The Wedding Biz (page 2)

On occasion, you might need to hire an assistant to run a second camera. As you grow, you may have a regular assistant and need to hire a third shooter. Set a base price of what you're going to pay and set the rules of how long they're expected to stay. Often, you will need a second camera for the ceremony only; other times you will need multiple cameras throughout the event. Point out exactly what your assistants need to shoot, so that they're not shooting exactly what you are or at the same angle. If you have a second shooter, it's a good idea to use radios, if you can, to communicate from across the venue.

This is your gig, so you need to shoot the most important portion of the wedding yourself; your second shooter should be the B camera. Pay your assistants up front, so you'll be in their good graces the next time you need them.

Here are a few policies you may want to put into place now, instead of waiting until you learn the hard way like I did.

• Always collect the money up front
  You should always collect a non-refundable deposit when the contract is signed to hold the wedding date. The remaining balance should be collected on or before the day of the wedding. The clients have to book that day way in advance, but so do you. If they back out, you've lost a potential booking day. It's easy to feel like you shouldn't get paid until the product is delivered, but you may be setting yourself up to be taken advantage of. When a couple is planning a wedding, money becomes less valuable, and often it isn't even their money. They are in the mindset of spending. Once the wedding is over, however, all of a sudden money is scarce and buyer's remorse sets in. It's suddenly very easy to think, "I guess I don't need a wedding video after all."
• Be very clear of your intentions When you agree to record a wedding, let the client know in advance exactly how long you plan on staying and what events will be covered. Let them know that any extra footage you happen to capture will be a bonus but offer no guarantees. You don't want a phone call from the client after they've seen the video saying, "why didn't you get Uncle Steve dancing on the tables?" You can have several price plan packages that include a pre-wedding video, reception coverage or not, or ones that have you staying until the last drink is downed.

Now that you've gotten the clients, it's time to learn a little wedding day etiquette.

• Arrive on Time
  The wedding day is the most important day for the bride, but it also tends to be one of the most stressful. Don't add to her stress by showing up late. You should be at the location to setup at least an hour before the wedding will commence.
• Dress Professionally
  It's generally a good idea to check with the bride to see if there are any special dress code requirements (i.e. tie, sport coat), but, for the most part, slacks and a dress shirt will be acceptable. Most videographers wear black. And make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
• Behave Professionally
  Remember, you are representing your business, not only to the bridal party, but also to possibly hundreds of potential clients or referrals. Don't forget to work well with the other vendors on-site. If they don't like working with you, it could be disastrous for your reputation. Try to be flexible with the wedding planner, and get in the good graces of the still photographer. If there isn't a planner on hand, the still photographers will often run the show: let them. Your job is to follow along and capture what's happening. If you're lucky, you get a creative photographer, and you can use their poses and settings to enhance your video all the more.
• Know What's Going On
  The last thing you want is to miss something important because you weren't familiar with the schedule. And you definitely don't want to constantly be asking the bride what happens next. Make contact with the wedding planner early on and get familiar with the day's events. At the reception, make contact with the DJ and politely ask to be informed just before anything important happens. Since DJs announce all major events at the reception, they are generally in control of the schedule. In time, after you've done a few of these, you'll have the routine of cake cutting, bouquet tossing, and toasting down; it's just a matter of knowing when they're' going to happen.
• Stay Hidden
  You are being paid to capture the wedding day, not to stick a camera in the faces of each guest. If you need to conduct interviews, set up the camera on a tripod away from the main event. This puts you in an environment where you have control of lighting, sound, etc., and it gets people away from their peers where they tend to feel more comfortable and sentimental. Tape the interviews before the guests have had too much to drink, so they don't go on a rambling tangent. It might seem funny at the time, but it could be hard to edit and embarrassing to view later.

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