When capturing the critical scenes from your wedding day on video, don’t just rely on chance. When planning your wedding video, there are several things that you need to take note of, whether you’re the one holding the camera or the person in front of it.
1. Does the person taking the video have sufficient experience? Has that person ever videotaped a wedding or other events; does he or she know the right time to push the record button? Can he or she anticipate important moments and start recording the video even before it begins? If you have friends or family members who previously employed videographers for special events, make sure you get their recommendations.
2. Communication is an important factor in choosing a videographer. The person you choose must feel comfortable with conversing with the people in charge of making sure the wedding is a success. For example, he or she should be able to get information on when someone is going to give a speech and when it’s time to cut the wedding cake. The videographer should know of any changes made to the wedding schedule.
3. The person you choose to handle the responsibility of taking the video should also know how to edit it. He or she should also know how to add background music and other extras to the video to make your video look professionally done, not like a home movie made by an amateur.
4. The videographer should know what he’s doing, which means not only should he have good equipment, he should also know how to use it. A good videographer should have knowledge of technical aspects of video-taking, such as manual focus, shutter speeds and white balance. For proof of his or her expertise, you should consider asking for samples of previous work.
5. Whether you’re going to have a bright, outdoor wedding or a romantic indoor evening wedding or anything in between, your videographer should have the proper lighting equipment and he or she should be able to take his or her equipment to the wedding and reception venue to make sure that all pictures are well-lit.
6. Sound is also a critical factor for a good wedding video. You might want to have the groom wear a lapel microphone so that his vows could be heard, as well as his bride’s. Even couples who are ordinarily loud and self-confident can be shy and soft-spoken when exchanging their vows, and as the exchange of wedding vows is the most important part of the wedding ceremony, it’s critical that it’s captured. The lape or tie-clip mic will be able to record the vows and no one will even know it’s there.
7. The videographer needs to be discreet, and he or she should be able to record the day without getting under everyone’s feet or, worse, being the center of attention. Make sure you select a person who understands how to capture the wedding video while remaining inconspicuous. When going through recommendations, make sure that you look for this particular attribute.
