Brides are always asking me for advice about what songs they can choose for their Wedding DVDs. There is no simple answer to this one. I encourage couples to pick appropriate songs that are important and meaningful to them. Upon request, I can show couples a list of songs that are chosen the most often. Here is that list (in alphabetical order):
Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
Barbara Streisland & Bryan Adams – I’ve Finally Found Someone
Beatles – Something
Bruce Springsteen – Secret garden
Counting Crows – Accidentally in Love
Damien Rice – The Blower’s Daughter
Elton John – Your Song
Elvis Costello – She
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
Eva Cassidy – Songbird
Joe Cocker – You Are So Beautiful
Lonestar – Amazed
Louis Armstrong – We Have All The Time In The World
Mic Christopher – Heyday
Moulin Rouge Soundtrack – Come What May
Nat King Cole – Let There Be Love
Robbie Williams – She’s the One
Sade – By Your Side
Tom Baxter – Better
Van Morrison – Have I Told You Lately
I hope this helps those of you who are stuck for inspiration!
Recently, while browsing an online wedding forum, I came across a posting from a bride-to-be who was asking what is the point of hiring a professional videographer for her wedding when she can simply ask her brother’s friend (who happens to like cameras) to film her day for free instead?!
Hmmm. This got me wondering. Perhaps there is a general misconception out there that anybody can film a wedding. I must admit that I agree. Yes, anybody can film a wedding. But, can they do it properly?
Below is a short comparison video clip that compares footage from two different cameras. It is split screen: one is from a guest’s camcorder at a wedding and the other is from a professional video camera operated by the official wedding videographer.
In these recessionary / credit-crunch times, it is probably tempting for some couples to cut a professional wedding DVD right out of their budget. While this may seem like a clever thing to do before the wedding, we are finding time and time again that this is a move that is seriously regretted by the same couples in hindsight after their wedding.
I am often asked, as are many of my videography peers, to help rescue amateur wedding footage and put something together from it. This is normally an impossible task because if it wasn’t filmed right in the first place using proper equipment, then there usually isn’t a lot that can be done about it afterwards.
It is sometimes forgotten that the only tangible items left after most weddings are the photo album and the wedding DVD. Decisions to drop the wedding video in favour of ice sculptors, chair covers and chocolate fountains are often seriously regretted by brides and grooms very soon after their wedding. It’s too late then!
But don’t just take my word for it. All anyone has to do is read through various postings on any wedding forum and draw their own conclusions. Time and time again, brides write about their post-wedding regrets of not hiring a professional wedding videographer. It’s obviously too late for them, but thankfully they are more than willing to warn other brides about making the same mistake. Hats off to them!
The value of a well-filmed and edited wedding DVD truely is priceless.
Here is a short article I wrote some time ago but the information is still very practical and relevant for brides and grooms who may need some advice on choosing their videographer.
The following tips and suggestions should make life a little easier when trying to decide upon which videographer to book for your wedding. They are given in good faith and offered merely as a guide.
1. Start researching videographers as soon as your church and venue have been confirmed. Otherwise you may find that your preferred videographer is already booked for your date. Try and meet as many different videographers as possible. The person you book will be spending a full day at your wedding. It is important that they will fit in!
2. When meeting videographers, request to view a sample of their work. When watching their work, ensure that the picture does not momentarily skip or jump. Also, look out for both clarity of picture and sound (particularly the vows and speeches).
3. Is the editing smooth? i.e. does each scene change occur naturally in a seamless fashion, or have sentences been cut-off abruptly?
4. Look out for any graphics and titles used. Do you think they will date well? What looks flashy now may not look as good in 5 or 10 years time.
5. Does the videographer have a good reputation? The main online wedding forums are usually a good place to research this for yourself.
6. Use your instincts to get a feeling for what the videographer will be like on the day. Will they blend into the background unnoticed or will they be zipping around the church making a scene?
7. Check that your videographer uses wireless or radio microphones. Also ensure that he or she carries backup equipment at all times.
8. Ask your videographer if he or she is a member of a professional video association such as the Institute of Videography.
9. Ask does your videographer carry adequate public liability insurance. Certain hotels and churches may not allow a videographer to film the events unless proof of public liability insurance can be provided.
10. Ensure that adequate music licenses are held from MCPS and PPI. These are necessary when the videographer is dubbing commercial music recordings onto your wedding DVDs. It is a legal requirement for Irish videographers to carry such licenses if they are producing wedding videos with commercial music content.
Finally, it is important not to let price alone become a deciding factor. Generally, you will get what you pay for, but be warned that this is not always so!
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