Awesome Wedding Videos in Columbus, Ohio

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Nathan Schivley and I am the owner of Columbus Wedding Videos. I am a proud graduate of Ohio University (go Bobcats!) where I obtained degrees in both web design and video production, with a minor in film. After college, I moved to Columbus where I met my beautiful wife, Stephanie. We were married in 2009, the same year that I started Columbus Wedding Videos. Since then I have shot and edited over three hundred weddings. My company has won several awards on The Knot and Wedding Wire and I am proud to say that we are one of only four videographers in Columbus to be inducted into The Knot’s Hall of Fame.

How did you become a wedding videographer?

I hear all the time from couples that I meet with that they weren’t originally planning on hiring a videographer, but then a friend told them that it was the best decision that they made at their wedding, OR that NOT having a videographer was their biggest regret. So I think that videography is right up there with photography now when it comes to importance.

I have always had a passion for making films, but it never occurred to me that a wedding could present anything “cinematic”. But then I shot a couple of weddings for friends and family members and I realized that each wedding has its own story to tell. There is so much that goes on during the course of the day and each wedding is so different, that I began to see that creating a wedding video was much more than just setting up a couple of tripods and recording a ceremony. So I decided to start a business for just wedding videos.

This was back in 2009 when wedding videos were kind of an afterthought or something that would be nice to have if there was money left after hiring a photographer. But since then it has really taken off. I hear all the time from couples that I meet with that they weren’t originally planning on hiring a videographer, but then a friend told them that it was the best decision that they made at their wedding, OR that NOT having a videographer was their biggest regret. So I think that videography is right up there with photography now when it comes to importance.

How would you describe your style?

Me and my videographers try to be as unobtrusive as possible when we videotape a wedding. I always tell my couples that the day is about them, not us. We are there to document the day, not to influence it. It is definitely a skill to be a “fly on the wall” while still being able to capture the important moments of a wedding. Overall, I try to be as truthful as possible with my wedding videos. My goal is to tell an accurate story that depicts both the events of the day and the emotions of the couple and their guests.

What do you think a wedding video means to a couple?

A wedding video isn’t just a document of an event, it is a couple’s love story. The day happens so fast that they often don’t notice or remember a lot of the finer details. A video reminds them. It shows them the look on the groom’s face the first time he sees his bride. It shows the tear falling down the cheek of a father as he walks his daughter down the aisle. It’s the laughter during the toasts at the reception and the goofiness on the dance floor. A wedding video captures emotions that are easy to forget and lets the couple relive those emotions each time they watch their video.

What are the best tips for wedding videography?

I would tell a new wedding videographer who was just starting out to not get hung up on making sure that he/she has the latest and greatest gear, and instead focus on their craft. Shot composition and storytelling are more important than a ten-thousand-dollar camera. They should focus on controlling the things that they can control - like light and sound. I would recommend investing in a good wireless mic, field recorder and spotlight. Proper lighting and sound go a long way in making your video look professional.

What locations, backgrounds, or places result in the best videos?

Any location can make for a great wedding video, but I always prefer places with a good amount of natural light. That doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be outdoors. Locations with nice, big windows are also great. Natural sunlight just makes everything look better. And if it’s possible to go outside when the sun sets during the “golden hour”, I always encourage a couple to do that because those pictures and videos turn out AMAZING, especially when we can get the drone out for some cool aerial shots during the sunset.

What does the process look like after the wedding day, and what do couples receive (website link? DVD? USB memory stick?). What format is the most popular?

Which parts of a wedding will be filmed and which ones will not?

We make sure to ask the bride and groom before the wedding to list any particular people, events or details that they want to make sure gets captured on video. Obviously, we’ll be capturing the main events like the ceremony, toasts, cake cutting etc., but sometimes there are little details that may get overlooked or lost in the shuffle that were really important to the couple. For instance, a particular piece of jewelry that has special meaning or a family member that they want to have send a message to the bride and groom - these are all things that we make sure are pointed out before the wedding. There are no “do overs” when it comes to shooting a wedding, so that is why it is so important to ask these questions beforehand.

What was the most memorable wedding you filmed?

The most memorable wedding I ever filmed was for my best friend from high school. He had a destination wedding in Puerto Rico (before the hurricane). We took a catamaran to a secluded island and had the wedding right there on the beach. I was actually in the wedding, so I had to do some creative tripod camera placements as well as recruiting a few volunteers from the audience for the ceremony, but it turned out great! I was also able to capture some stunning drone video shots.

Was there ever a time you had to improvise?

As with any live event, unexpected things can happen at a wedding. There are just some things that are out of your control. In particular, recording live audio can sometimes present challenges. On more than one occasion, something has happened during the exchanging of vows at a ceremony, where there is a loud background noise that interferes with the audio. I’ve had helicopters fly by, giant gusts of wind - you name it. Rather than have no audio for the vows, I have asked couples if they would be willing to re-record their vows for the video. They always have the vows written out, so it’s pretty easy to do.

Of course, the second time is never going to exactly match the first time they said the words, but with some careful editing I can usually sync up the new audio so that nobody can tell the difference… or at least so that it doesn’t look like a horribly dubbed Bruce Lee movie.