10 Secrets to Shooting Great Wedding Videos

Have you wanted to use your camcorder and video equipment to make some money, or are you already shooting live events? Shooting and producing wedding videos is a great way to profit from your equipment and experience. Whether you’re just entering the videography field or looking to add wedding videography to your list of services, these 10 insider secrets will help you produce professional wedding videos, right from the start.

Excerpted from The Video Guide to Professional Wedding Videography

1. Choose the Right Gear.
Video equipment becomes obsolete very quickly because of the constant advancements in technology. You don’t need the highest-end gear to shoot great wedding videos; the basics will do just fine. The basic equipment that you’ll need to shoot wedding videos includes a fluid head tripod, remote microphone system and an audio mixer. Oh, and a digital format camcorder, of course.

2. Back up your audio.
Audio for wedding videos can be touchy. Remote microphones may pick up some voices better than others and last minute glitches could prevent you from getting any audio at all. This is why many wedding videographers are investing in Sony Mini-Disc recorders to back up their audio. The recorder allows you to back-up your audio from the ceremony and the reception. The MD recorder is easily carried in the groom’s pocket, with a lavaliere microphone.

3. Understand LUX Ratings.
LUX is a measurement of camera sensitivity that is important to consider when purchasing a video camera. Cameras with lower LUX ratings produce better video in low light situations than cameras with higher LUX ratings. For wedding videography, which most often takes place in low light situations; churches, synagogues, reception halls, it is necessary to use a camera with a low LUX rating. The more sensitive to light your video camera is, the better quality wedding shots you’ll get, and the more professional the finished wedding video will be.

4. Attend the rehearsal.
Unless you can attend the wedding rehearsal, you probably shouldn’t book the job. Attending the rehearsal and planning ahead can easily avoid problems with lighting, microphone placement, and blocked views. The rehearsal also gives you another chance to consult with the bride and groom. Any last minute requests for their wedding video that they, or you, may have can be discussed before the wedding day rush is on.

5. Get “B-roll” coverage.
“B-roll” coverage is of critical importance to the professional quality of your wedding video production. To get B-roll footage, simply use a tripod to take exterior shots of the building in which the event will take place, stained glass or other architectural features, the food and flower arrangements and any other special touches you notice.

In addition to these still shots, begin videotaping about 20 minutes before the wedding is to begin, in order to get shots of the guests being seated, and audio of the music played before the ceremony.

6. Test your audio.
Testing your audio before the ceremony is the best way to avoid common audio problems. To test your audio, make sure to arrive at the wedding location at least two hours early, in order to set up your equipment and check it out, and have time to fix any problems that you find. Another good tip is to monitor the audio with your headphones to be sure that it has a professional quality.

7. Concentrate on close-ups.
It is extremely important to get close-up shots at the wedding. Close-ups make your images look sharper and they allow you to capture emotion in your wedding video. Be sure to get close-up shots of the bride and groom, the wedding party, and the parents throughout the wedding and the reception, and use them frequently.

8. Anticipate and follow the action.
In order to shoot a professional wedding video, you must anticipate and follow the action throughout the wedding, especially if you’re doing a one-camera shoot. You only get once chance to capture the action at a wedding ceremony, be prepared for whatever is coming. Talking to the couple and attending the rehearsal ceremony will help you to know what’s happening next, and your camera moves will be more fluid. Anticipating and following the action is key to shooting a professional wedding video.

9. Focus on capturing the event, not creating a special effects film.
There are many opportunities and options for special effects when creating a wedding video. However, special effects such as slow motion, layering graphics, and editing backgrounds work well in wedding videos only to a point. It is very important to remember that shooting a wedding video is all about capturing an important event, not creating a video with the most special effects. Remember to keep your focus on the couple, the ceremony, and the emotion of the wedding, and use special effects wisely.

10. Finish the job on time.
After you’ve shot the wedding ceremony and the reception, it’s time to produce the finished video. Make sure to allow at least a week of postproduction to finish the job on time. A week should give you time to transfer footage to your system, catch up with other possible clients, editing the ceremony, the reception, and the pre-and-post ceremonies, as well as transferring to tape or DVD and preparing the packaging. Remember that the MOST important part of post-production is delivering the finished video ON TIME. The married couple will be anxious to see their wedding video, and are depending on you to deliver it on the date and time that you promised. Your reputation, and your future clientele, depends on your ability to finish like a pro by producing a professional wedding video on time and on budget.

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29 Comments »

Interesting Article! I was asked by a friend to video tape his up coming wedding I think reading this article I might just help him out with it. Thanks for the help

Comment by traffic — August 1, 2009 @ 1:37 pm
Great Tips Good Job.

Comment by Autin — November 4, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
thanks for the tips, very helpfull. I was looking to “spruce” the current vid I am working on with some animated gif images, and then decided to search help with wedding videos professionally, and found this. It cleared my mind up, and let me concentrate on what really counts…. them, like you said. again, thank you.

Comment by ken — November 24, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
This article is right on the money, I had a unique experience with wedding videos. I put together a still music video for my cousins wedding because I like to make videos and it came out fantastic so much so that my brother asked me to do video for his wedding which was great except that I was the best man too, talk about pressure, luckly I put together a crew in time we used all 10 tips just from common sense and happenstance. We had older equipment but it was solid, I knew what they wanted cause I was always with them and obviously attended the rehersal. Had tons of b roll( let’s say I over did it with 25 total hours of raw footage, we used 5 cameras so I could be sure to get every angle 2 tripod floor level, 2 mobile, 1 balcony) and let’s just say a director in a tux very interesting sight. All went well and the loved the video, we even had a bloopers section for their enjoyment only of course. Great tips though if it wasn’t my brother would have made some money off that wedding.

Comment by nick — January 18, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
Overall, the list has very good advice for videotaping weddings. After 20 years of doing wedding video full time, I’d like to add a few things myself. First, I disagree that you only take weddings that you able to attend the rehearsal. If you are successful, you won’t want to pass up a Friday night wedding because you have to attend a rehearsal for a Saturday night wedding. Once you have enough experience, there is no need to attend the rehearsal. Good communication with the bride and checking with the locations by phone will work fine. Also, once you work a location the need to attend rehearsals really lessens. I would add to the list the need to have quality backup equipment. You do not get second takes so a broken camera or video light at the ceremony should not shut you down. You need to have good backups in your vehicle ready to be put into use in minutes. The other tip would be to have way more battery power than you think you’ll ever need. The battery working today is suddenly not working tomorrow.

Comment by Todd — January 23, 2010 @ 12:10 am
Good tips, I’m just now starting to shoot some weddings, hoping to get my techniques down better.

Comment by Fayetteville Video — February 13, 2010 @ 5:17 pm
I thought that was an excellent “10 secret list”, and I also heartily agree with Todd’s comment above, except that since I’ve only shot 4 or 5 wedding videos so far, I think it would help me to still try and attend the rehersal. I would agree with Todd, that if you’re a seasoned wedding videographer and very organized, I think you can still pull it off without the rehersal. I couldn’t agree more with Todd about having “extra” batteries. I’ve had em go down on me at the worst times, and if you “ain’t got power” “you ain’t got video. Marc Trainor.

Comment by Marc Trainor — May 15, 2010 @ 6:03 am
Great tips! thanks!!

Comment by Chinthaka Sandaruwan — August 5, 2010 @ 10:57 pm
Beyond basic talent, It is key (as said above) to understand the pacing and elements of a wedding day. Knowing when they will have their first dance, cut the cake, etc. allows you to capture all of the important moments. It is also important to be the “first on the scene” of such moments. So many of the bride and groom’s families want to be at the front of the line. Because of this, you are either shooting the back of heads hoping to get a glimpse of the cake, or you have to be rude and get everyone out of your way so you can capture the moment. I have been shooting for over ten years now. I don’t normally go to rehearsals, but I do often offer to shoot the rehearsal for an additional fee. It gives you more time with the couple, more footage to play with, and (of course) some more cash in your pocket.

Comment by jordan — August 14, 2010 @ 11:45 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUWCczSkBg0

Comment by Frank — September 5, 2010 @ 10:12 pm
Some great tips here for getting to grips with wedding videos. I used to attend rehearsals in the beginning but no longer do. I film 40 weddings a year and couldn’t possibly fit them in. I like to arrive fresh at a venue and as long as you arrive in good time then you will be OK. Most of all enjoy it. Wedding videos are my passion and I film many different types of weddings every year and I love it!!

Comment by Shaun Foulds — March 15, 2011 @ 9:41 am
Yep, I’d agree with most of that, as Shaun says though, rehearsals can’t always be attended. Often that’s for the better anyway as it keeps you fresh and on your toes.

Comment by Dave the Wedding Videographer — March 16, 2011 @ 8:15 am
Great article and great responses. Jordan mentioned about knowing when the cake cutting, first dance, etc. are going to happen so you don’t miss anything and can get a good shot. The single best way to do this is by working with the DJ. Get to know him or her on a first name basis. He will almost always have a formal itinerary of what’s going to happen and when. Naturally, you already have a good idea as to what is to be included from your previous meetings with the couple but there’s nothing like the official, typed schedule. Even more importantly, most DJ’s are used to “tapping you on the shoulder” and letting you know a certain event is about to happen. Grab her a Coke from the bar and make that rapport!

Comment by Bob — March 23, 2011 @ 6:48 pm
These are good tips. I think above all, make sure you and your wedding party/clients communicate clearly so that everyone is on the same page. One of the biggest mistakes I see in the industry is lack of communication, which leads to a video product that the couple is less than satisfied with.

Comment by Brinton — June 9, 2011 @ 12:24 pm
Good suggestions and probably helpful for the beginner. Just a word of caution though – planning on getting to the church two hours prior may be a bit optimistic. I can’t tell you the number of times that I’ve arrived at the church even an hour early only to find the doors locked, or another wedding in progress, or some other church function wrapping up (like maybe a christening). You may find yourself waiting in your car munching on a granola bar for an hour or so.
Also, if you’re planning on getting any shots of the bride’s prep don’t expect to get a shot of her in her dress if you’re leaving her house 2 hours or more before the ceremony. Prep time often runs late – doesn’t matter how much communication you have with the bride a late hairdresser or makeup artist will through off the best planned schedule.
So if I could add something to the list – expect the unexpected! Never assume that things will go according to plan because they often don’t.

Comment by Andrew — July 6, 2011 @ 7:31 pm
Good comment Andrew, I couldn’t agree more. Also, know the venue. A lot of weddings do not take place in churches. Beware of “fast-food” style wedding chapels, that book 4 or more weddings a day. You will not have time to prepare before the couple arrives or shoot B-Roll after the ceremony. Because the owners will be shoving you out the door.

Comment by Neil — October 27, 2011 @ 9:53 pm
thanx for the great tips

Comment by Kavin — January 28, 2012 @ 11:36 pm
pretty useful tips started this year (full time) after 2 years of learning the ropes (parttime),noticed that i follow 80% of the tips inherently.sure about viability.exellent quality from capturing to processing to delivery,(you will always know if you’ve done a good job).need tips on sourcing for clients.wouid love it if i could do 40 a year.

Comment by ola — February 27, 2012 @ 7:57 pm
A great list of tips (also in the comments section as well) for someone who is starting out. I think 20 years of playing in wedding bands has helped a lot with getting used to expecting the unexpected not to mention the contacts also.

Comment by Lee — May 15, 2012 @ 7:50 am
These tips was truly helpfull.
One of my friends wants me to film his wedding.
After all this great advise i am fired up BUT have one question: For low light weddings – WHAT CAMERA SHOULD I BUY for this wedding? I only have a small basic sony camcoder and he wants me to use that – Im just scared that wont do the wedding justice… What do i invest in and may i can use use it for future weddings who knkow? Please help.

Comment by JP — June 20, 2012 @ 3:32 am
Lot’s of great tips, but B-Roll doesn’t stand for “Before-roll”.

Comment by Michael — July 23, 2012 @ 8:44 am
Hey Michael,
I don’t know how that inaccurate definition of B-Roll got past me, but I’ve removed it. Thanks for letting me know.

Comment by Hal — July 23, 2012 @ 8:50 am
Thanx brothers. Its great.

Comment by Johnson — July 24, 2012 @ 4:54 am
Check out our wedding video.

https://vimeo.com/46824922

Comment by Matthew — August 10, 2012 @ 1:00 pm
Thanx for this post. Tip #10 is always the killer with video in post.

Comment by Bruidsfotograaf Groningen — September 3, 2012 @ 10:30 am
Very usefull tips for me as a wedding videoprapher.
http://vimeo.com/50037858

Comment by Video Wedding — November 23, 2012 @ 7:59 pm
Great article!

Comment by FIDMOR — November 27, 2012 @ 6:42 am
Great tips–”B-roll” actually does stand for “before roll”, according to several articles I read, it’s OK if some don’t agree. As far as the cinematic style, I’m still experimenting with that, none of our clients have asked about it but may in the near future. You can see some of our weddings on our site: http://jnicivideo.weebly.com, we’ll have some on our Vimeo channel as well.

By the way, watch out for scammers–we almost fell for two who had weddings scheduled for last month–here’s how they work:

1. Both from the Detroit area, living overseas.
2. Going “from church to reception”.
3. Sending full payment, with stipulation of sending the band theirs (very unusual).
4. Both weddings a week apart.

If you receive E-mail from anyone that has the above, mark it as spam and delete it, alert the wedding site if it came from there.

Good luck!

Comment by Jason J. Young — December 11, 2012 @ 11:55 am
great tips! thanks for sharing. <3 JP, if you're pursuing a living on wedding videography, invest on decent mid-level dslr, like canon 60D, then some versatile lens, some third party lens are great. i personally like tamron 24-70mm 2.8f because it has a zoom which is perfect for live events, and does great in low-light condition like inside the church. hope it helps. drop by our site, http://icecandystudio.com ciao! <3

Comment by annie quintalan — January 18, 2013 @ 12:37 am