1. The right gear for the job

You might like the idea of buying the latest Sony or Canon DSLR/Mirrorless cameras because of the amazing spec they provide but ask yourself: is it right for the job? With the increasing quality of wedding films being produced you might need to consider more than just the latest camera when picking out your gear. Remember, you can get a Sony A6300 that does slow-motion 60fps and shoots in 4K for less than £600 these days.

Lighting kits and reflectors are a must have in any wedding filmmaker’s arsenal as they can really help add depth and cinematic quality (when used right) to your scene. Matt Johnson from the Youtube channel ‘WhoisMatt’ gives some amazing tips and tricks on how to shoot better wedding videos - and he’s got some great insights into which lights work best and how to use them.

2. Make audio a priority

The bride and groom might forgive a bit of grainy footage from the evening party but they will hate you forever if you mess up their wedding vows on video. Making sure that you’ve fully understood the fundamentals of capturing great audio will reduce risk and also help produce some great wedding films.

 We’d always recommend the amazing Rode microphones whether you’re in a run and gun type situation (get a videomic pro+) or if you’ve strapped your subjects up with a lavalier mic (RodeLink Filmmaker kit). These are great mics.

 From experience we’d always suggest recording audio using a second device (something like a ZOOM H4N or Tascam) just in case you run into any issues, you’ll always have a backup.

 3. Get B-roll Coverage

Getting B-roll coverage doesn’t mean you’ve got to hire a second shooter. In fact, many wedding videographers who can’t afford to have a second shooter tend to just invest in a second (less expensive) camera and tripod. You could leave it on a wide shot whilst you focused on close ups or alternatively have the B-roll camera zoomed in on your subjects to ensure that you’re recording all of their reactions.

 Note: It is worth checking your B-roll camera regularly to make sure that it is still framed up nicely, the batteries aren’t dead, there’s sufficient storage space and that you did actually hit record.

 4. Attend the Rehearsal

Attending the rehearsal is a great way of mentally storyboarding the important moments and is also a great opportunity to further consult with the bride and groom. Being able to rehearse also gives you a good sense of where you can set up your lighting and second camera.

 Also, familiarising yourself with the location and schedule will help you save time on the day of their big day and allow you to shoot more productively.

5. Get Creative

 Although you don’t necessarily have a ‘shot list’ at a wedding, there are certain shots you KNOW you will need to get. Once you have got them, you should always try and push the boundaries and do something creative. For inspiration, here’s a video of some really cool stuff you can try out on a cheap budget to get some interesting effects in-camera whilst shooting at a wedding. 

Talking of getting Creative

This has got to be one of the most creative things to have come out of the royal wedding. Wedding videographer 'Mrs Mashup' put together the Unofficial Royal Wedding Film.

Unofficial Royal Wedding Film 2018 from Mrs Mashup on Vimeo.

If you’re after some amazing wedding music you can check out the Filmstro selection that allows you to create custom length and adaptive music using our 3 sliders.