Virgin no more
 

So,

I show my first wedding over the weekend (yesterday as a matter of fact) - and overall - I think things came out very well. I used two cameras (XL-2 and a Panasonic AG-DVC30 - with my girlfriend on one camera, and myself on the XL-2).

While I did miss a few shots (mainly the Bride and Groom introductions at the beginning of the reception - due to people getting in my way to take photos - I'll know to prepare for that "next time"), 90% of the ceremony and seemed to come out great - and the mistakes that I did make are ones that I will hope to correct during the next wedding that I do (which is now booked because of a contact that I made at this wedding!)

A few special/different things that I did:
1) The night before the wedding itself, I went to the rehearsal dinner (that was actually at the Groom's Parent's home and not at the site of the wedding) and took some tape there - to capture more of a candid and relaxed atmosphere. I am hoping to use some of that footage as "outtakes" or as part of a highlight video. Does anyone else here take video of the Rehearsal dinners???

2) I also floated around during the reception to see if I could get people to give their good wishes to the Bride and Groom on Camera - that is going to be a separate section of the DVD which I think will be a nice little bonus as the Bride and Groom did not see or know of me doing this.

Overall, I shot 9 hours worth of tape (rehearsal dinner was 1 hour, and then four hours on each camera at the wedding/reception). I was able to impress the DJ, photographer, and JP that were "pros" at this, and also (most importantly) impressed the Bride and Groom - while also making a ton of good contacts. While I did intend to do this wedding for free - the Groom did give me a nice little $300 tip at the end of the night that will at least help me buy some more batteries that I will need for the next wedding that I do.

Will try and post a clip sometime in the near future, once I get the stuff edited.

Thanks for all of your advice over the last few months to help make this possible - I learned a lot just be reading other peoples comments and watching other peoples highlight videos.

Ryan

Congratulations
 

Welcome to the wacky world of wedding videos.

Wedding Video
 

Ryan,

Two things: First, be aggressive. Don't let anyone get in your way, not even the cocky photographers. Talk to the photo guys and the guests before the ceremony to make certain that they won't get in your way. Second, you can try following the bride and the groom into the reception hall to get a first-person perspective.

Doing your homework in advance is very important. I've never shot a wedding without location scouting first. Plan your shots as if you were shooting a feature film. Let your bride know exactly what you need. Be a director. Don't just be a documentarian. Discuss the final product BEFORE the wedding, so you know what type of style your clients like.

I am very experienced in wedding videos. Feel free to ask me any questions.

Jason

Thanks Jason,

I did do location/lighting testing about a week before the cerrimony - talked to the DJ and photographer before the shoot as well - but still, the photographer (prehaps due to inexperence or just because she didn't know where she was in relation to me) got in my way a few times, luckly - the second camera will save me in this circumstance.

But as for guests in the wedding, how do you really handle this without pissing them off? One time, the when I asked the FATHER of the GROOM to please move durring one of the dances - he jumped right in front of the camera and proceeded to make faces into the lens (he had just a little to drink) - how do you handle this situation without pissing off someone? I can understand that you need to get the shot, but at the same time, the wedding is for the guests too.

There was a TON that I have learned - one of the things that I might try is to get a small step stool or ladder so that I can go over the guests and not have to deal with people crossing in my way to try and get that view from the top with at least one camera. Anouther thing that I am going to get is a wireless communication system with my second camera person - so if one of us does miss a important shot - the other will know to get it.

Now that I have done my first wedding though, I think I'll have a better idea of what I'm up against.

thanks
Ryan