Consultation? What for?

It's all in the details

So you may be wondering - what's involved in a consultation, and why is it necessary?

We state on our website that we always like to have a consultation with our clients before the wedding date, and this is for a number of reasons. The first, and most significant reason, is that we find it always puts our clients' minds at ease. They are often excited and anxious about the thought of having photos and/or video taken at their wedding, and how it is going to work out in real time. So one purpose of the consultation is to answer any and all of your questions about the process, the lead up to the wedding, what happens on the day of, and receiving the final products (which of course means the awesome videos which will make you cry and which you'll love forever!). We don't mind answering questions, no matter how trivial, and indeed want to answer your questions - the more satisfied and confident you are in the lead-up to the wedding, the better it will go for all of us on the day.

How will the space flow? Are there any obstructions or events we can plan fod? 

Another reason for the consultation is for us to nail down the details. We are very detail oriented when it comes to shooting. The more preparation we have, the better. The more information we have about what will be happening, the better. This is particularly important for our observation style of shooting. Essentially, to get the footage we need, we need to be in the right position to shoot it. We can't do much with footage if we either didn't get it in the first place, or we were in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Think of this scenario: we go into a wedding with very little details or knowledge of the exact events of the day - of how people are going to be positioned at the ceremony, where the first look is going to take place, of how the bride and groom are going to enter the reception, etc. We figure we'll just pick it up on the fly, and follow everyone around. But then it turns out that, uh-oh, we weren't sure where the bride was going to be standing for the bouquet toss, and, uh-oh, turns out we were on the wrong side of the room and didn't have a clear view of the bouquet being caught by that lucky girl, because uncle Frank, who is a staggering seven feet tall with shoulders the width of a eighteen-wheeler was standing in front of us and we couldn't get out from behind him. And so it turns out that we didn't capture that detail at all, or it was obscured because of our positioning. 

So, this is an example of why we need as much information as we can get before the wedding. So that we can make sure we're in the position ahead of time, ready to go, and capturing all your unique moments as they happen, without obstruction. These details are super important, and so the consultation works great for nailing down almost the minute by minute play of the wedding day (assuming those details are in place far enough in advance). 

  

We always ask about important friends and family which is a big part of your wedding day!

And last, but not least, the consultation is simply a great way for us to get to know you, ahead of time. There is nothing like face-to-face time with a client, which is why we always prefer to meet in person, or if you're out of province or can't make it, at the very least through a video skype chat. It is much easier to connect with one another when you can see the person's face and hear their voice. Email simply doesn't cut it for this type of interaction, and we think it is vital to establishing our relationship with our clients, which will carry on into the wedding day. Think of it this way: how much easier is it to welcome someone to your special day, camera in hand, when you've already spoken to them, joked and laughed with them, and gone over the minute details of the day, rather than greet a stranger with whom you've only had minimal contact through email?

We make sure to put a lot of effort into these consultations, to reassure you, to comfort you, to encourage and excite you about your wedding. In the end, it helps us all to be more comfortable with each other, which makes the day that much more special, worry-free and magical.

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.