How a Wedding Videographer Prioritizes Sound
Imagine yourself watching a movie and the visuals of the movie are stunning and it appears to be showing a captivating story. Now, when the dialogue starts, you realize that you can hardly hear what the actors are saying. You probably won’t last too much longer before turning the movie off because while the visuals are engaging, the audio makes it difficult to enjoy. Good high quality sound is imperative for creating video memories that couples can share with their families and enjoy for years to come.
At Catholic weddings, the vows are the central element of the Marriage Rite. As such, I prioritize capturing the vows in high-quality audio. When the groom arrives at the church, I find him to put a lavalier microphone on him, disguising it behind the boutonniere. Next, I ask him to repeat what he ate for breakfast. That may seem like an odd question, but first consider when someone is asked to test a microphone they say, “One, two, three, test, test.” Sometimes the speaker doesn’t speak at their typical volume. Therefore, asking the groom a question they aren’t expecting takes their mind off of the microphone for a second and as they’re reciting what they ate for breakfast I do a sound test. This allows me to have clean audio throughout the duration of the Mass, including the vows. Once Mass is over, I make a dash to find the groom because he is likely about to take a lot of photos. I want to make sure that the microphone does not inadvertently enter any of the photos.
“All this audio I record is used skillfully in the highlight film to give the bride and groom an opportunity to relive their wedding day.”
After the Wedding Mass, I set up my audio equipment at the reception hall, where I will record the speeches. I typically ask the DJ or band if I can tap into their sound system. I bring my own cables so they are generally happy to help! I also have a back up audio recording simultaneously in case the DJ or band’s audio isn’t reliable. If for whatever reason I am unable to plug into the DJ’s system, I will put the lavalier microphone on those giving the speeches. Having these back up audio set ups ensures that I am capturing all of the audio from the day that has the most meaning to the bride and groom.
All this audio I record is used skillfully in the highlight film to give the bride and groom an opportunity to relive their wedding day. Years down the road, the bride and groom can sit down to rewatch their wedding video and they can hear the voices of their loved ones preserved, bringing back a flood of memories. Can you imagine that?
This is a sample highlight film. For this couple I also filmed the full mass, full speeches, and gathered interviews with family members and guests.
