4 Photo/Video Ideas to Try at Your Wedding
Photography and videography is one of the biggest expenses you run into when planning a wedding, but it’s also worth it. At the end of the wedding day, you’ll have gorgeous, professional photos and videos to look back on for the rest of your life. But that doesn’t mean you only have to rely on your professional photography. Consider one of these photo/video ideas to capture unique moments from the big day.
1. The Selfie
Wedding selfies are so ubiquitous that in her Fall 2016 Bridal runway show, designer Reem Acra sent a model down the catwalk with a white, crystal-encrusted wedding selfie stick, which now sells for $500 at the designer’s New York boutique. Of course, you don’t need to spend $500 to get a great wedding selfie. Just rely on the expertise of your professional photographer. When doing portraits, let him or her know you want snap a great wedding-day selfie and ask them to help you pinpoint a great backdrop and to help you frame your shot. Just don’t arrange to do so at the altar!
2. The Action Video
GoPro cameras have been used at numerous weddings for humorous effect – just search YouTube. Perhaps the most well known is the couple who affixed a camera to a bottle of Fireball, the novelty cinnamon whiskey, and passed the bottle(s) around during the day, capturing all the guests taking a drink.
Are you going to have a dog as the ring bearer? You could mount a camera on him. Want to know what the bouquet toss is like from the flowers’ perspective?
Secure one in there. Any element of the day you want to capture in a unique way, you probably can with a mini action camera.
3. The Instant Camera
Want a way to document all of your wedding guests without just having them sign an old, staid guestbook? Add a photo element! Set up a table with the blank journal book and an instant-print camera – think a Fuji Instax or any number of Polaroid models – and have someone snap pics of the guests (this is a great job for a younger sibling or cousin). The guest can then write a message while their photo develops.
Later, you can assemble the photos into the book alongside the messages, creating a unique memory and keepsake from the day.
4. Aerial Videography
Aerial videography is another great way to get a unique video perspective of your event … if it’s allowed (be sure to check with your venue). Emerging drone technology has lowered the hurdle for everyday couples who’d like to have aerial footage of their event. “For our wedding productions with budgets in the low six figures, we film our aerial cinematography shots from a helicopter,” says Justin Fone, a San Francisco-based videographer. “We started using a drone as a way to democratize the look of aerial cinematography shots … at a fraction of the cost.”
Despite being more affordable than traditional aerial video, it’s still a new technology and service, so expect to pay perhaps a couple hundred dollars per hour of flying time. And be careful! Another popular YouTube wedding video shows a drone flying into the groom’s head (he wasn’t seriously hurt!).