You've decided you want a wedding video, now how do you choose which one is right for you?  You want to be able to enjoy watching your wedding video for many years to come and to be proud to show it to family and friends and for them to really enjoy it too. This is where the real art of the videographer comes in with the editing of all the footage into your special record of your day.

The main styles you will probably see mentioned are Cinematic and Documentary style.  In general documentary style involves less editing and is more of exactly what happens on the day.  This is great for the ceremony and speeches as you will want a full record of those.  It doesn't work so well for the other parts of the day and a video that is purely documentary in style can make for a rather boring video.

Cinematic Style generally involves a lot more editing, the footage is often backed by music and has shots cut to the beat. Shots may be arranged in an order other than chronological but in such a way as to 'tell a story'.  It is a more creative and artistic style and can include cinematic techniques, black and white, slow motion etc.  Sometimes a video is labelled cinematic style simply because the videographer has used a narrow depth of field (meaning only a portion of the shot is in focus), but be aware that the overuse of this with lots of pull focus shots can be very tiring to watch. Used properly it can add a lovely look but it is not by itself 'cinematic'. There is also a difference between 'cinematic' and 'special effects'. Overuse of special effects such as page turns and heart or mosaic wipes and fancy transitions can look cheesy and be irritating to watch, while a cinematic style will likely use straight cuts and crossfades letting the pictures themselves tell your story.

A mix of both styles can work very well with musical montages mixed with some natural sound for much of the day and with a more documentary style for the actual ceremony and for the speeches.  The cinematic style is also well suited to the wedding highlights and this is probably what you and your family and friends will watch most.

Some companies offer just the full length film so bear in mind that while you and your immediate family will watch this, your friends would probably prefer to watch a shorter highlights film that captures the flavour of the event so do check if the company you choose offers this.

There are many different definitions of a Highlights film too, from a 3-5 minute film backed by one song and no natural sound to a 30 minute 'cinematic' film which is sometimes offered instead of a full length version. Something between these two can give you the best of both worlds, an artistic, entertaining video that is fun to watch while encompassing all the best bits of your day and complementing the full length video.

At Tudor Rose Wedding Video, Gail uses a mix of styles to provide a wedding film that is unique to each couple and reflects your wedding day style while being very watchable and enjoyable all the way through. In addition you receive  our signature Highlights film which condenses the best bits from your whole day and includes some natural sound such as excerpts from your vows, comments from the speeches or guests.  This is usually around 10-20 minutes long and uses songs chosen by you to make it really personal.

Some things to consider while looking at videos online or samples from videographers:

What style is this - cinematic, documentary or a mixture?
Is this really cinematic or just a lot of 'special effects'?
Does it keep my interest all the way through?
Is this an actual highlights video as supplied to the couple or a 'showreel' from several different weddings'

Who is going to watch my video?  
What do I want from my highlights video?


If you'd like more information, to book a free no-obligation consultation or just have some general questions about wedding video don't hesitate to call Gail on 07984 515 729 or get in touch by email gail@tudorroseweddingvideo.co.uk