Sharing your wedding with those near - and especially far

on Feb 20 in wedding video

When a couple gets engaged, there almost always follows a flurry of phone calls, get-togethers, and electronic communiqués to announce the happy news. In response, there will likely be two questions: “When?” and “Where?”

And as you ponder the possible answers to these questions -

• commemorating an anniversary or meaningful date,
• a favorite season, time of year, or a holiday weekend,
• the availability of that special place that you’ve always dreamed of having your wedding,
• your hometown or your fiancé’s,
• the place you live now, or
• inviting your guests to fly off to some location full of exotic beauty, history and Old World charm, or ocean breezes -

your thoughts may turn to “who”. Of course, the date, location, and many other circumstances, may make traveling impractical or impossible for some of your special guests, but they can still share in your wedding as it happens.

Jessica Pi Productions, through its association with Marry Me Live, offers the option of live streaming your wedding so that your guests who cannot attend your wedding in person can watch you say your vows, share your first kiss, toss your bouquet, and more, from anywhere in the world. It’s an inclusive, affordable, and eco-friendly alternative to air travel from the far reaches of the country or, in some cases, the world.

Here’s how it works: I will connect a digital video camera to my laptop, in turn connected to the Internet. While I am recording to tape or hard drive at full resolution with that camera, the video, via the computer,  is streamed live over the Internet. (It is good to note: there will be cables secured to the floor running from the camera to the laptop; and because the video must be compressed to transmit via the Internet, the quality will not be the same as what you would expect on a DVD.) All one of your guests would need is their computer connected to the Internet and the URL on which they can watch the wedding, and, maybe a box of tissues in case they tear up as you walk down the aisle and a glass to raise after the best man’s toast.

In the fall, I shot the wedding of Areej and Mohannad in Washington, DC. In addition to capturing footage for their DVDs, the couple also wanted to stream the video so their family and friends in Jordan, North Carolina, and elsewhere could be part of their wedding day. This technology also helped to ensure that all of their guests in Washington could see their zaffa, a traditional wedding procession that started in the courtyard of the building. We streamed this on the Internet and projected it inside the Auditorium so those guests who were not able to gather in the small courtyard got to see this joyous parade. You can view part of the stream from Areej and Mohannad’s wedding to see how this works; my favorite part starts at about 13 minutes when the professional dancers enter!

And after the event, you can send DVDs or Blu-ray discs of the final, edited, video so your loved ones can re-live the highlights of the day.