Back in April 2024 I took a course in hybrid shooting, for those of you who don’t speak camera – this is where you take video clips while also photographing a wedding day and after shooting a few wedding films on the down low, I’m thrilled to be launching Wedding Highlights Films as part of my packages to my lovely couples. Here’s a little more info about my wedding films for you, with a few questions you may have, answered!

What is a Wedding Highlights Film?

A highlights film is a three to four minute film set to music, made up of short video clips which I capture in between photographs. A highlights film is a really lovely way of reliving the atmosphere of your wedding day, and where relevant I’ll also add some audio snippets to the film too. As I’m already going to be at your wedding taking photos, it’s a very simple add on to your photography package. No extra people are necessary unless you specifically want a second shooter (read more about that, here) and so you can have both a beautiful set of photos as well as a short film just from me! No extra cameras necessary, so if you’re camera shy or looking for ways to maximise your budget this could be perfect for you!

How is it different to having a videographer?

Highlights films are just a three minute montage of clips set to music, potentially with audio. If you hire a videographer you might receive a longer film, as well as the whole ceremony and all the speeches filmed in full with synced audio. While I do take audio and will provide any recordings to you after the day, I don’t guarantee it, and you wouldn’t receive full video of the speeches or ceremony. Just clips. So if this is something which is an essential bucket list item for you please do book a dedicated videographer. I have lots of lovely film colleagues I’m very happy to recommend who work in a similar relaxed style to me.

How does filming effect the photography on the day?

Primarily I am a photographer and so photos of course will always take priority. But, with modern cameras, switching between photo and video is very easy and it seems crazy not to take advantage of this! When I’m making a highlights movie, I’ll start by capturing everything in photos first, but then there’s usually time to capture a few seconds of video too, and all these seconds add up to have enough for the highlights film.

Each video clip I shoot is about 4-5 seconds and I shoot about 100 clips or so over the course of the day so that’s only 8 minutes spent filming throughout the whole day. Or, less than one minute in a whole hour of taking photos, so it doesn’t really effect the photographs much at all.

There are a few key moments where things happen in a split second such driving away from the church, the first kiss or first look. So we’ll discuss what you’d prefer to capture on photo and what you feel is more important for video for key moments or clever ways to do both. For example I can capture your first kiss in photographs, but after you sign your register before you walk down the aisle if you have a second kiss I can capture that in video.

When we take photos of just the two of you, we might do some things twice, once for photo and once for video. For example a walk down a path etc. but I pride myself on working quickly so it won’t feel too painful. And of course you can choose to hire a second shooter if you’d like to to really maximise the coverage of both photos and video though this is not necessary unless you want to.

So, you think you’d like to add a highlights film to your package?

Awesome! For a limited time I’m offering highlights film at an introductory rate of £395. But this rate won’t last long, it’s just while I’m building my portfolio in this area and rates will rise for 2025 weddings. If you’d like to chat more or ask me any questions about wedding films just drop me a line, and we can chat about it in more detail.