I have found that sometimes a cinematographer is one of the last things a couple books and by extension one of the last things they make room for in the budget. So for this post I wanted to emphasize the importance of wedding filmmaker. If a picture is worth a thousand words, video is worth a thousand stories. By being able to capture sound and movement a filmmaker can tell the complete tale of your wedding day. Storytelling is what we do.
How did her dress flow during the first dance? What was that joke his uncle made during the toasts? These are the types of things only a video can capture. Photos can do a lot of things, movement and sound isn’t one of them. Are you writing your own vows? Or having an epic choreographed first dance? The best way to capture and remember all of the heartfelt moments, as well as all of the fun moments too, is with a video. A skilled filmmaker will not just film everything but find the perfect shots and angles to emphasize your love and devotion to each other. And then they can edit it in such a way that tells the story of not just this magical day but your unique and special relationship and give you memories that you can relive and share for years to come.
A video lets you relive everything, in detail, over and over again. It also allows you to share these moments with family and friends who couldn’t make it on the day. Videos are perfect for sharing on social media to let everyone experience the biggest moment of your life. An experienced filmmaker can film and edit together a video that lets all who see it feel like they were really there. And it might even let you experience some moments that you missed on your big day. Weddings, by their very nature, can be hectic and stressful and with so much going on you might miss or just not fully experience some moments. With a filmmaker you can trust, you won’t have to worry about that anymore.
As the months turn into years and you build a life together; maybe move, buy a house, get promoted, have kids, whatever your dream life together turns out to be; you may not look back on your wedding film very often. You might revisit it on certain anniversaries and for a while that will be it and that’s enough. But there will come those times when your wedding video will mean so much more. One of my past brides lost her grandfather six months after her wedding and she said that being able to go back and watch the video as he walked her down the aisle really helped her grieve and meant a lot to her. And even if you never have a moment as profound as that one with your wedding video, it is still something that when you’re old and gray you can watch and share with your children and grandchildren.
That is ultimately what my job as a wedding filmmaker is all about. So I would urge every engaged couple out there to make a wedding video a priority and put it near the top of your list. Find a filmmaker whose style you like and that you get along with and hire them to film your special day. Because it’s not just about getting that perfect, cool shot or interesting transition. It’s about preserving memories and telling a love story.