TOP TIPS TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WEDDING VIDEO
Maybe you’ve booked your wedding videographer, or maybe you’re still deciding if you’d like one (trust me, you’ll regret it if you don’t!). I’ve put together 10 tips that I think will be super useful for anyone planning on having a wedding videographer join them on their big day. It’s an investment, you only do it once and it’s something you’re going to cherish forever, so here’s how to get the most out of the experience…
MAKE SURE YOUR VIDEOGRAPHER ALIGNS WITH YOUR STYLE.
Let’s start from the top, picking the right wedding videographer for you.
How do you choose? There’s so many amazing videographers out there, so make sure you pick someone who is going to do your wedding justice, who is really going to understand your style and is going to fit right in on the day. You spend so much of your time organising your wedding and making sure it’s perfect, so you really want to make sure you book someone who is going to bring your day to life.
I’m not your traditional wedding videographer, I’m better suited to couples who are looking for alternative wedding videography. Each of my wedding videos have their own uniqueness. I breathe in every second of your day, work out what kind of people you are, listen intently to the music you have playing on the day. All of the little details that make you, you. Sound like a bit of you? Check out my vibe here.
It’s always a good idea for us to meet beforehand, either over a Zoom call, or we can grab a beer if you’re close by! This is a great way for us to break the ice and get to know each other. Use this time to ask me any questions you might have. I love to get to know my couples beforehand, I’m also up for helping out with any wedding planning, I’ve met some awesome wedding suppliers in my five years working at weddings, so definitely pick my brains!
BOOK A PHOTOGRAPHER AND VIDEOGRAPHER WITH A SIMILAR VIBE.
If you’re looking for a unique wedding videographer, look for a unique wedding photographer too. Your photographer and videographer work so closely together all day, if we have a similar style, chances are we’re going to have similar ideas for the kind of wedding shots we want, meaning we’ll be bouncing ideas off each other and letting our creativity thrive. Not only will everything run smoothly if we’re on the same page as each other, but we’ll all end up having so much fun with it.
There are so many amazing wedding photographers out there and I’ve worked with a great bunch. If you need any recommendations then definitely let me know!
GIVE YOUR VIDEOGRAPHER A CLEAR PLAN OF THE DAY.
Giving your wedding videographer a clear breakdown of your day with your timings is essential. The more detail the better. Not only will this help you to plan better by visualising how your day is going to run, it’s something you can share with all of your wedding suppliers so you know everyone is on the same page.
On the lead up to your wedding day, I’ll be in touch to arrange a zoom call with the both of you so we can have a good chat through your plans. We can chat through details such as your timings, specific shots you might want me to capture and any questions you might have. I’m capturing your big day, it only happens once, so I want to know every detail to make sure I don’t miss a beat.
After the follow up call I’ll send you an online questionnaire to fill out, this includes a full breakdown of timings, addresses, contact numbers and any other important info that I can have to hand on the day to make sure I don’t forget anything!
SCHEDULE ENOUGH TIME FOR COUPLE SHOTS
This is so important to consider when you’re going through the timings of your day. A lot of people worry about spending too much time away from guests, but trust me they will be more than happy to mingle and have a drink whilst you guys take some time out. I would recommend factoring around half an hour in total for this, we could do this in two 15 minute slots if you’d prefer. Not only do your couple shots really help build the story behind your wedding video, but it’s also so nice for you guys to grab that time together. Don’t forget, you’ll feel like an actual celebrity for the day, everyone is going to want to chat to you, so grab your favourite drink and have that breather together.
Tips to get the best out of your couple shots:
My style is super laidback. I don’t particularly like anything to look overly staged, so when I take you off for your couple shots, let’s have fun with it. I’ll get you both walking, talking, grabbing each others ass, shaking up some prosecco, having a dance, and generally just being in the moment and enjoying it. I want your most authentic selves to come through in your wedding video.
I also understand that being in front of a camera is daunting for a lot of people. It’s my job to hype you up and make you feel relaxed. My years of experience as a wedding videographer have taught me how to help make people feel at ease and get the most out of them. That’s why you hire the professionals.
GET THE RIGHT CONFETTI AND LOTS OF IT!
I LOVE how a confetti shot looks on video… when it’s done correctly. I know what you’re thinking, it’s literally only confetti right!? Well, some confetti looks way better in video than others. To get that epic confetti shot I would strongly recommend using high quality paper confetti. Reason being? It floats in the air much longer than dried flowers, it comes in some amazing vibrant colours which adds that wow factor to your video footage and it doesn’t get stuck in your hair like flower confetti. I honestly cannot tell you how much time I’ve spent picking flower confetti out of my couples hair. I work with some amazing confetti brands, so let me know if you need a recommendation (& maybe a cheeky discount).
HOW TO GET THE BEST CONFETTI SHOTS:
First and foremost: take your time. More often than not couples end up walking down the confetti line far too quickly (also, I am literally walking backwards guys). Soak up that moment and enjoy it, maybe even stop to have a cheeky smooth half way down the confetti line to REALLY milk it and get some extra cheers from your guests.
BE AUTHENTIC.
As a wedding videographer that works a little differently, I cannot stress this enough. From your decorations to the music that you play, to the food that you serve, make sure it reflects you as a couple, too many people do things because they think they need to, or because they want to please family members. Don’t listen to anyone else and go with your gut. I’m talking from my own experience here. When we got married, we scrapped most of the traditions. When we sat down and had a chat about what kind of wedding we wanted, we essentially just wanted a massive party with all of our favourite people, so that’s exactly what we did.
Our guests all commented on the day being ‘so us’. Why? because we didn’t think once ‘we have to do this because it’s a wedding’, we literally did what the f*ck we wanted.
Also, really think about the suppliers that you’re using. Make sure that they align with the vibe and the style you want to go for on the day. Picking good quality, experienced suppliers will take so much stress away from your day.
How does all of this help with a wedding videographer you ask? If your day is authentic to you, this is really going to shine through in your wedding footage. I capture as many details as I can on the day, all of your table decorations, the wedding venue, guests mingling, the suppliers you have and everything in between. All of these little details will reflect you guys as a couple and therefore your video will be you down to a T.
FUN GROUP SHOTS.
Let’s talk group shots. I’m not talking about the formal family shots. I’m talking about the feral group shots with your bridesmaids and groomsmen. The ones who know how to get the party started and are likely to do ridiculous things in front of the camera (I will egg them on).
Typically I like to do this later on in the day after your wedding breakfast. Basically, when everyone has fully relaxed because the majority of the formalities are over and they’ve had a good go on the table wine so they’re ready for some debauchery.
We can spray prosecco, dance, be stupid. Whatever you fancy. I’m always on hand for some creative ideas, let’s do some wild sh*t.
INVEST IN GOOD EVENING ENTERTAINMENT.
Let the good times roll. I LOVE capturing evening chaos. I’m not one of these wedding videographers who will leave directly after your first dance. Seriously, who does this? You’re missing out on so much good stuff.
One thing I’d highly recommend to get the party going is investing in good quality entertainment. Find the perfect wedding band who will nail your favourite tunes, sax players who will turn the dance floor into a rave, a brass band who will bring the vibes, or a DJ who will read the room and know what bangers to play. Whatever your jam, this always goes down a storm with wedding guests and it’s guaranteed to get your party popping. A good dance floor = great wedding video footage. It’s as simple as that.
THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX WITH YOUR FIRST DANCE.
I’m here to tell you that your first dance does not need to be a slow song that you’re awkwardly swaying to. Your first dance literally sets the scene for the rest of the night. Why don’t you go for something that everyone can dance to? Get some confetti canons at the ready for when the song really kicks in and get your guests to dance in a circle around you both. One of my favourite first dance’s that I’ve captured was to Fat Boy Slim - Praise you, let me just tell you the vibes were immaculate.
SOAK IT UP BABY.
You’ve done all the hard work now enjoy your day and delegate jobs to your bridesmaids/groomsmen, it’s what they’re there for. Spend as much time together as you can, kiss as much as possible and throw each other around on the dance floor. Grab your closest pals, cuddle your nan, stuff cake in each others mouths and soak up every last second. That’s the gold that I love to capture.
The day goes so quickly, I want to capture all of those super cute candid moments. These moments are what really make your video so special.
Stop and take a moment to look around and appreciate all of the hard work and energy you’ve put into creating your day of dreams. Trust me, all of your hard work will be worth it, as long as you do it your way.
If this all resonates with you, I’d love to chat to you about capturing your big day.