Preparation
When you're booked with us, read this page!
This page basically lays out what our studio will need from you to complete your video in a timely fashion. Some of you are having a Photo to Video Montage done to be included in your video and to be shown at your reception. Some of you need to get a Love Story out of the way. Others need to coordinate Rehearsal or Pre-Ceremony times. You'll find the answers to all of your questions right here!
WE ASK ALL OF OUR CLIENTS TO READ THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PAGE TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE ATTACK A DAY OF SHOOTING AND WHAT TO FULLY EXPECT FROM US!
IMPORTANT: When you're finished reading through all of this, click on the link just below or at the bottom of this page that coincides with the package you booked with us. Print that out. As you figure out your answers over time, write them down. When we're two weeks out from your big day, come back to this page and fill in your answers on the form. When you're finished, review everything and submit it to us! You'll get a copy by email and it will also be submitted to Matt giving us everything we need information wise from you that we'll need to excute the shooting, editing and production of your video!
| -Basic Packages |
| -Bronze Package (with the Highlight Montage option) |
| -Bronze Package (with the Mini Photo Montage option) |
| -Silver Package (with the Highlight Montage option) |
| -Silver Package (with the Mini Photo Montage option) |
| -Gold Package (comes with Highlight & full Photo Montage) |
| -Platinum Package |
| -Diamond Package |
What we'll need from you before hand (if something doesn't apply to you, ignore that particular section):
1. Pictures for your Montage
If you're having a Photo to Video Montage done, we'll need your pictures about a week in advance of your wedding. Any sooner and they're going to sit around and collect dust so there's no need to send them months ahead of time. Remember, a good lengthed montage would be between 70-90 pictures long. Think of it in thirds or 75 pictures...25/25/25. 25 pics of the bride growing up through the years, 25 of the groom, and 25 of the two of you together. 75 pictures amounts to be about 10 minutes in length with more pictures obviously adding more overall time. They can be any kind of picture you want, the sky's the limit. Most include pictures of family and friends with them in the pictures. Whatever floats your boat! USPS, FedEx or UPS overnight does the trick for shipping. Make sure they're in order with each third in their own envelope with the song you want played for each segment written on the envelope. Picture size also is not a factor. We'll return the pics with your video or if we're coming over for Pre-Ceremony footage, we might drop them off then as well.
2. How do you want your Ceremony cut?
If you're having an average lengthed Ceremony, about a half an hour, you have nothing to worry about. Your complete ceremony (minus the Basic Package) will make the video. Move onto # 4.
If you're having a lengthy Ceremony, it's up to you how you want it cut. You may want to consider cutting out some of the more un-important moments like some of the readings or sermons to save time for other things in the video like footage of your guests having a good time at the reception. This is really up to you, so let us know how you would like to approach that:)
3. Finally, you're going to want to email us an itinerary of the days events no later than a week before hand.
All we need are exact times and addresses for the different events we may be covering...meaning if your ceremony is expected to start at 3pm, that's the time we want. We'll be there an hour ahead of time. For Pre-Ceremony stuff, expect us to show up about two hours before your actual Ceremony time. If there will be other important events going on during Pre-Ceremony activities we will work with those needs on an individual basis:) Even if on our contract everything is laid out already, it's nice to get a confirmation so if we ask for the info again, please understand we just want to make sure we're all on the same page! This is the biggest day of your life, we don't want to miss anything because of a written mistake in an address or something along those lines...and never have!
Now, let's lay out what to expect from us on the day of your wedding:
First and foremost, if you've booked a package with a second videographer, chances are he or she will only man a camera during the ceremony. It is their job to disappear before and after the ceremony, only helping with the set-up and break-down of montage equipment at receptions, as well as maintaining fully charged batteries and fresh tapes for Matt on the main camera. They are only there as support after the ceremony!
Pre-Ceremony Coverage
If you're having Pre-Ceremony footage done, we're going to come to wherever the bride is getting ready about two hours before kick off. That time can vary from wedding to wedding depending on individual circumstances. Two hours before coming down the aisle is generally about the time the bride-to-be, with her girls, is about to get into her dress. Most like to capture footage of the tail end of that moment where the bridesmaids either button or zip up the back of the dress itself. From that point on, we're going to capture candid scenes of you and the girls posing for the photographer or whatever else that might go on, from formal photo shoots to last minute preparation. Whatever you want us to do, we'll film it.
If you have one of the upper end packages with an additional videographer, or the Groom is getting ready in the same location, we'll capture those precious scenes of him and his men drinking a beer cheering for their favorite team on television to win on their wedding day!
Most of the time, footage of the bride-to-be is all that's necessary for Pre-Ceremony footage as we will get more appropriate Pre-Ceremony stuff of the groom at the Ceremony location itself. When we're with the bride, we'll also get footage of the Pre-Ceremony location, bouquets and other 'staging' type shots. Also, instead of following you around like we should be another limb on your body, we stay in the background and keep to ourselves for the most part. There's no need to converse with your bridal party nor does your bridal party want to talk to, for the most part, some dude with a camera on this...your big day. There's also no need to film for an hour or two when only ten minutes or so is going to make it into the video. With that said, we're in and out in about fifteen to twenty minutes depending on if you're doing formal photos or not (that obviously takes a little more time).
Ninety-Nine percent of you are having Ceremony and Reception footage done. This section will explain what to expect from us for both.
Ceremony Coverage
For the Ceremony, we'll show up about an hour ahead of time to meet with whoever's in charge at the Ceremony location. Usually a priest at a church or a coordinator at other sites. We'll find out what we can and can't do when it comes to shooting at your event, but most find we're not going to be in the way anyway. Refer to the 'being another limb' reference above. We'll also meet with your photographer then as well (if we haven't done so already at any Pre-Ceremony shoot) and make sure he or she has the ground they need. You only get one chance to get a good shot as a photographer, so we like to work around them since we get continual footage from different angles.
After getting a mic on the groom and shooting some more staging scenes, this time of the facility, your guests being seated and some 'behind-the-scenes' shots of the bride, the groom and others of importance, the big show is about to begin! We start with an angle from the front of the facility, usually on a knee leaning around a pue in front of the photographer, to capture your bridal procession...from your parents and grandparents being seated, to little flower girls and ring bearers, to the bridesmaids and finally to the bride herself! Once the bride is about three-quarters of the way down the aisle or so, we bail from up front and that's the last you'll notice of us...if you've noticed us at all to that point. We then float in the side aisles to capture different angles of you, your wedding party, parents and guests (if the facility lets us get that far up the side aisles).
The whole time that process is going on, a central camera either in a balcony or located somewhere in the back of the facility, will be capturing the main event from start to finish from it's particular angle. Eighty percent of the footage that makes the video will come from this camera angle in most cases. Realistically this is the angle your audience has. Only your bridal procession and select scenes will come from the other camera. Both cameras can also be dozens of yards away from the important stuff and zoom in to make it look like we were right there next to you, so there's no need to get up-close and personal. Again, refer to the 'being another limb' reference in the Pre-Ceremony section. Likewise, this is where a second videographer comes in if you've booked a package that includes the extra person. He or she, by manning the main camera, free's up Matt to be more creative and patient getting great shots with the 'floating' camera. Without the second videographer Matt is not as free to move about to get the best possible shots... although he does his best!
After discreetly capturing the Ceremony, we'll capture any post activity including receiving lines, formal photo shoots and rice tosses (or bird seed, or bubbles, or...well you get the idea) . From there, it's off to the Reception!
Reception Coverage
For the Reception, we'll get plenty of staging scenes of the facility, your guests during any cocktail hour, your cake before it's destroyed, your gift table, food, floral arrangements and table setups, etc. Then, we'll get all of the important stuff in the beginning from your introductions, to first dances, toasts and so on with our camera mounted on a shoulder harness for fluid shots that allows us to be very mobile getting from one place to another quickly. Our tripods are in the bag for receptions and the second camera person (if your package comes with one) becomes 'support staff' making sure batteries are good and charged up and fresh tapes are on hand throughout the reception for Matt, and to help with the set-up and break-down of any montage equipment. There is no need to film the same event with two cameras and have an additional vendor roaming about the floor. This breaks away from our non-obtrusive style and is not necessary to get what we need anyway.
Also, we DO NOT use blinding, white hot lights! If you've been to a few receptions, you probably know what I'm talking about here. If we have to use lights at all, they'll be very soft halogen bulbs that won't look like the space shuttle lifting off at night. With the software and cameras we use, just enough light allows us to brighten things up when editing if necessary.
Anyway, after the initial blast of important scenes, there's usually an hour-long down time during dinner. This is usually a good time to show your Montage if you have one done. Yes, we bring the screen, projector and sound system at no extra charge, so there's no need for additional work on your part for this. After all, do you really want to go from table to table at this time to thank your guests for coming while your food gets cold? Of course not. Sit back, relax, and enjoy watching your close family members cry and friends laugh when they see pictures of you covered in chocolate or showing off your amazing tan line on your rear when you were 4 years old!
After your 15 minutes of fame on the big screen while you actually enjoy the meal you've paid an arm and a leg for, then you can mingle with your guests and we can get back to the camera. We'll capture candid shots of your guests having a good time making fools of themselves on the dance floor and of course get all of the other important events of the night, including bouquet/garter tosses, cake cuttings and so on.
Once we capture all of the footage we need, and as long as you follow the guidelines below in preparation for the video, there is no reason why you shouldn't get your video back in most cases within two weeks or less.**
Love Story Shoot & Rehearsal Shoot:
The Love Story Shoot is pretty straight forward. You pick a day anytime before your ceremony. If you're having us come out for your Rehearsal, sometimes this would be a good time to shoot. If you want to do it months in advance, that's cool too! Whatever you want to do. Basically it only takes about a half an hour or an hour to shoot. We'll interview you both separately asking questions like how you met, where was your first dinner and so on. Then, we'll bring you together and if you both answered any of our first set of questions differently than the other, we'll ask the same questions again and let you guys work it out:) Usually funny, to the point and set in a location of your choice, the Love story adds a great intro to your video or could even turn your 15 minutes of fame at the reception into 30 minutes if you wanted to! And please don't coordinate how the two of you will answer our questions before hand...that's cheating ;-) Optionally, to cap off each individual segment, I'll have you write a letter to one another expressing your feelings and life's dreams. If this doesn't get the tear ducts in overdrive, you're not human!
Rehearsal Coverage really should only cover your actual Rehearsal at the facility and part of your Rehearsal Dinner at the restaurant. Some like candid footage from the Dinner, some like to see what went on during the actual Rehearsal. It's up to your tastes. If you really want footage from both, we'll come out and film some of the actual Rehearsal, and hang around for a half an hour or so of the Dinner. Only about ten to fifteen minutes of this footage is going to wind up in the video as a montage, so there's no reason to get a couple hours worth of footage and get in the way more than is necessary. If you don't want interviews done at the reception, as it breaks away from our non-obtrusive style, the Rehearsal dinner might be a good time to interview your close family and friends... you know... the people you actually may want to hear from:) You basically get us for two hours. If you desire more coverage let us know and we can work something out price wise for more time:)
We want this to be an enjoyable process for you, and more importantly, we want you to cherish your video forever. With your help in the process, rest assured your wedding video will be the best investment you'll make on your big day! Of course, if you have any questions at any time, please email Matt:)
**Average turnover time for getting your video back is 2-8 weeks. In some cases, much less (depending on the season).
At the time of contract, Matt will email you a form to fill out which will request all of the information we'll need to execute the shooting on the day-of, and during the editing process.
NOTE: If you don't hear from Matt confirming he got your form results within 24 hours after emailing it back, email him!