Today I sat down for an interview with Michael Papilla of MP Wedding Films to discuss wedding videography and how he can help you out on your wedding day. I recently got the chance to work on a wedding with Michael, and from a DJ’s perspective, he was awesome to work with! He got all the perfect shots, was not obstructive or in the way, and he was a true professional through and through. I definitely recommend him if you are looking for a great videographer for your wedding day.

What common mistakes do you see couples making during the wedding planning process?
Not hiring professional vendors (e.g. when a bride tries to save money and hires her family friend to DJ for them – you know the story).

What’s the best tip you have for a couple planning a wedding and looking to get the best video possible?
Pretend the videographer is invisible that why we can capture the most natural emotions. I always tell my couples to ignore me as much as possible that way I can capture them “being” and not “acting”.

What don’t couples know about Wedding Videography that they need to know?
It is just as important as photography. Budget for both a Photographer and Videographer. Photographers will get you nice photos but in the end of the day, video captures sounds and motion picture that will really help you remember your day.

What questions should couples be asking you about your services that they don’t know to ask?
Coordinating with the sound technician/DJ that day to make sure they have a clean audio feed for the videographer. Sound quality is very important in any video.

What’s the most unusual or memorable wedding you ever did?
Culturally speaking, a 3 day Indian wedding with the groom riding a horse!

Do you have any other reasons that engaged couples should book your services for their wedding? What makes you stand out from your competition?
My cinematic trailers (3-5 minute highlight videos) are well balanced stories highlighting the Preparation, Ceremony and Reception while maintaining high quality picture and sound. I try to move the audience by cuing the right emotion during the speeches with the magic of editing. In addition to the cinematic trailer I also offer a feature film (60 minute full length video), which captures everything straight through with multiple camera angles so the couple can watch the whole day. A lot of videographers just offer a 15-20 minute video which is nice but does not cover the whole day.

Check out some more of Michael’s work below!