Q: Where is the live stream? How do I play it?

A: First, please REFRESH your browser and then when you see the "play" button click on that. If we're not live yet but the time says we should be live, then wait a few minutes and refresh again. Please understand that most weddings don't start on time. Sometimes they're a few minutes late, sometimes they're 20 or even 30 minutes late. But we'll try to go live as close to the official start time as possible, but if it's a few minutes past, don't worry, just keep hitting refresh every so often and then when you see the play button click on that and we'll be live soon enough. Oh also, please make sure you're watching on a device that's connected to a high speed internet source. Google "speed test" and hit the blue button and hopefully you have decent download speeds (6Mbps or...ideally...higher speeds like 10-20Mbps or more). The better your connection, the less prone it will be to dropouts. You still can watch live if your speeds are slower, but it will be at a reduced quality. We're likely streaming live wirelessly since most wedding venues don't have wired internet access so if there's issues on our end, not to worry, we'll still post the recording of the full live stream shortly after the wedding is over so you can watch it without the strain of trying to stream it live.

Q: Help, I'm seeing playback ERROR messages!

A: If you hit play and YouTube's player gives you a PLAYBACK ERROR of some kind, there's 3 things we'd suggest trying. First, you could try a different browser (Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc.) Or users have suggested that you could try going to your browser settings and deleting cookies and cache. On the Chrome Browser you'd go to settings > privacy & security > clear browsing data and in the ADVANCED column check the cookies box and the cache box. That seemed to help for many. Finally, we've had some users on Apple devices enable "Incognito mode" on your browser and then the error went away. Hopefully you won't see any errors on your player, but if you do, we hope these suggestions help.

Q: What do I need to watch it live?

A: The faster your internet connection, the better! Our live streamed Weddings/Events can be seen LIVE on any computer, tablet, or mobile device with a high speed internet connection. A solid 4G (LTE) or Cable/DSL/Wifi connection is recommended. To view the live stream in HD, at the minimum, we recommend that your internet download speed is AT LEAST 6Mb/s-8Mb/s. Ideally higher though. You can easily test your download speed in just seconds by googling "speed test" and then hitting the big blue button that says "Run Speed Test". While a strong mobile 3G connection may work when viewing on mobile devices, viewers will most likely have intermittent signal loss or the video will show in a much lower quality that the device can handle, so we recommend a solid 4G or LTE or fast wifi (or wired) connection whenever possible. The higher the download speed the less likely you'll run into buffering or stuttering issues. Again, if a high speed connection isn't possible, and you are experiencing connection issues, we'd advise moving to an area/location with stronger network speeds. Or, if it's a wedding ceremony, you can almost always check back in a few hours when we've re-posted the previously recorded LIVE stream videos right here on the SAME live page. Dance Recitals are usually not re-posted once the live stream is over.

Q: Why does the video quality look poor/pixelated when I have high speed connection?

A: If you've taken the steps laid out in the questions above and tested your DOWNLOAD speeds and they are at 6-8Mbps or higher, but you're seeing poor quality or pixelated video...well, there's two possibilities here. First, try going to the bottom right of your video player and clicking on the circular GEAR ICON which is probably set to "Auto" and then select 720p or 1080p (if available). Hopefully that fixed it. Sometimes YouTube's "Auto" quality setting will misread your internet speed because it fluctuates so much and you'll be pushed into a lower quality. However, if you do that and still see low quality video, well that might mean that we are experiencing network speed troubles at the venue. Although we use the best technology possible to stream our weddings at the highest quality possible, many of the venues we stream at don't have reliable WIRED internet access, so we're forced to stream WIRELESSLY...and anything that's wireless is more prone to fluctuating speeds or dropouts. We use Network Bonding technology to keep our streams live on the air from even the most remote locations, and we'll do the best we can to get those speeds back up to a better quality ASAP. As much as we plan and prepare, wireless network technology can be unpredictable at times.

Q: Is there a Live Chat with this live stream?

A: Sometimes, yes! And sometimes no. It's up to the couple. If they added one, it's a great place to leave a message for the couple and say "Hi!!" IMPORTANT: YouTube's Live Chat only works on a computer, not a mobile device. That's YouTube's rules, not ours. :) One workaround for chat not working on your phone is if you're on your phone and you're using a browser like Chrome, you can go into the page settings and check the box next to "Desktop Site" which will show the page in Desktop View and you'll likely see the chat then. If you don't, try then hitting refresh. Otherwise, we recommend utilizing chat on a computer. If the couple didn't add Live Chat to this page, then there won't be a large "chat" section above their pictures. In that case, it's likely that they opted to have you just sit back, relax and watch the stream live as if you were there in person.

Q: Can you stream to Zoom?

A: Yes. Zoom's popularity took off during the pandemic and it's a great platform. If a couple chooses, we can send our video feed to Zoom. Even our multicam live streams can be sent to Zoom! The downside to using Zoom is that it's about 1/3 the quality that we can offer if we are streaming to a dedicated web page using a CDN like YouTube Live. Those live streams can be 2-3 times higher quality. There's a delay of a few seconds usually for a regular live stream, whereas Zoom is about 1/2 second and is great for it's interactive possibilities. Another trade-off for using Zoom is that we are unable to use Network bonding when we stream live using Zoom. Network bonding is the process by which we combine multiple internet sources (wired/wifi/cellular) into one big strong signal. That allows us to stream from really remote locations where one source might not be enough. So we work with each and every couple on what is important to them and then how we can make that happen.

Q: Can I view this Ceremony on my TV?

A: If we are streaming to YouTube Live then yes you can. As long as you have a smart TV that supports accessing YouTube links and you have sufficient bandwidth to stream it live (see the 2nd FAQ for more on that). If you have trouble accessing the YouTube URL, let us know and we'll try to help you out. It's easiest to help people days BEFORE the wedding starts because once it starts we're more focused on making sure the stream looks and sounds it's best and cannot provide live tech support at the same time. Please note that if you are connecting your laptop to your TV and want the AUDIO to play through your TV, you likely need to go into your AUDIO settings and make sure the source selected is the HDMI cable and NOT the computer speakers. And make sure the volume is turned UP on the laptop as well. It's always best to TEST AHEAD OF TIME to troubleshoot any potential video or audio issues before the big day. Just connect the laptop to your computer via an HDMI cable and try watching any YouTube video. If it plays fine and you can see and hear it well, then the live stream will likely have the same result. Better to figure these things out before the wedding day so you can sit back, relax and enjoy on the big day.

Q: What if I missed the live stream?

A: No worries! The successful streams of weddings are recorded and will be re-posted on the SAME live page within minutes of the completion of the event so you won't feel like you missed a thing! If the Ceremony is over and the video is not there several minutes later, then it is possible that either the couple has opted to keep their live stream private and not have a replay available, or there were music licensing restrictions that prevented us from posting the replay immediately following the completion of the live stream. In that case, if the couple is not keeping things private upon completion, we'll do everything we can to get it up asap. It might take a couple hours, but we're working on it. Please note that Dance Recitals are usually not re-posted, but, Wedding Ceremonies are (usually). An exciting advantage of watching a video once it's been re-posted is then you'll have access to forward and rewind the video if you'd like since it won't be live. Check back often and hit "refresh" on your browser to see when the videos are available to review on the event's live stream page. If and when the event is re-posted on the live page, it will remain there for at least a week (most likely with short ads before or during the playback because that's what YouTube likes to do).

Q: Can we play licensed music/songs during our live stream?

A: YouTube Live and Facebook Live are two of the most popular websites to host a live stream. But sometimes they will mute or block a stream when licensed music is detected (during a processional and/or recessional). Most of the time, once the music is over, the audio will come back on. YouTube is a bit more lenient on this because they credit the artists once the stream is over. But Facebook is a bit more tough so if a couple asks us to stream to Facebook Live we'll run tests ahead of time to know how Facebook will react to the songs being played. We can also stream to multiple destinations so if Facebook is blocked, a couple can have an alternate link to have couples go watch the live stream on YouTube. So there's lots of options! We have access to a paid CDN as a workaround that will not block or mute the live stream at all no matter what is being played.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of people that can watch the live stream online?

A: No. Our live streamed events can be viewed by an unlimited number of viewers at a time! So call, email, and text all your friends and family and tell them to watch the big day LIVE!

Q: Are there advertisements during the stream?!

A: No. There won't be any random interruptions for ads during the live stream. That would be so distracting.

Q: How many cameras do you guys offer?

A: We give our couples many options when it comes to live streaming their wedding. We offer Live Stream Packages with two to four cameras! Whether the couple has chosen to stream their event with just two cameras or four, we try to be as minimally invasive as possible during the event. Sometimes you'll see the photographers walking around forgetting we're there but most of the time, they're mindful of the guests watching from home. To maximize your viewing experience, we often zoom right in so it's like you're right in the front row. When a couple opts for our multi-camera Live Stream Package, viewers can see everything including the full processional and bride coming down the aisle, close-up access to the bride and groom during their vows and ring ceremony, as well as the first kiss and recessional from the best possible angles. Often times at venues there will be no access to a wired internet connection to stream the event so in those cases we'll need to stream wirelessly. Streaming wireless gives us the freedom to move around but again, we mostly choose to put our cameras in a fixed position so as to get the best angles, the best sound, and be the least distracting as possible so those at the event can focus on what's important, the couple getting married.

Q: HELP QUESTION #1! My connection has issues with the video/audio feed!

A: See the above FAQ about playing the live stream through a TV for more help if that's what you're trying to do. Otherwise, please check your internet connection. See the first 3 FAQs for minimum requirements and how to run a speed test and more!! Also, close down all apps on your device that aren't necessary and maybe restart the device and try again. But more than likely you're having issues with whatever network you're on. While we always recommend a wired internet connection for signal reliability, we understand that in todays world most connections are wireless. A wireless internet connection can be plenty fast but can still have dropouts. Try REFRESHING your internet browser and starting the stream again. You can do this by either hitting the "refresh" button on your browser. Please remember that if your connection issues continue, you can always come back later and watch it all again as we post all previously recorded weddings on the SAME live page immediately following the conclusion of the Ceremony. If there are any music rights issues, we'll often have to repost the wedding replay a different way, but that will still be within hours of the completion of each event. Those replay of the live stream will allow you to pause, rewind and fast forward so you can skip to any parts that you may have missed.

Q: HELP QUESTION #2! My internet speed is great, but the stream keeps stuttering or dropping off-line?!

A: See FAQ #3 above. Just as it is important for you to have a reliable high speed internet connection to view the event, we also must have access to a high speed internet connection to stream the event live over the internet. More often than not, venues do not have access to a reliable WIRED internet connection for us to hook into in order to stream the event live so we have to come up with a wireless solution. Any time you are dealing with wireless connections, there are always risks of dropouts or signal loss. If we know ahead of time what our connection at the venue will be we run several tests ahead of time just to make sure things are going to work. Once those tests are passed, we usually do not have any issues at all streaming online with a wireless internet connection so the issue would likely be on the viewers end. If we do lose our connection, it is most likely due to the loss of internet signal at the venue or limited bandwidth so we will lower our bitrate (quality of the stream) and attempt to reconnect. If you have a wireless connection on your end while viewing and the video, and the video is stuttering or freezing up intermittently, we recommend that you secure a more reliable (wired) or faster internet connection and/or viewing the live stream a few hours later when it is re-posted online on that SAME landing page (weddings only).

Q: What is the video quality?

A: Video and audio quality are very important to us. We stream all Weddings in full HD at the highest possible bitrate the venue will allow in order to give you a clear view of the proceedings. Our service includes "Adaptive Bitrate" which means that the video will adapt in quality depending on the speed of the viewer's internet. Much like watching a YouTube Video. If you're in an area with a poor signal or speeds, it will play the video at a lower quality. We use one of the top online companies to host our live events and then embed the video onto our site for easy access and more personalized viewing. Because we stream at a higher quality, it's really important that viewers make sure their devices and internet connection meet or exceed the minimum requirements stated in FAQ #1 above. We bring you their beautiful day live online all while making it affordable to the bride and groom. You may see other camera operators moving around during the event, and depending on the "Live Stream Package" the couple has selected, some of those cameras may not be meant to view live online. Many couples hire us to film their wedding with multiple cameras for the purposes of creating an actual wedding video of their entire day. See HERE for sample Highlight Videos. And remember, if you are having issues with the live stream or can't get access to a high speed connection, no worries! Just check back later as each wedding live stream is re-uploaded and embedded onto the SAME live stream page within hours of it's completion. Then you can even forward and rewind and allow your internet to progressively play the video much like you would any HD video that you see on YouTube or Vimeo, etc.

Q: What time does this live feed start and end?

A: Weddings/Events often do not start on time. So if it says a 2pm start time, and its 205pm, it's okay...most likely the start has simply been delayed. Just hit REFRESH on your browser every few minutes and then the PLAY button on the player and you'll connect when we're live. It's as if you were right there at the Wedding/Event waiting anxiously for it all to begin...only you are in the comfort of your home in pajamas attending a Wedding/Event live. Isn't technology amazing! The schedule of the event will be posted on the live stream page, but if you missed it, you can always check back again later as we re-post the recorded stream right on the live page! (weddings only)

Q: What do your full Wedding Videos look like?

A: All Because He Asked is a professional Wedding Videography company that prides itself on capturing all the beautiful moments of the entire day naturally and cinematically in crisp, clear HD without choreographing or "faking" any moments. Many videographers have to "direct" each couple to do things for the camera in order to create their videos. Not us. All the videos you see HERE were captured naturally, as they happened so that each couple's final Wedding Video is exactly how it happened and not someone's "directed interpretation". After viewing our videos in comparison to other companies, you'll quickly discover that we are also one of the most "balanced" Wedding Videographers in Southern California in that our videos give equal weight to all parts of the day including the party!!! Many videographers tend to focus more on the getting ready shots and ceremony and then barely touch on any Reception coverage. Not us. We believe that a Reception is the fun part and deserves equal weight to everything else. It's the PARTY!!! We maintain a 5-Star rating through all the top wedding sites because we not only care profoundly about capturing every detail from the Wedding day in all its beauty, but we also do it with a positive attitude and a smile. We have fun! There's a reason we are often selected as each couple's "favorite vendor" at the end of the night. Well, at least that's what they tell us ;)