A Wedding Video message is becoming a really important element in a modern wedding film. There are three main types of messages that can be incorporated in the film. First is the older style guest message where your guests speak to the camera and wish you both well, there is also the ‘Wish we were there’ type message from guests who couldn’t attend and finally there are beautiful messages read during the wedding day that can be included as strong story elements in your film such as a communion reflection or a letter from the bride to the groom.
Best Wishes Message for Wedding Video from Guests
The first message as mentioned is the traditional ‘Best Wishes’ message. These can be a nice memento but typically are not strong enough to complement a story led film. These are usually filmed after the meal and before the music starts and involves finding a quiet spot to record while a few reliable people such as bridal party members round up wedding guests to come in to speak to the camera.
The success can vary as this is off the cuff and be as simple as person after person saying “thanks for inviting me and all the best to you both on your wedding day! It could be a better idea to have the people you wish to speak prepped that they will be leaving a message and have a list made for your videographer of the people you want included. I’d suggest picking a few people in advance that you think would be good and have them individually read a little poem or to read a letter to you on camera. This will be more thoughfull and personalised.
However of course you can just get as much enjoyment from a mix of random groups and individuals wishing you well. But please give a little though to maybe having 3-4 important people knowing they will be needed and to have a little something ready either a little poem, anecdote or letter.
“Wish We Were There” wedding message
Unfortunately due to Covid 19 it meant that the number of attendees of weddings all over Ireland, and indeed the world, was limited for 2020 and 2021. Many guests couldn’t make it unfortunately but wanted to be there in spirit with a video message.
This type of video message then is typically recorded by the person themselves and then all the messages edited together to play at the wedding reception.
Technically this is ok to record on your own smart phone or camera.
However a few useful tips for a Guest Message are as follows:
- Record in Horizontal orientation! Keeping your camera wide rather than the usual upright portrait mode means that at the reception your video will take up the whole screen and now have big black bars down either side of the projector.
- Pick a quiet location and stay close enough to your phone or camera for good audio if you aren’t using an external mic. Speaking loud, slowly and clearly is really important as many reception rooms don’t have the most amazing audio so you want your message heard clearly.
- It’s best to have somewhere nice and bright to record this message to the couple. And ideally place the camera or phone on a tripod or a bench to keep it steady and ensure a sharp picture,
- Keep it short! A minute should be plenty and the best message videos will might include the following: Congratulate the wedding couple, Brief mention why you cannot be there, Maybe mention how you know the couple or if you have a very short funny story, then wish them all the best – that’s it!
- If you have any outtakes – send them on too! This can be a good laugh when things go wrong too!
Reading a personalised message
While the other two messages are nice to have as a memento they don’t generally add to the wedding film as much as a personal message from the bride and groom.
One of my favourite things is for the couple to exchange letters with each other the day before the wedding and then open and read then on camera early on the wedding morning. It’s usually the bride reading the groom’s letter and the groom reading the bride’s letter. But an idea here is to hold onto a copy of your letter you send and read that instead. So the bride’s letter sent to the groom is being read by the bride in her own voice and vice versa. For example if the groom mentions how he is looking forward to seeing the bride walk down the aisle just imagine how amazing that line will sound in his voice on video while seeing him turning around to see you walk up the aisle.
An alternative is to have personalised vows to read to each other. You may be having a traditional Church ceremony with standard vows but it can be really beautiful to take a moment after the ceremony, maybe outdoors, and read touching personalised vows to each other.
Maybe you have a poem or a song that you love? An idea is to read the lyrics or words on the wedding morning to be included in the wedding film. It’s your wedding video and as a wedding videographer I want every film I create to be beautiful, reflective but most of all personal.
Reading a short message, poem, or song to your partner is such a powerful story element and really complements any wedding film.
As a little twist on the first type of guest message maybe if you have a relative who has a good speaking voice you can ask them to read a favourite poem etc at a quiet point on the wedding morning or at the reception and this will be included in your wedding video.
Wedding Video Messages in your film
A wedding film is made up of 3 main elements in my opinion. You have the visuals, the music and the audio captured on the day. When you combine all three building blocks in the perfect way you have the story. Certain amounts of narrative audio happen on the day such as the speeches, reflection, readings, vows etc – but please give a little thought to including some extra audio such as personalised letters, guest message of a lovely poem etc, or reading personalised vows to each other in a beautiful location with your partner after the ceremony.
Groom Speech Tips
If you are preparing a Groom’s Speech then there are some groom speech tips here that should be of help!
Please get in touch and let me know about your plans
If you would like to find out more about my wedding films please get in touch. I’m available your wedding anywhere as Wedding Videographer Ireland from Donegal Videos to Dublin Wedding Films and from the South West coast in Cork and Clare Wedding to Northern Ireland Wedding Videographer.
