they are expecting to get their shot.
Does the venue have restricted airspace nearby? If you are wanting Drone photos or video then this is important. Any airports, jails, or military bases may prevent the drone pilot from being able to fly. So if drone shots were something you were really looking forward to, keep this in mind.
Make sure there is enough space for everyone to work around during your ceremony. If you have 20 people in your bridal party, plus 2 photographers and 2 videographers, it can get cramped really fast. It can be really difficult to get shots if there is no room for everyone to position themselves. You’ll want to consider this when determining where the bridal party will stand during the ceremony.
If your ceremony or reception is outside, have a backup plan in case it rains or storms.

Photographers

Wedding videography is still somewhat new in comparison to wedding photography. Not all wedding photographers will have worked with a videographer, but nearly all wedding videographers will have worked with a photographer. Whether they have worked with each other before or not, the photographer and videographer should quickly become a cohesive team. The best way to do this is through communication. Sometimes a simple “heads-up” on what you plan to do can really save a ruined shot during important parts of the day. So here are a few tips for photographers to consider when working with a wedding videographer.

Be mindful of each others’ perspectives and surroundings. Allow each other to have equal opportunity to get the shots you both need without blocking each other.
Let each other know where you plan to be during important parts of the day. It can be a good fail-safe is to go shoulder-to-shoulder with each other when trying to get those crucial shots down the aisle.
Most videographers use wide to medium lens lengths. Therefore, they will usually need to be closer to the bride and groom. If you plan to use that extra-long zoom lens, plan accordingly so they aren’t in your shot.
One thing that looks bad on video is the red focusing beams that some cameras use to take photos. This is typically an option that some cameras have called ‘Beam Assist’. Cameras use this to improve focusing in dark situations with low light. However, they aren’t necessary with the most recent and modern cameras. It is understandable that sometimes Photographers may need to use ‘Beam Assist’ in some situations, but it should not be left on for the duration of the day. Not only can these lights be blinding to the bride and groom, but they will be especially distracting at crucial points of the video. ‘Beam Assist’ can be toggled ‘on’ and ‘off’ within the camera menus and is usually switched to ‘off’ by default.
Bounce ideas off each other and help one another find cool locations to shoot at around the venue.

The DJ

When it comes to the reception, the DJ conducts the party. They’ll not only be in charge of the tunes but also getting the microphone to the speakers. Here are a few ways that the DJ can make a real difference on the quality of your wedding video.

Videographers can mic your guests for speeches, but it’s much easier for them to connect to the DJ’s PA system or monitor speakers. This will save a lot of time and hassle – especially if your wedding party has been drinking.
During guest speeches it’s super important that the guests be reminded to speak directly into the microphone. All too often guests will start talking into the mic, but then drop it down to their waste level. Not only will the guests not hear what is being said, but it likely won’t sound good on video.
Make sure any speeches are given a good distance away from the DJ’s speakers. If your guest walks up to the DJ booth to give a speech, your audience can get rocked with some loud feedback if the microphone gets too close to the sound system.
Disco lights and effects can be a really cool effect when it’s time to party, but may not work very well for the main dances. This can be very unflattering for your photos and video if not done right and can add a lot of discoloration to skin tones. Typically it’s best to save the light show until after all the main dances.
Please let your DJ know to not encourage the guests to take photos without reminding them to stay several feet behind the photographer/videographers.
Sometimes DJs will engage your audience and make for great photo/video opportunities. This is awesome! However, without a heads up, the photographers/videographers may not be ready or able to take advantage. Make sure the photographers and videographers know what to look out for if your DJ has any trips up their sleeves.
When excusing tables to a buffet line, make sure to have the DJ excuse the Videographer and Photographer with the wedding party. This gives them enough time to eat and be ready to shoot once the bride and groom are finished.

Timelines and Coverage

Whether you are hiring a wedding planner or a friend is doing your planning for you – make sure you have a timeline that can fit everything you want to do. There is a good chance your weddings will run behind schedule so it’s important that you give yourself some leeway in case things get thrown off course. Here are some tips when making a timeline and planning how much coverage you need.

Try to get a rough timeline of everything you hope to accomplish and make sure your wedding photographer and videographer can look it over and give you some feedback.
Make sure you have your wedding videographer or photographer for enough time to accommodate any setbacks.
Having two wedding videographers or photographers is a great way to get all the coverage you need. With two videographers you can have two angles to cover a situation or cover two events in different locations. Specifically – you might consider this if the bride and groom are both getting ready before the ceremony in different locations.
If you only have a single wedding videographer or photographer, one way you can get around this is to plan to have at least 90-120 minutes before the ceremony where both the bride and groom are at the same location. This should give us enough time to set up and prepare for the ceremony and allow us to get shots of both of you beforehand.
Your guests will be stoked to grab some photos of you with their latest cellphone camera. Please remind them that you paid money to hire professionals for the occasion. Guests should remain several feet behind them at all times so as to not block their shot.

Catering and Seating

Whether you plan to have a 3-course meal or a buffet for your guests, be sure to accommodate for the wedding videographer and photographer by planning their meals. You probably don’t want photos or video of the two of you stuffing your face so here are a few tips to keep things efficient.

Let the wedding photographer and videographer be served dinner around the same time as yourselves.
This will ensure that they are ready to get those fleeting shots instead of sitting down to eat once you’ve finished your meal.
If necessary please notify your caterers.
Designated seating is not a big deal, but make sure the videographer/photographer will have access to plates and silverware if they are only made available by the table.

Tips for You

Now this matters most! Don’t let your wedding day be ruined by details. Slow down and be present. Before you know it the day will be over. You’ve put a lot of work into getting here, so relax and enjoy it! Detach from the perfect wedding that you hold in your mind and witness your perfect wedding unfold – rain or shine! It will all work out as it is supposed to and any mishap can make for a great story – if you let it! That’s the most important tip you can have. However, beyond that:

Don’t start without us! For most of the day, we’ll be right there with you, but occasionally we’ll have to use the bathroom or set up/break down equipment. Make sure we are present if it’s something that you might want to be recorded and if you are not sure just give us a heads up.
Make sure somebody knows how to tie a tie amongst the groomsmen. HERE’S A LINK for a step-by-step guide on how to do so.
Bring a pair of scissors – you are bound to need them for something!
Stay hydrated – especially if it’s during the summer.
Make sure you can actually walk in your dress & heels! If you have to look down to keep from tripping, it’s going to show. The last thing you want is to be looking down as you enter and exit the aisle.
Just keep smiling and you’ll do great 😋