It's not just wedding video - it's documentary film.

a highly recommended observational documentary

So what do we mean when we say we employ a documentary style to capturing your wedding day?

The word documentary has quite a few associations these days. Many people have an image of talking head interviews, mixed with archival footage. Some others think of the types of movies made by Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock, those in-your-face social change films meant to rustle some feathers. But there is another side of documentary that has long roots, which uses an observational, fly-on-the-wall approach. These films are more about a quiet aesthetic that gives you a glimpse into a person's life. The filmmaker usually stands back and films as life unfolds, taking in each moment pensively, treating each moment as significant and unique. There is often very little to no narration or flashy graphics or edits in these films. But that does not mean they are any less interesting. On the contrary, they can often provide a refreshing, uncluttered look at one's life. And it turns out that this style works particularly well for shooting weddings.

A photo Steph shot of her Grandma baking

An observational approach ensures that the videographer keeps out of the way (as much as possible) of the wedding party, shooting silently in the background, keeping a log of the events of the day. There are unique vantage points on the outskirts of a wedding, and especially if the videographer is skilled enough, the wedding party may even forget he or she is there, and loosen up and provide some perfect moments to catch on video. Many brides and grooms are nervous and excited enough about getting married, without having to worry about striking poses for the camera every two minutes. It can be frustrating and cumbersome to dedicate your day to photos and video, in some cases so much so that the day passes you by. So our clients are usually relieved when we tell them we won't bother them for such poses - that we'll blend into the background getting our shots, and let them simply enjoy the day, unburdened.

Our shooting style provides a day-in-the-life aesthetic to the wedding day, sometimes mixed with some posed or creative footage, depending on the bride and groom's comfort levels. We find this works best on the day of the wedding, as well as afterwards, as it gives us a lot of footage to work with, to craft a story of the day, and it allows for the bride and groom to take in moments that they either forgot happened, or were too busy to even notice at the time. We often hear from our clients that they had no idea we were shooting at that given instant, or didn't even realize so-and-so said or did such a thing. They are always pleasantly surprised by these candid moments we were able to catch by staying in the background, unobtrusive, watching and waiting for the best time to shoot.

And even though we spend the day on the outskirts, blending in, we find we are still able to make a deep connection with our clients. There is something magical, very special, about filming another person, especially for a full day. There is a bond created, and we are always quite sad having to break this unique bond when we leave at the end of the night. But then, when we start editing, we realize what an amazing time we all had. And when we experience that beautiful moment of sharing the final videos with our clients, we are reminded of why this shooting style works so well, for we ended up capturing something unique which our clients will cherish.