Let’s Talk About Tech, Baby
Many people feel that the most daunting part of a virtual wedding is the tech needed to run it. They come to us with statements like, “I’m not a techy person”. Or “there’s no way I could set all of that up on my own.” And in those moments we send them a big warm virtual hug and tell them WE’VE GOT YOU! There is no need to be a tech wizard to run a virtual wedding successfully. Take it from Willam and Sharon, an amazing 80 year old couple that successfully had a Wedfuly wedding. If hundreds of others have had success, so can you! We will guide you through all of the needed equipment and how to set everything up. Then, during your actual wedding the Wedfuly team will handle it all–the angles, the music, the muting/unmuting!
The Basic Virtual Wedding Equipment Needed:
Let’s talk about all of the necessary virtual wedding equipment for a Wedfuly wedding. Listed below are the basics. For a more in-depth and detailed description, check out this blog post. Additionally, know that renting virtual wedding equipment from us is a possibility!
On site contact (person that will be on the ground handling the tech). It takes 2 people to run a Zoom wedding. There will be 1 person who is handling the tech on the day of (onsite contact) and 1 person who is running Zoom on the back end (Wedfuly). The same person can’t do both! Choose someone that is reliable and will be quick to respond to text messages and calls.
Good Wifi–minimum is 5 megabytes per second (mbps) upload speed and 10 mbps download speed. Run a speed test & do a test Zoom in that location beforehand for maximum success.
2 smartphones (at minimum) that have 12 MP camera + ability to shoot 720 video or higher. Most phones 2017 & later will meet these specifications. **Can be an iPhone or an Android.
2 tripods + phone adapters +mounts
External battery packs for the phones to stay charged
Laptop–bluetooth capabilities + camera
Speaker–bluetooth capabilities
Microphone
The Basic Set Up:
This is the most simple set up. This could be a great option for a hybrid wedding or for someone where the virtual component is not the main focus. This set up works well and is sufficient for capturing the most special moments of your day!
2 phones + 2 tripods
2 external battery packs
Magic Speaker (combo speaker + microphone)
Click here to view some potential layouts for your set up.
The basic set up includes phones placed strategically to create the illusion of walking down an aisle.
Scott and Danielle opted for a simple set up to capture the beauty of their wedding ceremony.
The Intermediate Level Set-Up:
This setup is ideal for people who want to capture a few more angles and want to have more interaction with their virtual guests. Your Wedfuly coordinator will work with you on phone and tripod placement to ensure they are capturing what you want.
3 phones + 3 tripods (1 for processional/recessional + 2 individual vow cams to capture both the bride and groom’s faces)
3 external battery packs
Magic speaker (combo speaker + microphone)
Laptop
Computer or TV monitor (or projector screen) with an HDMI cord plugged into the laptop (this allows for the couple to see what is going on, on a bigger screen)
Ring lighting (if indoors)
A TV monitor is an additional piece of virtual wedding equipment that can really elevate the experience.
Emily and Eric interact with their virtual wedding guests on a computer monitor during their reception.
The Advanced Level Set-Up:
This setup is for people who want to capture multiple angles of processional + ceremony and ensure that their audio is super high quality. This is an ideal setup for couples that are opting for an entirely virtual wedding.
5 total phones + 5 tripods + 5 external battery packs
2 aisle cams to capture the processional/recessional from different angles
2 vow cams (one focused on the bride, one focused on the groom)
1 ceremony cam (think zoomed out view of everything happening)
Lapel microhpones (input)
Large Bluetooth speaker (for the output)
Computer or TV monitor
Ring lighting (if indoors)
Caitlin and PJ used ring lighting on both sides to ensure that their faces were well lit indoors.
The more tripods and phones that you use, the more angles you are able to showcase.
If you get married in a church (or other religious building) it is possible to work with their AV system that is already in place.
Can I Still Have a DJ With Wedfuly?
Definitely so! We have worked with many DJs in the past. The key to success is to provide your Wedfuly coordinator with your DJ’s name and phone number. They will meet with them beforehand to test out the audio before the wedding. This way we can make sure we are all on the same page as far as virtual wedding equipment goes. Additionally, many people ask if having a DJ is necessary with a virtual wedding. In short, a DJ is not necessary unless you really want to have one. Your Wedfuly coordinator will be able to play music for all of your guests. You will essentially create several Spotify playlists and they will share those with virtual and in-person guests at the specified time marks.
Good music is one of the key elements that make a virtual wedding a blast.
What If I Want More Help With The Virtual Wedding Equipment?
Some Wedfuly couples have opted for hiring a local AV or production company to help with the day of the wedding. While this isn’t a necessary addition, it can provide peace of mind to couples that want to put it in the hands of the professionals. Additionally, this can be helpful if you can’t think of someone that would be a good fit for the onsite contact role. Or if you just simply want all of your friends and family to be able to relax and not have any additional responsibilities.
We’ve Got You Covered
Once again, we just want to reiterate to you that we will be with you every step of the way! There is no tech question too silly or Wifi situation too difficult to figure out. At this point, we’ve done over 600+ weddings in various locations and with various setups. We’ve had time to iron the kinks that can often arise with technology. So now it’s time for you to take the leap with us. Who knows…you might even be a self proclaimed “techy” after your wedding?!