For most people, your wedding day is the first time you’re hiring a professional videographer and photographer, so it’s very common to feel uncomfortable in front of a camera. I always try to assure my couples they will feel as comfortable as possible with me and I never want to do anything that comes across as unnatural on camera. Here are a few of my favorite tips to help ease those nerves on your wedding day.

1. Prompts Instead Of Poses

I typically never like to just stick a couple in a pose and get a shot of them like that. For video, that’s one of the most unnatural types of poses you can do. I like to make my couples feel comfortable by using prompts instead of poses. I’ll ask you to do something, and however you interpret it will be most natural and show on camera best.

Also, for video, a lot of times the in-between moments are the ones that come out great. While the photographer has you do a few things, you might laugh at something, or hold each other a certain way which is all you! For video, it’s easier to feel like you’re going to look awkward but I assure you, you will look your best with me. Most of my couples tell me they’re actually shocked they looked so good in their wedding videos!

2. Having An Engagement Session

When you ask a professional for advice on how to get better at something, the most common answer. you’ll get is “practice makes perfect”. This goes for being in front of a camera as well. Having an engagement session is great practice for your actual wedding day. This way, you’ve done it already and you know what to expect. Whether it’s with your photographer, or you choose to have an engagement video with me, you’ll get a better feel of how we work with you and how much fun we can actually have instead of making portraits feel like work.

When I have engagement video sessions with my couples, I encourage them to do something they love doing together (a sport, an activity, a walk with the dog, cooking, etc.) so that they’re already comfortable and I just document it. This way, you already feel comfortable because you’re not being asked to do something you’re not used to, and afterward, we’ll answer a few short questions about each other and you’re relationship when you’re already comfortable being in front of the camera. I’ve found this to be extremely effective, and by the time you’re wedding day comes, we’re ready to rock and your nerves are at ease.

Feel free to get a better idea of what I’m talking about here with this engagement video I shot:

3. Get To Know Your Vendors

Getting to know your wedding videographer or photographer is a great way to help build that trust and comfort on your wedding day. A lot of things are just booked online these days, but I’m always down to jump on a call or a Facetime/zoom with my couples so we can feel each other out and get to know our personalities a bit more. In my initial Inquiry Form that my couples fill out, I ask about your story and yourselves a bit because I genuinely want to get to know you, as I do provide some info of myself on my website for you to see also.

We will be spending all day together, so I try to build some sort of relationship prior to making you feel more comfortable in front of the camera. This along with an engagement session are excellent ways to have a smooth wedding day with us!

4. “Fly On The Wall” Approach

Every wedding videographer and wedding photographer works differently, but I personally prefer the “fly on the wall” approach for most of the day. It can be overwhelming on your wedding day to have a lot going on, stick to a time schedule, and have multiple cameras in your face. I NEVER want to be that guy! I prefer to capture your day from a journalistic approach, which means you’ll be more at ease and have one less thing to worry about.

That being said, if I do see a great shot, I will point it out and try to capture it, but I’m not there to direct your entire day. It’s your wedding, I’m just there to capture it and keep you at ease as I do it.

5. Have A Padded Timeline

The best way to enjoy your wedding day is to not stress. I know, it’s easier said than done, but there are ways to help with this. Giving yourself extra time in between the formalities of your day will allow padding just in case life happens and things run a bit behind. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen stressed-out brides start to panic but then when I tell them not to worry we have plenty of time, and they instantly ease up. Adding an extra 15 minutes here, and 30 minutes there will make ALL the difference in your day, I promise!

Worrying about fitting everything within a few hours doesn’t have to be as hard as you think, and when you allow this extra time throughout your day, it shows on your face and in your wedding videos/ photos 😊

-Austin

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Hi, my name is Austin, and a wedding videographer based out of New York City.

Want to learn more? Feel free to check out some of my wedding films here: https://cinemarollfilms.com/

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