Doing what I love

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WEDDING VIDEOGRAPHER

By Michele Hazlewood

            It’s a day you’ll never forget - your wedding day.  It’s is full of treasured moments — that walk down the aisle, the first time the groom sees his bride, the moment you and your beloved say I do, and sharing your first dance in front of all your loved ones.  But it’s also a day that’s full of precious moments that you will probably miss.  And that’s where your Wedding Videographer comes in.

Think about it.  You’ve been planning this special day for a year or more.  You have meticulously put together all the little details that make your wedding unique.  Now the big day is here and your heads are in the clouds.  There’s a reason everyone tells you your wedding day will fly by - it really does.  In the blink of an eye, you’ll be off on your honeymoon wondering where the day went and wondering what you may have missed.  While you were busy being a bride and groom, your Wedding Videographer was capturing those unplanned and spontaneous moments.

Imagine old Uncle Eddie rocking it on the dance floor for the first time in his life.  It’s the electric slide, and wedding guests are falling all over themselves trying to avoid getting tied up in his two left feet.  And everyone on the dance floor’s laughing till it hurts.  But you’re away with your photographer taking a picture with a family member, or you’re on the other side of the room thanking your guests at Table 23 for coming to the wedding.   Your Wedding Videographer will not only capture the cake cutting and those other poignant moments of the bride and groom’s wedding and reception, but will also record those moments you didn’t get to be a part of, all of which you’ll be able to relive in your living room for years to come.

So, what should you look for in a Wedding Videographer?  While you do your research you’ll find pages upon pages of advise.  So, keep it simple by looking for these important traits:  personality, experience, passion.

You want to make sure your Wedding Videographer’s personality will match the look and feel of your wedding.  Try to meet her or him in person.  It’s not only a chance to watch their demo and get to know their style, but it’s also an opportunity to gauge your Wedding Videographer’s personality.  You want someone friendly who will blend in with your guests.  You’ll be able to tell whether a prospective Wedding Videographer is in it just for the money or is someone who truly enjoys what they do.  And that’s recognizing that while they may shoot several weddings a week, the wedding they shoot on the day of your wedding is the only wedding that counts on that day.

Meet your prospective video vendor armed with plenty of questions.  Any professional Videographer should know the answers to all of them.  Ask what type of equipment they use.  Do they shoot digital?  Most wedding videos are delivered as DVDs now.  But if you need a VHS for grandma, they should be able to accommodate you.  Do they use wireless microphones for the services?  Is the Videographer also the editor?  Ask how long they’ve been shooting wedding videos.  They should be familiar with the different types of religious wedding ceremonies.  And for the reception, remember, someone who’s been in the business for years won’t be shy about jumping into the crowd to get Uncle Eddie’s electric boogie, but that person will also be discreet enough not to tape your guests while they’re eating.

And finally, your Wedding Videographer should be as passionate as you are about your wedding day.  Look for an artist.  After all, the camera is only a tool.  When you put it in the hands of someone who has an artistic eye and a love for the craft, the camera becomes a magic wand.  That’s what separates the professional Wedding Videographer from a friend with a camcorder.

Enjoy your wedding day over and over again.  Remember, while wedding photos are beautiful keepsakes, your wedding video walks and talks.   And keep in mind, your wedding video is not just a DVD of memories, it’s also a time capsule to be shared with your children and a great way to introduce them to the patriarchs and matriarchs of your family that they may never have a chance to meet.

www.Unique-Videoproductions.com

You never know what can happen when the phone rings.

This says it all.

Enjoy.

    Wow, I don’t even really know where to start. My husband Matt and I are so blessed to have met Bruce and Michele I can’t even put into words. At the last minute our photographer was stricken with swine flu and we were on a very tiny island in the Caribbean with very few options when our wedding planner told us of her friends back in the states who were willing to work out a deal with us. They hopped on a flight the day before our wedding and arrived on Vieques Island to make our dreams come true! I can’t tell you how nervous I was as a bride to have never met my photographer and had never been able to discuss all the pictures I wanted to have done with her. Not to mention I never even gave thought to a videographer. So there I was on my wedding day about to get married in about 2 hours and I still hadn’t met them yet when I looked off my balcony and there were Bruce and Michele literally standing in the water practicing the angles to get the best shots of our wedding. What a relief! I just knew from watching them for those few moments that we were in the best hands possible and all my worries melted away. They both came up to my bridal suite and introduced themselves and they had such a calming demeanor I finally felt like I could sit back and enjoy the wedding. A few short weeks later Matt and I received our photos and copies of our DVD and they mean so much to us! It was so amazing on Christmas to sit down with our families and be able to watch all the moments captured on film that we had completely forgot about. If any bride out there is on the fence about hiring Bruce for videography don’t even think twice, and seriously Bruce give that bride our number and we will be sure to change her mind! Also Michele took such beautiful photos at such flattering angles (thank god! haha)everyone looked phenomenal. I just want to thank you both again for such professionalism it was such an honor to have worked with you.
 
      All The Best, Brianna Rothman
 
PS we miss you guys come to Maine soon!

One of the biggest comments I hear from time to time is, ” I wish we had videotaped our Wedding”.

The following comment would be, “I missed so much.  The day went by so fast .” Believe me friends, it does. Even though I have a lot of footage to edit, the day sure does fly by.  All that work, planning, interviews, driving from one place to another. I’m willing to bet any Bride or Groom puts well over a thousand miles on their vehicles alone just doing Wedding planning.

Now let’s go ahead in time a little.  The Wedding was 3 months ago and you’re writing Thank You notes to all your family and friends, putting little comments on the stationery.  ” Hi Aunty, it was wonderful having you come all the way from California with Uncle Jimmy, watching him dance all night long with probably eveyone in the room was hilarious. I never knew he was such a dancin’ machine.  Mom would always tell me stories about him being one heck of a dancer.  She was right.”

You can only tell that story with Video because I’m sure you weren’t standing there watching him dance all night.  You have a lot of guests to mingle with.  My job is to capture what you miss as well as those moments when you two are the center of attention like your first dance, cake cutting, ect. 

I often mention to you Brides and Grooms how special it is to have a precious memory of your great grandparents, grandparents, great aunts and uncles for your children and future friends to meet. I have been told by many, many Brides & Grooms how special it was to show their children the DVD and that have included relatives who have since moved on.  Just listening to their voices again can be so comforting to some people.  I am creating a Time Capsule for Generations to come and to me that’s not just my passion, it’s also an honor.

It’s a love story written without a pen to be shared with generations to come.