Bride and Groom entrance

[Peter Rush]

How many times do you get the bride and groom making their entrance in single file as the table are close together, and she weaves her way through and he follows about 10 foot behind because of her train. I quite often film them entering from the front and then as they pass follow through the tables from behind, but more and more I get a lovely shot of the back of the groom's head and not much else - I also use a high locked off camera that covers it all but I'm thinking there must be a better way :/

Pete

[Dave Partington]

It's much less of a problem with two shooters :)

[Peter Rush]

I think everything is less of a problem with 2 shooters!

[Arthur Gannis]

What if there is only 1 shooter ?
2nd shooters cost money $$$$

[Robert Benda]

In my material I send to clients as a newsletter, one of them mentions reception room setup and making sure there are clear walk ways between important spaces (door, bar, head table, dance floor, etc.). I include a few example diagrams. It's up to them to talk to their venue about room setup.

At a reception, during the down time before dinner (if there is any), I always scout the walking space. If it's tight, I may walk through it and ask guests to scoot their chairs for the grand entrance. Most understand.

I have also talked to a few (very few) banquet managers that I was friendly with, in places where I saw repeated issues. Table spacing is one. Cake tables pushed against the wall so that the cake cutting was impossible to get good pics/footage of was real bad for a few years here (even when there was plenty of space).

[Kyle Root]

I don't think I've quite ever experienced anything like that... I've always seen them come in side by side.

I'd imagine, I'd shoot faces until they were past, and just sprint over to the table and try to get them getting seated maybe.

[Peter Rush]

Kyle I would say well over half the entrances are like that - they come in side-by-side holding hands but usually the table are so close together the bride takes the lead and the new hubby follows. being careful (not always though) not to stand on her train!

[Roger Gunkel]

I always walk backwards a few feet in front of the Bride so that I am not obstructing the guest's view but get the whole entrance, stepping to the side to get them sitting down at the head table.

Roger

[Peter Rush]

I've thought about that Roger but then I would rarely get the groom as he's trailing behind her :/

[Arthur Gannis]

The photographer would really like that.

[Don Bloom]

I've had that probably 5 times a year. Too many tables in a room that isn't made for that many but it is what it is.
If they get to the tables and have to walk single file then I can only get what I can get which means I would shoot down the path between the tables, let the bride walk thru, then the groom and like others I stayed far enough out so I could usually keep both in the VF once they got past the tables.
I shot in the same places a lot so I had a pretty good idea as to what I would be getting into and honestly, you can only do what you can do. I don't know about anyone else but I stopped losing sleep over it. I'm not a miracle man and if they're trying to put 200 people in a space made for 175 well something is going to give. Do the best you can and move on.
Of course that's my way it may not work for you.

[Peter Rush]

Of course you're right Don but it's good to get other people's thoughts - you never know someone might have a gem of an idea 'hey get a gopro on a monopod and dangle it over their heads!!!'

[Jeff Harper]

Peter, how about a 2nd locked off camera? I personally try and never use less then 3 cams total for the introductions, just for safety's sake.

[Don Bloom]

Hey Peter, I agree with you. I'm just sounding off especially now since I'm not doing weddings anymore. Heck I hated when they stuffed so many tables in the room there wasn't enough room for the B&G to get in together and I did try a 2nd camera up in the air (my B cam tripod could get to 8 feet in the air) but for me, unless it was manned I just never had any luck getting a decent shot.

[Noa Put]

I always follow the couple during the first entrance with my blackbird steadicam, always from behind them so the photog can shoot from the front, if the room inbetween the seats is too narrow for 2 people I follow as far as I can go, setting up a second camera is often useless as all guests stand up during that moment so then I just stop, raise my blackbird with camera as high as I can and shoot from a fixed position.