1. The best time to meet with the bride and groom to discuss what they want captured (videotaped) at the wedding is

a) six months before the wedding
b) the day before the wedding
c) one to two months before the wedding

2. Which of the following pieces of equipment should you not be caught without at the wedding?

a) light kit
b) tripod
c) boom microphone
d) JumboTron

3. True or False? Its ok to skip the Wedding Rehearsal.

a) True
b) False

4. True or False? You should place your video camera as close to the minister, bride and groom as possible.

a) True
b) False

5. If you expect the wedding ceremony to last one (1) hour, how much videotape do you need to purchase

a) 60 minutes
b) 90 minutes
c) 120 minutes

6. True or False?: The still photographer is glad to see the videographer.

a) True
b) False

7. At the reception, what type of narration should you provide while you are taping?

a) announce the name of each person as they appear in your viewfinder.
b) announce the arrival of the bridal party
c) provide a play-by-play of the cake cutting ceremony
d) none

8. Which of the following are not important to capture (videotape) at the reception?

a) cake cutting ceremony
b) bouquet/garter toss
c) first dance
d) none of the above

9. Fill in the blanks: At the end of the day, you will know you have done well if you are _______ and _________.

a) dazed and confused
b) tired but satisfied
c) drunk and disorderly
d) sobbing like a little girl

10. When the wedding is over, what do you do with all the footage?

a) send it to America's Funniest Home Videos
b) present the newlyweds with the raw footage
c) edit the footage yourself
d) locate and hire a professional videotape editor

Answers
1. Correct answer: c - one to two months before the wedding

This is close enough to the wedding that the couple will have a good idea about the who, what, when, where and why of the wedding and what parts of it they want videotaped.

Six months before is too soon as the wedding plans have not come together enough that the couple will know what they want. If you wait until the day before you won't have time to gather necessary equipment and people will be too busy with final preparations to give you any direction.

2. Correct answer: b - tripod

A tripod is one of the most important pieces of equipment you will be using during the shooting of the wedding. A tripod ensures that your shots will be stable while giving you controlled flexibility to perform smooth and simple zooms and pans.

Most churches/wedding venues have sufficient light for videotaping so a light kit is not necessary. A boom microphone is overkill. And even though the church has an organ, this is not a hockey game, so forget the JumboTron.

3. Correct answer: false

It is very important for you to attend the rehearsal. This is your opportunity to scout camera positions, and check out all operating systems including cameras, lighting and audio before the actual event.

4. Correct answer: false

Before setting your camera up anywhere, introduce yourself to the minister and let him know where the camera(s) will be positioned and make sure that it meets with his approval. Its important that your presence at the altar doesn't interfere in any way with the ceremony or block the view of anyone sitting in the audience.

5. Correct answer: c - 120 minutes

Weddings tend to run long. You want to have enough videotape to cover twice the length of time you expect the event to be. This will also ensure that you have enough videotape to cover the reception.

6. Correct answer: false

It is a well known fact that wedding photographers grudgingly tolerate wedding videographers. So BEFORE the wedding starts, be sure to introduce yourself and any other videographers to the photographer and assure him that you will stay out of his way and not interfere with his job.

7. Correct answer: d - none

Resist any temptation to narrate as you are shooting the video. This is very unprofessional and you will regret hearing your off-camera comments when you view the raw footage.

8. Correct answer: d - none of the above

These are all part of the "must get" shots at the reception. If you miss any of them you could have an angry "Bridezilla" on your hands.

9. Correct answer: b

If you're tired but happy at the end of the wedding day, then you will know you've done well.

10. Correct answer: d or e are both correct

You can edit the footage yourself. Editing programs for PCs and Macs are becoming more and more commonplace. Even the more complex programs are user friendly.

You can also hire a professional editor. They can be located through the Yellow Pages or even through your local college or university.

Presenting the couple with raw footage is like having a wedding cake without the frosting or decorations. The cake batter may be baked but its definitely unfinished...and detracts from the elegance of the wedding.

Send the footage to America's Funniest Home Videos only if you have a $10,000 clip

How did you score?

8 - 10 Correct: Congratulations. You are ready to produce a professional-looking wedding video.
4 - 7 Correct: Expect some serious challenges. We recommend reviewing the questions that you got wrong.
0 -3 Correct: Yikes! You might want to rethink your role in the wedding. (see: flowergirl)