What I hate when filming a wedding!
 

1. When I arrive to film the bride getting ready and she’s still at the hairdresser/ makeup artist. When she does arrive, I have 10 minutes to perform a miracle.

2. When I get to the Church/Chapel, I greet the priest/pastor and all he does is tell me where I can go and where I can’t go without saying hello back. (Plain rude!)

3. When filming the putting on the rings and first kiss the priest/pastor decides to walk in front of the camera. (Do I look invisible to him?)

4. When the B&G are smokers and can’t go without a smoke for more then 2 minutes and they don’t want you to film them having a smoke. So you got to put down your camera every 2 minutes and wait for them to finish.

5. When I get to the reception and there’s no seating for you, even after you explain this to them, when they signed the contract. They simply tell you, that they forgot and take another 30 minutes to arrange a seating place for you and your assistant.

6. When I go around filming guests at their table, there will always be an idiot that points at the camera and says: “Look its Candid Camera”. If it was “Candid Camera” you wouldn’t see me, would you?

7. When I am filming speeches, the parents allow their little brats to run and make a noise, as if it was kinder garden. No respect whatsoever.

8. When I am busy filming, someone decides that they want to go past right in front of me, because they are too lazy to go around me. The worst is, when they do come past, they buck down half-way and all I get is the top of their head. If you are going to buck down, make some effort!

These are just some of the things I hate and get irritated with, when I film a wedding.

What gets to you?

Regards.

amen!!!
 

marco,
wow you hit it right on the nail bro! I dont know how many times
ive had an idiot walk in front of the camera like that. it never ending as
fasr as how videographers are treted these days.

One thing I hate is when your at a wedding and there are some people there that know you and they come over and say hi, grabbing your arm touching your shoulder as your filming working. :( That get's me really mad

I'm yet to get a job where your 5th point is not a problem for me as well

Monday

Marco,

Every word rings true.

Ben

Yes, I've had all these things happen but even so, filming a wedding day is a very happy experience I find. The guests are dressed up to the nines and looking their best, there's cameras everywhere so I fit in ok, people want to be photographed and it's even legal for me to film the happy kids without written parental permission. Wow!

tom.

mine is people walking in front of the camera and even they know you are doing video record they pretend that you are not there :}}} HOLY SHOOT

I was on a wedding planner's list, where a bunch of them were instructing other planners not to feed vendors, because they are not guests, for the exception of the DJ. I had to inform them that the DJ is there only half-day, while the video/photo people have been there an entire day, covering the event without a meal and it would look very cheap on the bride's part to have everyone eating while the rest of us twiddle our thumbs. Some of them got how rude it is not to feed us or provide a chair, but the majority of the wedding planners said if there should be food bring out a bologna sandwich and an apple in a brown bag and let them eat it. Talk about tacky?

I hate when they want the lights off during the reception, then complain when the video is too dark. And then not upgrade their package to accomodate the extra editing. I believe a lot of brides watch these shows like Platinum Weddings and Bridezillas and don't realize how much lighting it takes to get those images.

Yes, I get that too. They ask me, "But isn't Digital cameras suppose to be better at low light?"

I try to explain to them, yes they are much better now compared to the "Old" days, but with extra light your wedding will have less grain, better colours and sharper images. Some of them, just don't get it.
It's a couple of hours of discomfort, but the wedding DVD will last forever (I hope).

Regards.

If they don't plan on feeding me I leave for up to an hour during the dinner portion of the reception to eat. They don't work for 12 hours without eating and neither will I, at least not at a wedding. That's part of my service agreement. Luckily I've only had to enforce a couple of times over the last 5 or so years. I don't need to eat with the guests but FEED ME! ;-)
As for the lighting issue, it's no issue at all. First when they ask me if I use lighting I tell them YES at the reception a small on camera light they when they ask why, I show them a short piece of footage taken at the same reception with the lighting unchanged. First about 15 seconds of footage with no light then about 15 seconds of footage WITH the light. That pretty well ends the discussion of "dark and romantic mood".
You want romance get a room you want GOOD video I use my light which BTW is a 35W with a softbox and honestly I've not had anyone really complain about it.
Don

1.

((This is where planning comes into effect.. i always tell the bride to give herself half an hour buffer time.. if she wants to be home and getting dressd by midday, i tell her to make sure shes ready by 1130.. if theyre late, theyre still within that buffer.. if they go over, tough shit.. Im only there for an hour and half at the most, so she knows the deal BEFOREHAND... another thing i do sometimes is give them a handycam to take to the boutique with them and run amok with the camera. This way they shoot their own stuff, and if its crap, its crap. But if i dont get all the shots i want, im not responsible.. ))



2.

((Most ive dealt with have been OK, some are Nazis but im usually too busy prepping and calibrating the cams. i go up to the minister..
"Hi im pete, this is where im shooting from, and i have another camera set up over there.. when we start, i wont move from here, so u dont have to worry about me distracting anyone. Thanks cya" If you know ur stuff and u know how to compose yourself, they know youve done this oftenenough times to not have to throw the rulebook at u. Sometimes u get idiots whose only plae of power is within the walls of the church, so they take it as far as they can go. Now, with that, i tel them to speak to the couple about it, because as far as theyre and Im concerned, we were all of teh understanding that i could film freely. If this has changed "please advise teh couple, as i am under contract to shoot from THIS area. Im yet to have a problem with this procedure or "line" of sweetalking.. if u wanna call it that.. ))

3.

((This is where re-enactment comes into play.. after the family pics and before they jump back in the cars, sneak the couple back in. Its imperitive you remember what settings u had inside (vs outside) and jsut re-enact some closeups of ring exchange and the kiss. I do this and the product is better for it, as i can get true tight closeups during the actual ring exchange and NOT worry about what theyre hands a re doing. I worry abotu that later. I tell teh clients this and 100% have gone for it.. Looks better and they dont have to say anythign. You just focus on teh hand activities, while the voiceover from ARoll keeps going.. works a treat.. and the photographer will love you for it. convey this as a deliberate "procedure" you follow, as opposed to being an issue and trying to make up for a lost shot. If u make it deliberate, there wont be any negative issues surrounding this practice. If however you tell the client.. hey look, i missed the shot, can we do it again.. then u look like a dick.. if u say.. this is what we do, coz we get the best of both shots, then they love u for it.. ))

4.

((Dude, theres more to film than teh BG.. and smokers are more fun IMO as they are far more relaxed about other people smoking. I take it ur not a smoker.. no bad thing, but IMO this comment is silly as ive gotten some incredible candids.. also if they are smokers, I usually recomend the boys grab themselves afew cigars asthese can make for a subject piece in itself if they want a skit or what have u (even thoguh its really not my style)

5.
((THis is why its in the contract. No seating/meal = No shooting.. oopps break time, see u in an hour and a half.. usually i speak to the MC or matre'd about seating and dont bother the couple with it. If there is no seating, i pester the staff until i have a seat. If there is no meal, i stop shooting and tell teh clients that im about to go to maccas for a burger.. usually a meal is provided within 5 minutes of tehm being advised im about to leave the premises for 90mins.. DONT EVER let it get to the point that your starving yourself while your shooting. By the time youve already hit the 10hour mark without anything touching ur stomach.. also if theyreve got limos, dont be afraid to ask for snacks and drink and chill out a bit with the drivers and bridal party... u ARE allowed to take a break you know.. ))


6.
((Hahhaha i hate the ones that SQUINT at a 25w in a softbox.. i kid u not, the downlogights are brighter.. but these guys are just pests.. theres also the "protective" "this is my hot Girlfreind and u cant look at her" type of guys. These are the insecure morons who grab their GF's and pull them close whenever there is a camera nearby....))

7. .

((Theres also teh element of speeches during mealtimes, with the cutlery and plates clanging and banging as we try to hear whats being said.. you cant control this, just have a clause in your contract to CYA with "no liability envirnmental influences beyond your control" Another option is to mic up the lectern (which is what i do) but for a free mic, i dont bother anymore.. i jsut run off the PA.. ))


8.

((Meh.. if that happens, so be it.. theres another clause "people blcking the cameras view" where ive had unmanned cameras blocked by weekend warrior photographers who notice teh unmanned camera is in an ideal spot, so they stand in fornt of it for 5 minutes while a reading is taking place.. they dont realise that the camera has a friggin wide lens. If it wrecks the shot, i cant do much about it, so i leave it as is (if i cant cover it up with anything else) as the couple usually know who that person is.. tehy an blame them.. im there WELL BEFORE anyone else is, so i claim the spot as my own. If someone bumps or moves the camera, i make it known that theyve pissed me off and to stay out of my way. Im a big boy and im not too pretty so usually one stuff up is all theyll ever do. Remember, your not there to make friends... ))

What gets to you?

What gets to me..

1) When people "call you" to take a "Photo" with your video camera
2) Lazy groosm who sit on their asses all day then rush at teh last minute to get dressed
3) Mothers in law who dont want to be seen out of makeup.. BUT hide throughout the video, s the only candids we see are of her actual preps..
During edit..
perfect example. during edit -
"ME- ok, ill run it in balck and white.."
THEM - sorry not good enough.. u can still se her wrinkles.. get rid of the shot altogether..
ME - ok, done..
THEM - "theres no shots of my mum in law.. can we have more"
ME - DROP DEAD YOU BLOOD CLOT!!!! AARGH!!!!!!!
4) Receptions that are unirganised and MC's "by a friend" who has NO IDEA wtf is going on..
5) Couples i meet abotu 3 weeks prior to filming to arrange shootign schedule with paperwork incomplete and nothign planned.. im usually organsing their friggin day.. im only there to pik up my papers, not organise ur friggin wedding... then again, when they pay big bux, id rather organise it, this way i know there wont be abny stuff ups..
6) couples who dont get back to you abotu music.. then 10 months later, as tehyre organising their 1 yr anniversary parties, they have teh audacity to complain about delivery of tehir dvd's... DURRR whats worse is when tehy harp on that its "been almost a year"
Read the friggin cntract..uwant results, i need your music, its a simple equations..
7) Photographers who get upset that your gear is better than theirs. I have a 5d kit which i whip out every now and then.. they dont like this... as it has the potential for them to lose money.. i dont care either way, im still taking the shot.. get a life or rebuild ur business model so i WONT have to do this..
8) Photogs who thik the world revolves around them. Nuff said
9) photogs who assume youve never filmed a wedding before, even though youve shot more weddings in 3 years than they have in their lifetime..
10) Guests trying to be your best friend.. "i have this camera, and i know that photographer.." same goes with fly by night shooters who just have this bizarre need to namedrop. IMO, i DONT CARE what other people do, and i dont give a toss about the industry anymore. Its killed itself to a point of unsalvagable propportions.. i do my work, i go home. I deal with no shit and im happy.
11)speeches that drag on and on and on and on.. dude.. if i wanted to know what colour the brides poo was when she was 3 months old, id ask u...
12) Indian weddings. i wont do them for less than 8grand.. nuff said..
13) what depresses me.. is when i see a GORGEOUS bride (as in in and out) with a deadbeat groom to be.. on the wedding day, she shines like a goddess, is articulate, wel spoken respectful and loves you for what youve done to help her day along.. BUT the groom is a deadbeat no hoper that, swearrrrrs, farts, burps and does stupid gestures on camera "for a laugh"
You KNOW (from expereince interacting with him) that hes got no clue and no idea how lucky he is.. but you cant say anything to her.. hes a deadbeat yobbo waste of space.. and shes a desperate girl whos had her self esteem shatt. either that or he's got a big schlong...
14) Bridemaids that do nothng for the bride.. half teh weddings ive shot, the bridesmaids were too busy fussing over themselves as opposed to helping the bride... this wastes time, and many photo opportunities..
15) photogs who insist on shooting right near ur ear.. and as the vowws are being spoken, they run a rapid shutter.. clak clak clak clak clack.. lucky the grooms wearing a wireless mic..
16) priests who think theyre god..
17) rain

thers more but i cant think of many now..

But of these negatives, i have to say that theres 5 positives for each. There is more to shooting wedding than just the negatives, else i wouldnt be doing it..

Vendor meals.

Peeple with bad stinky breath who are close talkers......sniff sniff, yummy;)
Well, that doesn't matter if its at a wedding or anywhere else....I just don't like it when someone's breath smells like a swamp full of rotting carp.

I like weddings too much to be hatin' though.

"13) what depresses me.. is when i see a GORGEOUS bride (as in in and out) with a deadbeat groom to be.. on the wedding day, she shines like a goddess, is articulate, wel spoken respectful and loves you for what youve done to help her day along.. BUT the groom is a deadbeat no hoper that, swearrrrrs, farts, burps and does stupid gestures on camera "for a laugh"

I had that happen once. I guess it has happened several times, but one time the bride was a goddess inside and out and the groom was a drunk buffoon with no appreciation of her. My soul darkened another shade that day.

"Vendor meals."

I'm not too bothered by vendor meals as I am not a picky eater, but it is a tad insulting when the guests are eating lobster and I am eating a club sandwich that was made for room service at noon and I'm getting the leftovers 8 hours later. What REALLY bothered me was once the hotel staff (most ballrooms here are in hotels) seemed to be actively avoiding serving us photo/video and DJ water. FREAKIN WATER! It's free! I am always dehydrated after weddings because I am running around in the heat all day (even in winter, check my locale) and don't always have time to stop and rehydrate. I can't stand to carry a gallon of water with me due to the weight. I end up resorting to bothering the bartender who is busy pouring drinks for 100 guests. When half the wait staff is holding pitchers of ice water away from me and I am getting a dehydration headache, I start to get a bit cranky. If it happens again, I am definitely going to pout. Actually, the best revenge is to get into their turf about it. I just went in the kitchen and started rummaging around and asking where I can get a pitcher...the staff magically turn into helpful little elves.

I think if you ever have a problem, put on the nonchalant "I just work here" look and things go your way. Don't get angry about things as it is stressful and makes things more difficult for you if people are avoiding you. Perhaps it is the laid-back Hawaii way and people just flow more smoothly with relaxed people around here.

Endless speaches that suck the life out of the guests really bother me! It ruins the video and nobody dances.

I hate drunks. Combine a drunk with an endless speach and that is what I hate most. Wait, a drunk groom giving an endless speach while his angelic bride sits by patiently is the worst. It makes me want to don my armor and slay the fool so the beautiful bride and her loving family won't have to live the hell in which they are about to descend...

lol...so this is what I have in store for me then...sounds fun, but then again it's early days for me and it's all fresh and exciting...no doubt it will be beaten out of me in a few years heh ;)
I can only relate to the 'being mistaken for the photographer' incident. I have an FX1 with a Rode Videomic sticking out of it for christs sake. Oh, and since when do you ever see a photographer swooning around doing sweeping arcs and handheld pans. The wedding registrar called me the photographer consistently, asked me to wait until after the signing before I took the photo's, stood in front of me when they were signing the bloody thing. The funny thing is, as she was talking to the groom privately just before the ceremony, I was getting some practice shots of the room etc and she turned to me and asked whether I was 'filming right now' or not...hmm...actually it didn't really annoy me that much, I was just intruigingly confused.
that's all i can say from experience since it was the first one, tho I'll raise a glass to many more ;)

Lonely Guests
 

What about the lonley singel gals coming up telling you that is some really nice equipment there, and hitting on you harder the drunker they get. It is like hello im working here, every thing you are saying is being recorded on camera right now. I actually had one tell me last weekend she had always wanted to be filmmed<?;'{P.?/]p[pl';O??? No I dont really hate it, but it is distracting... :)

come on now Eugene.....70 year ol' ladies don't count, they could be your gandma'!!!!

LOL

ive had a 15yr old bridesmaid give me her room key.. she knew she was hot, but Im not THAT stupid..

I think that's deliberate, Damian. In UK at least, they are often quite iffy about filming the signing of the register, and either overtly ask you not to, or "covertly" stand in the way deliberately.

When asked, registrars sometimes mumble about "protecting the privacy of other entries". But aren't marriage certificates available to the public?

I have asked the Registration Service officially if they have a policy here, but had no reply.

Same here Martin. I've even had priests tell me not to film the signing, so I simply roll the tape anyway while looking the other way, admiring the vestry's stained glass window.

These happen to me as well, to me Bridesmaids are a waste of time. They are more interested in their partners then helping the bride.

A photographer friend of mine once did a wedding where there was no seating and meal prepared for him. When he went to the groom to ask about this, he was told that they didn't pay for his seating and meal because it wasn't their responsibility to feed him. The groom used the example, that when he goes to work his boss doesn't provide a meal for him at work, he has to take his own sandwiches to work, therefore the photographer should have done the same. The photographer left to go eat at a restaurant. Then he gave the bill to his employer the next day.
When the B&G came to pick up their photos they were presented with the photographers bill and were not allowed to take their photos until they paid the photographer's food bill. That was classic!

Regards.

Marco, youd be surprised how many couples try this tactic, however, usually im of a good rapport with them, so they feel like slackasses if tehy dont feed me..

In the end, if you have a contract, and the couple sign it, and the contract (in my case a 3parter) states that they will provide food/meals and parking, then i expect it to happen.
If they dont stick to THEIR part of the bargain, then i make it known..

If they do a backflip, on meals, then i bill them for my time travelling, fuel and any parking fees incurred...

Parking fees incured on the day are billed after the wedding, usually 24hrs from teh day of shooting.
Ive hit $140 a day just on parking (2 hotels 30bux each, irrespective of time... , the ceremony gardens 40bux and the photoshoot (metered) and the reception $25flat rate night flagfall..
now that 140bux is an average of 1 days work for most people.. couples dont consider this when theyre looking at their locations, but in the end, were there to make a profit, not operate on donations..

This could be a very long thread...complaining is great.
Actually, that's a great point about the parking, I thought I had most things covered in the old business plan but that's a definite addition.
And about the single, lonely gals coming on...if that's what can happen then damn, I should've got into this years ago lol, don't think my better half would be too impressed though...that Rode VideoMic would go where the sun don't shine. arghh

u thought the Rode is somethjign to worry about.. lol try a Zeppelin style windshield.. roflmao

Look, no doubt weddings can be fun, but at the end of the day, were there to do a job.. whether we have a vent for teh negatives or not, the fact remains that there is a reason why we do it and continue to do it.. obviously those positives outweigh the negativs, else we'd be doing something else...
to ME now... well, its an equal balance between positives and negatives, as working smarter and not harder is my ultimate goal.

each of us does things differently and to air our feeling or vent out every now and then is to be expected, but in the end, were there to be n business.. we are working, despite what people think and despite their misconceptions abotu the industry. Dont ver take of your "business hat" at any stage whatsoever. if u have to be tough, be tough... U wont make friends with people who automatically assume you will operate your business like a phtographer would.
Ive got clients who read teh contract, signed it and were advised in writing that delivery is 18 to 36 weeks.. they got married in august.. i havent even rewound the tapes yet.. BUT even with this, they email and txt me EVERY 2 weeks religiously about progress..
Its these clients who are all for the service but think that theyre the only clients u deal with.. that really aggravates me.
Selfish selfish selfish..

what is the cause of this.. well its very simple..
theyve spent all their money... theyre now paying off a martgage or what have u.. they dont go out as theyre on a budget now... they have no life...
Theyve recently recived their album from their photog and 99% of the time, theyres something about it which theyre not too pleased with, so they automatically assume the video 'will be the same"
So they approach u with this negative mentality before they even say hello...
From there, it gets from bad to worse as they try to fish their way throgh an airtight agreement to get their way and get their video before other people..
this happens and continues to happen even from the clients who u think wouldnt do it..

at the end of the day, video production for private sector is one of the most difficult industries to work in.

I agree, I love my Job, for every complaint I have, I have more positive stories to tell as well. I started this thread just to let off some steam and have an idea that I am not alone in this business. Also this helps those that want to start their wedding business what to expect and not be surprised when these things do happen to them.

We could start a thread, "What I love about filming weddings" and I am sure there would be a great response to that as well. Like everything else in life you have your bad days and your good days, just make sure you have more good days then bad days, then what's the point.

What really gets to me, is that we are not appreciated for the work we do. We work harder and longer than the Photographer and DJ and we get hardly any respect. People just look at us as a "Monkey" with a camera who suppose to record everything 24/7. I have been in this industry 12 years and I don't think this perception is going to change anytime soon.

Thanks Peter for your comments, I have had a great laugh especially with the "if i wanted to know what colour the brides poo was when she was 3 months old, id ask u..." comment. That gets me everytime, ha ha ha!

Regards.

Some Hot Some Not.
 

You are right Joe I have had a few old moldy's interested, and peter is also on spot, there is jailbait out there. But that aside I have been lucky, Outside of a few camera shy people and the ocassional kid screaming, I have very little to complain about my clients have all been very nice people. Maybe I have just not been in it long enough. I think the area you work in has alot to do with the type of people and the manners and social norms at play.

Great procedure, advising the couple before the event that as a matter of routine you want a re-enactment. One photog I was working alongside asked for a ring exchange reshoot and blamed a "camera problem." B&G's eyes rolled and afterward privately asked if I got the "real" exchange & said they were very disappointed with the photog. I haven't missed capturing a ring exchange yet, but realizing it can happen, makes me think I should incorporate a pre-planned re-enactment into my standard procedures. Sounds a lot more professional than after-the-fact blaming missing the money shot on faulty equipment or the minister moving.

Getting back to the topic, I enjoy most everything about taping weddings, especially when the coordinator is good and keeps me posted on any schedule changes. Conversely, what really irritates me is when there is a major change -- like time of the cake cutting -- and my first clue is a crowd gathering.

Here's another one...

Once I edited a wedding for a B&G, they came back to me and asked me to take every scene of a couple they didn't like at their wedding. I asked them, "If you didn't like these people, why did you bother to invite them to your wedding?", the bride answered "My mother invited them, so I didn't say no."
So I went back to my project and took out every scene where this couple was filmed, how silly was that! You have a wedding and you don't like the people that are invited to it...

The touching!
 

My wife will touch my shoulder / waist / arm etc while I am filming or setting up shots. Quite annoying, but I have let her know and it happens less and less as time goes on.

For some reason even if I am thinking hard about how to rescue a horrible scene (bad lighting, ugly backdrop, etc) I can't stand to be touched. I seem to need to be undisturbed while I try to find the solution.

jason

The last (THE LAST) wedding I shot was a nightmare and the reception was more like a frat party. We had to shoot the ceremony from the balcony because "electronic equipment was not allowed near the altar"... even though there were a couple of CCDs mounted there and the podium had a microphone that was used during the ceremony! Also, the groom refused to wear the wireless mic at the last minute. So, we had echoing audio, zoomed-in video (which is shaky at times b/c we were almost completely zoomed in), and complete drunkenness at the rehearsal and reception. It was hard NOT to put embarrassing footage of the bride and groom on the final edit.

Hi,

This weekend I had a problem with pets and not people. We went to somone's mansion to take photos and video, using their gardens for family and B&G photos.
The problem was, the owners of the house had these two huge dogs who were over friendly. They kept getting in the way and sniffing my butt all the time. Because these people were doing the bride a favour by having the use of their garden, the bride didn't tell them to tie up the dogs.

One time, a dog came behind me and nearly bite my camera when I was filming a low angle shot, I turned around and kicked the dog. Instead of getting the hint, the people just laughed and thought it was hilarious.

I don't know which were worse, the dogs or the dog owners. Go figure!

Regards.

Some minor (yet a little annoying) things happened to me at the most recent wedding I was working at...

1. During the wedding rehearsal, the photographer kept tapping me on the shoulder to ask me certain logistical questions (such as where I was going to be standing during the ceremony, etc). I certainly have no problem with him asking me stuff like this, but it definitely would've been better if he had done that WHILE I WASN'T CURRENTLY FILMING THE REHEARSAL! The resulting footage was pretty shaky, which made it a little more challenging during editing. Fortunately, the reverend was wearing a wireless mic, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

2. I had no gas in my car at the time, so I wasn't able to be there for the photoshoots which were taking place between the ceremony and the arrival of the B&G at the reception. (This one is kind of my fault, though).

3. During the reception, I was told by the wedding coordinator, the DJs, and the catering staff that the B&G (and the rest of the bridal party) would be coming into the ballroom through one of the patio doors located next to the DJ booth. So I set up my camera and tripod accordingly. They actually entered through a different door at the other end of the room, which again threw me off guard just a little bit.

4. I wasn't on the list for a meal (neither were the DJs...but the photographer and his wife were!). Fortunately, that part was quickly resolved and I was able to sit down and get some food in my stomach.

5. Towards the end of the night, the groom got on the DJ's microphone and started doing a "thank you" speech for everybody at the wedding. But they never told me about it first, so I wasn't exactly ready. Fortunately, I only missed the first few seconds of his speech, so that part worked out okay during editing.

Hi Adam,

I see you have that 'New Boot' label, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're a newbie videographer (or are you?)

Anyway, in some other discussion however long ago I wrote that we need to have eyes not only behind our head, but one on each side as well. This is particularly true at receptions. We have to be constantly on the alert and not accept as fact what the wedding coordinator, venue manager, Uncle Joe, etc. tells us is The Plan because, once the ceremony is over, The Plan for what happens afterwards often starts to look like an ice cube on hot cement.

This is where having a few lines in your contract or service agreement addressing itinerary changes comes in handy. It's something to fall back on, but not an excuse for not staying alert and keeping on top of things.

I tape an iRiver to the house mike at the reception hall and leave it turned on the whole time, so even if I don't get the start of an impromptu speech on video, I still have the audio. Actually, most reception speeches are better off unrecorded, but occasionally there's a memorable one that's worth saving for posterity -- and to keep the bride from chewing off your posterior if you miss it.

I'd rather them walk by and act like I wasn't there than to try and duck as they passed through the frame. I sometimes like shots that have people walking through the foreground. It can also be used as a cool visual transition when paired with a well timed wipe.

my list...
 

I've done four of these now, and basically they were all favors for family and school friends. I was fed at three of them, so no complaints there. One of the was an outdoorsy affair with a PA behind me, so I could set up my shotgun pointing backwards and the camera forwards at the action. Of course, it picked up my breathing which was kinda annoying, hehe.

My main beef were with the photographers at one of the events, who snapped 600 odd proofs and were paid about three grand and who kept getting into just about every one of my shots. I was shooting straight up the aisle (only had one cam in those days) and they would just jump right in between me and the B&G, even though they could've taken a step one way or the other and gotten their shot without killing mine. At one point the two photogs turned to the camera and did some silly hamming.

I wasn't given a good rundown of the reception so I was trapped upstairs waiting for people to come do messages for the bride and groom when suddenly they started cutting the cake! I lucked out that an amateur guy happened to have his cheesy dv handicam (in LP mode, bleah) getting some shaky cake footage, the rest I turned into a photo montage using a bunch of the photogs proofs. (these people were 3 grand, and they had their proofs encrypted...you could only view them in an .exe file viewer...luckily I figured out I could do screen captures and paste them into photoshop, but that's another story).

They dropped the lights to nothing during the dancing...of course. The bride's father warned me that they were going to *dim* the lights, but i didn't fitgure he meant all the way. My only bit of serendipity in this case was that there was a mirror with white Christmas lights around it and I kept them between me and it, so I had a nice silouette.

I guess that's about it, other than my freebie jobs end up being 3 DV tape's worth of footage! (Quakers and Catholics, their weddings do drag on!) And I end up spending several months cutting it down. The one job that actually paid, I spent 20 minutes editing out two little bits where the camera kept running while I moved it! Figures. :)

But really I have no complaints...I just like helping people out I guess, and for the most part, editing is kinda fun.

Jeremiah

1. ...she’s still at the hairdresser....

That's why I stopped offering in-home coverage. I start a half hour ahead of ceremony at the church and get a few last minute shots of the couple separately. Charging a lot more for inhome coverage nixes that problem, and I agree, they are always late with the hair thing.

2. ... I greet the priest/pastor and all he does is tell me...

I try to meet the wedding officiant in advance and go to the rehearsal. My contract says it is client responsibility to work out guidelines. There are some places that are so nasty I won't work at them.

3. ... the priest/pastor decides to walk in front of the camera

With two cams or advance planning, this doesn't happen. I usually run a cam at the rear.

4. ... the B&G are smokers ...

I cover more than the B&G so that can find time to light up. However, fewer and fewer of my clients are smokers (cancure CURES smoking!)

5. ...reception and there’s no seating for you...

My contract has a checkoff for whether or not a meal will be provided. If I have doubt I bring a cooler, or tell them I will step out for 45 minutes. That gets the table set fast. But I don't want to endanger a job over a lousy meal.

6. ...tables ... an idiot that points at the camera and ...

I stopped going table to table for interviews because it's tacky and brings out stuff like this. If I do get someone like that, it stays in because the couple knows who they invited and what to expect.

7. ...speeches... the parents allow their little brats

Tapping the audio system directly and getting cutaways will help out here.

8. ...someone decides that they want to go past right in front of me...

If it happens repeatedly I ask the best man or dad or the bride to deal with the offender. If not, I just put in a cutaway.



I think my greatest pet peeve of this business is when the parents, be they bride or groom's parents, decide they want a video and are willing to pay for it, but the wedding couple does not want video over some preconceived notion. Having the wedding couple snarl at your unappreciatively all day when you're trying to do your best for them is worse than all of the above, combined. Every time it happens however, these nasties are the first ones to call you asking when their video will be ready! "We didn't realize video could be unobtrusive. Our video is great - thanks a lot." Grrrrrr!

I have only done one, so know some of it. Mine was a last minute favor for the bride as their video bailed. Not why I am posting...

Last friday, I am doing my normal marching band shoot. Shooting the cheerleaders and this photog walks square into my shot and starts shooting them. GRRRR.... I am shooting a VX2100 on a monopod with a shotgun mounted in the shoe with a Mike's Muff on it. Not like it is too hard to notice. As the band is on the field, guess what, same guy, stands right next to me and starts shooting with a flash (a NO NO for color guard as flashes can blind them while equipment is in the air). He keeps picking what I am shooting. Look forward to that lovely interlaced flash frames. I wanted to smack him with my monopod and ask him how long he has been shooting weddings. ;) At least my AT835ST has great side rejection.

Well I met the biggest jerk priest of the season at least for me.

He told me not put the tripod on the alter. So I put next to the 1st step near the alter and figured I would move to the center aisle when the 1st reader was called.

The processional comes to an end and I go over to where my tripod was. It's gone! I look all around and someone placed it at the back of the church.

So I ran and grabbed it, and brought it up to where it once was, only to have the priest stop the ceremony, and yell twice at me, "You can not have that tripod there."

It was very humilating. I felt a few swears run through my head as a response to his unkindness, but said nothing.

What I learned was to make sure to ask directly the priest is my tripod ok here, even if he doesn't look like an ass.

Wow - that is bad - but I always run through my set up with the priest before hand. I figure to always get on the good side of the priest and reception hall people as they can recommend brides to your services. . . .

Even though the priest went out of line for saying something during the wedding to you - it's your responsibility to clear your setup with the people running the space first - so you don't have problems like this. If anything is true in Film and Video is that you can't "assume" anything.

With that said - only once have I been on the "alter" for a service - and it wasn't a "religious" wedding at a church (though it was preformed by a priest whom happened to be the grooms uncle). The Groom has specifics of where he wanted me to stand - so I just took his lead and ran it by the priest just to make sure I wasn't going to bother him. The priest was more than happy to accommodate me and actually wanted ME to tell him where I wanted HIM to be in the ceremony. He actually kept looking at me during to ceremony to see if he needed to move to one side or another to make sure he wasn't blocking my shot). You can't ask for anything better than that!

He has since recommended a bride to me from his home parish, and hopefully she will book with me so I can work with this priest again. It does pay to be on the good side of these guys every once in awhile. With that said though, I have run into the very strict priests that consider you an annoyance no matter where you are - but I typically handle these old timers by going over everything before hand, making sure that my setup is OK with them, and asking them what they need from me. That usually clears the air.

Ryan

That's the thing, I did ask. And I was a on good terms with the priest. He gave me the gate combination, so I could park my car in the church's private lot. I thought to myself this is good, the priest and I have a good relationship. That's why it was such a shock that he moved my tripod even though I followed his rules.

He really should have told me he moved the tripod before the ceremony started.

On the other hand I've had priests let me up on the alter and say jokingly they don't want to be blamed for a bad video.

To me, most priests are bipolar. They have a fake kindness and then show their evil controlling side in a flash.

Ryan, thank you for the advice. I am specifically & literally showing all priests from now on where my tripod will be.