Your wedding day is one of the most memorable days of your life, and capturing the moments as they unfold is vital to preserving those memories. Regarding wedding videography styles, two options stand out—cinematic and documentary. Each approach offers a unique perspective, and deciding between them depends on your preferences and how you wish to revisit your wedding day.

Every couple wants a perfect wedding videography without any issues. Picture this wedding. Break down the differences between these two popular videography styles to help you make the best choice.

Understanding Cinematic Wedding Videography

Cinematic wedding video focuses on storytelling and drawing inspiration from film-making techniques. The ultimate goal of this type of videography is to create a highly stylized, emotional film that resembles a movie. Videographers in this style often use creative camera work, slow motion, and specialized editing to enhance the visual appeal.

Features of Cinematic Videography

•  Story-Driven Approach 

The emphasis of cinematic wedding video is on telling the couple’s story. For this purpose, the videographer may arrange clips in a non-linear fashion. They may use elements like voiceovers or personal vows to craft a narrative that forms a perfect story according to the couple's choice.

•  Dramatic Effects

Cinematic videography often includes visual techniques like time-lapses, aerial drone shots, and slow-motion footage to add a dramatic tone. 

•  Music Choice 

A cinematic wedding video heavily relies on music to shape the tone and mood of the movie. The soundtrack must be chosen according to the couple's taste and must resonate with the background of the video to drive the emotional tone and sync with key moments in the film.

• Artistic Shots

Cinematic videos are marked by their attention to detail, including beautifully composed shots that use framing and lighting creatively. There’s a focus on making every shot look visually stunning. Picture this wedding specializes in providing wedding videography services with perfect artistic shots.

• Concise Highlight Reel

Typically, cinematic wedding videos are shorter, focusing on the day’s highlights and presenting them in a 3 to 10-minute film that distills the key moments into an engaging story. It should be created to refresh the couple's memories on their special day, even years after.

Advantages of Cinematic Videography

• Emotional Impact

 Combining music, editing techniques, and storytelling results in an emotionally charged video.

• High Production Value

The final product looks like a professionally shot film, full of beautiful, polished scenes.

• Highlights Special Moments

The goal is to present a compelling story through selected moments rather than covering everything.

Drawbacks of Cinematic Videography

• Limited Coverage

 Focusing on highlights may result in missing some minor, candid moments.

• Cost

Cinematic wedding videos usually require advanced equipment and techniques for production. This ultimately increases the cost.

• Potential Staging

 The videographer may guide or direct scenes to achieve certain shots, which might feel less natural.

Understanding Documentary Wedding Videography

Documentary wedding video, by contrast, is captured as the day unfolds in real-time and with minimal intervention. This style offers a more journalistic approach, documenting events naturally and creating an authentic, chronological record of the day.

Features of Documentary Videography

•  Chronological Structure

 A documentary wedding video follows the day in order, from getting ready to the final moments of the reception, giving a detailed overview of the wedding day. It captures all the key moments, along with everything in between.

•  Realism

Documentary videographers aim to capture natural moments without directing or staging scenes. It mainly focuses on candid interactions, such as the meeting between the couple and their guests.

• Simpler Editing

The documentary wedding video is usually less edited, with fewer special effects. Natural audio from the event, like laughter or speeches, is often used to maintain authenticity.

•  Live Sound

A key element of documentary wedding video is the use of real-time sounds, such as vows, speeches, or the ambient noise of the event, rather than relying entirely on music. It makes everything more realistic.

•  Longer Footage

Documentary wedding videos are longer and more detailed, covering the entire event from start to finish. It’s not uncommon to have a full-length video that includes all the significant parts of the day with all the minor details.

Advantages of Documentary Videography

• Thorough Coverage

Documentary wedding video ensures that every important moment of the day is captured, providing a comprehensive record.

• Authentic Feel

The lack of staging or interference results in a true reflection of the day’s emotions and events in a documentary wedding video.

• Generally Less Expensive

Documentary videography is more affordable since it requires less complex editing.

Drawbacks of Documentary Videography

• Less Polished

The end product may not have the polished, dramatic feel that cinematic wedding video offers.

• Longer Length

Some couples may find a longer, more comprehensive video less suited for sharing than a shorter highlight reel.

• Lower Emotional Intensity

The final video might not be as emotionally driven without emphasizing music and special effects.

Choosing between cinematic and documentary wedding videography

When deciding between these wedding videography styles, consider how you want to remember your wedding day. If you want a professionally edited video that is highly important,  is shorter in length, highlights only the key moments, and is movie-like, then go with cinematic videography. It focuses on creating a beautiful, emotional film that highlights the most essential parts of your day in a way that feels like a work of art.

On the other hand, if you want a complete chronological record of your wedding day with a natural feel and want to enjoy it as a complete full-length movie with your family, then documentary videography is the choice. It makes you feel your wedding day is the same even years after you watch it, as it adds authenticity.

Conclusion

Whether you choose a cinematic or documentary approach, the most important thing is that your wedding video reflects your personality and preferences. Take time to review examples from videographers, discuss your vision, and choose the style that best captures the essence of your special day. Whether it’s a dramatic, beautifully crafted cinematic film or an authentic documentary of your wedding, the right video will help you relive those precious moments for years to come.

Ready to capture your wedding day in a way that perfectly reflects your love story? Picture this wedding offers various Wedding Photography and Videography Packages for the perfect shot for your big day. Contact picture this wedding today to discuss your vision, and let us bring your special day to life on film!