Beyond the Highlight Reel: Why Candid Wedding Films Are the Future
By Anna Gibbs, Anna Gibbs Photography and Videography
The history of wedding videos is a remarkable journey. It started in the 1950’s with 8mm and 16mm film, capturing wedding day moments in their purest, most unfiltered form – truly ‘moving pictures’. These early films were simple, unedited, and full of charm—one of the reasons why 8mm (or Super 8) is making such a nostalgic comeback today.As technology advanced, we graduated to the camcorder era, bringing wedding videos to VHS – much like the hours-long home movies tucked away in your aunt and uncle’s tape collection. Cameras kept evolving, editing tools became more accessible, and wedding videography evolved into a full-fledged industry.
In recent years, the focus has been on cinematic storytelling—slow-motion first kisses, perfectly framed first dances, sweeping drone shots, and vows layered over the footage like a movie trailer. While we love these, more and more couples are looking for something a bit different. They want to feel their wedding day – not just watch a highlight reel of it.
The Shift Toward Documentary-Style Wedding Films
Instead of polished, scripted perfection, folks want the real stuff — the nervous excitement while getting ready, weird inside jokes with the wedding party, the little in-between moments that mean everything. Candid wedding films aren’t about manufacturing a story, they’re about capturing the one that’s already happening.
Handheld Footage: Embracing the Imperfect
One of the biggest shifts in wedding videography is the move toward raw, unscripted storytelling. Handheld footage, natural movement, and a slightly unpolished aesthetic all makes the film feel more alive. Think of your favorite indie movie, the kind where the imperfections make everything feel more real. It’s not about creating the perfect shot but capturing and evoking the perfect feeling.
The Power of Sound
Another evolution in wedding films is the way audio is used. Instead of relying solely on vows, speeches, or a carefully curated soundtrack, more films are incorporating raw snippets from the day— sweet little exchanges between one another and real audio captures from the environment. This kind of storytelling turns a wedding film into a time capsule, bringing back not just the sights but the sounds of the day.
What Makes a Wedding Video Feel Authentic?
Authenticity is about presence. The best wedding films capture and show what happened between the poses: the instinctive reach for a partner’s hand, shared glances, unfiltered emotions. It’s not about making everything look polished, but making it feel as real as it was.
The Future of Wedding Films
The best wedding films feel like your love story. As couples continue leaning into documentary-style storytelling, wedding videos will only become more personal, more emotional, and more real.
So, if you’re planning your wedding and wondering how to capture it in a way that actually feels like you, my advice is simple: Don’t overthink it. Be present, be yourselves, and trust that the best moments—the real ones—will always be the most magical on film.
As a wedding photographer and videographer, I take a best-friend-fly-on-the-wall-combo approach, making you blush but also blending in so I can capture natural moments without making anyone feel like they’re performing. I want my couples to look back at their wedding film and think, “Yep, that’s precisely what it felt like.” See my work and inquire at annagibbsweddings.com.
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