What I've Learned After Filming 50+ Weddings Last Year
In 2024, I discovered something strange about wedding films...
And this one realization changed everything for me.
It was this:
The moments couples THINK they want captured are almost never the ones they end up treasuring most.
(And most couples don't realize it until it's too late...)
It turns out I was completely wrong about what makes a wedding film truly priceless.
Let me explain.
Sarah's grandmother couldn't make it to her wedding.
At 87, the trip from California to New Jersey was just too much. They'd spent every Christmas together since Sarah was born, but this time, distance and health kept them apart on one of the most important days of Sarah's life.
Two weeks after the wedding, I received a text from Sarah that encapsulated everything I love about wedding filmmaking:
"James, I just watched the wedding film with my grandmother over FaceTime. She couldn't stop crying - said she felt like she was actually there with us. Thank you for helping me share my wedding day with the person who helped raise me."
I won't lie -- moments like that are what make wedding filmmaking so meaningful for me.
When a film can bridge distance and time, bringing loved ones right into the heart of a celebration they couldn't physically attend.
Over the past few years of filming weddings, I've discovered something that changed how I think about wedding cinematography forever.
See, beautiful wedding films are everywhere these days. You can find endless highlight reels with perfect drone shots, stunning slow motion, and cinematic lighting. Technical excellence has become the standard.
If you've watched any wedding highlight reels on Instagram, you know what I'm talking about.
But after filming over 50 weddings, I've realized something: the most treasured wedding films aren't about technical perfection at all.
They're about capturing the feeling of being there...
That laugh your mom always makes when she's trying not to cry...
The way your partner's hands trembled slightly during the vows...
Your grandmother's expression when she saw you in your dress for the first time.
These are the moments that matter. The ones that make people feel like they're truly experiencing your wedding day, whether they're watching it the next week or decades later.
Last summer, I filmed a wedding where the couple told me they mainly wanted "the big moments" - ceremony, first dance, speeches. "Just the highlight reel," they said.
But three months later, I got an unexpected email. The part of their film they kept rewatching wasn't the first kiss or the sparkler exit. It was a quiet 30-second clip of the bride's father straightening her brother's tie before the ceremony, telling stories about when they were kids.
"We had completely forgotten that moment happened," they wrote. "Now it's one of our favorite memories from the whole day."
This is what I've learned about wedding films:
The moments you think you want captured aren't always the ones you'll treasure most.
Your wedding day will be a blur. You'll be pulled in a hundred different directions. You'll miss countless little moments happening around you - moments that tell the real story of your day.
What happens when couples see their wedding film for the first time?
It's not what you'd expect...
Instead of focusing on the big moments - the walk down the aisle, the first dance, the cake cutting - something else catches their attention...
They lean forward. Point at the screen. "Wait, pause it there!"
It's the little moments they didn't even know were happening:
- Their mom wiping away tears while helping with the dress
- Their best friend telling childhood stories during the reception
- That quiet moment alone before the ceremony
- The way their partner looked at them when they thought no one was watching
"I completely missed that during the day," they often say.
And here's what surprises me every time...
Even people who have never met the couple - who are watching complete strangers' wedding films - find themselves tearing up.
Why?
Because when a wedding film captures these authentic moments...
...it doesn't matter if you were there or not.
You FEEL like you were.
When my wife and I were planning our wedding, we made the same decision many couples make.
We prioritized photography (a must) and saw videography as a "nice to have."
After all, we'd have the photos. The venue. The flowers. The dress. All the essential elements of a perfect day.
But here's what no one tells you about wedding photos...
They capture moments. But they can't capture movement. Sound. Stories.
They can't capture your father's voice cracking during his speech... Your grandmother's laugh during the mother-son dance... The way your partner's face lit up when they first saw you...
We didn't realize this until it was too late.
Now, years later, our biggest wedding regret isn't about the flowers that wilted, or the cake flavor we chose, or even the DJ's playlist...
It's that we can't go back and hear those voices. See those expressions. Feel those moments again.
But capturing these precious moments isn't just about luck...
After filming 50+ weddings just last year alone, I can say I've developed an eye for the in-between moments. The quiet interactions that tell the real story of your day:
- That quick squeeze of the hand between mother and daughter before the ceremony...
- The tearful laugh shared between old friends at the reception...
- The subtle glances between you and your partner throughout the day.
While I see a lot of wedding filmmakers focus only on the highlight reel moments, I think this is a mistake.
Now I'm constantly watching for these intimate exchanges.
I've learned that the most meaningful moments often happen in the spaces between the "big" moments everyone expects.
That's why I film extensively throughout the wedding day, gathering hours of footage that I'll carefully craft into the story. Because you never know which small moment will become the one that moves you to tears years later.
Some couples ask me: "Won't we feel awkward being filmed all day?"
But here's the thing...
By focusing on these natural, candid moments rather than staged shots, most couples tell me they hardly noticed I was there.
See, my style is very "fly-on-the-wall." I'm not one to set up styled shots and interject with fancy poses.
Nowadays, when I arrive at a wedding and start filming, within 15 minutes the bride and groom (and wedding party) typically forget I'm even there. I'm proud of this skill! It lets me capture the candid shots I know will help tell the story perfectly.
Now, let's talk about 2025.
Instead of another year of 50+ weddings - that's a LOT of editing - my plan is to scale back.
To focus on 10-12 weddings, and really refine my storytelling process.
To focus on telling the story of each couple I work with in a beautiful and timeless way.
If you're getting married in 2025 and you've made it this far, I think it's safe to say we might get along. :)
One more thing. I like to get pricing out of the way early, because I know it's a part of any couple's decision-making process.
Most couples I work with invest between $4,000-$6,000 in their wedding film.
If this aligns with your vision, if what I said resonated with you, and if you're planning a 2025 wedding...
I'd love to get to know you.
Click below to tell me a bit about your day.
Let's talk about capturing the moments you'll treasure for a lifetime.