Many couples who are being married in the Pittsburgh area have questions and concerns about how their wedding day will be taped. Below are some of the most often asked questions together with information I hope will be helpful to you when considering video services.

WILL THE VIDEO EQUIPMENT BE DISTRACTING DURING THE CEREMONY? We use professional Sony Three-Chip High Definition Cameras which provide broadcast-quality video.  The most important consideration here is whether or not the videographer has the skill to avoid intruding on the ceremony.  I feel strongly that both the ceremony and reception should be taped in as unobtrusive a manner as possible. The videographers should also be dressed appropriately so they will not stand out.  Most people are concerned about the use of lights during the wedding service. Our new high definition cameras are so good that we don’t use any extra lighting in the church and only a small fill-in light at the reception. 

WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT OUR VOWS CAN BE HEARD.  WILL THIS BE POSSIBLE IF THE CAMERA IS PLACED AWAY FROM THE ALTAR?  If the ceremony were to be recorded using the on-camera microphone, your vows would most likely be inaudible: on-board microphones lose clarity at distances beyond 7-10 feet.  We use Digital IC recorders for the music and singers. We wire the groom and podium with a UHF broadcast-quality diversity wireless microphone. The audio is crisp and clear.

WE ARE BEING MARRIED IN AN EVENING CEREMONY OR CANDLE LIGHT SERVICE  AND THE CHURCH LIGHTS AREN'T VERY BRIGHT. HOW WILL THE VIDEO LOOK?  Although video cameras produce their best images when there is ample light, our low-light cameras do remarkably well in all churches and synagogues.  With professional digital equipment, the cameras gain can be increased to compensate for low light situations.  We can record images better than seen by the human eye.

IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE CAMERA TAPING THE CEREMONY?  Because of the nature of event video, it is a good idea to have more that one camera.  Two cameras capture more action from different perspectives making the wedding video more professional.  If a technical problem occurs on one camera, there are backups recording your wedding.  Remember, If you are using one camera and there is a problem, you don’t have the option to do it again.

WILL YOU VIDEO AND EDIT OUR WEDDING AND RECEPTION?  Some video services outsource weddings.  You will meet the videographer the day of the wedding.  After they shoot the wedding and reception, they give the footage to someone else to edit.  We believe that large is not always best when dealing with a creative video. We do all of our shooting and editing and take the time to get to know our clients. This way we can create a video that better expresses our client's personality.

WHY DO WE NEED AN EDITED DVD SINCE WE WANT TO SEE ALL THE SCENES? When we video a wedding and reception, we take the many hours of footage and edit it into a fast-paced one or two-hour video with titles, music background and special effects.  When used creatively, editing enhances your video making it much more interesting.   A well-edited tape looks far more polished and  will be more enjoyable to watch: unedited tapes always have an amateurish quality.

WHAT  TECHNICAL FACTORS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN CHOOSING A WEDDING VIDEO SERVICE? First, a professional video service will use professional format cameras. These formats deliver better picture clarity than consumer equipment.  There should always be a wireless microphone on the groom to hear the vows and other microphones placed in other locations to hear the readers, music and officiate. The ceremony should always be recorded using fluid head tripods, which allow the cameras to move smoothly and eliminates the distracting jitters and jumps seen on amateur tapes. The videographer should have available a small camera-mounted video fill-in light at the reception. New low light digital cameras do not need the 150 watt light of the past, a 20 watt fill in light is all that is needed to give good picture quality.

We use the latest non-linear computer-based system to edit your wedding video. Non-linear provides commercial quality picture and CD sound. It’s excellent for special effects like slow-motion, stop action, full motion scene dissolves, three-D effects just to name a few.  Special effects - If not over done, will make your video more emotional.   

The video service should belong to a professional videographers association - We belong to WEVA International  (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) and PPVA (Pittsburgh Professional Videographers Association). We are constantly increasing our knowledge and skills through seminars, meeting and publications.

WHY DO WE NEED AN AUTHORED DVD? An authored DVD has 30 or more chapter stops which include all of the major events (processional, bride's entrance, vows, etc.)  Your DVD will also have motion menus.

IS THERE REALLY THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VIDEO SERVICES? You should be aware that many people in the wedding video business are amateurs using consumer equipment.  Such individuals often do not have the technical background and experience to do the job well.  A wedding can't be restaged for the camera if the sound is inaudible, the colors are distorted, a battery runs out of power, or the videographer hasn't planned their camera and microphone locations and has missed key parts of the ceremony and reception.  The videographer you hire should also be courteous and skilled in working with  you, your family, your guests, the presiding official, and your photographer. What you will remember of your wedding day will be through the video and pictures.

When looking for a professional wedding video service, we strongly suggest you ask if they belong to a professional organization like WEVA (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) where they are constantly increasing their skills.  It is also very important to view their most recent work.  A Demo DVD is not a true representation of a videographer's work. Also, don't hesitate to ask for references.

If you have any additional questions please call (412) 831-8760.  Thank you for considering our video service, and we wish you the best on your wedding day.