Emma and Tom

Emma_Tom_East Kent Wedding Video

Emma and Tom hired me to film their wedding video last year on a beautiful but hot August day. The venue was the Oak Barn near Cranbrook in Kent. I hadn’t been here before but quickly realised on my early arrival just how magnificent the Oak Barn is. For a videographer, the place is superb. Surrounded by typical picturesque Kent countryside and an abundance of quality natural light, it was an absolute joy to film.

I hadn’t met Emma and Tom before the wedding day due to Covid-19. Not a situation that’s desirable for me as I prefer to meet up before the day. That allows me to discuss the wedding day before hand. However, most importantly, it also presents an opportunity for me to get a glimpse into their personalities. That usually opens the door to lots of ideas regarding video.

Rachel from Blackout Media was our friendly photographer for the day. The ceremony took place high on a stage within the barn. That was a novel situation for me and it gave me good views of the proceedings but the available light was challenging with a big bright window behind the couple. I needed to call on all of my lighting experience to control the situation and turn it to my advantage which I duly did.

This is one reason I like to arrive at least two hours before the ceremony. It gives me a chance to assess the environment I’ll be working in, test the light and acoustics and also avoid any traffic delays getting there. I would much rather be bright and early with time up my sleeve than stressing on a busy motorway while the clock ticks. Whenever I arrive at a venue in my own time, I always feel good and ready for the wedding day ahead.

The hidden choir

The ceremony itself had a surprise in hand. All of a sudden, one of the guests stood and began to sing. Over the next few minutes, others stood and joined him and no one knew anything about it except for the bride herself…and me. You should always tell your videographer before hand about any surprises you may have planned. Knowing it was going to happen, I had placed a microphone near them before everyone came in. Result…great audio which is so important.

It really was a perfect day. I don’t necessarily need the sun to shine to create the best wedding video. It helps though. I do have a different approach to any type of weather and instead of looking at rain as a negative, I try to turn it into a positive.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video