The one thing that truly separates your wedding video from your photos is audio. Collecting great audio is the key to making a really great video. In fact, most people can forgive a bad shot or two, but having poor audio quality at key times can really ruin an otherwise memorable video moment.
Good equipment is the first step to great audio. The number one most valuable tool in the wedding videographer’s arsenal is a reliable wireless lavaliere microphone. The key word here is reliable. A microphone that works well ‘most of the time’ just won’t cut it. A UHF system is a minimum requirement, and a diversity system is recommended. Less expensive, non-diversity, units are prone to audio dropouts, which can leave the bride wondering why she couldn’t hear her vows. Be sure to note that UHF wireless mics operate on some of the same frequencies as Digital Television Stations. I simply downloaded a list of DTV frequencies in the Orlando area and enclosed it in my audio kit to make sure I don’t tune my mics to any of those frequencies.
Now that you have the equipment needed to give you a fighting chance to get great audio for your wedding videos, you have to know how to use it. Proper placement is important. The best position you’re a lav is on the groom’s lapel. The groom will be close enough to the officiant to pick up their audio (they usually speak loudly anyhow), and when the groom and bride face each other for the vows, the mic will be perfectly placed to pickup both the groom’s and bride’s audio. A wireless handheld microphone is ideal for guest testimonials at the reception. A wired mic will suffice, but at a crowded reception, a six foot cable can be a liability. Remember to, if possible, always record natural sound on the camera mic. Natural sound can be very useful music, guest speakers, or anything else coming through the venue’s PA system. Several wedding videos that I have shot have benefitted from me placing a second microphone near the church PA speaker so that I could clearly hear parts of the ceremony that occurred away from the main wireless mic on the groom.
With the right equipment and a little practice using it, you should never have to worry about getting great audio on your wedding video shoots.