Getting the Right Shots For The Best Wedding Videography

With the cheap cost of digital memory we can afford to experiment with some test footage. Get to know you camera, and get to know how the shotgun and ambiance microphones pick up sound. Interview a few people and replay the footage. Find out what works and find out the little tricks and idiosyncrasies of your equipment.

One you can make your camera effortlessly do what you want you can start planning what you need to film. It may sound basic, but if you don’t capture the footage it won’t be in the final film. And there is often only one chance to get this right. Every wedding is different, but every wedding has its important moments and highlights. Talk to the wedding planner(s); they will probably want to have their work documented. They can provide you with a schedule which you can use to pre-plan your shots. Anything that the wedding planners emphasis or but effort into is probably work filming

Pre-Wedding Videography

Get footage of:

• Wearables like the dress on a hanger, shoes with a pleasant background, rings, and family heirlooms. A few photographers bring a fancy hanger for the dress or a few pieces of cloth to put behind the other objects.
• Some people like a few tasteful shots of the bride having her makeup done. Do this when it is near complete, implying that the bride almost naturally looks this way.
• Family members looking happy. Some preparations.

Wedding Ceremony Video

• The cars arriving with the bridal party
• Walking down the aisle
• The groom reaction seeing the bride
• The vows
• The couple walking back down the aisle

Wedding Reception Videography

• The couple’s entrance
• All speeches (though this will be edited to be brief)
• The toasts
• The cutting of the cake
• The couple’s first dance
• General merriment
• Anything unique.

If you can see the venue(s) in advance you can plan the best place to position yourself. It helps if you are familiar with the venue lighting conditions in advance, and knowing if the ceremony is in bright daylight or twilight conditions. Unfortunately weather conditions cannot be fully known in advance.