Welcome to the Morgan Film Co. Family. We are so glad you have chosen Hunter and me to film your wedding. We love every single couple we have the opportunity to work with. When a couple trusts us to capture their wedding, there is a deep responsibility that we carry to tell their unique story and capture their beautiful wedding.
For us, we do not take this lightly. We both want to create the best possible wedding film because we are creating a way for our clients to relive their wedding day. ~ Madison
Welcome to the Family
In this wedding videography guide, we will cover everything from the best place to get ready for your wedding to how to have perfect audio in your wedding film. By no means are any of these suggestions required as every single wedding is unique. But, we do believe if you follow these steps to the best of your ability your wedding film and photographs will be amazing!
Our Ultimate Wedding Videography Guide
Pre-Wedding Planning
Our Guide To
First, we wanted to share a little bit of background into our pre-wedding process and ways couples can create a seamless process for their vendor team. We love taking care of our clients, and we believe when you book Morgan Film Co., you are booking a team that truly values you. Wedding planning is stressful. We have been there and understand the exact same feelings, and frankly, it is overwhelming at times. So, to make the process easier on you and on your wedding vendor team, this is what we suggest.
1. About one month out from your wedding day, the details will all be coming together. Either you or your wedding planner creates a master list of every single wedding vendor from the caterer and cake baker to the florist and photographer. Once you have this list, email it to all of your vendors. Your wedding vendor team will communicate ahead of your wedding, and it will allow your vendors to have a master list after the wedding!
2. Share the timeline you create with your vendors as well! We also encourage couples to talk with your photographer, videographers, and planner to come up with a timeline that is suitable for everyone! This creates a stress-free wedding day for everyone!
3. Relax and don't be afraid to talk with your vendor team if you have any questions. We are here for you, and more than willing to answer any questions you have!
The Getting Ready Process
Our Guide To
Second, we wanted to dive into the getting ready process. A lot of times the getting ready process starts hours before the photographers and videographers arrive at the location. We suggest getting ready in front of the windows, if there are some available. Natural light is always the best for photographers and videographers. If necessary, we can bring light into any space, but your skin always looks best with natural light.
Normally, your hair and makeup team will do their best to find a place with natural light, but it can never hurt to suggest it! If you are getting ready at a hotel, talk with them about your concerns. Some hotels have rooms with better window options than others! The natural light is also beautiful for when you put on your dress and details!
Speaking of details, the second thing we suggest is to have a box with all of your wedding day details in it.
This can include:
Invitations and Save the Dates
Rings
Shoes
Garter
Special Jewelry, etc.
When we arrive, this allows the photographer and videographers to quickly and easily find the details and get the shots of them without having to hunt down all the little pieces. You can even give the box to your maid or matron of honor so she can have them ready when we arrive.
High Quality Audio for Your Letters and Vows
Our Guide To
If you are planning on writing letters to each other on the wedding day or saying private vows to each other, this is a magical and special moment that we love to document. For our own wedding, we wanted traditional vows for the wedding ceremony, but we wrote custom vows to share right before our first look. There are so many creative and special ways to incorporate this into your wedding. Just ask us!
We have a few tips to share to make these moments look and sound absolutely amazing.
1. First, when reading your letter or vows, we will take you to a quiet place to relax. Wedding days can be hectic and you will want to be calm and not bothered.
2. Read slowly, as if you are talking directly to your fiancé(e). If you mess up, it's okay, just keep going.
3. Don't hold back any emotions, after all, it is a very special and emotional day. We love keeping everything genuine and real!
The First Look and Couples Session
Our Guide To
We always will suggest to our couples the first look approach. About 75% of our couples choose to do a first look, so by no means is it required, but we do believe it makes the wedding day flow smoother.
There are a few reasons we suggest a first look, but the main reason is it takes away some of the anxiety and stress of the day. You have the opportunity to see your best friend and have a private moment together before the day gets very hectic and crazy. Enjoy this moment and take a moment to yourselves. We like to capture the first look and then give our couples a few minutes alone to just take in the time with each other.
Second, it allows us to do a couple's session before the wedding, and a small sunset session after the ceremony. (We LOVE sunset sessions and highly recommend working this into your timeline.) For sunset sessions, we usually quickly pull the couple away from the reception to get a few more shots. These quick sessions are usually only 15 minutes and you will be so happy you did this!
Family Photographs
Our Guide To
As wedding videographers, we do not typically capture family photographs. We leave this time to the photographer to capture your family portraits. However, by doing these prior to the wedding ceremony, it gives us time to set up for the ceremony itself. To make the process easy on your photographers, we suggest working with them on a list of family photos prior to the wedding day!
The Wedding Ceremony
Our Guide To
The wedding ceremony is one of our favorite parts of the wedding day. It is the moment you each commit your lives to the other. We capture every single ceremony using three cameras, and we usually place a microphone on the officiant and the groom. This allows us to get high-quality audio of the officiant, of the bride, and the groom.
If you plan on having readings, a soloist or vocalist, or anything unique in the ceremony let us know, so we can be sure to take steps to make sure this is recorded for you. There is nothing worse than a surprise reading when there is nothing we can do once the ceremony has started.
The Reception
Our Guide To
Let's get the party started! You are married! Relax, and dance the night away with your friends and family. There is nothing special we suggest here. Enjoy the party, and you might even catch us on the dance floor too.
The Exit
Our Guide To
Whether you have a sparkler exit, bubbles, flower petals, streamers, or another creative way to send you off, we suggest you stop in the middle for a kiss or the classic dip and kiss. This is a perfect photo opportunity and moment with all of your guests celebrating you as husband and wife! After all, you are married and off to spend the rest of your life with your best friend!
Are you looking for inspiration? Curl up with some popcorn and watch some of our recent weddings below!
If you have any questions for us, feel free to shoot us an email at info@morganfilmco.com or give us a call!
205-568-8222.
Thank you for trusting us, and we can't wait to capture your wedding!
~ Madison and Hunter
Syndey + Hunter
Sydney and Hunter had an absolutely beautiful wedding at Otter Creek Farms in Ohatchee, Alabama. “To have and to hold from this day forward. To love and to cherish until we are parted by death. With God as my witness, I give you my promise."
Ohatchee, Alabama
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Natalie + Andy
"I vow to worship our loving God with you, and most of all I vow to love you endlessly. I promise to love you just as Christ has loved us and sacrificed for us. For as long as we both shall live, I promise to keep this holy covenant true."
Vance, Alabama
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Savanah + Logan
Savanah and Logan's wedding at Mallard Oaks Farm was so special. This was the first wedding at this amazing venue, which was built by Savanah's dad! It was such an honor to capture these two becoming Mr. and Mrs. Watters!
Talladega, Al
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Amber + Collin
"You guide, you teach me, and you show me the light to eternal salvation." Amber and Collin's beautiful fall wedding was so sweet. You don't want to miss Collin's reaction when he sees Amber for the first time!
Brilliant, Al
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Katie & Thomas
"And I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you." -Kiersten White
Leeds, Alabama
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