9 Important Checks Wedding Photographers and Videographers Need to Complete Before the Event

Experienced wedding photographers and videographers know one thing – the day of the event is almost always chaotic.

The mayhem that often ensues requires a lot of preliminary work to get organized and account for everything that may go wrong.

A wedding-day checklist is a good thing to have. It will help you prepare for the upcoming shoot.

Having the checklist to count on also reduces the risk of making a serious mistake in the heat of the moment.

To ace an upcoming wedding project, stick to these preliminary checks and complete all of the mentioned tasks in advance.

 

An Equipment Check for Wedding Photographers and Videographers

 

This one is a no-brainer. In the hurry of getting to the wedding, however, you may forget to check your equipment.

Make sure your bag features all of the gear required to capture the wedding in the way your client wants.

You also need to have backups – a spare camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards, etc.

The more prepared you are, the lower the risk of having extraordinary situations keeping you from doing your job.

One piece of equipment many photographers and videographers forget to check is their phone. Bring your phone along and have the battery fully charged.

This is especially important if you’re going to be doing your job at a really big wedding venue. Make sure your clients are capable of reaching you, no matter where you are.

 

Make Sure You Have Essential Props

 

Some couples will want to use props during their wedding shoots. Your job is to make sure all of the important items are available.

Do print out a list of props the night before the wedding or even a few days in advance. Use this document to get everything organized.

Some props don’t just need to look good – they will also need to function.

A few examples of such props include fairy lights, umbrellas, sparklers, smoke bombs, etc. All of these need to be brand new, safe and operational. Your responsibility is to make sure that props meet quality requirements.

 

Meet the Couple One Last Time

 

Meet the bride and the groom one last time before they start getting ready.

It’s very important to always check in with your clients. Things can change last minute.

They may come up with an additional request. Use the opportunity to have a quick chat. Ask them for important updates or anything that may have changed.

Get the information, even if it’s a wedding organization detail that your clients don’t consider of major significance.

Some wedding photographers and videographers like to go quickly over the list of shots one last time.

They discuss the stylistics of the project execution and anything else that the clients may have shared in advance.

Having such a chat will give you and your clients peace of mind based on the knowledge that everyone is on the same page.

 

Test the Light at the Wedding Venue

 

You probably have visited the wedding venue in advance (as you should!) and you have some idea about the quality of light there. All wedding photographers and videographers have to complete the step!

Do one final test on the wedding day, before the ceremony begins.

This is especially important for outdoor weddings. Weather changes quickly and the light conditions that were ideal just a few days ago may no longer be the same.

Assess the situation to determine whether you’ll need to use any external sources of light.

If that’s the case, dedicate enough time to the proper placement of projectors and the performance of a final light check.

 

Check the Wedding Timeline

 

Every wedding day has its timeline you need to account for when doing your job.

One of the first things you’ll need to do upon arriving to the venue is checking the timeline.

How long will the bride and groom take to get ready? What’s the duration of the wedding ceremony? When does the reception begin?

Will there be enough time between the two events for a wedding shoot to occur?

These are essentials to discuss either with the couple or their wedding planner. You probably have been provided with a timeline in advance.

Getting one on the wedding day itself allows you to compare the situation to what has been previously discussed.

Any changes need to be discussed with the clients, coming up with an action plan aimed at covering all of the essentials.

 

Checking in with Second Wedding Photographers or Videographers

 

Is there a second wedding photographer or videographer arriving to help you out?

Let them know the best time to make it to the venue. It’s good to give yourselves a few hours in advance for coordination purposes.

Discuss the specifics of the wedding project one last time and come up with an action plan.

Confirm who’s going to be shooting which aspects of the wedding. Set up equipment together and do a few technical checks.

Your second shooter can offer solid assistance if your efforts are fully coordinated.

Let them know they’ll need to check in with you each time something doesn’t go according to plan.

The more you communicate, the better the results for your clients are going to be.

 

Go Through the Wedding Day Footage or Shot List

 

This is another check you should perform. Get the couple, the wedding planner or even the maid of honor involved.

A list of must-have shots or footage reduces the risk of missing something important.

This is the kind of checklist you need to prepare with your clients way ahead of the wedding day itself.

Running through the list one final time before the ceremony begins gives you an opportunity to review the work that will have to be done and to get organized.

Even if you are an incredibly experienced wedding photographer or videographer, there’s still the risk of forgetting something important.

That’s why prep work matters – it helps you focus and sets you on the path to success.

 

Find Out Where You Can Get Assistance

 

This is a huge thing that many photographers or videographers forget doing.

Talk to the bride and groom before the commencement of the event and ask them to acquaint you with the most important members of the wedding party.

Have a quick chat with the maid of honor, the best man, even the parents of the bride and groom.

If you experience an emergency or something unforeseen, these people will be capable of assisting you.

Introducing yourself to members of the wedding party also builds rapport and shows people you are sociable and involved.

A quick chat has never hurt anyone and you already know what wedding day small talk looks like.

Use that opportunity to break the ice, giving yourself enough support throughout the hectic day.

 

Do Some Test Shots

 

Some people need time to warm up to the camera.

If you have some time left, use it to capture a few test shots or do a couple of preliminary clips with the bride and the groom.

This exercise will help you choose the best camera settings, tweaking the ones that aren’t well-suited to the venue specifics.

Even more importantly, you’ll get people feeling a bit more comfortable and relaxed.

By the time you have to start doing your job, you’ll have a bride and a groom who’ll no longer seem camera-shy.

There’s an added benefit to such an approach. The test footage or shots can sometimes capture really genuine and intimate moments.

While these aren’t going to be the most important ones, they can be used to add a few beautiful details to the overall wedding portrayal.

 

Doing the Prep Work Will Save You a Ton of Time Later on

 

Don’t skip the prep work, even if you feel tired or you’re busy getting ready for the shoot itself.

The more time you dedicate to getting prepared in advance, the easier you’ll find it to finish the project later on.

Some checks are really tedious and repetitive.

Busy and overbooked wedding photographers and videographers often lack the energy to go through all of these processes.

A failure to complete one of the preliminary checks, however, can result in disaster.

Sure, you will get away with being unprepared most of the time.

Do you, however, really want to risk it and accept responsibility for potentially ruining someone’s special day.

Each wedding you attend will help you refine the preliminary process. You’ll adopt the steps and checks that make the most sense within your line of work.

What matters is coming up with a tailored process that gives you insurance from unforeseen circumstances like technical failures or potential weather issues during an outdoor wedding.