More Than Just a Video: Capturing the Heartbeat of Your Wedding Day

When the cake has been eaten and the dress is tucked away, what remains of your wedding day? For me, the answer is simple: The Story. My approach to wedding filmmaking goes beyond just hitting "record." It’s about crafting a narrative that feels as real and vibrant as the moment it happened. Here is a look behind the lens at how I capture your big day.

The cornerstone of my work is the short film. I don’t just want to show you a chronological sequence of events; I want to tell a story that is deeply personal and unique to you.

By weaving together heartfelt moments from your ceremony, the laughter during the speeches, and the quiet glances in between, I create a narrative that captures the true essence of your relationship. My goal is to transport you back in time every single time you press play.

Want to see this in action? You can explore my latest stories in my [Portfolio].

🕊️ The "Friend with a Camera" Approach

The best moments happen when you forget the camera is even there. That’s why I work in a documentary style—relaxed, friendly, and completely unobtrusive.

Because of the compact, high-end equipment I use, I’m often mistaken for a photographer. This is a huge win for you! It means:

Natural Reactions: No stiff, awkward posing or "take two" requests.

A Relaxed Atmosphere: Your guests can feel at ease and act like themselves.

Seamless Integration: I blend into the background like a friend with a camera, capturing the joy as it unfolds.

✨ Heartfelt, Fun, and Infused with Excitement

Your wedding isn't just a ceremony; it’s a celebration! I make sure my films reflect that energy. Whether it’s the high-octane fun of the dance floor or the tear-jerking emotion of the vows, I’m there to catch the "vibe" that makes your day yours.

It’s not just about how the day unfolded—it’s about how it felt.

My approach to wedding filmmaking goes beyond just hitting "record." It’s about crafting a narrative that feels as real and vibrant as the moment it happened. Here is a look behind the lens at how I capture your big day.

How your day is filmed like a friend with a camera 

Siobhan & Andrew Borris House

Borris House wedding film

Mia and Conor

Rebecca and Robert short film

Short Film

What is a Content Creator? Clarifying Roles for Your Wedding Day

You’re deep into wedding planning, and the world of wedding media can feel overwhelming. You’re likely searching for a photographer and a Wedding Filmmaker (or wedding storyteller), but a newer term, "content creator," is also popping up.

It’s completely normal to feel a little confused. The lines between these roles are getting blurrier, and you deserve a clear understanding of what each professional offers before you make one of the most important hires for your day.

This post will clarify the roles, explain the key differences, and help you decide what combination of media professionals is right for your celebration.

The Evolution of the Wedding "Content Creator"

The term "content creator" originated with individuals who used cell phones to capture casual, short-form, and often trendy videos for platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. They were capturing what felt like raw, behind-the-scenes moments—and often for their own social media channels to boost their engagement.

Today, some professionals label themselves as content creators but show up with professional cameras, which further blurs the line with traditional wedding filmmaking and photography.

The Core Difference: Authentic Documentation vs. Staged Moments

A common service offered by content creators is capturing "behind-the-scenes" moments. If a modern Wedding Filmmaker is already focused on capturing genuine, candid moments, where is the difference?

Content Creators (Often): They may direct or stage certain small moments (e.g., "Walk up to the window and look out," or "Cheers your coffee cups!") to create a quick, engaging clip. They are creating content that is easy to consume and share immediately. While they aim for a natural look, the moment itself is often directed or performed, making it less of a true candid moment.

Professional Wedding Filmmakers & Photographers (Crucially): Our primary goal is observational, unscripted storytelling. We step back to document the day as it unfolds naturally so that when you watch your film, you see your guests and yourselves exactly as you are.

For me as a Wedding Filmmaker, my focus is on capturing natural, unscripted emotion—especially during high-emotion moments like morning prep, the first look, and the reception. I only step in to gently direct a couple during their dedicated portrait session to help them feel comfortable and capture flattering poses. The rest of the day is about authentic documentation—capturing you being you, not you following directions.

The Three Key Roles: Photographer, Filmmaker, and Content Creator

To simplify your decision, here is a breakdown of the primary goals, deliverables, and processes of the three different roles you might encounter.

Capturing high-quality, still images for print and digital archives. Focuses on light, composition, and freezing authentic moments.

Observational, with direction mostly reserved for formal portraits.

High-resolution, edited images (the full gallery).

Creating a cohesive, cinematic narrative of the day through moving images and sound. Focuses on emotion, soundbites, and the story flow.

HEAVY FOCUS ON OBSERVATIONAL FILMING. Capturing candid, unscripted moments so you see people as they naturally are on film.

2-minute Teaser Film, Cinematic Short Film, Feature Film.

Capturing short-form, trendy clips for immediate social media sharing. Focuses on quick cuts, trending audio, and high engagement potential.

Directive. Creating or staging short moments specifically for the clip's purpose.

Raw clips or several short, edited Reels/TikToks.

Thinking of Booking a Content Creator? Ask These Questions.


If you are considering hiring a content creator in addition to your filmmaker and photographer, it’s essential to clarify their service:

What Equipment Will They Use?
The term "content creator" originally meant cell phone content. If they are bringing a professional mirrorless or DSLR camera, they are no longer a cell phone content creator—they are an additional, less experienced filmmaker. Ask them what the distinction is between their professional camera and your primary filmmaker's.

Who is the Content For?
When you look at a content creator’s TikTok or Instagram, ask yourself: Are they making a film for the couple, or are they primarily boosting their own social media engagement? An experienced filmmaker's primary concern is delivering your heirloom film.

What is the Difference in Experience?
Content creation is relatively new to the wedding industry. This often means they have lower experience levels on a chaotic, fast-paced wedding day. Experienced photographers and filmmakers know when to step back and let an emotional moment happen naturally—and when to step in to capture it. Someone with less experience might miss crucial, unrepeatable moments.

If they promise "behind-the-scenes," ask: "What is the difference between that and your filmmaker's candid coverage?"
The real value of content creators is the speed of delivery. If this is your main driver, you don't need to sacrifice quality or risk adding an inexperienced vendor.


The Experienced Alternative: Your Cinematic Teaser Film


If your main priority is having something polished and shareable within a few days of your wedding, you already have an experienced solution: Ask your Wedding Filmmaker for a Teaser Film.

Quickly Delivered: Available within a few days of your wedding.

High-Quality: Shot, graded, and edited by a professional filmmaker with years of experience.

Authentic: Focused on the true, unscripted emotion of your day, not staged moments.

You get the speed you want with the quality and experience you deserve, all from a trusted professional who knows how to navigate your wedding day.


My goal as your Wedding Filmmaker is to capture a film that is authentically you. That means:

Focusing on Candid Moments: Capturing the genuine laughter and tears without intrusion or direction. We are quiet observers.

Delivering Cinematic Quality: Investing the time necessary for professional color grading, audio mixing, and narrative editing to create a polished, lasting film.

Offering Options: Giving you the choice between a full cinematic film and a high-quality Teaser Film so you can share your joy on your own timeline.

We want to help you celebrate your marriage, not just create engagement for our social media. By understanding the different roles, you can confidently build the perfect team to document your love story!

Navigating your wedding media team can be confusing with the rise of the Content Creator alongside the traditional Photographer and Wedding Filmmaker. This post clarifies the crucial differences: while photographers capture still archives and filmmakers focus on unscripted, cinematic storytelling, content creators often prioritize directing or staging moments for fast, shareable social media clips. We'll help you understand the distinction between observational documentation and directed content so you can confidently choose the right professionals—or opt for a high-quality Teaser Film from your experienced filmmaker—to authentically capture your day.

what is a content creator and why you should just ask your wedding videographer/ film maker to give you a teaser film instead. 

RoisinAndDanShortfilm

Your wedding day passes in a blur of emotions and fleeting moments. A wedding film breathes life into these memories, capturing not just how your day looked, but how it felt. Choosing the right filmmaker is about more than documentation—it's about storytelling.

Documentary Storytellers: Capture natural, unscripted moments with minimal interference.

Cinematic Artists: Use film techniques and artistic editing for an emotional, movie-like feel.

Traditional Documentarians: Focus on thorough, straightforward coverage of your day.

Hybrid Specialists: Blend documentary authenticity with cinematic flair for a balanced film.

Emotion-Driven Storytelling: Highlights genuine emotional moments with intimate, natural shots.

Cinematic Documentary: Combines authentic moments with artistic presentation.

Fast-Paced Highlight Style: Creates energetic, music-driven films perfect for social media.

Classic Romantic: Focuses on soft, dreamy aesthetics emphasizing the love story.

Irish Cultural Storytelling: Showcases Irish landscapes, traditions, and heritage in a rich, meaningful way.

Define your preferred style and set realistic budget expectations (€1,500–€3,500).

Consider your venue and any special filming requirements.

Ask to see full films, not just highlights.

Discuss how they capture unscripted moments and handle technical issues.

Clarify coverage, film length, delivery timelines, and social media options.

Prioritize chemistry—you’ll be spending your whole day with them.

Trust your instincts: choose someone whose style and energy feel right.

House of Ren, led by award-winning filmmaker Brian Dowling, is renowned for emotional, cinematic storytelling. Inspired by a background in film photography, their wedding films combine beautiful composition with genuine emotion. Recognized as Ireland’s Best International Wedding Filmmaker in 2023, House of Ren has captured weddings at Ireland’s most stunning venues and international destinations like Malta.

Choosing House of Ren means choosing a filmmaker who will craft a timeless, emotional story you’ll treasure for years to come.

A guide to picking your perfect wedding film maker or videographer. 

How to Pick Your Perfect Wedding Filmmaker

How to Pick Your Perfect Wedding Filmmaker: A Guide by House of Ren

Short film.mp4

While I might be suitable choice for most couples, I’m not suitable for everyone.

I would suggest to compile a list of brands/venders through your own search, friends recommendations and places like one fab day.

Always look at their work, look at 5-10 films they have made to see their style. Try to make a short list of around 10 choices film makers.

You really are starting off by connecting with the films they have made and picture yourself in these films to see if it gives you a special feeling.

Next up you have to decide what sort of film best suits.

Teaser: This is a film less than 2 minutes, and often used to share on social media

Short film: This is my personal choice of words because it describes a film between 8 and 10 minutes long. Don’t look at the word “short” look at the term “short film” because it’s a film in itself. It’s story driven, it will show your full day and everyone important to you. It will be a film that captures you as a couple, tells your story. It will show the feeling of the day, the emotion and excitement.

Feature film: For me this is between 30 - 50 minutes long. It’s edited in order of the day and will show all or most of the ceremony. A church ceremony will show the first half leading up to rings in full and all readings but any religious elements will show as a montage. This film will look like the short film in terms of looking cinematic. I find these films perfect to sit around and watch with the family maybe for Christmas etc. Note, some vendors feature film might be close to 20 minutes long so check with your vender.

Doc edit: A doc edit or documentary edit could possibly be described like a feature film edit but it’s often much longer and more raw. A doc edit is a term used by old school wedding videographers. Often the clips used are much longer and not so curated. This films are often over an hour. It could often have the speeches in full as well.

Speeches film: This is simply a full film showing your speeches. If your speeches is 10 minutes long or 1 hour then that’s exactly the length of the film.

See if your short list of venders can deliver what you are looking for.

The last and probably the most important aspect to think about.

While you might light a film makers style, the experience on the day of your wedding is possibly even more important.

You might see on their website that they capture natural moments unposed. But often times the experience is very different unfortunately. Some film makers might need to take a lot of time of your day putting you into position to match their style of film and this can interfere wither your personal time. Probably the only way to truly find out what a person will be like on the wedding day is arrange a phone call or ask from another couple you might know who had them to get a true picture of what they are like.

What I deliver and what I'm like on the day

I deliver a short film. This film is as story driven as possible and the aim is to capture people as naturally as possible. I believe the only way to do this is to give them the time and space to be themselves. 

While their are always going to be nerves on the wedding day itself, I pride myself and trying to match couples personalities and help them in the first few moments when I arrive to get rid of some the tension. It could just be a simple chat or a few light hearted jokes as long as I can eventually be in a position to give space for natural moments to happen then thats my main goal. 

I want to see natural silly or emotional moments. I might ask the father of the bride about his garden or house, I might joke with a bridesmaid that they seam to be very good at opening a bottle of Champaign. Anything to get a giggle so I can make them feel comfortable to just enjoy themself without feel or strict posing. 

I am just one person, not a crew of people and because I am very approachable it allows me to become a "friend with a camera" to totally disappear. It doesn't matter if you are naturally shy or you are very out going. I promise you will feel yourself on the wedding day. 

I am booked for the short film I deliver. But I also feel that its so important to capture the day in full so their are options even after the wedding day itself. I will never just film the minimum. 

How to pick the best wedding film maker for you

It’s such a pleasure for me on so many levels to go to Kilshane house to film a wedding. It’s practically right on my door step just 25 minutes away as well as being a luxury venue. 

Kilshane House is a popular wedding venue in County Tipperary, Ireland, renowned for its stunning Georgian architecture and 320 acres of private parkland. Guests love the venue for its unique and intimate settings, such as the huge curvilinear Conservatory, ideal for civil ceremonies and blessings, and the Orangeries, with a full bar and dance floor, which can seat up to 280 guests for fine dining.

Overall, Kilshane House provides a unique and unforgettable experience for wedding guests, making it a beloved venue for many.

It's absolutely beautiful. It's more than just a video of the day, it tells a story, of us and our family and friends 🥰 it'll be cherished for years to come!

Amy and Seán Kilshane House

It’s such a pleasure for me on so many levels to go to Kilshane house to film a wedding. It’s practically right on my door step just 25 minutes away as well as being a luxury venue

2019

THE FOLLOWING BLOG WILL BE TAKEN DOWN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

After several months on ADHD meds my delivery is more constance so please get in touch to find out a date for delivery as I have mapped out the approximate delivery for each wedding.

*I am currently editing a wedding filmed 12/08/2023 

Blog

How I capture your wedding day

What is a content creator

How to Pick Your Perfect Wedding Filmmaker: A Guide by House of Ren

Kilshane House

Email

Telephone