The Evolution of Wedding Videography
The evolution of wedding videography
Cover Image Credits: Wanderlynn Photography
Capturing the special day has long been a tradition for newlywedded couples in the form of photographs such as filling scrapbooks from the special day, some have a few special photos framed, and today, many are used for profile pictures and varying social media posts; however, once the evolution of videography began it’s rapid ascent into the social media scene, the wedding scene was changed forever.
Typically being a detailed account of the day, sometimes through multiple perspectives, the wedding video is a private piece of a couple’s love that is rewatched during special milestones and anniversaries within the marriage. The standard wedding film or movie lands between 30 and 50 minutes depending on the editing style chosen, but the duration is entirely up to the preference of the couple.
At the introduction of this videography trend, the aesthetics of a wedding video were most frequently seen in the form of home videos, with very minimal editing and cuts between shots and typically chronological recordings of the occasion in a very personal way. Sometimes, this was done by professionals with a tripod and camera; other times, it was often assigned to a family member(s) to pass along a camcorder throughout the evening, taking loving words and reactions from guests in attendance and documenting the night's events from individual perspectives.
This was the standard form of recording events for a few decades as technology progressed, and even grew in popularity for less extravagant occasions, such as birthday celebrations, picnics, or even a night out at the clubs (yes, the clubs) – a camcorder was typically blinking red anywhere you were surrounded by a group of friends in the 1980s through late 2000s.
This remained the societal norm until editing content and its recording material grew more widely accessible as our technology progressed and became more user-friendly to those recreationally recording and editing, as well as the professionals.
Once social media became a mainstream and bustling new source of videography and entertainment, the wedding video and photos element of the occasion were elevated to a whole new level. New professions emerged: website designers, videographers, editors, social media influencers and content creators, wedding photographers and videographers, sound and light engineers, etc. – Influencer couples and couples simply looking to share a more detailed account of their special day with their families and friends began splurging on artists of varying styles and rates to capture their day just how they envisioned it.
With social media apps and websites, a rise in microtrends became something to keep up with for influencers and media professionals alike. New trends enter the scene at such a frequent rate, with all the styles, features, and transitions, it’s more than likely you’ve seen one your friend hasn’t, or vice versa, so the focus should be on what you and your partner want, not what you saw on social media three weeks ago.
Though it may seem there is an oversaturation of these trends, styles, apps, and artists, the introduction of this new profession has also given more variety and options for unique approaches to each event. Couples can hire artists who specifically cater to the style they are looking to present as a declaration of their love because there are so many options now!
Below are some of the varying videography styles the wedding industry has seen, used, and molded over the years to celebrate the occasions:
Traditional
As described above, a traditional-style wedding video is what we’ve seen since we were recreationally recording with our friends and family in the ‘80s and ‘90s with camcorders to make our own VHS tapes. With usually minimal editing and fancy equipment, the traditional style typically follows the chronological events of the day, capturing the most important moments and maybe grabbing a few celebrational words from friends and family. The traditional style still holds its place in popularity, with a few technological and editorial improvements, but with just as strong a focus on the couple’s progression throughout their special day.
Storytelling
Rather than following the chronological timeline of the event like the traditional style, for the couple who requests a storytelling video of their event, the videographer unfolds and shapes the story of the couple’s relationship and it’s full display for their wedding. As the editor aims to craft a story, this style grew in popularity for couples once editing practices were more widely attainable in the mid-to-late-90s and early 2000s, using more editing techniques and pulling in more details from surrounding factors, including increased B-roll footage, testimonials from family, snippets from vows or vows in their entirety, and even detailed footage from beyond the evening itself.
Cinematic
Similar to the storytelling method, the cinematic method typically pulls in elements to tell the story of the couple’s relationship while upping the drama to the maximum and integrating movie-magic moments that are just a hair more polished than the storytelling method. This method also adds more narrative devices seen in projects like movies and films for their filming and editing assistance, such as capturing drone footage, utilizing Photoshop or other editing tools to fill out details and enhance colors, and even using licensed music and cinematic scores to curate the perfect soundtrack of the day. This approach grew from the storytelling method as more photography and videography tools were added to the market and specialized careers continued to see an increase within the wedding and events scene.
Vintage
We must have grown nostalgic watching our parents’ and grandparents’ wedding videos and flipping through old scrapbooks, because around the early-and-mid-2010s we saw film cameras and footage shot on Super 8 and/or 16mm film reintroduced to the scene to present this theme of romanticized-lost-media, or just a less polished and rustic account of the day’s events. The 2010s had begun to see extremely polished and movie-esque wedding videos dominate the scene, so this shift to a grainy, homemade feel, while still being shot and edited by professionals, started to grab the attention of couples once again as something different. The way the footage is edited is entirely up to the couple, many choose to utilize elements from both the storytelling and cinematic methods while holding a more traditional and cozy feeling to the video.
Documentary
The documentary format grew from the popularity of capturing the candid of the special day, focusing on unsuspecting reactors, filling B-roll footage, and usually told through snippets of small moments or details accumulated throughout the event. Frequent interviews, or talking-heads, are collected for this type of video, which are then interspliced with the footage in the editing stage to weave together a documentary retelling of the evening. Like the traditional, storytelling, and cinematic styles of wedding videography, the documentary style is longer in length, typically falling between 30-90 minutes (based on couple preference).
Hightlights
Shorter than the full wedding film but longer than the below-mentioned teaser, a highlights-style video falls around 10-minutes long, capturing the most crucial moments over the weekend such as the first look, the first wedded kiss, the exchanging of vows, the wedding party introduction, a few words from a few toasts, the first dance, and a few other memorable moments that were unique to your day. Overall, this style plays as a short-film to the couple’s relationship, leading up to and of their wedding day.
Teaser-Style
Derived from the cinematic method, a teaser-style wedding video is typically a shorter account of the wedding weekend in a movie-trailer format and summarizes the depth of the couple’s relationship. This is being requested more frequently today due to it being the perfect summarization to share on social media with friends and family when the full traditional, storytelling, or cinematic video is too long and personal for social media. This can be shot on any type of film or camera and really all comes down to the way the footage is edited. There is typically licensed music attributed to the video, as it features the most notable highlights of the day, as well as a few quotes either from the couple and their families. Overall, it should feel like watching a movie trailer of your relationship.
Didn’t see the type of videography style you’re looking to convey? Luckily, there are wedding-specific content creators who are more than happy to curate exactly what you have in mind for your special day, crafting an entirely new approach to the video if that’s what it takes. After all, that’s how some trends we try today are started!
Gather is more than happy to assist in finding a trusted photography or videography source, as we have plenty, though we are just as excited to work with new and professional media vendors.
Sources
https://www.brides.com/wedding-videography-style-guide-7964001
https://www.theknot.com/content/new-wedding-videography-trends
https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-video-styles
https://epikweddings.com/wedding-videography-trends/
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