5 ways to make your Wedding film personal and cinematic
As a wedding videographer, it is my job to create an incredible wedding film that you will want to watch for years to come. That is, without a doubt, priority number one. How does an amazing wedding film get made? Many different aspects go into it; some of these are technical (color grading/correcting, audio quality, quality of gear, etc.), but none of these matters if you don’t nail down the couple’s story. Every person on the planet is unique, and similarly, every single couple is also unique. Their story of how they met, fell in love and decided to spend their lives with each other will always be different from any other couple.
It is very easy to spend an incredible amount of money getting the best gear. The belief that you always need the latest and greatest camera gear to make an amazing video is an easy trap to fall into. However, if you are not able to successfully capture the personalities and traits of a couple in your wedding film, I think you’ve failed your clients to some degree. Here are the five tools that I believe can be used to great effect to make your wedding film personal and cinematic:
Letters
This one requires a little bit more work on the part of the couple but is so worth it, in my opinion. Letters can be incredibly personal and intimate to share, more so than just a speech or vows. When you don’t have two hundred people staring at you and listening to your every word, you can share your feelings. Your letter can be about whatever you want, and you don’t have to be a great poet or writer to make a great-sounding letter. You can write about the reasons you love each other or how you are so looking forward to spending forever with one another. It can be about one of your favorite stories or memories you have. Or it can be about the moment you first knew that you loved them… the letter can be about whatever you want! Having your letter as one of the key elements in your wedding film can give it that next level of intimacy and romance. I would encourage every couple to consider it.
Picture by Emma Gladman via Emma Spring Photo
2. Vows
Including the vows in the wedding video can make a real impact. These are the promises you are making to each other and the most emotional moments of the day. It’s only seconds before you are officially married to one another. Reliving this part of your day, which you will only experience once in your life – can be very powerful. If integrated properly, your vows can give your wedding film a lot of personality and emotional resonance.
Photo by Emma Gladman via Emma Spring Photo
3. Music
This is an important one, and it is the backbone of any quality wedding film. In the questionnaire I give my clients, one of the questions relates to what kind of music you both enjoy. Granted, there are limits to what kind of music can be in a wedding film; for example, if you are really into 1970s “Death Metal”, that may be difficult to mix into a wedding film. However, if you tell me you enjoy more relaxing acoustic music - I’ll find something close to that. The music sets the vibe for the entire video and hopefully captures the mood of the entire day. It is something that we can see in ourselves and our personalities. By integrating the music that resonates with you, we can put a small part of you in the video. The music also gives your film that cinematic quality with its different valleys and peaks that give gusto to the big important moments of the day or can emphasize a quieter, more romantic moment.
4. Speeches
Like vows and letters, the speeches at a wedding will always be another important part of the day that can be very effective in a good wedding film. There is one important distinction with speeches that differentiates them from letters or vows, and that’s who is giving them. If the bride’s father gives an incredible, emotional speech – this can lend your wedding film that same emotion. If the groom’s brother makes a funny and heartfelt speech, this can bring out the fun aspect of your day to the video. No one knows you better than your close friends and family, and having their speeches in your wedding film can capture that familiarity that they share with you. It allows the outside-looking-in perspective of your relationship that can be a strong/interesting part of your video.
Picture by Emma Gladman via Emma Spring Photo
5. Proposal video
This one does not apply to every couple – especially if you don’t have any video of your proposal. However, if you do, this can make your story as a couple come full circle. Having the proposal video inter-cut with all the footage from your wedding day can be very special and powerful. If you have this video and the quality is good, please let me know, and I will see if I can include some parts of it in your wedding film.
These are just some ways that we use to make your film stand out from the crowd and be very special. Letters can be a great way to capture the intimacy and romance of your relationship. Vows let you see that raw emotion that is so powerful from your ceremony, and they let you relive that feeling just before you were married over and over again. The music in the film sets the tone and gives it that little extra oomph to give it some cinematic flair. Speeches can be from your friends and family who know you best, which gives a wonderful outside perspective to your relationship. Finally, a last option to consider is your proposal video, which can help bring your love story full circle. These are five common tools that aren’t by themselves unique but that can be made to be an interesting aspect of your wedding film because no one does you quite like yourself.
