What do the bride and groom want?

The whole purpose of wedding videos is to act as a reminder in years to come of the big day and all those family and friends who came to celebrate the marriage. You need to agree with the bride and groom the overall feel of the video – will it be very formal or do they want you to catch funny moments and ‘interview’ (or ‘chat with’) the guests. When should it start – before the wedding with the bride getting ready – and when should it end – at the wedding breakfast or evening party?

You need to agree which key points during the day they definitely want you to catch, such as the bride walking down the aisle, the vows, the speeches and the cutting of the cake. This list of 22 shots for your weddings video gives you all of the big moments you do not want to miss.   You also need to discuss how close they want you to shoot from. A few metres away from them during the vows may feel quite intrusive but will make for great intimacy on the video.

Preparation is key

If you are local to the church and the venue for the wedding reception try and visit them before the big day to familiarise yourself with the layout and lighting. Consider where you will be able to stand so as to get the best view of the bride and groom at all key moments. Also check where the power outlets are so you know where you can recharge batteries. Finally have a look at the parking arrangements as you will need to move fast between venues.

If you have bought new kit for the big day or you are borrowing someone else’s, make sure you try it in advance. Familiarise yourself with the settings and gather all the equipment together so that you do not forget something on the day.

On the day

Check all the camera settings are working as you would expect and do not forget to change to a new tape for the start of the ceremony. You do not want to miss the “I Do’s” because the tape ran out.

Stay alert and be ready for key parts of the day when your videoing is vital. Stay off the alcohol as this will either impair your concentration or mean your precious filming time is wasted drinking.

What to shoot

The overriding rule is to shoot lots as you can edit it later but you cannot shoot it again. Try and get lots of footage of the guests as well as the bride and groom. When the happy couple look back on the video in 10 years time, they will be more interested in treasured friends and family than in themselves.  So film the guests taking care not to miss any, then a bit of the location and then more of the guests. Try to shoot the interaction between the guests – whether this is close family being congratulated or friends catching up and chatting. The audio may not be so good here but it can be covered by wedding video songs later. Do not be shy – mingle, a lot. You need to get everywhere; keep moving around to get good viewpoints.

Interviewing the guests

Interviewing, or as I prefer to call it ‘chatting’ with the guests on camera, is not as easy as it might sound but is hugely important in pulling together a great wedding video. From the basic prompt of asking the guest to say a few words to the bride and groom, you could progress to a series of questions that might elicit some funny and interesting responses. Such questions may include ‘What do you think Tom should do to keep Jane happy?’ or ‘What do you think Jane loves most about Tom?’. Have a think before the day of what you will ask guests and mix it up a bit to keep the audio fresh. Also have a quick chat with your interviewee before recording begins and ask them to answer the question with a complete sentence so that you can edit out your own voice asking the question later. Make sure you ‘chat with’ as many guests as possible and randomly intersperse the final edit with these clips.

Interviewing the bride and groom

A trick for an interesting bride and groom interview for the wedding video is to ask each party the same questions but when they are alone. Questions such as ‘Where did you meet Jane?’, ‘When did you know Jane was the one?’ and ‘What are your plans for the future?’ can elicit some funny and touching video when the responses are cut together later on when editing.

Relax and do your best

There is a huge responsibility resting with the videographer as this is a one time only event so you can’t afford to mess it up.  But remember it is supposed to be a fun and romantic time being shared by friends and family so do the best you can. If you are comfortable with what you are trying to achieve and the camera you are using and are able to think quickly and improvise when things do not go to plan, you will be fine.