What is the best way to shoot a wedding video?

Answer 1

Since the others have been great help... let me try to provide a good answer.

If you are hired as the professional wedding videographer (i feel sorry because you should know this info by now... shame), be sure to have at least two cameras.

One should be at least close to a professional grade digital camera and the other something small that an assistant can easily move around with.

First, set up your camera in the back of the church (if there is a balcony, that's the way to go). Place it on the bride and groom and just let it run throughout the ceremony (on a tripod). While that's recording, the assistant should be sitting about halfway up the aisles recording the bride and groom from there. Doing some pans across the wedding party, close ups of faces, close up of guest speakers / singers, getting the rings, first kiss, all that important stuff. Once they are pronoucned husband and wife, the assistant moves to the back of the church to get them coming down the aisle, you unhook the camera at the top and come down to get the receiving line, bubbles, rice, doves or whatever they are doing.

Once that footage is shot, head on over to the reception area to video guests mingling. The bride and groom will be there in about 30 - 35mins (if the photographer is any good).

You video them being announced by the DJ whiel the assistant is getting the overall reaction of the crowd, and gets the wedding party members as they are being seated once they come in.

Then be sure to video the first dance, wedding party dance, cake cutting, mother/son, father/daughter, garter/bouquet, generations dance, and just fun images of the bride and groom laughing, mingling with guests (especially grandparents), etc.

Buy some books on the subject. If the bride and groom are paying you for this, be professional and take some formal knowledge to the table. The list below has some good books for you to check out

Answer 2

preferably not with a drunk friend at the party! :p

Why don't you just hire a videographer, there are plenty of them around, it'll cost a bit more but if you want a nice video at the end of the day it's worth it. If you're not willing to fork out (which is understandable really), why not grab a friend (tripod is good but also not necessary!) and just get them to shoot the darn thing! Camcorders are fine - if *you* are shooting it yourself, remember to lean against a wall when you can, if you are doing hand held or support yourself on your elbows if sitting, or if you're feeling creative you can lie down (assuming you've probably had a few drinks like the groom). Regulate your breathing, (because trust me, it'll look like blair witch if you're not careful) and just take note of it (but don't panic because then you'll just come out heavy breathing anyway) - don't breathe heavily on the cam either!

Either way, good luck on the day!

Answer 3

WITH A TRI-POD!!! That is the most important piece of equipment (besides the camera, of course). If you don't use a tri-pod, the whole video will be a total waste. Take it from me, my good ol' daddy shot mine without a tri-pod and it was a steaming pile!!! Even the calmest person in the world has trouble holding a camera straight for long periods of time. Even when my da' turned it over to a younger, steadier hand it was shaky at best.

Answer 4

I guess U need a digital video camera and then keep handing it off to other people in ur family to shoot the film so one person will not get tired of holding it. I would let professional do it!
Good LUck!

Answer 5

If I were you, I would hire a videographer who can edit and do the whole bit. In the end, you might have spent a little more, but you have a much better video, that you'll want to watch. Ask around, maybe one of your friends has a distant cousin who would be happy to do it for you for a little less. :)

Answer 6

Be as unobtrusive as possible. The videographer should not get in the way of the event. Have guests come to you to give their comments and good wishes. Use cameras that are sensitive enough not to require additional lighting.

Answer 7

Go to the BBC and pay them millions of ££pounds££ to hire their camera crew....or go to NBC and pay them millions of $$dollars$$ to hire their camera crew.

Apparently when taking a photo you should tilt the camera sideways to get a diagonal image since it's better so maybe try that?

Or if the wedding is in London, you hire me at a dirt cheap rate, give me the video camera and I'll film it!

Answer 8

Nail the wedding video to a tree or running animal, take your shotgun, aim and fire.

Answer 9

Use a camcorder cos then you can send the funny bits into You've Been Framed.

Answer 10

with a very small Sony CamCorder, at least that way, when you get fed up of it, you can put it in your pocket and have a boogie with the Mother of the Bride.

>:)