Things to think about on your wedding day.

PREPARATIONS

– Give yourself plenty of time for hair and makeup, as if this runs late it will obviously put the whole day back. Talk to your hair and makeup people to see how long they will need and add another 15-20mins as a contingency.

– For filming and photography purposes, it is best to find somewhere open with lots of light for your hair and makeup people to set up. They will also appreciate the space and natural light.

– Find out when you need to be getting in your dress and make sure you have scheduled your hair and makeup to be done by then. Your photographer/videographer will generally have a time in mind as they will have an idea of how long it will take (keeping in mind that lace-up/button dresses will take a lot longer than zip ups) and how long they will need before heading to the ceremony.

– Lay out any bits and pieces you want to have photographed (eg. shoes, jewellery, perfume, etc).

– Boys: It won’t take long for you to get ready, but if you are not used to putting on ties, it is worth having a practise beforehand or have them ready-made on the day.

CEREMONY:

– Find out if there will be a wedding before/after yours and what time you will have access to the venue. Your guests will generally start to arrive about 30mins prior to start time and we (the videographers) will need at least 20-30mins at the venue before this. Of course, depending on the venue, this may not always work, but it is worth checking.

– “Unplugged Wedding”? Many couples these days are choosing to have their wedding ‘unplugged’, or at least the ceremony part of the day. This basically means no phones, cameras or other electronic devices allowed so that your guests can be fully present for this special occasion, rather than watching through a screen. Another thing to keep in mind is that this will prevent photos of your wedding reaching Facebook and other social media sites before you’ve had a chance to view and share photos yourselves, not to mention, it allows the professionals, whom you have paid to be there, to do their job more freely.

– Check with your photographer/videographer where they will be standing as you walk down the aisle. Most pride themselves on being as unobtrusive as possible, but it’s definitely worth checking in case they have an ‘up close and personal approach’, which can block the view of you and your guests.

– Having fresh breath is definitely an important one on a wedding day, especially if you are the bride or groom  However, keep in mind that chewing gum is not really a good look on video or in photos, so maybe keep a pack of mints on you instead.

BRIDAL PARTY SHOOT:

– Allow for at least 1 1/2 – 2hrs to ensure you have enough time for the photographer and videographer to get their shots, as well as to allow for a bit of down-time before the reception. Don’t forget to account for travel time. 90 minutes won’t work if locations are a distance away and require travel and parking time.

– If there is enough time allowed, why not organise one of your bridal party to put together a picnic basket of snacks and drinks to bring along? By this point, now that any nerves will have subsided, you’ll be starting to feel like a quick bite to eat.

RECEPTION:

– If you are having your speeches between meals, check with your venue to see whether the staff will be clearing/setting plates during this time. Having staff moving around the room can be quite distracting for the speaker and your guests, and they will inevitably find their way into your video and photos, not to mention the sound of plates being stacked being continually being heard in the background. The venue manager should have no problem with this request and it will ensure everyone is focused on the speaker.

– Another note for speeches, depending on how many you are having and how long you have set your time limits for (if any), you may occasionally want to break up the speeches. This is great for giving everyone a bit of a breather, however, we have often found that it also allows a bit more time for things to go over schedule as everyone tends to get up and mingle (including your MC). If you have suppliers who are on a specific finishing time, this is something to keep an eye on.

– Lighting can be great for setting the mood in your reception room, however, make sure the key points in the room (bridal table, lecturn for speeches) are featured in a brighter light. It keeps your bridal party as the centre-point at all times and ensures the speaker can read their speech! Coloured lighting, which can look pretty when looking at the room as a whole, can be a problem in video and look very unflattering, especially if lighting is uneven in the room. Check with your venue about what sort of lighting they will have set up.

And finally….

– We, as your videographers, are there to catch all the candid and natural moments from your day, so for the most part we (and our cameras) can be ignored. We may occasionally pipe up with a suggestion and we do have a bit of fun out on the bridal party shoot, but other than that, you don’t need to worry about posing or looking at our cameras 

If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to add to the above, please feel free to send us an email at info@allyourmemories.com.au.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MEZIC STUDIOS, APRIL WERZ PHOTOGRAPHY & GRANT STEWART