How to Be an Awesome Wedding Videographer in Melbourne — A Practical Handbook
How do you become an Awesome wedding videographer in Melbourne?
Back in 2021, I co-authored a blog with Mark — a very talented and respected wedding videographer in Melbourne. The guide we created received great feedback at the time. However, several readers recently pointed out that it's now a little outdated. Since then, technology, filming techniques, and even client expectations have evolved.
Mark’s style is more traditional and academic. While his insights are valuable, the guide lacked practical case studies and real-world scenarios — something many aspiring videographers crave.
That feedback motivated me to create this updated, evolved version — a true handbook for becoming a professional wedding videographer in Melbourne.
This isn’t for hobbyists or fans of wedding films. It’s designed for those who want to make a living from wedding videography — whether you're an intermediate or an advanced shooter aiming to go full-time.
I'm Seth. I started as a junior wedding videographer at Tree Studio in 2012 and became the studio’s principal videographer in 2020. Over the years, I’ve worked on hundreds of weddings and mentored up-and-coming videographers.
In this handbook, I’ll build on Mark’s earlier guide while adding new sections, updated insights, and most importantly — real case studies from actual weddings. I’ll also introduce you to Ivan — one of my mentees. He's curious, humble, and full of questions — many of which you probably have, too. So, throughout this guide, I’ll be answering his questions as well.
Let’s not waste any time — let’s dive in and get you one step closer to becoming a professional wedding videographer in Melbourne.
Preliminary
The first day I met Ivan, this young man full of curious questions asked me, “Can I become an awesome wedding videographer in Melbourne in 3 months?”
Ivan is a smart guy. He’s passionate about researching the latest high-potential cameras, lenses, gimbals, video LED lights—you name it. He also enjoys buying and selling videography gear on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree. When he showed me a short film (not a wedding one) on his iPad Pro—yes, he’s a die-hard Apple fan—I could sense his aesthetic instincts and some promising videography skills and concepts.
But I didn’t rush to praise him. I was cautious. I didn’t want this young man to get carried away—it wouldn’t be good for his journey as a wedding videographer. So, I replied,
“You’ve got a good sense of videography and some solid basics, but are you familiar with weddings? Have you ever filmed an entire wedding by yourself?”
Ivan looked a bit uneasy and scratched his head. “To be honest… I haven’t. But… I’ve been to my uncle’s wedding.”
“When was that?” I asked.
Ivan thought for a moment and said, “Maybe 7 or 8 years ago.”
I told him, “You went to that wedding a long time ago, and I bet you didn’t witness the full day. More importantly, your perspective was that of a guest—not a trained wedding videographer. Right? You may have technical skills, but you're missing wedding-specific knowledge. It’s like being a well-equipped soldier without battlefield survival skills. And I wouldn’t send a soldier to the front line without knowing how to survive the battlefield.”
Ivan became humble.
“You’re right. So where should I start?”
For Ivan—and anyone like him—I’ve prepared a preliminary guide. Before I teach you everything about wedding videography in Melbourne, I want you to self-learn these essentials:
- Complete Wedding Day Guide – This guide covers the full wedding itinerary. It’s your foundation. It will help you build a system for what to film throughout the wedding day.
- Top 20 Wedding Photo Locations in Melbourne – Although locations are usually picked by the photographer, as a videographer, you need to know what these places look like and how to shoot there effectively.
- How to Pose for Amazing Wedding Videography – Despite the title, this blog is more about directing couples. In the fast-paced environment of a wedding, you need to give the bride and groom clear, concise, and confident direction. When you do that, they’ll trust you and lean on your professionalism.
That’s all. I call this collection the cornerstone. I’ve attached the links to each blog. I know it may feel overwhelming—each blog is long. But if you don’t have the patience to read through them carefully, you don’t deserve to be an awesome wedding videographer in Melbourne.
Ivan looked at me with a determined gaze and promised,
“I’ll read every single one of them.”
Groom’s Preparation: Dress Code
About a month later, Ivan met me again and said,
“Hi Seth, I’ve read all the blogs you sent me—three times! I’m ready now.”
I smiled and asked,
“Ready to become an awesome wedding videographer in Melbourne?”
Ivan chuckled nervously.
“What’s the next step?” he asked.
I replied,
“You need to experience the real thing. I have a wedding this Saturday. You can come along as my assistant.”
Ivan looked thrilled. Before we parted ways, I reminded him,
“We’re starting at the groom’s house at 9 a.m. for the getting-ready coverage. Meet me in front of the house—and come 15 minutes early. Oh, and dress nicely.”
The First Lesson: Dress Code
That Sunday, I arrived at the groom’s house at 8:40 a.m. Ivan’s car was already parked outside.
“Young man, are you still asleep?” I said, peeking inside and finding him passed out in the driver’s seat.
He quickly woke up. “I came an hour early. I was so worried about being late. I didn’t sleep well—I was too nervous.”
As he jumped out of his car, I instinctively checked his outfit. He was wearing a polo shirt, khaki pants, and—most noticeably—a pair of eye-catching neon sneakers.
The first lesson of the day had nothing to do with cameras. I raised an eyebrow and asked,
“Nice shoes?”
“They’re limited-edition sneakers. Super trendy!” Ivan said with pride.
I smiled but stayed firm.
“The first thing you need to understand is this: our dress code should align with the tone of the wedding. We’re not here to outshine or distract; we’re here to blend in and look professional. You don’t need a tux or a tie, but at least wear smart, semi-formal attire. And sneakers—especially bright ones—are absolutely off the list.”
“But don’t worry,” I continued. “You’re just shadowing today. Watch what I do, and keep quiet when needed.”
Equipment for Filming the Groom Getting Ready
"Hi Ivan, let me see what gear you’re carrying today," I said.
Ivan opened his boot, and there it was—his dazzling collection of gear gathered from Facebook Marketplace, B&H, and digiDirect Melbourne. He opened his camera luggage like a treasure chest, proudly showing off a SIRUI 24mm anamorphic lens. I also spotted a Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera, a Sony A7 III, and a whole assortment of lenses—some branded Sony E-mount, some Canon EF, and a few that looked like they might’ve been rescued from the Soviet Union. His setup looked more like a Sunday flea market than a wedding videographer’s toolkit.
I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Ivan, my friend,” I said, “for a professional Melbourne wedding videographer, our gear should be simple, compact, and practical. I’d really suggest sticking to one camera brand. Mixing Sony and Blackmagic might sound fun, but trust me, their colours don’t play nicely together—it’s a nightmare in post.”
Ivan scratched his head and asked, “So... what exactly should I bring to the groom’s house?”
Well then—time to make him a proper groom prep gear list.
