10 Wedding Video Styles Experts Say You Should Know About

There are numerous ways to get keepsakes of your wedding day, such as a live painting or video guest book, but a classic every married couple loves is their wedding video. But before you head to The Knot Vendor Marketplace to find your videography pro, you'll need to figure out which wedding video styles best fit your celebration. The kind of narrative you want to tell, moments you want to be highlighted and film technique are just a few aspects you need to consider to decide which is the right style and vendor for you and your partner. From 2024 wedding video trends to traditional film methods, you'll find the top wedding videography styles below that industry experts want you to know about.

Wedding Videography Styles We Love:

Cinematic | Documentary | Vintage | Highlight | Editorial | Hype | Elopement | Storytelling | Teaser | Traditional

1. Cinematic Wedding Videography

It's all about the drama for cinematic-style wedding videography. Camden Johnson, Head Filmmaker and Editor of Sea Jay Films with 10 years of cinematography experience, breaks down what a cinema wedding video is. "Because [the] guest experience is one of the main priorities [of couples], the Hollywood movie style of filmmaking and editing is perfect for showcasing the high production value of the weekend. Featuring swooping, cinematic camera moves and grand, orchestral film scores, these films allow the viewer to feel like they are watching a movie production of a wedding day," Johnson says.

Mary Angelini, wedding video expert and Founder of Key Moment Films, explains how these theatric videos come to life. "On the wedding day, the filmmakers will be involved in controlling the lighting as well as posing the couple. Filmmakers who film cinematically will use different tools to create movie-like imagery, like a gimbal that stabilizes the camera and gives the shot a floating feel. It's widespread to use a drone to capture wide-sweeping shots of the area, landscape, architecture and the couple. The film can have moments from the most epic parts of the day, underlying vows or a speech from a loved one," Angelini adds.

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2. Documentary-Style Wedding Videography

A modern version of the documentary-style wedding video of your parents' time, this technique is "very 'moment' focused, designed to capture the raw moments as they happen. [Documentary-style] are usually longer films, slower-paced and often have whole segments of the film with no background music––only the actual audio that happened at the time," Kevin Cochran, celebrated wedding filmmaker and Founder of 718 Creative, explains. Matt Garza, Owner of New England Creative with 15 years of storytelling and filmmaking experience, calls documentary wedding videos "FOMO edits allowing [couples] to travel back in time and re-live every moment they didn't see or perhaps already faded from memory in just a few short days. Run-time for our documentary films is 90 minutes on average, so it allows our couples to sit down for the average length of a movie, but instead, it's your entire wedding day playing out from start to finish," Garza says.

3. Vintage-Style Wedding Video

Sarah Pendergraft, Co-Owner of PenWeddings who has artfully captured events for over 15 years, believes there's a special and genuine quality to retro film. "It captures weddings with a vintage charm, both in the final video and the filming experience. People have a unique response to 'old' camera equipment, which adds to the nostalgia. Many companies offer film as an add-on, which they incorporate into their work, and some will even film an entire event on Super 8 and/or 16mm film. Keep in mind film has its limitations, such as its performance in low light and the lack of audio capture, so it's important to have a full understanding of what your final wedding video will look like if you go this route," Pendergraft advises.

4. Highlight Wedding Video Style

For to-be-weds who want a shorter clip of their wedding day, a highlights video is perfect for them. "We find this is what most modern couples search for as their core film deliverable. Landing around seven to nine minutes, it perfectly profiles the most emotive and special moments from the day and weaves them around typically two to three different music tracks. Music selection and client feedback about their favorite genres and artists are particularly helpful, as selecting music is often one of the first steps we take. Picking music that fits the theme of the day, couples' preferences and the right cadence, build and emotional swell can separate a truly fantastic wedding film from the mediocre options out there," Garza tells us.

5. Editorial Wedding Videography Style

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You've probably already seen this type of wedding video style while scrolling through your favorite fashion magazine's social media page. "These wedding videos feel like a photo shoot from beginning to end. There's a lot of 'breaking the fourth wall' by making eye contact with the camera. There's an emphasis on high fashion techniques for filming that you see in a lot of fashion work. The focus is on the couple and the gorgeous details and design," Kelly LaFleur, recognized in The Knot Ones to Watch in 2023 and Owner of K. LaFleur Films, explains.

6. Hype Wedding Video Shooting Style

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Lots of people have seen this wedding videography style but didn't know it had a name. "Hype films are usually short, with high-energy music and fast cuts, and often include editing effects added in post-production. Typically, they focus on the reception dancing. In many ways, they're the polar opposite of a traditional film, like an industry-wide response for couples & vendors that don't resonate with a traditional style. For the couple that wants something fun, surprising and full of energy, a hype film might be the right choice," Cochran says.

7. Elopement Style of Wedding Videography

Just because you're eloping doesn't mean you shouldn't hire a wedding videographer. Peyton Frank, famed wedding filmmaker and Owner of Peyton Frank Films, clarifies what an elopement wedding video entails. "Oftentimes, elopement films take place in beautiful destinations and highlight the destination and its natural beauty. Due to their intimate nature, they primarily focus on the couple and telling their love story. These films include the wedding ceremony and editorial-style portrait sessions or an adventurous excursion like hiking to a scenic mountain top or boating off the Amalfi Coast," Frank says.

8. Storytelling Wedding Video Style

Video: Key Moment Films

Similar to the documentary wedding video style, the storytelling method involves candid moments with loved ones and the happy couple but puts it in a narrative format. "Sometimes, toasts, speeches or vows are also used to help carry the story-driven film to help with the emotional impact. There's an emphasis on the couple's journey, love story and the meaningful moments of their wedding day. The filmmaker will schedule time on or before the wedding day for the interviews [with the friends, family and couple]," Angelini adds.

9. Teaser-Style Wedding Video

Short, epic wedding videos made for sharing on social media are all the rage right now and will leave your followers wanting more. "Teaser films are purposely created to pack as much emotional punch & stunning visuals in a short 60-90 seconds. This is often the only clip from a wedding that many of the guests, family and friends will see, which is why they can be incredibly powerful marketing and lead-generating tools for videographers, planners and other vendors. Especially given the ability to tag additional participating vendors as collaborators on Instagram, [couples can help pros] further expand their reach," Garza remarks.

10. Traditional Wedding Videography Style

Video: Key Moment Films

We couldn't finish our wedding video style list without mentioning a classic. "Not everyone follows this format, but [traditional films] often open with a drone shot of the venue, slow cinematic music fades in and audio of the officiant comes in welcoming everyone to the day. The order of shots from the day is mostly chronological, with audio pieces mixed in from the ceremony and reception speeches. For the couple that wants to know what they are getting, a traditional style might be the perfect choice," Cochran says.