How to Live Stream Your Wedding Successfully
Whether you are having an intimate or destination wedding where not all your family and friends can attend, there is a way to include them on your big day and that’s live streaming your nuptials.
A new popular wedding trend is allowing more people to be included in one of the biggest days of your life. Live streaming allows your guests to view your wedding in real time, from anywhere, on their computer or smartphone.
Why do you need to live stream?
There are two main reasons why live streaming your wedding becomes an excellent, even necessary option. Either a loved one is ill and unable to travel or is overseas and unable to travel. Live streaming means your guests won’t miss out on your wedding and will be creating those memories right alongside you.
Top tips for a successful live stream:
Hire a Videographer who knows how to live stream.
Discuss with all vendors that you will be live streaming your wedding.
Create a private link with a password and send it out to guests prior to the wedding.
Check with your ceremony venue about their internet connection capability.
Make sure to test out the internet connection before going live.
Hiring a professional
If your budget allows, hire a professional videographer with live streaming capability. Make sure to ask potential vendors to see examples of their live streams and ask for client referrals to talk about their experience with this service.
Make sure to communicate your needs and expectations to your videographer to ensure a great live stream experience for you and your guests.
DIY your live stream
If you are not in the position to hire a professional, setting up your own live stream is easy, just make sure whomever you have run your camera knows what they are doing.
The best way to DIY your live stream is to…
Have a fully charged iPhone or iPad along with a charger on a tripod and place it in a good spot where it's not intrusive of the actual ceremony or guest’s view.
Take into consideration of your location and pick a space that has great lighting. Don’t stand in direct sunlight, so your faces are blown out, but also don’t pick a dark indoor spot where the details of your dress are lost in the shadows.
Determine if your camera will be stationary for the entire ceremony or if you want the camera to capture all the action from everyone walking up and back down the aisle in addition to the actual ceremony.
Visit your location ahead of time and check the lighting situation with the device you’re going to use so you are sure the details you want are captured.
Another major component to a successful live stream is the sound. Ensuring your guests can hear your ceremony is just as important as watching it. Consider using an external microphone for better audio.
The best platforms to set-up your live stream are Facebook live, Zoom, or Youtube. Make sure to pick the best platform that your designated live stream person knows and understands just in case something goes wrong on your wedding day.
Send your virtual wedding guests a private link with a password to access your wedding. Do not post a public link on your website to avoid potential wedding crashers.
Make sure to allow enough time for you to set-up everything you need for a successful live stream. Take into consideration everything that could go wrong beforehand and have an action plan.
How to include your virtual guests
Your guests are likely disappointed that they cannot physically be with you, so take the time to make your virtual event as special as your in-person one.
Consider sending a wedding day care package ahead of time to each of your guests complete with snacks, a mini bottle of champagne, and a wedding favor. You could even create a personalized ZOOM background for all your guests.
After you say I Do and walk down the aisle as a married couple, make sure to say thank you to your live streamers for attending your wedding, trust me it will go a long way.
Have a back-up plan
No matter which avenue you choose when it comes to live streaming your wedding, ensure you have a Plan B just in case the technology you plan to use fails. Just like you need to consider bringing in a tent in case of rain, you need to have a plan just in case something goes wrong; for example having the capability to record your ceremony that way you can email it later to your guests.
Interested in looking further into how we can help with your wedding planning? Send us an email to see how we can help make your dream day come to life!