Plan for the Vital Shots at even a Star Trek Wedding

The Must-Get Wedding Shots that You Must Get

A good wedding depends all on the planning. Think about the countless hours that the bride and groom spend fixing every little detail, everything from reserving the church or temple to arranging the catering and flowers. And it's all to make sure the ceremony goes off without a hitch. So it should hardly be surprising that the key to successful wedding videography is all in the planning as well.

Luckily, wedding videographers have one advantage over other event videographers: weddings are generally all the same. Sure, there are individual quirks. A Greek Orthodox wedding is going to be noticeably different from a Hindu wedding, and a couple of Star Trek fans that insist on exchanging vows in Klingon will probably have a few other wedding day surprises in store for you. But, by and large, most weddings follow some pretty standard patterns. That makes it a snap to plan out your shots ahead of time.

The Big Day

After setting up your equipment at the church, the first order of business is getting your establishing shots. These shots will set the scene for the wedding ceremony. Here are some to include:

• Exterior shots of the church or hall
• A marquee or sign with the wedding information posted
• Guests arriving and entering the building
• Wide shot of the auditorium as people enter and take their seats

A wedding is a ritual affair. The rituals are different from culture to culture and religion to religion, but they all have highlights. Here are some common highlights a good wedding video must include:

• The symbolic lighting of the "unity" candle
• The couple's reciting their formal wedding vows
• The exchange of rings
• The pronouncement by the minister that the couple is now husband and wife
• The kiss

You can be reasonably sure of what to expect when you go to a wedding, but you should never assume anything. Be sure to check with your clients to make sure what to expect. For example, those hardcore Star Trek fans have been known to get married while dressed as Klingons, the warrior aliens from the television series. Since they are having a very non-traditional ceremony, they may be apt to throw in more unusual events and you will want to make sure that you capture the parts of the day that are important to the couple, whether or not they seem important to you. If guests move to mock fight each other with Bat'leth weapons, it may seem like an inconsequential diversion from the main event - but it may be the highlight of the day for your Trekkie clients!

For more information on preparing for wedding day videography, read Wedding Ready: A Beginner's Guide to Wedding Videography.

My Videomaker Shortcuts			Follow Us
Home Forums Store	Video News Blog Instructional DVDs Training Downloads	Video Production How-To Training Events Magazine Subscription

MANAGE YOUR ENEWS SUBSCRIPTION VIA THE WEB Edit Profile Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter You can change your subscription email address or unsubscribe at any time. The email newsletter for video production enthusiasts brought to you by Videomaker magazine. Videomaker eNews came to you because you signed up to receive it. For questions about this email, please contact Videomaker Magazine, 1350 East 9th Street, Chico, CA 95928.