There are two statements I hear often in the wedding world that totally break my heart and make me cringe.
One,
“MY WEDDING DAY WAS SUCH A BLUR AND I WAS SO BUSY THAT I NEARLY LOST SIGHT OF WHAT REALLY MATTERED.”
And two,
“WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHY ISN’T NECESSARY. I ONLY WATCHED MY WEDDING VIDEO ONE TIME.”
Today, we’re talking about why those two things go hand in hand and how you can create a deep, intentional wedding day and at the same time, level-up your wedding film so it’s something you want to watch over and over again and pass on for generations.
While some of the busy-ness of a wedding day is unavoidable, it’s important to make sure that the things scheduled on your wedding day are ADDING to your experience, celebrating your commitment to one another, and highlighting the relationships of the people you love the most. In turn, we’ll create a DEEP, meaningful wedding film that truly encapsulates who you are as a couple and showcases your loved ones.
MY BEST TIP FOR CREATING A DEEPER WEDDING DAY EXPERIENCE AND A MORE MEANINGFUL WEDDING FILM IS TO CREATE SPACE.
I don’t mean to create physical space, but space on your timeline and MENTALLY to truly refocus yourselves and soak in all the love around you. Your wedding day should never be a performance for the camera, but your photographer and videographer should help you create authentic opportunities for deep moments with the people you love the most.
Ok, that sounds great but how do I “create space?”
Include your loved one.
During our calls, maybe you mentioned that you are SUPER close with your grandmother and worry she may not be around much longer. Traditionally, there’s no formal role for a grandmother, so outside of a couple traditional photos, she’s not likely to be included much. That’s why I’ll help you create SPACE for a moment to happen with you and her. Maybe you do a first look with your grandmother or maybe she does a special prayer over you right before you walk down the aisle.
Now, you’ll have had SPACE to share a deep connection with a loved one and I’ll have captured beautiful audio and video of someone so special to you.
Wedding Day Letters
Another idea, which you may have seen regularly in wedding films, is to exchange wedding day letters. I HIGHLY encourage letters partly for the story-rich, emotion-filled audio that comes along with them. But my largest priority with letters is that it gives you a moment to re-center yourself and remember WHY you are marrying your partner.
Not only is this a powerful, grounding moment on your wedding day, but it’s also an important tool in years to come when you and your partner face struggles. Can you imagine being able to revisit these letters and hear in your own emotional words why you love your partner?
I go in-depth about wedding day letters here if you want to learn more
Tell Your Wedding Party Your Story
Another great way to create some connection is an informal interview. During this interview, traditionally done right before you get into in your dress or tux, you’ll sit down with your wedding party all around you. I’ll give you prompts about your relationship like “tell them your story,” “tell them when you knew he was the one” or “tell me what it was like to start your relationship during a global pandemic.”
This is another great opportunity to connect with the people closest to you and remind yourself of all you’ve been through together and why you’re choosing to marry your partner. In addition to creating a touching (often tearful) moment on your wedding day, it creates a great opportunity for additional photos/video of you interacting with your wedding party, outside of more staged portraits.
Alone Time
In the chaos of your wedding day, you’re often hurrying from one event to the next and constantly surrounded by people. That’s why I recommend scheduling some time with JUST YOUR PARTNER. My favorite time to do this is during your reception, at golden hour (that last, glowy hour before sunset!) While your guests are kept busy with finishing their dinner, we’ll sneak out just the two of you for some alone time. When we get outside, my first prompt is usually “snuggle in close and just HAVE A MOMENT” And then I back off with my camera and truly give you two the space to soak in each other and the magnitude of the commitment you’ve just made.
After a few minutes of giving you space to just be, I’ll guide you into more directed “poses.” These golden hour portraits are typically my favorite shots of the day, not JUST because I love beautiful glowy light, but because it’s when my couples’ personalities often shine the most. With maybe a few drinks, and the formalities of the day complete, even the most camera-shy couple opens up and lets their guard down.
It’s in this time that I often see the most authentic portraits and my couples return to their reception feeling connected and refreshed.
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