Here is a video clip of how one best man ruins a wedding.  I hope this dosen’t happen to any of you.  Take a look.  (Warning: the quality is bad, but this should only remind you to hire a professional to do your video.)

Please help me understand why he grabbed her legs after he fell over?  If it was me, I don’t know if I would laugh or cry?  How would you take it?

Anna

A good start would be to ask other brides/grooms.  Start with the ones you know and then consider joining web forums to get more opinions.  You can also ask videographers for a list of their recent brides you can contact.  It is important to cosider each opinion, whether they got professional services or not.

When you talk to recent brides they will most likely overflow with information about their wedding and the services they had.  Here is a list of some questions to ask recent brides:

• If you had to pick between photography or videography, which would you choose?
• Why did you choose to have professional videography?
• How did you find your videographer?
• If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently about your videography arrangements (if anything)?
• Were there any particular things you had in mind when shopping around for videography?
• What differences did you see between different videographers as you interviewed them?
• What “lessons-learned” have you come up with concerning your wedding videography?
• Do you know of any recent brides that wouldn’t mind answering these same questions?

After talking to several people, you will already start to develope a good idea of what you need to be looking for.  This will give you a great start on your own search for professional wedding videography.

Igor

 Are they cute or what?  The boys love watching themselves over and over on video…

This was filmed in HD format.  What can you learn from this?  Lighting makes a huge difference.  Igor filmed in dim lighting, so the quality is not  what it would have been in natural light or even a well lit place.  Think about that if your wedding takes place in the evening (and speak with your videographer about it).

Anna

Anyway, since the groom usually finds himself “killing time” in the moments leading up to her grand entrance, it is hard to keep completely quiet and focused.  Many grooms are likely to carry a conversation with his best man or the officiant in a muffled manner, but DON’T DO IT!  Don’t forget that you are wearing a wireless mic that picks up even whispers.  Later, when your video is being put together, all of your distractions and conversations will be evident.  (Yes, we can edit those parts out, but the wife says the grooms have to be warned. )

In the end you will both be happier if you just stick to the plan.  And if you don’t, well, good luck..

Igor

Well, that’s it for today.  Later,

Igor

OK, tip for today..

Most likely zero percent of couples practice exchanging rings prior to their ceremony, but it’s actually not a bad idea.  Sometimes we see the bride and groom struggle at the altar trying to wiggle the ring on the others’ finger.  Once (and I’m totally serious) we had a bride who after much effort still could not fit the ring on her grooms finger and so he took the ring and squeezed it on his own hand!  The congregation sure had a good laugh.

Rarely does this happen completely effortlessly, but if you practice before your ceremony (there is no unspoken rule against this, right?) you have more chance of it going smoothly….hence, a better flowing wedding video.

Hope this helps,

Anna

OK, Let’s say your your wedding day is around the corner.  You want to make sure you do everything you can to look stunning on camera, right?  Here are some easy to follow tips from the pros.  Since it’s not really our place to advise you during your wedding, we still want you to be well prepared for the camera.

1. DO Look At Each Other.  Many brides and grooms can go the whole ceremony with eyes glued on the officiant.  While it is courteous to look at the person who is speaking to you, don’t forget- you are marrying each other.  If possible, turn your bodies to face each other.  That way you can respectfully listen to your officiant, but spend most of the ceremony gazing at your soon-to-be-spouse.   Trust me, you’ll be much happier with a video that shows you exchanging meaningful looks with your partner rather than your officiant.
2. DON’T Chew Gum. Nothing ruins an otherwise beautiful video faster than a bridal party full of gum chewers.  Picture this: A row of impeccably dressed bridesmaids or groomsmen, softy and earnestly chomping through your wedding ceremony.  Or worse yet, a beautiful bride and dashing groom gnashing through their vows.  While a skilled videographer will edit unflattering moments out of your video, a pack of gum just means less  footage to choose from.   If you have to- use mints or breath strips. Just make sure your wedding is a gum free zone!
3. DO Stay Sober. Yes, you’re nervous.  Yes, you’re celebrating.  And yes, you are likely to say or do something less than elegant on camera.  If you insist on taking a few sips- keep the indulgence to a minimum.  You’ve hired a videographer to capture every spontaneous moment, make sure they see you at your best.
4. DON’T Chat With Bridemaids/Groomsmen On Stage.  This may seem common sense, but you may be surprised at how much of this we see.  It looks childish- take our word for it.
5. DON”T Slouch. Don’t even think about slouching.  If you think this may be a problem for you, work out some sort of silent code with your maid of honor so she can help you stay slouch-free.
6. DON’T Be Left In The Dark. Here is how it looks in your imagination: You and your groom holding hands as you say your vows in the twilight, the sun a small speck on the horizon.  Here is how it looks on video: A white dress floats alone in a sea of darkness.  I know it’s harsh, but a camera needs light- so if you want to capture an outdoor ceremony on video, make sure it takes place while the sun is still shining or else illuminated by plenty of extra lighting.  As you finalize details with your videographer, be candid about what the wedding environment will be like and listen to their lighting recommendations.
7. DO Remember That You’re On Camera At All Times. Another one that seems common sense, but sometimes a bride forgets about the camera and the videographer captures a very unhappy, angry or inappropriate scene.  Keep it in the back of your mind at all times.  This is not to say that you need be some sort of a doll- always smiling, but so you don’t get embarrassed watching yourself later on camera.  Again, trust us- it’s for the best.
8. DON’T Get Too Lazy And Tired For Pics/Video. Being beautiful is hard work.  Hard work is tiring, we know this.  But no matter how tired you are- you already paid your photographer and videographer, so don’t get lazy for the camera!  If you get careless, you will seriously regret doing so.
9. DO Make Sure Your Dress Dosen’t Offer Sneak Peaks. I might of mentioned this one before, but it’s pretty important.  Why would you want to watch (not to mention show others) an embarrassing wedding video of yourself?  Just avoid it altogether and make sure your dress is well fit.  Practice sitting, walking, dancing, bending over and hugging in it.
10. DO Mic Your Soloists And Readers. Your BFF is thrilled to be singing at your wedding and your brother has been practicing your favorite poem for weeks.  They both have strong, clear voices, so there is no need for a microphone, right?  Wrong.  By using a mic, not only will your guests better enjoy the poems and songs, but your video will clearly record it.  Without one, everything seems extremely distant or are lost completely- especially outdoors.

I hope these have helped you see things from our point of view and maybe even helped you see things a little differently about your video.

Maybe you have something to add to the list for other brides reading this.  Go ahead and leave a comment with your tip for others.

Thanks for stopping by,  Anna

Then, ask yourself:

• “Were they easy to contact?”
• “How long did it take for them to respond to my email/phone call?”
• “Did they hesitate in letting me contact their previous clients?”

Liene Stevens in her Lessons Learned post said, “Take people at their actions, not at their word.  Hopefully the two will align; often they do not.”   She is absolutely right!  Whether you have one question or many, you have every right to be choosy- so don’t be afraid.  A lot of times the vendors’ communication reflect their priorities.  I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want a team of videographers that I can’t get in touch with in a reasonable time frame.

I, personally, have my own goals about communicating with my clients.  I give myself one business day to respond to any email or a phone call.  Dosen’t matter- urgent or not.  If you have any questions or inquiries for us you can contact TouchDream or email me directly at anna@touchdream.com (Test Me)

Anna