Wedding Do's and Don'ts

After spending my first few months out of school, My very first job offer was a wedding videography job.  Originally I thought I would be shooting for bigger and better things, but why not take the opportunity and see what it’s like.  Here’s my experiences based on countless days of shadowing, and many more being all over the place making sure to get the best of everything.

1. DO NOT FILM PEOPLE EATING
Most people HATE being on the end of a camera when eating.  It makes them feel like they can’t relax at the dinner table, and more importantly, it makes them feel gross.  People like to eat and talk, but don’t want to be the center of attention, especially at someone’s wedding.  When there’s a camera pointed at them, it is very possible that it will induce the discomforts previously mentioned, and generally can ruin a wonderful moment with family and friends.

2. WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE
Outside of the typical swear words, there’s other terms that can make things a little uneasy between yourself and the Bride/Groom.  Constantly saying things like “Beautiful” and “Stunning” when getting your shots can cause more discomfort with the family, just because you’re a stranger at the wedding.  Keep in mind that compliments are still on the table, but need to be processed before blurting them out.  I find terms like “That’s outstanding” and “This is awesome” typically fit the tone that I’m looking for while keeping the tone professional and respectful.

3. GET THE SCENERY
A big mistake newer videographers make is to move straight onto the live events, and skip past the scenery when getting to a gig.  I’ve learned that you should get some generally good shots from the grounds of the wedding before doing anything else!  As always, this would require you to show up early and get those shots beforehand.  My personal favorite shots are from the sun coming through the leaves of a tree, or even just a Pan across the venue from the parking lot.  It also doesn’t hurt to repeat this step when you get to the ballroom or wherever dinner is taking place.  You can capture really intricate details from the way the tables were set up, all the way to the table seating arrangements on your way in, every detail counts!