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A wedding can be a very stressful and a very fast paced event. This is why you need make sure you pay strict attention to everything that happens before the actual ceremony.

Putting an emphasis on what happens before the big show should always be taking into account, because it can save the production that goes into shooting a wedding.

Things to consider before even touching a camera are, meeting with the wedding planner, scouting the location, attending the rehearsal for the event and capturing b roll before the event.

One aspect that is key to look at before the shooting ever begins, is to meet with the wedding planner. This is where the call should be made to what needs to be prioritized throughout the shoot based on what the schedule is of the event.

The Wedding planner is going to tell the shooter what they have access to, and what they don't have access to. As well as clue everyone in to the days plans. It's generally a good idea to bring along a shot list and make sure that access is allowed so that the shooter will be more prepared for the live event.

The next big step to take before the ceremony is to actually visit the location beforehand and make sure to create a plan based around the event.

Scouting the location beforehand is going to allow the shooter to piece together the elements to create a better production. First up, it helps to know the location so that there is never any confusion as to where certain parts of the event are actually happening, it also helps with the arrangement of the cameras capturing the event and any questions surrounding where the sun might be, and the best place to position the cameras. And lastly, this helps because the more that the shooter knows the area, the less stressful it will be to move around and capture the unique aspects of the event.

Make sure to attend the rehearsal to tie up any loose ends. This also provides an in depth look into the event making the live shoot, more organized and less chaotic for the videographer.

By attending the rehearsal, the questions of where will the wedding party be standing, how will they be organized, where are they coming from and when are they exiting all receive the answers the shooter needs. This makes the live shoot far less hectic and much more manageable.

When it comes to the day of the actual wedding itself one last thing to consider is to getting to the location early, to grab some much needed b roll of the location. This is good for the bride and groom to reflect on the day, since in most cases they're generally going to be too busy to notice the small details due to the busy day they have in front of them.

Arriving early enough to grab extra b roll shots will not only serve as good video to add to the overall final production of the event, but it can also be used for cutaways and transitions to help capture the mood and feelings associated with the wedding itself. Capturing nice shots, rack focused, and very clean images are good to add to the final product for the clients as well... because it gives them the chance to look back at the day in its entirety and capture the details that they may have missed when preparing and attending the actual event itself. This is the final touch to creating a lasting memory for both the bride and groom.

Paying attention to these details simply makes way for a better and cleaner looking production. A ceremony only happens once, so being as prepared as you can possibly be is the best solution to giving the clients they wedding video that captures their memories, forever.