Why the “stap” guy is the wedding industry’s friend we need.
I am going to be brutally honest in this blog post. In fact, I believe that honesty is a great policy to go by.
Having witnessed close to 100 weddings in my relatively short time being a wedding filmmaker there is something I see happening often that I feel needs to be addressed. It’s certainly not going to take just little old me to make this change, however if you are reading this, either as a wed to be or an invited guest to an upcoming wedding, then you have the power to make a difference.
A recent clip by B.Bryant Films has gone viral on social media and has been shared amongst the wedding photography and video community highlights the issue in question:
The groom Virgil here speaks the truth. Couples can spend a lot of time researching photographers and videographers who they feel are the best fit for them, then spend thousands booking them for their special day. Couples hire professionals so their guests can enjoy the day as it unfolds in front of their eyes. Couples want to see their guest’s faces, not their phones or cameras.
Now, as a filmmaker I really have no problem with guests taking their own photos or videos through the day, however I personally feel this should exclude the ceremony and speeches.
The reasons for this are simple:
We pick the prime positions to cover the ceremony and speeches, using the optimum lens choice to film the couple and guest reactions.
We use professional grade audio equipment to get the best audio quality possible. Time is then spent mixing and refining the audio in post production.
We want the couple and guests to enjoy the day to the fullest by being unobtrusive.
A few weeks after the wedding, the couple will receive their photos and films after the pros have worked their magic, which I am sure will be shared amongst friends and family. I can guarantee everyone will be more interested in seeing the photos and films the couple have paid good money for, not what a guest has stored away on their phone’s photo album, most of which may not even see the light of day anyway!
A few tips to make sure you have the best experience of the wedding day:
For the couple:
Consider an unplugged wedding - this is where you politely invite your guests to switch off their phones and cameras and enjoy being in the moment.
Have the officiant announce to guests just prior to the ceremony starting that no photographs or video be taken and nothing to be posted on social media until they receive something from their hired in professionals.
For guests:
Enjoy the day with your own eyes and ears. Be in the moment and embrace the emotions as they unfold.
Please refrain from taking photos and videos during the ceremony and speeches. Please be considerate, at some point you will see the photos and films so let the pros do their job.
Please let the couple make any announcements about the wedding on social media first, using images and videos supplied by their chosen creatives.
This isn’t going to be something that will change in weddings overnight but if we take a moment to think before pulling phones out, then perhaps we can do just a little bit to make what I feel is a much needed positive change in attitudes to the best days of people’s lives.