Presented here are highlights from the May 22nd wedding of Kari and Mark Brown. The wedding was in Holland, Michigan at the Hope College Dimnent chapel at 3pm.
Highlights from Kari and Mark’s Wedding of May 22, 2010 from W. Cardone Productions on Vimeo.
At events such as weddings many, many things happen during the day which would become memories of a lifetime to share with others except that the memory only exists in the mind. All one can do is talk about it. Still photos help immensely but nothing can compare with the ability of video to capture for generations the sights, the sounds, the imagination of precious memories from your magic day.
Presented here is an example of a precious memory that only video could capture in all its glory. As you view the video note that this is anything but your father’s home movies. Your professional videographer knows the angles, the lighting, and the sound mixing to do in the edit room to capture memories that stun the sole.
Capturing Wedding Memories of a Lifetime from W. Cardone Productions on Vimeo.
On April 3rd Kristina and Shawn wed to begin sharing their lives together. Presented in the highlights video are glimpses of magic moments from their wedding day.
Kristie and Shawn’s Wedding Day Highlights from Wesley Cardone on Vimeo.
If we are capturing preparations before the ceremony where groups of bridal party members are present, tell them to avoid turning their backs on the video camera. Sometimes this is unavoidable but generally makes the footage from that point unusable.
In most cases you do not want to look directly into the video camera lens. One exception is if you are speaking to the video audience. Another exception is when the two of you walk down the aisle away from the altar in your triumphal exit. If we have a camera at the end of the isle it will look most favorable if you can look into it. Still another exception is if you are waving into the camera. The general idea is that your viewing audience perceives themselves as a fly on the wall being able to watch events without being noticed. When you look into the camera you disturb this perception and draw attention away from the viewing experience.
All too often couples getting married are caught up on the details of all the preparations for the wedding day. It is all too easy lose sight of the reason for the day or at least have many peripheral issues cloud your mind.
If the minister does not tell you to, hold each other’s hands anyway when you start. In this way you can speak to each other without speaking during the vows. It will also cause a discontinuity in your own minds forcing you into the reality that the rubber is beginning to hit the road.
Concentrate on speaking slowly pronouncing each word. When the minister speaks each phrase that you are to repeat, allow for a brief hesitation as you hold the other’s hands and look directly into his or her eyes. As you speak each phrase communicate with your hands emotion. The hand communication will not be visible on the video but it will influence your voice and your entire demeanor.
One side benefit of hold each other’s hands during the vows is that it forces you to be close for an audio advantage. We never mike the bride but always mike the groom. When you hold hands it guarantees that the bride is close enough to the groom’s mike that her vows will be captured with stunning clarity.
Tell your groom, “No monkey business” while waiting at the altar for your entry. There is no reason for conversation unless the officiant or minister initiates it. If his best man initiates conversation he must be told to shut up. It is all too common for a groom to be distracted and miss the larger part of his bride’s entry. Just imagine yourself walking down the isle and your groom doesn’t even see you until you are half way down the isle. You both may lose an experience of a lifetime. Besides that, it looks childish to people in the pews.
One thing that renders our video footage unusable every time is gum chewing. The viewer’s eyes are drawn to the flapping jaw simply because of the movement. Because the gum chewing has no applicability to the movie’s theme or subject matter it throws in a major disconnect in the viewing experience.
Explicitly tell the members of your bridal party that your wedding is to be a “gum chewing free zone.” Then give each a breath mint package or something similar on the day of the wedding to remind them of this requirement.
When it is time to say your vows, look directly into the eyes of your beloved and DO NOT turn to look at the minister. It is only natural for you to look at someone who is speaking to you. Consider the case of a handshake. It is almost impossible for you to not extend your right hand when someone else offers to you his hand in a greeting. It is like a slap in the face for you to not return your hand in like manner.
Now, consider what we have at the altar. The two of you are standing at the altar looking at each other with the minister only an arm length away. The minister then speaks directly to one of you saying something on the order of, “Do you, Your Name, take Your Beloved’s Name to be your lawfully wedded…” Unless you have thought it through before hand it will be almost impossible for you to avoid turning your head away from your beloved to look at the minister who is speaking to you. There will be to you an illusion that you are offending the minister.
Taking this to the next level, when you turn to look at the minister your beloved will almost certainly turn to look at him as well. You end up with head bobbing that will look horrible in your video.
Well… rest assured, the minister will understand if both of you completely ignore him and merely repeat his words while never turning your eyes from your beloved.
