Film my wedding? Q&A

Why should I film my wedding? Isn’t a photographer enough?

We believe that wedding photography is extremely important, and your wedding photos will give you pleasure for many years to come. Our work complements the wedding photographs and adds an extra dimension in that you can see real events as they happened: the emotional highs, the funny moments, and those heartfelt vows and speeches. Only video can truly capture all these details and preserve them for future generations.

Why should I pay for a wedding film when I could ask a friend to film my wedding?

Many people ask friends or family to film their wedding and while this can be a great idea if your budget is very tight, it does have major disadvantages. Even very good amateurs may not have the equipment or the skill to maintain high quality footage throughout. We’re all familiar with the shaky camerawork and overuse of zoom which are typical of home videos. Your friends and family will want to join in the party and that could mean that they miss important moments or the quality of the footage gets worse as they get more tipsy!  Lastly, we believe the editing stage is very important and it takes a lot of commitment for a friend to put in the forty hours or so to edit your wedding to a professional standard. You may be left with unwatchable unedited footage, or footage which jumps around, has no flow and is difficult to view.

Is it true that suppliers always raise their prices for wedding customers?

In short, no. We understand that couples operate on strict budgets and we try to keep our prices as reasonable as possible whilst making sure that we cover all our costs.

Surely it doesn’t cost that much to produce a wedding film?

You’d be surprised! Our costs go far beyond paying the cameramen for filming the wedding day. If your wedding is far from Manchester we have to cover transport and accommodation costs. We have to budget for around forty hours of editing, plus overheads such as office rental, insurance, and replacement of equipment. We also have to pay for the rights to the music on your wedding DVD, as well as purchasing royalty free music for use on the web. This is on top of the cost of the discs themselves, the cases and the printing and postage costs. It all adds up!

If I choose Viva la Wedding to film my wedding, what happens next?

We will send you an invoice for our booking fee which is 25% of the total cost of your wedding film. We’ll also send a terms and conditions document and a wedding questionnaire which you will need to fill in. When all that is completed you’ll be officially booked in! The next step is to arrange a pre-wedding meeting, usually around a month before your wedding date. This is a chance to run through the schedule of your day and discuss the finer details of the look you would like to achieve.

How do you film bridal/groom preparation?

If you have chosen to have bridal and/or groom preparation filmed, then our videographers  will arrive a few hours before the ceremony begins, so we can capture the details of your preparation. We like to get some beautiful shots of brides having makeup applied or putting the finishing touches to their hair. It’s also a good opportunity to interview parents, bridesmaids, and groomsmen and ask them to say a few words about you – all complimentary we hope! We like to give a sense of the atmosphere as you get ready, so if your mum is making you a bacon butty or your best man is wisecracking to calm your nerves, we like to put a flavour of that in the video as we think it says a lot about who you are.

I’m getting ready around half an hour away from my wedding venue. Can you still cover the preparation and ceremony?

Yes, no problem. We just make sure we leave around half an hour before you do so we can set up at your wedding venue before you arrive.

With one cameraman, how can you film more than one point of view?

We film with at least two cameras, one of which is static on a tripod, whilst the other is hand held. This allows us to capture different points of view which we can later edit together. Eg. during the ceremony, one camera might focus on the couple and another capture a wider shot which includes the guests.

What are the advantages of having two cameramen?

The main advantage is that we can film groom preparation as well as bridal preparation, so it gives a more complete picture of your day. Another plus is that we are able to capture more footage of guests. One cameraman tends to be tied to the bride and groom for many key moments of the day and depending on how packed your schedule is, this can mean they have less time to capture informal footage of guests.

I’m a little camera shy, will the cameramen be in my face?

No, our cameramen are extremely discreet. “We hardly noticed you were there” is a comment we often hear. We always respect the importance of the occasion, and try to be as unobtrusive as possible during the ceremony and speeches. We know getting married can be nerve-wracking, so we always work hard to put you at ease. The only time when we ask you to perform for the camera is during the special sequence.

What is the special sequence?

The special sequence is when we take the couple aside, usually just after the ceremony, to film some romantic shots which showcase your wedding attire and the charm of your chosen venue. This is a chance for brides to swirl their dresses, grooms to sweep you off your feet in a 1940s style kiss and couples to collapse in fits of giggles! We do our best to make this fun and bring out your individual personalities. So whether you’re an extrovert or a little camera-shy, our videographers will put you at your ease, and show you in your best light.

Do you have experience of filming Asian weddings?

Yes, we have filmed many weddings in the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim traditions and we are familiar with the specific requirements of our Asian customers. We enjoy the challenge of filming a large number of guests and we relish the opportunity to capture the splendour of an Asian wedding with the rich symbolism of the ceremonies, and the colourful costumes and ornate jewellery. We love to film dancing, whether choreographed or not and most of all we enjoy the sense of two families coming together as well as the happy couple. We can quote for a wedding package with several filming dates and we are used to travelling between different locations around the country in one day. Whatever your needs we can create a bespoke package to suit.

Do you do Wedding Photography as well as Videography?

This year we are branching into wedding photography. Our first wedding with our own photographer will be on 9^th June 2012. Guille is a talented amateur photographer and his skills in filming weddings transfer perfectly to the still format. As he is new to photography, we are able to offer some very interesting rates for photography + videography packages.

I already have a photographer, can you work with them?

Yes, we are very used to working alongside photographers and we see it as our duty to collaborate with them and show mutual respect. After all, we both have the same aim, to capture the best possible shots of your day! Over the years we have built up good relationships with many of the photographers that we have worked with, so much so that we often recommend each other to customers. It may be a good idea to put us in touch with your photographer before the wedding, just so we can establish contact and begin a positive working relationship.

What equipment do you use?

Our equipment is described in detail in What We Use

Is all the footage in high definition?

Yes, we always film in high definition, but to view the footage in HD you will need to watch it on a Blu Ray rather than a DVD. Blu Ray is available as part of most of our packages or can be purchased as an extra.

How do you ensure high sound quality?

During the ceremony we use radio mics which we attach to the groom’s clothing. These are powerful enough to capture the bride’s vows too. In some settings we can plug directly into the PA system so that we record the sound picked up by the venue’s microphones. During the speeches, we would either plug into the venue’s PA or conceal a radio mic on the top table. If you have a band or DJ at your reception we can plug into their mixing desk to get the sound directly from there. We don’t use booms as they require an extra operator and can be quite intimidating!