Anticipation, excitement, love, and the promise of dreams come true – Wedding days are charged with emotional moments that every couple wants to document for the rest of their lives! Your wedding is a monumental celebration that represents the epitome of your love for one another. Capturing it on film means you’ll always have something to look on fondly in the decades ahead.
However, it isn’t just the ceremony that deserves special attention and air time on a wedding film. Filming the bride getting ready gives you a glimpse behind the scenes and highlights some more intimate moments.
Here are a few reasons to consider hiring a professional wedding cinematographer for the bride as she gets ready.
Why Capture the Bride Getting Ready?
Every bride wants to look stunning on her wedding day – and many go to great lengths to prepare for that walk down the aisle! You can capture it all on film and make a more well-rounded image of your big day. These are just a few reasons to include it in your highlight film.
Add Emotional Depth
There’s no doubt about it: weddings are emotional affairs. Exchanging vows may be the highlight of the big day, but the context leading up to those moments is what makes it impactful! Instead of simply arranging for a wedding cinematographer during those significant moments, shooting the bride while she prepares adds another layer to the story.
Capture the excitement, nervous energy, and anticipation of what is to come later in the day. These moments give a rare glimpse into the bride’s inner world and emotions. The emotions you will find create a beautiful contrast to the rest of the day’s events, adding emotional depth to the film.
Build the Narrative Arc
Your shot list should tell the story of your love, and the bride getting ready plays a significant role in this!
A behind-the-scenes look also creates more context for your film and sets you up for a bigger payoff when you seal the deal with your officiant. The early moments of the wedding day build suspense and tension that must be resolved by the end of the film. This is significant if you hire a wedding cinematographer who understands the three-act structure used in storytelling in films and novels.
Act One of a wedding film will comprise about half of the video. It establishes the background of the big day, including footage of the bride getting ready. This is the time to set the scene, show off the venue and decorations, and create the lead-up to becoming a married couple.
Act Two entails the small moments that make up a ceremony: first looks, processionals, and possibly even readings before you exchange vows. Finally, Act Three gives you the moment you have been waiting for: the first kiss between the bride and groom.
Showcase Close Relationships
Not everyone gets to spend time with the bride before the ceremony. Most people never know how much work goes into getting ready, but her inner circle will all be present. Cinematographers can take this opportunity to showcase intimate moments with the close family and friends of the bride.
This is when we will capture those sweet, heartfelt moments like a mother helping with the veil or a sister doing the bride’s makeup and nails. These tender shots add warmth and a personal touch, making your wedding film unique and one of a kind.
Highlight the Details
The bride spends an inordinate amount of time making sure that every last detail is just so for her big day. She has her own unique style, and she wants that style to shine through in the footage of her wedding day. By filming the bride as she gets ready, you showcase the bride’s taste and capture the elements that might otherwise go unnoticed.
This behind-the-scenes footage is also a perfect place to highlight the small details of her wedding dress, a hallmark of many weddings.
Other Must-Have Shots
Of course, there are other shots that you want your videographer to capture on your big day along with the bride getting ready. Here are some must-have shots that you should discuss with your videographer:
- Décor: While the details of the dress are important, you also want to capture the smaller details of the day as a whole. You put time and effort into place settings, chair setups, the altar, fresh flowers, and more. Ensure you get some B-roll footage that sets the tone and adds depth.
- Grand Entrance: There are two grand entrances on your wedding day. The first is when you walk down the aisle to meet your soon-to-be spouse. The other is when you enter the reception for the first time as a married couple. Get both on film for the first time!
- Candid Moments: Your cinematographer will have no shortage of planned moments that they can stage for your wedding film. However, you might want to have a second cinematographer to capture more candid moments that you miss in the excitement of the big day.
For more ideas on shots to include in your wedding film, see our full blog here.
Book Reverent for Your Wedding Film
Don’t leave your wedding film to chance with amateur producers. Reverent is the largest wedding videographer in Texas, specializing in cinematic storytelling to create highlight films that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
Let’s talk about your goals and the special moments you absolutely MUST capture on your big day. Reach out to check our booking schedule or chat with a wedding specialist for more info!
