The Reel Deal Regarding Wedding Videography by Kris Malandruccolo
Creating the perfect wedding means focusing on every, single detail of the day—so why limit your wedding video to capturing simply the ceremony and reception, when there’s so much more to it than that? By working with a professional wedding videographer, you can develop an heirloom-quality wedding video that chronicles every aspect of your special day—and your special relationship.

Video Variety The Wedding & Event Videography Association, International (WEVA), the largest non-profit trade association for professional videographers, says there are 12 popular trends when it comes to creating unforgettable wedding videos:

Photo/Video Montage Childhood and dating pictures/home video clips set to music. This segment is sure to have your family reaching for the tissue.

Bride and Groom Preparations This can be one of the most creative aspects of the wedding video. Not only does it capture the bride getting ready, putting on her dress, veil and jewelry, but it gives viewers an inside look at the groom putting on his tux and having some fun with the groomsmen.

The Love Story Romantic (or even high-spirited) couple footage combined with personal stories (how you met, first date, proposal, etc.). This segment can even be shown on a large screen at the rehearsal and/or reception, along with your photo montage and a same-day edit of your ceremony!

Prequel A short, spirited, sneak-peek movie trailer of the wedding day, piquing your guests’ curiosity about what’s to come. Sometimes romantic, sometimes fun!

Same-day Edit Talk about immediate gratification! Same-day editing allows you and your guests to enjoy highlights from your ceremony as early as the reception.

Short-Form Video This shorter version of your wedding-day video highlights the entire day in an artistic and cinematic matter, typically lasting 15-30 minutes. This is the cake and coffee version everyone will love.

Weekend Coverage From your rehearsal dinner to honeymoon send-off, this compilation features everything you’ve planned for so long, without missing a thing! This makes a great family heirloom.

Concept Music Video Your videographer can script out your own MTV-style video or lip-synced video to the song of your choice. Feeling adventurous? Sexy? Fun? Include your bridal party, family and guests in the video if you dare!

Storyteller Video This approach incorporates interviews with you, your groom and your guests, that are then dubbed in over the video footage. Imagine listening to your groom describe how he felt seeing you in your dress for the first time as you watch a scene of you coming down the aisle!

Digital Video Prints Using a single frame of video, digital prints can be produced. Picking photos from the video can be a nice enhancement to the photographer’s stills, especially if your photographer doesn’t stay for the whole day.  

Video iPod Your wedding video can be put on your own Video iPod so you can easily share wedding highlights with family and friends no matter where you are! Video iPods can also include audio of your ceremony music and/or vows, and video prints can be added to enhance the show.

Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg! You can also have coverage of your rehearsal dinner, bachelorette parties, bridal showers, dress fittings and other events associated with planning your wedding. You can even produce a honeymoon-highlight video set to a song of your choice. The possibilities are endless—so ask your videography what other speciality options they offer!

Many videographers have video samples on their web sites. Spend some time checking out the different styles offered, and then make appointments with those whose work interests you.

Words from the Wise
If there’s one thing newly married women today agree on, it’s that future brides should have their weddings videotaped. This is according to a new, one-of-a-kind nationwide survey, commissioned by WEVA and conducted in December 2005, which asked women married in 2005 to weigh in on the value of wedding videos. The results of the survey show:

*98 percent of newlyweds recommend brides have their wedding videotaped.
*Brides don’t appreciate the value of video until after the wedding: before the wedding, 52 percent of brides consider video a “Top 10” service; after the wedding, 75 percent of brides consider video a “Top 10” service.
*38 percent of brides did not have their wedding videotaped by anyone.
*68 percent now either somewhat or strongly recommend that future brides hire a professional videographer.
*98 percent of brides surveyed used the services of a professional photographer.
*29 percent of brides surveyed used the services of a professional videographer.
Those who used both agreed that video does a better job of
1) capturing the emotions of the day
2) recording the history of the day
3) creating a visual memory that future children will enjoy more.
When asked, “If you had a choice between looking at your grandparent’s wedding photos or their wedding video, which would you choose?” 61 percent of brides said they would rather see the video.

Double the Pleasure
The results are quite clear. Video becomes more important to the bride after her wedding—but the challenge most videographers face is getting brides to realize that while are they are in the planning stages so they can budget for both a videographer and a photographer. Without both services, it’s impossible to fully capture your wedding day. Having one does not preclude having the other.

Is it enough to just have a photo of you and your groom standing at the altar—or would you also like to hear the vows you said to each other and share that with your future children? Is it enough to have a photo of your first dance as a married couple—or would you like to hear the song you danced to and see the results of your ballroom dance lessons? Your wedding video is not “just a video,” but a family heirloom that will be cherished for generations to come. If you think about it, video is not expensive, it’s priceless!

Find Your Match
For more information on how to hire a professional videographer, visit the WEVA web site at www.weva.com and click on “Brides Guide.”  Of course,  the Premiere Bride Boston magazine and website (www.pbboston.com) has a list of videographers to choose from.  These sites are great resources for finding a dependable, quality professional to capture your big day! Videographers who are active in national and local associations show a commitment to continuing education, which in turn helps them create the best wedding video possible for you.

Just remember, as with anything else in life, you get what you pay for—so budget accordingly. Your wedding video is a family heirloom that should only be entrusted to a professional who’s as committed to capturing your special day in a special way as you are!

Tips for a Terrific Video
·  Speak to the actual videographer who will be videotaping your wedding ahead of time so you can go over the planning details of the day.
·  Make sure your photographer knows that video is important to you, and allow enough time for both the videographer and photographer to get the shots they need.
·  Get your parents, grandparents and bridal party on videotape sharing their favorite story or childhood memory of you.
·  Ensure you get good audio—that’s just as important as good video. For the best quality sound, make sure the groom wears a wireless mic (which will also pick up the brides vows), as does the officiant, and that a microphone is placed nearby to capture readings and music.
·  Let your entertainment know that video and photos are important to you, because both still and video shots will turn out better with nice, ambient lighting. If you want the lights turned off, do so after the videographer and photographer have left.
·  Consider hiring a second videographer—it is well worth the extra expense! This way you can have both the processional and the special moments between the father and bride captured on film, both of your faces as you say your vows as well as reactions shots at the reception. Two cameras make for a much more interesting video, and require extra editing.
·  Give your new husband a gift that will thrill: a video iPod loaded with your wedding highlights, ceremony music and/or vows or video prints? Your videographer can provide it all. Include your videographer in your reception meal-planning. He or she will have worked hard for you all day, and a nourished videographer will have more energy to capture all those priceless moments.