Capturing great audio for your wedding ceremony video

If someone were to ask me what is the most important part for any video, then I would have no hesitation in saying Audio. At the end of the day, if you can hear the audio clearly, but no video, then your video is watchable, but if you can’t hear it properly, it doesn’t matter how good the footage is.

I’m going to show you how I capture audio for weddings, so that you can see how I get super clear audio using microphones that isn’t distracting in the video.

Standard Setup:

Celebrant

On the celebrant, I have a small microphone that is easy to mount and has a wind sock as most wedding ceremonies are outdoors. At a push, I can use it for audio of anyone standing within a couple metres of them - this is helpful if there is someone doing a reading, as I can arrange for the celebrant to stand close to them.

Groom

On the groom, I use a smaller more discreet microphone that can tuck in behind the buttonhole flowers (if they have them). Since they are black, they are almost invisible when wearing a darker suit.

When wearing a lighter suit, the flowers draw the eye away from the microhone.

This microphone is extra sensitive so it picks up both the bride and groom.

Handheld microphone

Most celebrants/couples will have a handheld microphone to amplify their voices on the day, which I highly recommend - your guests love hearing every word of the ceremony that you’ve put so much love and effort into making.

It’s also great for the audio - it is usually the absolute best audio quality for me to capture, and it stays consistent for every one who speaks.

Lastly, I also have the audio from my camera, which I just use a sprinkle to add ambience, otherwise it can feel very isolated!

Sometimes you have to get creative

For some couples, the idea of an ugly handheld microphone in your photos is a no go which is totally understandable. More importantly, it’s not an issue 😎

For Georgia and Hayden, they didn’t want a handheld microphone for the ceremony, and they had a family member sing a song during their signing. In these situations, I have a bigger microphone that captures clear audio from further away. See if you can spot it:

In this case, I have attached it under and to the side of one of the chairs, 2nd row from the left. This gave me great audio of the singer, as well as a backup microphone if anything else failed (prepared for anything!).

Captured by Auburn Photography

For Jasmine and Georgia, I had an added challenge. Since they’re both brides, any microphone would be too obvious, and the celebrant was going to step to the side during the vows.

The solution was their vow books, which were only out for vows. I tucked them in, and they were pretty inconspicuous.

Backups on Backups on Backups

Anytime there is lots of tech involved (such as video), you have to be prepared for things to go wrong, which is why having backup audio sources is absolutely vital. While the above options usually give me at least 3 options, there are times when it isn’t helpful.

Particularly in churches, the celebrant and couple can be far enough away that the microphones on each aren’t helpful as backups for the other, and there is location where guests speak at the lectern. I often can’t access these to get a high quality feed, and my other microphones are occupied which is where my last microphone comes. The good news is that everyone has one on them all the time.

Yes, the humble mobile phone. You always have it, it can capture fairly good sound (although sensitive to wind), and its easily hidden. At churches, I’ll use this sitting next to a speaker to get the in house sound, or at the lectern to capture anyone speaking there. Outdoors, they are handy behind the arch as an extra backup!

It’s all about flexibility. Every wedding is different, but none of them give you a second chance!