10 wedding Videography tips for Brides

It’s your wedding day! Your dreams of the perfect day have come to fruition. Now the only task at hand is capturing these very special moments on your wedding video. Wedding videos like wedding photos last for lifetimes so it is important to always know what you want and what you are getting.

Apart from actually hiring your wedding videography and photography team there are some steps that you as the bride or groom can take to ensure that everything you want captured, will be. We have compiled a small list that details what videographers will need to fully capture your love story. We have narrowed down our list to 10 essential wedding videography tips.

1. Find YOUR style of video

It’s always good to watch different wedding videos with different styles of videography to be inspired for your own wedding film. There are many different styles to choose from. Do you want your wedding video to look more like a music video, or a short film with an element of storytelling?

Ultimately it is up to you and your significant other to decide what you want your video to look like. Always discuss this with your wedding videography team beforehand so they know how to shoot your special day. We will have another tutorial on how to customize your wedding video, so stay tuned!

2. Give time to your video and photo team in your wedding Timeline

Having a sufficient amount of time in your wedding day for couple portraits is key to creating a wonderful wedding film. It allows videography and photography teams to get the shots needed to create your beautiful love story without the disturbance of the craziness of the day. If you would like to see what a videographer and a photographer’s ideal timeline looks like click here.

3. Make sure your wedding photographers and videographers have spoken before the wedding

Team work makes the dream work! It’s always great to have a team working together. Getting a video and photo team that have worked together for awhile allows the team to create wedding photos and wedding videos that match in style.

When it comes to the allotted time for couples portraits, the team you get will have had enough experience with one another that the time will be spent wisely. The time will not be wasted on directing and redirecting shots since the team’s shooters will have similar directorial styles.

4. Vendors are very important for video too!

Not only is it great to have a wedding videography and photography team that works well together but it’s also great when the entire wedding team works like a dream. Vendors are so important to how the final product comes out.

From venues to florists your wedding day is your vision and as videographers and photographers we are there to document everything. Having vendors that are familiar with each other’s work is as important as having a photo and video team that shoots in the same style.

Vendor’s are like needles in haystacks. It’s very hard to find great ones let alone ones that have worked with your other vendors. To make things easier for yourself always check with your Venue or your wedding coordinator if they have a preferred vendors list. If you're interested with what vendors we have worked with you can also check out our preferred vendors list.

5. Include your wedding day prep

You may think “why do I need shots of my makeup artists putting blush on? Or shots of my fiancé hanging with their wedding party?” Well to a videographer wedding preparation is a crucial element of storytelling. Not only is it where a lot of emotions occur ( suspense, excitement, happiness etc. ), but also videographers get more time to get establishing shots to show the environment of the wedding day. These shots allow us to tell the full story of your day.

Videographers don’t need to be there the entire time you are getting your makeup done to get the prep shots we need. But an hour and a half to one hour would be an ideal amount of time for us to gather the prep shots we need.

6. Incorporate a first Look

First Look- an intimate moment between you and your fiancé prior to the wedding ceremony.

During the first look videographers have the ability to gather more footage of pure emotions coming from both you and your fiancé. The first look also allows you and your fiancé to see each other before the ceremony thus lessening the pressure and stress the day has put on you both.

Having time for a first look also makes it easier for photographers to get the wedding party photos done, so the time after the ceremony can be used just for the two of you.

7. The fewer locations - The better

Narrowing down the list of locations you want to be shot in will allow the videographers to get numerous angles and shots from the best locations. Having many locations does not always mean the outcome of the video will be any better.

Also, having a couple of locations means less time spent on shooting and more time enjoying the best day of your life.

8. Letter readings & personalized ceremony vows

Personalized Ceremony Vows and Letter Readings really add a storytelling aspect to any wedding film. Letter readings are intimate notes that can be included in your wedding video as a voiceover. We record these whenever we have down time (this usually occurs after prep shots). If you do not have personal ceremony vows we highly suggest including a letter reading.

Both letter readings and personal vows, when added as a voiceover on your wedding video, make your film feel even more personal and heartwarming.

9. Golden hour

One hour before sunset is the best time to shoot creative portraits, the sun is not as harsh and there are no shadows on your faces. More angles, more volume, better results.

10. Less us, more you

To get the most natural looking results it’s usually best not to look at the camera and imagine that it’s not there. Think of a memorable moment like the first kiss, or how you met.