There is no doubt that shooting a wedding video can be a stressful activity. This is because there is no second take on a wedding video, like there would be if you were shooting a drama, and because it is the most important day of a couples life.

In order to reduce the stress, one must device a methodology that will help guide the videographer through the day. By planning the day in detail, the videographer can work to a plan and commit to following it through. Off course things do not always go according to plan on a wedding day, but the truth is that if you work to the plan and are at the same time ready for changes you will have a higher chance of success.

The most important step in planning a wedding is the final prep. Final prep is the process of asking the bride and groom all the questions you need to in order top produce a detailed schedule of the day. Knowing the exact times and events enables the videographer work through and keep himself on schedule.

It is also important in terms of camera movement and placement. Knowing for example that every one making a speech will be on the head table, allows the videographer to position the camera in a place where he can get a good view of all the speakers and ensure smooth movement of the camera with out picking it up and moving it, which will cause a messy break in the timeline.

Another factor of the speeches which must be discussed, is how many speeches are taking place and when they are happening. This is important to know, so that we know where we have to be to get ready for the commencement of the speeches, and so that we can ensure that we record all of them. Some times a wedding will have some speeches before the meal and some during the meal, in between courses. If we did not know this, then we might think the speeches are over after the first round of speeches, and therefore miss the next round of speeches

It is also important to know what non standard things are going to happen on the day, like fireworks or a juggler for example. If you were not told before the wedding that these things were taking place, then you could end up missing them, simply because no one actually told you on the day, and you happened to be no where near them when they happened.

If the videographer is working alone, then it is important to ask the couple who they would nominate to help with the guest messages. The reason that the videographer needs help with the guest messages is because, in order to produce good sound quality, the videographer must be away from the disco in as quiet a room as possible. It is therefore impossible for the videographer to be able to shoot the people leaving a message and also grab people to come and leave a message. By going through this with the bride and groom during bridal prep, we are able to emphasise how important it is that they pick the correct person to help, and therefore ensure that the bride and groom get enough guest messages.

The question that I have mentioned above are just a few examples of the questions that we ask a couple when we go through final preparations with them. The list of questions that we ask has come about directly from our vast experiences at weddings. By asking these vital questions we are able to predict and avoid some of the potential problems on the day, by accessing the information needed to plan around them. As mentioned above, there are some things that you simply can not predict on a wedding day, but at least by eliminating as many as possible, we are able to vastly improve our chances of producing a stunning wedding video.