Survey: reception
 

1. How do you cover bridal party entry? Any special equipment used?

2. How do you light the first dance?

3. How do you cover bouquet throw, farewell circle, farewell arch?

4. Do you do anything special to make sure you get fed? Or do the waiters often take your meal before you get a bite?

5. When do you call it a night?

Re: Survey: reception
 

1. When I can, I pull out five cameras to cover the entry: one camera on MC, one camera getting their faces as they walk in, one camera getting a wide of where they end up (usually lined in front of bridal table), one camera getting a wide of whee they walk in showing a lot of audience, and a steadicam floating around getting creative shots. I also use up to three lights to do backlight and foil for different parts of the pathway as they walk in.

2. First dance I usually light with backlight and front light, usually different colours.

3. Bouquet: one camera in front of bride, pulling focus to the girls, and one steadicam getting wider angle, and probably pushing in towards the girls as the flowers fly through the air.

Farewell circle: nothing special. One camera follows bride, one follows groom.

Farewell arch: steadicam preceding the couple through the arch, the jumping out of the way at the last moment so the photographer at the end can get a shot, is the main coverage. Other camera doesn't get much -- maybe alternative angle of couple entering the arch, and random cutaway, like of the hands forming the arch.

4. Getting fed -- usually too stressed to eat. But have worked with videographers who do such things as: insist they're seated in the same room as the guests, so that they're not surprised by formalities starting up; insisted on being fed first, before the formalities start; or just lurk by the kitchen door and grab food off the waiters.

5. Call it a night -- I pretty much always stay till couple have driven away.