
Your wedding day will arguably be one of the most important and memorable days of your life. For this reason, many couples opt for not only a wedding photographer but a wedding videographer too. Photography is great for capturing the day, the pivotal moments, and family and friends having a blast. But a wedding video can tell the story of the couple from the moment they start getting ready, to the final boogie on the dance floor.
If you have questions about wedding videography, check out our blog - “What is wedding videography? Everything you need to know.”
Wedding Videography Styles
So, you and your partner have decided to hire a wedding videographer for your big day. But have you thought about the style of wedding video (or videos) you want from the service? Don’t worry! We’ve put together this list of the most popular types of wedding films for you to consider.
Traditional Wedding Videos
A traditional wedding video is typically one of the longest forms of wedding film. The videographer will follow the happy couple from getting ready to the reception. This style matches perfectly with traditional-style weddings such as church weddings, or weddings which are filled with many family traditions.
What this video usually covers:
🎥Getting ready (just one or both parties)
🎥The Bridal party
🎥The ceremony
🎥Group shots
🎥Cake cut and first dance
🎥Bouquet toss (if applicable)
🎥Reception coverage
This type of wedding film can make the perfect sentimental and meaningful watch, with pivotal moments such as ring swaps and the first kiss made as a standout feature.
Short Form Video or Highlight Reel
This is a type of wedding film which is steadily gaining in popularity. Typically the video will entail all of the important parts such as:
🎥Walking down the aisle
🎥Exchanging vows
🎥First kiss
🎥Snippets of family and friends
🎥Cake cut
🎥First dance
Depending on the time left in the editing process of the film, your videographer may also add in little moments, like people on the dancefloor of the reception. However, the aim of this style is to keep the video as short as possible. This is perfect for a couple who is constantly on the go and who doesn’t have the time to watch their big day back from start to finish. It’s also a popular option for people who would love to share their footage online for friends and family to see.
Cinematic Style Video
This type of wedding film is perfect for the couple who are all about aesthetics. The aim of the film is to capture the big day in the chosen cinematic style of the bride and groom/bride and bride/groom and groom. Think of this style as the trailer for your wedding day. Every part of your day will be captured on film, but the footage you watch may not follow the chronological order of the day.
The use of filters, seamless transitions, beautiful slow-motion shots, and eye-catching camera angles are what make a cinematic wedding video what it is. This helps to capture the allure of your wedding day and builds excitement making you, and whoever you share the footage with, want to see more. This can be the perfect choice for couples who are big on films and cinematic-style shots.
Documentary Wedding Videos
Documentary wedding videos are what it says on the tin. The videographer will follow you around from day to night capturing everything that happens on your big day. This style is pretty similar to a traditional wedding video but with a few differences. For example, documentary-style videos may include “raw footage” in the sense of showing all the emotions of the day - whether that be guests laughing before the ceremony, or the groom shedding a few tears while he anxiously awaits at the alter.
Another element that documentary wedding videos include in their final edit is the audio of the ceremony and speeches. They will record these parts in full and they will be included in the final presentation of the film. This can make your wedding film lengthy, but if you want to remember every minute of your day, this is the perfect choice for you!
Candid Wedding Films
A candid wedding film is another style which is slowly gaining popularity. This is due to the relaxed and no-pressure coverage that this video type offers. When done correctly, you should hardly notice that your wedding videographer is there! Of course, there will be moments like the ceremony and the first dance where the videographer will want to get up close to capture the best shots, but throughout the rest of the day, you’ll be able to relax and forget about being filmed. This, in our opinion, makes for some of the most beautiful and genuine wedding footage.
Typically, candid wedding videos capture the following:
🎥Getting ready (if applicable)
🎥The build-up before the ceremony
🎥The ceremony
🎥First kiss
🎥Post-ceremony celebrations
🎥Group shots
🎥Bouquet toss (if applicable)
🎥Cake cut & first dance
🎥Dancing the night away at the reception
The magic of this style of wedding film comes when you watch your footage back. You may spot things you didn’t notice on the day such as your maid of honour wiping away those happy tears. You’ll also be able to watch your film knowing that every emotion that was captured was true and organic. Candid wedding videos have a special place in our hearts for these reasons alone - you can see the genuine happiness of everyone involved in the big day.
How S2 Pictures Can Help
As mentioned above, we are a sucker for candid wedding films - and that’s why they are our speciality! We let you have complete control over everything from, what you want us to shoot, the colour grading of the final footage, and the music you would like us to use. Plus, should you want the speeches to be covered in full, we can add this one too and send you this as a separate clip.
We aim to be almost invisible during your wedding, giving you the freedom to feel at ease and allowing us to capture the raw emotions of the day. Plus, with our two-camera coverage at no extra cost, there’s not much of the wedding that won’t be captured on film. This makes for a beautiful final edit and allows you to view your wedding day from a completely different perspective.
We know what it takes to capture the perfect wedding video. Let us capture yours and tell your wedding story. Reach out to us today if you have any questions and we will be happy to help!
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