Wedding Videography or Cinemtography? Which Is Right For You?

Your Wedding Day is one of the most significant moments of your life, and capturing it on film ensures you can relive the magic for years to come. When it comes to Wedding Videography, there are two primary styles to consider: Cinematic and Documentary. They both relate to capturing footage, they have unique qualities and can beautifully capture the essence of your special day. But they differ in the perspective. Differences come down to the level of creativity, equipment, and technical expertise used to capture and edit footage. But which style is right for you? Let’s dive into the details of each to help you make an informed decision.

The term Videography refers to capturing moments, footage and live events it simply the practice of recording images with a video camera. Usually in chronological order, videography is simply meant to record an entire event from beginning to end without the need for artistry.

Cinematography is also about getting good footage, but it differs from videography as it typically involves more strategic planning, artistic direction, or artistic decision-making. Cinematography is definitely much more of an artistic approach to Videography. It is the art of designing a film that is movie quality.

Raw footage (non-edited Video) just includes dozens of, untouched and unstabilized video clips, and watching them is not as enjoyable until they are put together into an edited Cinematic or Documentary movie.

Cinematic Wedding Videography

Key Features:

1. Storytelling Focus: Cinematic videography often follows a narrative structure, weaving together moments to tell a cohesive story. It may include voiceovers, interviews, or sound bites to enhance the narrative.

2. Artistic Shots: Expect to see sweeping drone shots, slow-motion footage, and creative angles. The videographer uses a variety of techniques to add a cinematic flair.

3. Emphasis on Editing: Post-production plays a crucial role in cinematic videography. Editors spend significant time color grading, adding special effects, and ensuring seamless transitions to create a polished final product.

4. Music and Soundtrack: The use of a carefully selected soundtrack can evoke emotions and set the tone for the film. The music is often synchronized with the visuals for maximum impact.

Documentary Wedding Videography

Key Features:

1. Real-Time Capture: Documentary videographers aim to be as unobtrusive as possible, capturing events in real-time without interfering. They focus on genuine interactions and emotions.

2. Minimal Editing: The editing process is more straightforward compared to cinematic videography. The goal is to maintain the natural flow of the day, with minimal special effects or dramatic cuts.

3. Authentic Moments: This style is perfect for couples who value authenticity. The footage will reflect the true atmosphere of the wedding, including candid moments and spontaneous reactions.

4. Natural Sound: The use of natural sound is prominent, capturing vows, speeches, and ambient sounds to create a realistic and immersive experience.

Which Style is Right for You?

Choosing between cinematic and documentary wedding videography depends on your personal preferences and what you envision for your wedding film. In our Wedding Packages, we can offer

1) Highlights/Trailer/Teaser clip, in Cinematic style, in 4K resolution, 2-5 minutes (depending on your wedding duration), and music of your choice.

2) Longer video, in Documentary style, in FULL HD resolution, 25-45 minutes (depending on your wedding duration).

Or a 15-25 minute Cinematic movie in 4K resolution, a Hollywood style masterpiece with 3-4 songs of your choice.

With Cinematography, we try to connect with the couple on a personal level and often communicate before the wedding day to grow that relationship. We also draw much inspiration from the couple, their story, their style, and the venue where the wedding is taking place.

We use 4K capable cameras with lenses, monopods, and tripods to get multiple angles and shots. We also use gimbal stabilizers and cranes to completely erase any shakiness, aerial drones to capture your church and venue, lavalier microphones to perfectly record your vows, and high-quality lighting kits! We film with almost no color saturation, we digitally capture the footage in muted colors and add them in with color grading to give the images the same vibrancy as if it was captured using film. Our editors also incorporate slow-motion integration to focus on the day’s emotions. Regarding audio, we do not capture it with built in microphones but with professional microphones that are a must, especially if there is wind, echo or other background noises. We also use an external sound recorder that connects directly to your DJ's sound system and the quality become a lot more clear, studio-like. During the editing process, we sync all the audio tracks with the video, properly balance it and choose whichever track is best at each appropriate moment (or use them all at the same time).

The finished video is edited and arranged in a cinematic way to depict you and the person you love as the central characters in your own romantic film.

Visit our devoted link to Wedding Cinematography for Examples of Cinematic Highlights, and Cinematic Movies