Regardless of the route you take, there are some standards that any professional wedding videographer must meet.

1. Tell your client what to expect.

Setting expectations with clients is one of the most difficult skills for a rookie wedding videographer to acquire.

You and your clients NEED to agree on what the final product will be. Your customer might have watched a wedding video and assumed your offering would be similar. Discuss your capabilities with your client over a meal (in terms of gear restrictions, skill levels, number of camera operators etc.).

If recent film grads do not immediately set expectations and then deliver to those standards, they can have trouble with clients. A novice shooter faces the danger of missing a crucial opportunity. You can't say, "Cut, take two," as Hassel puts it. You need a certain amount of experience to be able to handle running between a bright, outdoor area and a dark, indoor space when shooting wedding videos. There is a risk of falling short of a client's expectations.

2. Be swift, small, and light.

On the wedding day, there are no second chances, therefore you must be able to foresee and follow events as they take place. Ideally, as you quickly walk around the wedding to capture moments, you won't be seen at all.

It'll probably be a long day on your feet, so don't bring any heavy equipment.

3. Ensure that you get all of the important images from the day.

It's crucial to cover these as the foundation of the video because there are certain moments that people anticipate seeing in their wedding videos.

The bride getting ready before the ceremony, the bride going down the aisle, the first dance, etc. are some traditional examples. Your client may have particular moments they would want to have documented.

Make a list of the moments you want to anticipate and record, but don't make it so long that it takes your attention away from the actual shooting.

4. Sound

When wedding videographer organising video shootings, the sound is sometimes forgotten, despite being one of the most crucial aspects of the finished product.

Depending on the circumstances, your audio setup may include an in-camera mic for ambient sound and a lavaliere or zoom recorder that you can tuck into the groom's pocket for the duration of the ceremony.

Because it can be difficult to attach a microphone to a wedding gown, just the groom should be mic'd for the couple's vows, and the levels should be adjusted to capture both voices.

5. Discuss the wedding day with your clients.

Make sure you are well aware of the day's schedule and the locations of all the events.

You'll need to anticipate everyone's moves and to do that successfully, you must be aware of when and where the next action will take place.