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Wedding Films

Wedding films – Essential or Inconsequential?.

Since you found out what marriage was, you’ve probably been planning your wedding day; whether consciously, subconsciously or actively. In all likelihood it will be the day that you have always dreamed of from start to finish, and for one special day your imagination will become reality. Although every bride and every day is different, one thing remains the same – whether it lasts two hours or twenty, those wonderful moments will stay with you for the rest of your life. Or will they??

Although your day will be magical, it will also be packed with action - and all of it centered around you. Photos, speeches, meeting guests, the first dance, the ceremony, meeting guests, more photos and more meeting guests will combine to create a blur of action so that soon after your well deserved honeymoon, all will seem a distant and patchy memory. What were your guests doing before you arrived at the church? What happened while you were outside with the photographer? What was the atmosphere like for those who weren’t on the dance floor? Rightly, you want to know the answers to these questions, and the intention of this article is to show you how to get them.

Without question, a modern, professional and imaginatively produced wedding film is the perfect way of capturing all of the most magical moments in one document, to be opened and viewed again and again whenever you wish. You will never again collect together the same selection of relatives, friends and colleagues in the same room, and that alone is worth recording in a documentary that captures sound and movement, atmosphere and ambience, laughter and life.

As television and cinema illustrate perfectly, when moving images are creatively set to a backdrop of evocative music and live sound; atmosphere, emotions and memories can be re-created to rival any other presentation, even your day itself. You will truly be able to relive, relaugh and relove your day again and again, not only as if you were there again, but as if you were everywhere again. A good wedding film will reveal and capture more than even you captured on the day, it will weave a kaleidoscope of memories and sound together to create a timeless memory you can share with friends, relatives, children and grand children.

By now you may be remembering a wedding film you have seen before. Was it too long? Did it lack imagination? Did it have a ropey soundtrack? Were there effects that made you cringe? Was it more Horribly Tragic than Hollywood Magic? Quite possibly you have answered yes to some or all of these questions, but you may also be unaware that you watched a film made by an ‘Uncle John’. Ask yourself a simple question – will Aunty Mary be making the wedding dress? And why not?

Professionally produced wedding films are a breed apart nowadays, and at the very least you should seek out a truly representative example so you can be well informed about what they can offer and what you might be missing. As with every other wedding day service the secret is to find the right film maker for you. There are many to choose from and there are a wide range of styles, attitudes, prices and, if we are honest, qualities. The good news is, though, that there is someone (in fact, many people) who will make the perfect film for you – your ideal documentary to compliment your individual tastes. You want fast paced, snappy editing with a dance soundtrack? Done. Romantic slow motion with romantic music? Sold.

Interviews with guests and innovative filming? It’s yours. The wealth of companies who are dedicated to creating your dream film are as diverse and inspired as any professional industry. You are spoiled for choice.
You want someone who will create a magical memory for you, so ask and expect them to prove themselves. Many companies can be found on the internet or by advertising and promotional literature. Try wedding fairs. Ask friends for their recommendations. Most importantly of all ask companies to supply you with samples of their previous work. All reputable companies will be more than happy to forward you a free sample (on VHS or DVD) of their work to be judged against others. You also need to consider – do you like them? They will spend more time around you than anyone else on the day, so trust your instincts. Are they a qualified member of a professional organisation such as the Institute of Videography? This at least gives you peace of mind that others in the profession value their work and that it conforms to an industry standard for quality of sound and picture. Do they willingly spend time to answer your questions? You want them to care as much about your film as you do, and even if you don’t fully understand the technicalities in some of their answers, you will get a feel for whether they know what they are talking about.

When you look at their promotional film in the comfort of your own home, compare it to your own standards. Does it look like a television programme, or a home made video by one of your family? Does it create an emotional reaction in you? If the answer is yes and you are watching a film about people you don’t know, imagine what it will be like when the entire cast are recognisable as people you know and love….

Once you have examined all of the options, you will of course need to consider price. As you do, think on this. No matter what you are spending on any other aspect of your day (with the exception of photos), everything will disappear at the close of your wedding. Your wedding film is the only way to ensure that the years, months, and weeks of effort and work that will go into this one day in your lives will be captured forever. Although prices, deals and packages vary considerably, you only get what you pay for, and although your professionally finished and created film is unlikely to come cheap, it will become priceless just minutes after you have watched it for the first time.

By choosing to commission a wedding film, you will literally be making an historic decision –the capture of your history and the birth of your married lives together. Wedding films have grown over the years and now they offer an exceptional opportunity to suspend the magic of your day in time in a style that suits you and your partner perfectly. They are unequalled in their scope, and uncompromising in their emotional value. Years from now you will not be wondering why you decided to have a wedding film made; you will be looking forward to the christening of your children, or your next birthday party, so that you can invite the company back to create another piece of gold dust for your film archives……

Are you like the couple who supplied this quote to our UK wedding film company?

‘Before our wedding we were leaning more to photos than to film, but since we have seen your documentary we now know that the film is king!! We are so, so glad that we had a film made…’

Jeremy
Wicked Days Productions

Article kindly provided by those lovely people at Wicked Days Productions

(Click here to e-mail Jeremy at Wicked Days)

(Click here to visit Wicked Days Productions)