How To Get Into Wedding Videography
Wedding Videography Advice From One Of The UK's Top Wedding Videographers
How To Get Into Wedding Videography
Entering the world of wedding videography is an exciting journey, blending creativity with the privilege of capturing one of the most important days in a couple’s life. Whether you’re a filmmaker looking to specialise or an aspiring videographer with no prior experience, the right wedding videography training is essential to mastering the craft and building a successful career.
Learning the Basics of Wedding Videography
Before diving into bookings, it’s crucial to understand the wedding videography essentials. Unlike other forms of filmmaking, weddings are fast-paced, require adaptability, and demand technical skill. To get started:
- Learn how to operate professional cameras, including settings for exposure, focus, and white balance.
- Understand the basics of storytelling—your goal is to craft a wedding film that feels cinematic and emotionally engaging.
- Develop audio recording skills since vows and speeches are key moments in any wedding video.
- Master the art of handheld, gimbal, and tripod shots to ensure smooth, professional footage.
If you're completely new to videography, consider taking a wedding videography course to fast-track your learning. There are also so many fantastic resources and educators on platforms such as YouTube, where you can start to learn the basics of operating a camera.
“This experience taught me the importance of professionalism, adaptability, and creative problem-solving. Whether it was handling unexpected challenges, working collaboratively with photographers, or ensuring that the couple felt comfortable in front of the camera, I gained a well-rounded understanding of what it takes to succeed in this industry.”
Brooke, Brooke Lee Films, 12 Month Apprenticeship Course
Gaining Hands-On Experience
One of the best ways to learn is by assisting experienced videographers. Many professionals offer wedding videography workshops or second-shooter opportunities, allowing beginners to gain experience without the pressure of filming a wedding solo. I know I have personally done this before with my 12-month apprenticeship course, bringing along aspiring videographers to my own weddings to learn from me on-the-job with zero pressure.
Here are some ideas for where you can start to gain some meaningful experience behind the camera:
- Start as a second shooter to observe how professionals handle the fast-paced nature of a wedding day.
- Offer to film smaller events or styled shoots to build confidence behind the camera.
- Network with local wedding photographers and videographers who may need additional support.
- Investing in a wedding film workshop can also provide structured training, helping you refine your shooting and editing skills while receiving direct feedback from professionals.
Not only are these great ways to gain valuable hands-on experience, but they are also fantastic ways to start building your portfolio to show new prospective clients. Trying to obtain bookings is substantially easier when you have short portfolio pieces to showcase.
Choosing the Right Equipment
While high-end cameras can enhance production value, skill matters more than gear. In my opinion, beginners should start with a camera that offers manual controls and reliable low-light performance if possible—two key factors in wedding videography.
I am a firm believer in exploiting the equipment you have at your disposal to its maximum, before attempting to purchase new, more expensive equipment. More expensive cameras do not make you a better filmmaker, especially if you do not yet have the experience to take them to their full potential.
So what equipment should you be looking to get initially? Well, here’s a short list of things I would advise aspiring videographers to focus on adding to their filmmaking kits early on:
- A mirrorless or DSLR camera with good dynamic range is a solid starting point. Mirrorless is the newer technology and therefore will be more beneficial long term.
- Dual card recording is a must-have feature for me- if a camera doesn’t support dual card recording then I wouldn’t consider it for professional work.
- Investing in fast prime lenses (e.g., 35mm, 50mm) for beautiful depth of field will also aid low-light performance. However, with budgets normally being tight at the beginning of your journey, investing in a telephoto lens with a good range of focal lengths is a great starting point. Aim for something like a 24-70mm.
- Capture professional-quality audio using external microphones and recorders (professional videographers rarely use on-camera/scratch audio for spoken words). There are many good options out there, however I would personally recommend Tascam DR-10’s or Sony TX650’s.
- Many courses in wedding videography cover equipment selection in depth, ensuring you invest wisely in tools that match your budget and skill level.
“Hands-on experience at the beginning of your wedding filmmaking journey is so crucial. The camera in your hands needs to become second nature so that you can fully focus on the client, their experience working with you and you can start becoming more creative. It’s just about practice, practice, practice.”
Luke Batchelor, UK & Destination Wedding Videographer
Developing Your Style and Portfolio
Your unique storytelling style is what will set you apart in a competitive market
Figuring out what style of wedding film you want to make will inevitebly make you a more attractive videographer when it comes to booking clients.
Imagine looking through someones portfolio and seeing different styles, you would be confused and would be hesitant to get in contact or book with that videographer. However, if you look through a wedding videographers portfolio and every film has the same aethetic, colouring, feeling, then you will be more certain of what you will receive as a final product.
Aspiring videographers should:
- Study different styles of wedding videography to find what resonates with them—cinematic, documentary, or hybrid approaches.
- Create a portfolio showcasing your best work, even if it starts with personal projects or styled shoots.
- Focus on storytelling by capturing authentic moments, creative compositions, and natural emotions.
- Attending a wedding videography workshop can help refine your approach, giving you hands-on guidance to develop a signature style that attracts luxury clients.
Marketing Yourself as a Wedding Videographer
Once you've built confidence behind the camera, it's time to attract clients
A strong online presence is key, however it is one of the hardest things to achieve as a videographer just starting out. Before you get confused and frustrated at spinning all these plates, remember this one thing- everything you do and market should be aimed at driving people centrally to your website, to see your work and then hopefully, to enquire. In my eyes, having a website is a non-negotiable.
Beginner wedding videographers should;
- Build a website showcasing your portfolio, pricing, and contact details.
- Utilize social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to share your work.
- Network with wedding vendors, including planners, photographers, and venues, to gain referrals.
If you’re serious about turning your passion into a thriving business, wedding videography training from an experienced mentor can provide the guidance needed to navigate pricing, contracts, and client relationships successfully.
“I learned not just the technical aspects of video editing, including color grading, audio balancing, and seamless transitions, but also how to craft a compelling narrative that flows naturally and evokes emotion.
Your guidance in selecting the right music, pacing the edits, and creating a final product that reflects the couple’s unique love story was incredibly insightful.”
Brooke, Brooke Lee Films, 12 Month Apprenticeship
Start Your Wedding Videography Journey with Expert Guidance
Getting into wedding videography requires the right balance of training, hands-on experience, and business know-how. If you're looking for personalised mentorship, expert guidance, or a wedding film workshop designed to accelerate your skills, I offer one-on-one coaching and hands-on training to help you succeed.
Enquire today to take the first step toward becoming a professional wedding videographer.
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