Can You Film Your Own Wedding?
Getting friends and family on-board to help you shoot your own wedding video is easier than you think and can save you £££s.
Perhaps you think hiring a wedding videographer is out of your budget? You may have found yourself wondering: can you film your own wedding? Well, we’re glad to tell you that yes, with a bit of help, you can.
Capturing your wedding day is an absolute essential, whether that be through photographs, a wedding video or both. Photos and videos will provide you with lasting memories of the day, and will give you and your loved ones the chance to relive the fun time and time again.
If you're keen to capture your day with a wedding video but the cost of hiring a professional wedding videographer doesn't fit within your budget, there is a smart solution!
Filming your own wedding has so many benefits beyond saving money. If you don’t quite consider yourself to be an amateur Steven Spielberg, there’s no need to panic! Shooting your own video is surprisingly easy, plus it can save plenty of money for your wedding budget.
What Are the Advantages to Filming Your Own Wedding?
We've spoken to industry expert Darren from Vlog My Wedding to find out all the benefits of filming your own wedding as well as top tips for creating your dream wedding video.
See Your Wedding Through the Eyes of Your Loved Ones
Did you know that guests can use services like Vlog My Wedding to capture all the moments they want you to see?
Your loved ones can capture every moment of your wedding journey and the team at Vlog My Wedding can edit them all together to create a unique wedding video:
It also makes your wedding video totally personal. This unique wedding videography service means that you can create the wedding video you want and not a video that depends on a set timeframe or package.
Darren says, “For me the biggest advantage which I get told about is how real the videos are. I think it feels extra special knowing your guests have created your day how they see it.”
Nerves Be Gone!
If you’re the type of person that doesn’t feel completely at ease with being in front of a camera, having your friends and family capture your wedding is a great way to banish your nerves.
Darren puts it best: “It removes the fear of being filmed. If your friend holds a camera in your face it's like it's invisible, you have no fear and the footage is so much more relaxed.
“You get clips that only someone super close to you could achieve.”
Capture the Fun from Every Angle
Having you and your guests film your wedding means that you’ll get to watch your wedding day play out from multiple perspectives and even capture moments you may miss on the day.
Darren agrees, and highlights this as one of the biggest benefits of filming your own wedding: “It allows people to remember things they would not necessarily see as being important or actually it brings back the real memory of a part of the day.
“So many couples email saying they thought they remembered the wedding ceremony; then the video brings back so many things they totally forgot, like how it felt to walk down the aisle, or sharing that first look, or even getting some words wrong. It's amazing how we recreate or don't remember exactly that happens, and this lets you have that.
“The outtakes are also hilarious, genuine, funny moments which are not suitable for a wedding video but are great to remember and laugh at.”
Save Money
The most obvious advantage of shooting your own wedding video is that you’ll save money, as you only have to pay for the hire of the cameras, rather than camera costs and an on-site videographer.
Saving money on videography means you'll have that little extra to spend on something you've got your eye on, whether that's a vintage wedding car, unique wedding entertainment, or you could even treat your guests to a free bar - something they’ll be happy to trade for shooting the highlights of your wedding!
Tips For Filming Your Own Wedding
Whether you’re a wannabe Scorsese or a complete photography novice, everyone could benefit from a few tips when it comes to photographing your own wedding.
Firstly, the most important thing to keep in mind is that while filming your own wedding is an exciting and fulfilling experience, remember to be present in the moment and fully enjoy your day.
Darren recommends putting a member of your wedding party in charge in the morning, saying, “That’s when things can seem a little hectic. For the rest of the day I would get someone to do an announcement about the cameras, letting the guests know the cameras are being passed around so everyone can have a turn at filming how they see the day.”
Throughout the day, he recommends trusting the artistic vision of your guests: “I would try to keep it unscripted, let the guests film what they want to and what they see. The idea behind this is to capture really great natural footage.”
Whether you want to have a go yourself or are completely happy to give your guests free reign you’re sure to end up with plenty of memorable and heart-warming content at the end of the day. Darren says, “Don't stress if you don't see the cameras being used, they always get used loads more than you think.”
How Much Does Filming Your Own Wedding Cost?
If you're working to a tight budget, then choosing to film your wedding is a great place to start. While more and more couples have been opting to hire a wedding videographer, the cost of wedding videography typically lies somewhere between £1,500 and £3,000, which could be a large portion of the average wedding budget, but it's an investment worth making if you want the expertise of a professional.
When it comes to filming your own wedding, Darren gives an estimation of the costs at Vlog My Wedding: “We charge on average £695, and that gives you a 3 minute highlight of the day, a more feature type length one which is about 18 minutes, then the ceremony in full, speeches in full and first dance in full (all from two different angles as during these parts we supply tripods)."
Bear in mind that different companies will vary on the prices and packages they offer.
How Does Filming Your Own Wedding Work?
DIY wedding videography companies such as Vlog My Wedding and London-based You Do The Shoot supply hand-held video cameras to your wedding, allowing guests to capture the moments that matter most to them.
After your celebration, the cameras and their footage will be returned to the professionals, who will edit the clips together to create a beautiful wedding video that perfectly captures your day.
Vlog My Wedding gives couples a three minute highlight video as well as a 15 minute wedding video, and ceremony, speeches and first dance in full.
You Do The Shoot offers couples a range of packages to best suit their videography needs, one of which includes a professional videographer to offer guidance to guests and couples on the day.
Still considering hiring a wedding videographer? Check out our list of questions to ask your wedding videographer before you make up your mind.
