Have you been to a wedding that featured a photo slideshow of the bride and groom? Perhaps something with some cute baby photos, then the ‘growing up’ and ‘dating’ or 'engagement' photos? I’ve designed many of these photo montage videos for clients getting married, and I wanted to share this short list if you are considering a slideshow for a wedding this year.
First and foremost – start well ahead of time!
Nothing is more stressful than trying to pull something together in the last few weeks leading up to a wedding. This is particularly true if you are the Maid of Honour, bride’s sister, or anyone else that will be involved in the big day. It’s the last thing you’ll want to be dealing with!
Arrange for, and test, all equipment ahead of time.
Imagine the big moment – you hit the “play” button on your slideshow, in a hall of 250 people – and NOTHNG happens. Technical glitch. With today’s projectors and laptops, very little can actually go wrong – but you’ll breathe easier if you set it up and test ahead of time.
Balance
Try to choose roughly an even number of photos of the bride and groom (even though, yes, the day is all about the bride!) Also, place the photos in chronological order, as much as possible.
Don’t be afraid to use humour, but keep it tasteful.
Don’t make Grandma Beatrice squirm in her chair because you show some tasteless photos of her granddaughter’s college days.
Dig out the old photo albums.
More recently, we use digital cameras (or cell phone cameras) for snapshots. There are often forgotten photographic treasures in older photo albums… and unless the couple is very young, chances are that there will be some printed photos in albums or shoeboxes that you can have scanned. Ask around – you may be surprised what friends, old roommates, teammates or relatives have for photos.
Try to use sharp, good photos.
Cell phone cameras have a place, and some take very good photos, but if the resolution is poor, or if they are blurry or out of focus – choose other pictures.
Keep it short.
The goal is to entertain guests with a trip down memory lane (or an introduction to the couple if they don’t know them well) – not to have them glancing at the clock wondering if you forgot about the promised dance music! 10 minutes is usually a nice length.
Consider having copies made
Consider having copies made for wedding party members, parents, or other family members that could not attend. They will treasure the video for years to come.
If you are a bride reading this, PLEASE – pass the job on to someone else!
The last thing you will want to be doing is spending a week finalizing a slideshow when you’re rushing around arranging the last-minute details of your wedding.
If you are getting married this year, consider Silver Frame Productions for your wedding reception slideshow video. You’ll receive a professional-looking photo montage video that tells your story with creative and 3D effects, Ken Burns (panning & zoom) effect, and unique transitions/titles/captions. Forget powerpoint... this is completely different and will wow your guests. Packages for every budget… you gather the photos, and I take it from there with a few short questions. No matter where you live, in Canada or beyond, I have several methods of sharing files. Email me at info@silverframeproductions.ca to get started.
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