The Wedding Day Step by Step: A Videographer's Perspective - with Real Life Wedding Videos.
Updated: Jan 30
Wedding planning can be a daunting task, and it's easy to get caught up in the details. But let's face it, the real magic happens on the big day. My team and I have spent hundreds of hours filming, editing videos, and delivering hours and hours of detailed wedding day coverage to happy couples in Montreal, Ottawa, and beyond.
We've learned a thing or two about what goes into a typical wedding day. From the preparation morning to the dance party, each wedding is unique, but there are some common threads that tie them all together.
In this article, I am going to take you on a journey through the five main activities of a typical wedding day: preparation morning, ceremony, photo session, reception, and dance party. Forget about the usual 8-minute highlight video most videographers present on their showreel, I'll give you an in-depth look behind the scenes. You'll get to watch hours of a detailed real-life wedding video, so you can learn from this couple and get inspired for your own big day. So, sit back, relax, and grab a glass of bubbly as we dive into the world of weddings from a videographer's perspective.
The morning of preparations
The bride is surrounded by her posse of bridesmaids, all bustling with excitement and anticipation as they help her prepare for her big day. Hair and makeup artists are working their magic, transforming her into a radiant bride. The bridal gown is carefully hung in the corner, like a delicate work of art.
The bridesmaids are dressed in their finest, ready to assist the bride and make sure everything runs smoothly. Bouquets of flowers and decorations are being arranged, creating a stunning atmosphere.
The groomsmen arrive in their suits, looking sharp and ready to escort the groom to the ceremony. The atmosphere is a mix of anticipation and joy, as everyone prepares for the special day and helps create a memorable experience.
The ceremony
The ceremony is held in a stunning venue, with the bride and groom standing in front of the officiant, ready to seal the deal and make it official. The guests are seated in the pews, eagerly awaiting the vows, and trying to capture the perfect Instagram shot.
The bride and groom exchange their heartfelt promises, and the officiant pronounces them husband and wife. The newlyweds share a passionate kiss and the guests erupt in cheers, giving the couple a taste of what their future will be like with a houseful of in-laws.
The bride and groom process out of the venue, hand in hand, ready to start their new life together, and hopefully, learn to love each other's Netflix preferences.
The Photo Session The bride and groom are whisked away to a picturesque location for their photo session, ready to strike a pose and make their parents proud. The photographer captures their love and joy, as they pose for intimate shots, and probably some awkward ones too. Meanwhile, the videographer (a.k.a me, Briday) is capturing the same poses and direction in video versions, as well as adding some of my own posing direction to create a unique video experience.
The bridal party joins in on the fun, as they take silly photos and laugh together, because who doesn't love a good bridesmaids' photo bomb? The photographer captures the joy and laughter, creating beautiful memories, and some that they'll wish they could forget. The videographer is also capturing the candid moments, making sure to catch all the laughter and fun.
The photo session comes to an end, and the bride and groom head back to the reception, ready to celebrate, and finally get a drink after all that smiling. The videographer is also there to capture all the special moments and memories, making sure that the couple will have a beautiful video to look back on for years to come.
The Reception
The reception is held in a grand ballroom, with decorations and flowers adorning the walls, because nothing says "I love you" more than a bouquet of flowers that will die in a week. The cake is the centerpiece, a work of art, and probably the only thing that will survive the night. The guests are seated at their tables, ready to enjoy the feast, and probably regretting their food choices the next day.
The bride and groom make their grand entrance, and the guests cheer, because let's face it, they're the reason we're all here. The newlyweds share their first dance, and the guests join in, celebrating the happy couple, and probably trying to avoid stepping on each other's toes.
The guests enjoy the delicious food and drinks, and the dance floor is filled with laughter and joy, and probably a few spilled drinks. The night is filled with love and celebration, and hopefully, a few good stories to tell the next day. With speeches, toasts, and some good old-fashioned dad dancing, the reception is guaranteed to be a night to remember.
The dance party
The dance party begins, and the DJ plays the bride and groom's favorite songs, and probably some that they've never heard before, but that's what happens when you leave the music to your cousin who's into EDM. The guests hit the dance floor, and the night is filled with laughter, joy, and probably a few awkward dance moves.
The bride and groom share a romantic dance, and the guests cheer, because who doesn't love a good love story? The DJ plays a mix of classic and modern songs, and the guests dance the night away, some of them until their feet hurt, others until they've had one too many drinks.
The night comes to an end, and the guests bid farewell to the newlyweds, with some of them taking a piece of the wedding cake as a souvenir. The bride and groom are filled with joy, as they start their new life together, and probably a little bit of exhaustion too. But, they will look back on this night with fond memories. A Perfect Day Concluded
The bride and groom had a day to remember starting with the commencement of the preparations and culminating with a memorable dance party.
Their union was rejoiced by their dear ones and they now embark on an adventure of love and friendship.
Angie and Gabe are featured in the videos you just watched. We covered their August 20, 2022 wedding. It was a grand wedding in the heart of Montreal's old port.
Angie and Gabe's wedding day is distinguished by their diverse backgrounds, which include people from various countries and cultures. A wedding is one of the most cultural events of all time, and capturing it on video is especially difficult when the future spouses come from different cultural backgrounds.
It was a Rwandan and Haitian mix in this case. From our first wedding consultation meeting, we knew they cherished video, that they wanted quality, and that we needed to commit to not missing any important moments.
Here is the 8-minute version (We are them videographers after all :)
You will notice how important each detail of the wedding day activity is in the grand scheme. My hope is to inspire you and help make your wedding day memorable for you, your partner, and future generations.
Reach-out about your wedding video Checkout our wedding price packages
P.S. I have a dozen stories about how things can go wrong. I will never write about them here, but if you are planning a wedding, I'll spare 10 minutes for you.
Questions and / or suggestions? Let me know in the comments.