What exactly goes into wedding video preparation?
We cannot speak for all wedding videographers, but we would like to give a glimpse into the preparation we enjoy prior to a wedding.
When we first hear from a potential client there is a decent amount of consultation to be sure we are a good fit mutually for one another. We like to do our best in explaining our style, process, options available, and answer any questions some may have. We feel that is only fair to each prospective client. However, we ask as many questions as we answer. We do so because we want to make sure we feel we are the right company to meet the needs of those planning a wedding.
If available for a date and a retainer received – the more detailed planning begins!
We receive our detailed questionnaire back and begin to plan our day. We have contact information for venues and other professionals who will be joining the team to help create the best day possible for couples, families, and guests. Often times we will reach out to one another and begin planning together. If not planning, it is always nice to give/receive a call or email from other professionals to at least introduce ourselves (if we have yet to work together). Other calls regarding logistics are also made to venues (ie. load in time, insurance requirements, and possibly addressing any misc. details related to our line of work on their premises).
As far as a month out from the wedding most of the professionals have a collaborative email with included layout and timeline assembled by a planner. We make sure we are all on the same page and resolve any questions/concerns before the wedding day gets too close. In this time we also pass around cell phone numbers, room numbers, and add any changes to the timeline that may be necessary.
The week of the wedding we finalize any last minute details with the planner and venue. Often we drop a pair of light stands off the evening before a wedding at the reception venue. This takes minimal coordination and a little bit of time, but helps our wedding day run much smoother with knowing those are in place and taken care of. If we do not do this prior to wedding day it can easily be done the morning of the wedding (prior to joining in with girl prep coverage).
A couple days before the wedding is when wedding weekends get wild with preparation. For us, we check all our tripods and tighten all the locking points and adjust the fluid heads so they are ready to go. We update the drone software and take it out for a test fly. We clean off ALL our memory cards (and there are a lot). We charge ALL of our batteries (even more batteries than memory cards). Place clean memory cards and charged batteries in camera body and double check settings (for all ten cameras). Clean our lenses. Test our lights. Prepare our audio recording devices. Create a new folder on the desktop for fresh meaningful footage to be added the moment we return home. Pack up our Pelican boxes, tripod bags, accessory bag, drone bag, lighting bag, light stand bag and pile them neatly in the truck,
We then have our backup mapquest directions along with a folder with timeline and all wedding details on the dash and back the truck in the garage while we wait for morning.
We leave each morning for a wedding day fully prepared, fresh, and ready to capture the most meaningful moments of peoples lives.
