When it comes to Live Streaming... Experience Matters.
Anyone can live stream. But using a cell phone or tablet or laptop is NOT a good idea if you care about your Guest’s Viewing Experience. This article talks all about why that’s the case in much more detail.
See also: So you want to hire someone to live stream your wedding? Here are the Top 10 Questions to ask them before you sign them on to live stream your wedding.
Now let’s say you’ve found a local Wedding Videographer whose work you love and they offer live streaming! Awesome! Many videographers are beginning to offer live streaming as an option because of the post-pandemic world that we live in. But if they’re new to live streaming, does that make them bad? No, not at all! BUT… while their Wedding Experience is invaluable, when it comes to Live Streaming, experience can make a big difference.
They’ll know how to deal with little or no internet connection!
I’d love to say that every wedding venue has amazing network connectivity nearby. But that’s just not the case. Locations like churches and wineries and beautiful outdoor gardens aren’t built with internet connectivity in mind. Wifi and Cellular Service can be spotty and unreliable and that will lead to lots of choppy or frozen video for your viewers. Experienced companies will ALWAYS test your location first. And the good ones will use techniques like network bonding to obtain a solid, reliable signal so your stream can look great and be free of constant buffering or dropouts. Oh, and they'll always record their stream too, just in case the internet at the venue or on the viewer's end fails for any reason, and they'll hopefully upload it on the same day for you.
They’ll know how to deal with the unexpected issues that LIVE Weddings sometimes present!
Imagine you've hired a company to live stream your wedding and they've patched into the DJ for great sounding audio, but then the DJ's audio starts to cut out during the Ceremony. It's terrible but it happens more than it should. Do they say "it's not my fault?" or do they move quick and switch over to their backup plan so your remote guests hear everything perfectly? Companies with experience always have a back up plan. Or imagine there's no amplified audio at all but you want your remote guests to hear the officiant, your vows, and also maybe you have a live musician playing there as well. Do they have enough professional wireless mics to handle all that sound? Do they know where to stand to get the best shots of the bride coming down the aisle AND the groom's reaction at the same time? Do they know HOW to deal with internet connectivity issues? What if your Ceremony site is hundreds of feet away from where the internet signal is really solid? This is all why EXPERIENCE MATTERS. Here's a few questions you can ask your videographer first before you hire them to live stream your once-in-a-lifetime event.
They’ll know the importance of crystal clear, professional audio!
Have a clean audio feed using wireless mics or a direct feed from the sound board at your venue will go a LONG way to keeping your viewers engaged. You never know where your viewers will be when they watch your wedding. But if they can’t hear it loud and clear, then they’re likely to lose interest and become disengaged.
They’ll know how to stream live using multiple cameras!
Using more than one cameras isn’t a must, but it will instantly make your video MUCH more dynamic and fun to watch. See the bride coming down the aisle AND the groom’s reaction is just one of the many reasons why multi-camera live streams are worth every penny. And don’t forget about those close-ups! They are ESSENTIAL in any live stream. That’s one of the 3 reasons why using a cell phone or laptop/webcam to live stream is a BAD idea. Your guests will likely be watching on a small device so being able to see and hear you clearly is paramount.
They’ll know HOW to film a wedding beautifully!
Weddings are a beautiful and intimate event. Knowing how to capture that beauty and intimacy is a learned skill. Experienced Wedding Videographers will know the right lenses to use to get that close up just right so YOU look good, what audio gear to use so your officiant and your vows can be heard loud and clear, and they’ll know how to integrate other cinematic features like an epic drone intro into your live stream so your viewers at home can truly have the best seat in the house!
One of the most important events of your life!
There are lots of cheap options out there that will allow you to stream a video live online. But a wedding is arguably one of the most important events of your life. Finding a Wedding Videographer with extensive Live Streaming experience might be difficult. But if you find one, it might be worth the extra money they may charge just to have the peace of mind knowing they can get past any unforeseen issues that may (or will) arise when live streaming your wedding online. Remember, just because you can stream on the cheap, doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Your guests will thank you for it.