That Wedding Videographer Podcast

Ep. 101 - The Things We Thought Mattered When Starting… But Didn’t

• Jason Hunter & Danny Rizzo • Season 3 • Episode 2

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In this episode, Jason and Danny look back at the things they were convinced really mattered when they first started their wedding filmmaking businesses, and why most of them turned out to be completely unnecessary.

They talk honestly about gear obsession, buying cameras and lenses they didn’t need, wasting money on microphones, and the belief that owning the same kit as your favourite filmmakers would somehow fast-track success. Danny shares why remortgaging his house to buy equipment was a huge mistake, while Jason reflects on years of overbuying in search of marginal improvements.

The conversation moves into what actually makes a difference, experience on a wedding day, storytelling, anticipation, education, mentoring, styled shoots, and investing in things that help you get booked rather than just feel prepared.

They also cover second-hand gear, why simplicity often leads to better films, the value of premium music, hard drives being the least exciting but most important investment, and why you don’t need the latest flagship camera to shoot great weddings.

Alongside the main topic, the episode features the Lumix Lottery, a lively round of I Do I.Q with Danny in the hot seat, and a wild Reddit Rabbit Hole story involving a groom’s “surprise guest” that absolutely nobody asked for.

If you’re starting out, thinking about upgrading, or questioning where your money is best spent, this episode is a much-needed reality check.

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Danny Rizzo
https://www.instagram.com/rizzo.films

Jase Hunter
https://www.instagram.com/afterglowweddings

SPEAKER_04:

Welcome to TWVP, and on today's episode we talk about all the things that we thought really mattered when we first started our wedding business. But really, in the grand scheme of things, yeah, not so much.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, we reflect on all the gear we thought we needed compared to what we actually needed.

SPEAKER_04:

I just need this. And if I get this, that'll be me, I'll be sorted. What did you need? Buying another lens, are you? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Just I mean to be fair, you've got a fair few. I do. Are you satisfied? Yeah. Well then that kind of to be the point. Like, you always need new stuff.

SPEAKER_04:

Some of the things that we thought were absolutely non-negotiables. There's not really a comparison, personally. That's my opinion.

SPEAKER_02:

And one of the things that I really regretted at the beginning of my business. I remortgaged my house to start this business. To buy all the equipment at once. Don't do it. Did you? Yep. Plus, we're playing IDYQ where this week Danny is in the hot seat.

SPEAKER_04:

The button question as well, that just threw me.

SPEAKER_02:

Yep.

SPEAKER_00:

That threw the world apparently.

SPEAKER_02:

We answer another question from the woman's glossary. When would you sit in the cinema and watch someone walk for five seconds with a floor of death?

SPEAKER_04:

And plus, one hell of a story from the Reddit rabbit hole. You're not gonna want to miss this one.

SPEAKER_02:

What was he thinking?

SPEAKER_04:

I don't understand what goes. See some guys, right?

SPEAKER_02:

So, hope you're sitting comfortably. Let's enjoy this episode of T Dory Reep.

SPEAKER_04:

Jason.

SPEAKER_02:

Hello, Danny.

SPEAKER_04:

Hello, Jason.

SPEAKER_02:

I thought I'd be a bit formal.

SPEAKER_04:

You weren't very formal formal. Hello. Is it me you're looking for?

SPEAKER_02:

I was once this is totally off topic, but um you know how in uh the if you've got a petrol station, um they can like put something over the voice comms to like speak to you, say you need to press pay in kiosk pal.

SPEAKER_04:

No, but yeah, yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, I used to work at a garage. And I uh yeah, I just felt a little bit yeah eccentric one day.

SPEAKER_03:

And when someone wasn't pushing the button, I said, Hello, is it fuel you're looking for?

SPEAKER_02:

You need to push that button there. That's funny. Yeah, they weren't really uh up for it.

SPEAKER_04:

No, no, I see I used to do something somewhere as well. So back like way back in the day when I uh I was a manager in a call center um many many moons ago, and um you used to have like so the new recruits would come in and they would be like their first time on the phones or whatever, but there was like a setting that I could tap into their phone to listen to, but there was also a way for me to speak without the client hearing me. Creepy so the so the the person that was on the phones could hear, but obviously the person. And uh we're just gonna talk to uh yeah that's pretty much how it went. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Like just let's roleplay this just now. Hello there, thank you very much um for reaching out to us. We'd just like to um um yes, so um I I'm hearing maybe that you're it's not working! Are you you or are you is that what you're saying to the people?

SPEAKER_04:

I can't really remember exactly what we used to do, but I we used to wind them, we used to terror quite bad.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh, I thought you were giving feedback to make sure yes, that's people you're looking at.

SPEAKER_04:

That's what you're meant to do. That's that's that's the purpose of the feature. However, we just used to rip the piss and it'd be like it's just like so unprofessional. And it'd be like, Fucking hell me.

SPEAKER_02:

I remember for um a job interview uh with my my last employer, um, one of the the things you had to do during the interview was like a phone call to a client, and they said, Okay, we're gonna get you to phone phone a client. In my head, I should have gone, they're not gonna make me call a client if I don't work for the company. But they actually made you phone? Well, they made me phone someone. It was someone in the office.

SPEAKER_04:

All right, huh?

SPEAKER_02:

I didn't realise that at the time. I was young and naive, and so I'm being really professional. And my god, they were like throwing me shit like that, like saying, You're gonna wind your neck in? Gonna wind your neck in and just shut up like that. This is not something I need. I'm like, oh well, it's a bit that's just common.

SPEAKER_04:

I know. Really I I I can tell you're a little bit frustrated, but we're gonna get to the bottom of it. I think I said something like that. No, you didn't.

SPEAKER_00:

You went, Who the fuck you don't?

SPEAKER_03:

I was like, leave me alone. Step off, step off, you spooky bitch.

SPEAKER_02:

Um yeah, um yeah, phones. I hate ants, I hate being on the phone.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh yeah, I couldn't do it again. Give me I I remember when I left um because I got made redundant from there, and then I went and worked at a local startup, and it was way out of it was out of that whole environment. Then things went south, and then with with that, because it was a startup, and then I went to another company, I went to BT, and oh my god, it was so much worse. And I was just like, as soon as I got in there, I was looking for like an exit. Um it was so bad. He hated every second of it. It's quite funny as well, because then Kirsty remember Kirsty being, when did you work at BT? I was like, he's joking, I was there for nine months, and it was absolute hell.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh man, I lasted at the Sky call centre for a month. Um, I remember we went through training and then they put us on the phones, and the manager was like, Oh, remember guys, you need to you need to start a call with hello, through you're through to sky, the home of HD. And I was like, I write. He's like, No, you you need to say it. Yeah, yeah. There are different different different breeding. Through to Sky, the home of HD. That was awful, man. Like you were set, like like old women were calling up saying, hi you son, just looking at cancel my box, don't watch it anymore. I was like, it's probably because you're not got it in HD. How would you like a HD upgrade? How would you like an extra six pound a month added to your that's that's an extra 20 quid a month, but I guarantee you that it's gonna be exquisite issues.

SPEAKER_04:

That's gonna fix it.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it's because you can't see it properly.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh fuzzy. All that 720p nonsense. I get that 1080 up, and you'll be fine. That's that's twice the quality for half the price.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh man, it just gives me yeah. Yeah. That is a as a period of my life, I'm glad that it's no longer active.

SPEAKER_02:

So one day you'll be talking about there was one day I was in this podcast with his absolute wanker.

SPEAKER_04:

I already send those voice notes to other people.

SPEAKER_02:

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And for UK videographers only, Bridgandgroom.video have launched a special package price for feature and highlight films just for you. Plus, you'll also get an extra disk out instead of money and features. This makes it much more cost-effective to use bright and groom.video as your editing studio. Send your footage, send your brief, and they'll start the rest. Hasta lovista background. Now I guess since we are reminiscing about the the past, um we thought it'd be a good idea this week to have a conversation about things that when we first started out were like we thought were extremely important, important, but in hindsight, really it's not that important.

SPEAKER_02:

There's a nice segue. Nice segue there. You're always on it with the segues. Yeah. Um yeah, because I think when you start, you you've got all these ideas think uh it's almost fears thinking, oh, I need this, this, and this before I can actually be where I want to be. And then you get into it and you realise half of those things are absolutely not important. Um I remember, for example, before I even filmed a wedding, the amount of gear that I bought uh included a uh Mavic 2 zoom that I spent over a grand on.

SPEAKER_04:

Is that that thing that you've got in the box that you've not really used?

SPEAKER_02:

I've used it once in eight years. I still not sold it.

SPEAKER_04:

I don't know why you've not sold that.

SPEAKER_02:

Actually, the box got water damage in my car.

SPEAKER_04:

Every year that goes by that decreases in value.

SPEAKER_02:

I know, but it's not I don't know.

SPEAKER_04:

It's just Was that the first drone you bought?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. And you used it once. Because I realized, oh, that's a bit big. Don't need that. Don't need that. I didn't even use drones for the first first couple of years. I was like, you know what, I don't even need it. People don't want it. And then they did want it. So I bought a mini. I think it's because I was going through training at uh my former job and there was all these regulations over heavier drones, and I'm like, you know what, I just want to play safe. Let's get a mini. Nice and simple.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, yeah. I mean it's funny though, isn't it? Because like when you first start you have all these it's like non-negotiables. I remember like chatting to to Kirsty about it. Um and she was uh it was always a case, oh I just need this. If I get this, that'll be me, I'll be sorted. I'll not need anything else. And then she now makes a joke out of it because even to this day, she's like, alright. Oh, what did you need? By buying another lens, are you?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, just I mean to be fair, you've got a fair few. I do. Are you satisfied? No. Well then that kind of to be the point. Like you always need new stuff before you're happy.

SPEAKER_04:

But it's it's it's different. It you you don't you realize though that you don't need it. Like n once you see once you've got your I I mean well well let's let's dial it back, right? So when when you first start, you need everything. Right? You want everything. You want everything, not no no, but in your head, you need everything. You need everything. You need three, four cameras. Oh mixture of lenses.

SPEAKER_02:

And they need to be top of the range cameras.

SPEAKER_04:

They need to be top of the range cameras. You need the the best editing suite, the best music.

SPEAKER_02:

It always starts with with equipment, doesn't it? Because I remember even looking in my notebook from before I started, I've I've still got it, the the right the rambles of what I needed and I priced them all out and everything, and like this is what I need to s like because when I was working full-time job, this is what I need to allocate to buy that equipment. Um, and it was the top of the range cameras. I didn't set off and think, you know what, I could actually do that with a lesser quality camera. No, no, it needs to be that camera because that's what that videographer uses, and I want that product. And that's where it always stemmed from. It was always you were looking at the market thinking, ah, they're achieving that that I want. Uh-huh. Because if they've got that, I can do that. Wrong.

SPEAKER_04:

You very quickly realize. So it was like we're I remember like way back in the day, I hadn't even spoken to Russell at this point. And I remember like watching some of his stuff and going, like, oh my god, right. So he's got the I think it was he had the S1H, the original S1H at the time. Maybe he was using an S1 at the time as well. I can't remember. But I remember going right, okay, right, if I get these full frame cameras, because that was on the GH5 at the time, that's I thought it was just gonna look like that. So wrong. I had so much to learn when it came to just exposure and composition and all that other good stuff. Um so yeah, it's funny. It's it's funny how like your whole your your in your head it is literally all about the gear. It's about buy buy this and that will fix this problem.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh that'll fix it, yeah. I always think of I always think of a situation that if my bag got nicked or if I'd left more more realistic, if I'd left home without taking my bag um to go to a wedding, and like I knew there was a videographer in the area, and they said, Can I or a photographer, can I just use one of your cameras today? Give me a memory card, use one of your cameras, one lens. Could I capture that wedding well? Yeah, I probably could. I wouldn't do it to the the degree that I probably could, but I would still capture that wedding well because it doesn't matter what equipment I've got, I know I know where I need to be to capture a you know a half decent wedding. Um obviously as you get used to your own equipment and stuff, that that's that's where the sort of where you can fix the little problems. But you will cover everything you need to be able to deliver a product, even with the most b most minimal equipment. It's what's more important than equipment is your experience on the day and how you approach the situation. Yeah. Not necessarily what you film. Now, granted, equipment is definitely going to improve things for sure. I remember, you know, when I was shooting um on the one camera that I had for years when I started, which, you know, was wasn't even the best camera on the market at that point. Um and I kept it for years, and I there was definitely a difference when I upgraded. But did it affect the bookings?

unknown:

No. No.

SPEAKER_02:

It didn't it didn't improve. It only affected it from my aesthetic on the edit screen. I was looking, okay, that's different. But the your your clients did not know what camera you're using. And most of the time they can't tell.

SPEAKER_04:

And they don't really care. No. Nor would they want to, they just want they just look at what you're able to to deliver. I mean I don't know, but you I think you're right. I think there's some instances where gear definitely can make a difference. I think for me, moving from the micro four thirds to the full frame was a big jump in terms of the look and aesthetic because of you know, better boka and you know, better in low light situations and stuff like that. But you know, again, you know plenty of filmmakers that still film on the GH5s or G H5S or whatever, you know. Um like you can you can still make amazing work using those cameras. It just experience and and um live through experience of being at a wedding day and how it all works and and the uh learning the anticipation of where to be and stuff like that is far more important than the gear that you use. But again, caveat to that, it doesn't mean that like you could rock up and be you filming on a I don't know, what's the is it the 5D mark too? That does like 720. Yeah. Like you're probably gonna notice that like the difference in quality there. Like there's no getting away from that. But I would say in like modern cameras and stuff, like getting the getting like the the latest flagships or whatever. Not always a necessity. It's nice to have, don't get me wrong. Like, because do I love my S1R2 and my S12? Absolutely. Is it a is it a jump from the S52? Yes. But in the realistic in realistic terms, I didn't need it. I didn't need to buy it. It wasn't like pivotal for the business, but it did just make things a little bit easier.

SPEAKER_02:

But say you were still using a Canon 5D Mark II, uh, it's the edit that you create from that footage that is gonna ultimately be what the product is.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh yeah, no, definitely. So I just mean like 720 versus even 1080 is a sizable jump, you know.

SPEAKER_02:

For sure. You can definitely upscale and stuff, but there's technicality to do that. But I think it's you know, this message is like for people who are starting out or thinking, you know what, I need to evolve the business in some way, and they're thinking, okay, the correct move is equipment. I need to have all of the gear that my favourite videographers have because that's how I'm gonna do it. But when I first started going out, my boot was full going to the weddings. Like I had so much gear, I had so so many things. Um and over time, like there was lenses that weren't getting used, there was cameras that weren't getting used, tripods not getting used, microphones not getting used. I didn't I bring I brought them not because I like for safety, I brought them because I thought I needed them. And I didn't. So over the years I simplified things and now you know I bring my bag, I bring two the two tripods I need. Um very send them down because I I've just brought what I need to fill the wedding now. Um so you don't need all of this stuff. It's it's it's knowing, okay, can you go into a room and and and figure it out where the story is there to do the job correctly. Um and everyone's got different styles. Some people require um like to have four or five cameras up for for ceremonies. As much as like you are not missing anything there, I do think that's still overkill. Um so if you are in that mindset, you don't need it. But in certain situations there are certain weapons where you go, actually you know what, that'd that's that that's probably worth it.

SPEAKER_04:

Okay, it's it's it's nice to have all the extra angles and stuff like that, but I think as time goes on, certainly considering that I shoot solo for the majority of the time, kind of like realize that just simple is better just so that so it's better. Just so that you're a wee bit more nimble. Because even now, like I've kind of just dropped down to to two cameras, two statics for a ceremony and speeches, and then for the third camera, for instance, if the groom's like doing his vows or whatever, I'll just it's like the Richard Lang approach just kind of like cross over with my my technically what is my A cam. Yeah, and just capture him, you know, doing his vows or whatever, you know.

SPEAKER_02:

I mean, this is the the first time in a long time where I've considered buying more gear because I want to change the look of my films. Um and I am thinking, oh, like I immediately it's it's drawn to us, it's it's built into every videographer. They're like, oh yeah, I need to get that that camera, that's what I need. But I hear so many people on podcasts saying they're still shooting with cameras that aren't like the top-of-the-line ones, but they still have a use for them. Um like, you know, for example, great camera, the the S9, right? It's not the top of the range camera, but there's so many people using that um at weddings and and getting great results from them.

SPEAKER_04:

Especially now that the unlimited record function was.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, but people will will always go like with the look of the the S1R2 or the S12, like as, you know, that's what I need. It's not it's a great camera, but it's not the minimum requirement for for filming a wedding. Um so if you are looking at getting another um bit of equipment to to your arsenal, you know, you can look at purchasing someone with that. Do remember though, obviously with Linux, you can't loan it to to try. So if you do want to get a fancy camera for for one wedding, uh you can loan that for 48 hours, which is great.

SPEAKER_04:

I think it just helps you stop wasting money. Well, yeah, because I've wasted a lot of money on just buying stuff that I didn't need. Because I remember even before the S52 came out, I had just purchased another S5. Uh you have a lot of equipment. Yeah, I do.

SPEAKER_02:

You do. I've I've just not gone down that route.

SPEAKER_04:

So just do do as I say, not as I do. Welcome to upgrade your cameras. Well, let's introduce you to the new Wimic flag chips.

SPEAKER_02:

The S1R2 and the S12.

SPEAKER_04:

Some of the features we love about these cameras are on the S1R2, being able to crop in past the APSD in pixel pixel mode, giving you three focal lines from one frame.

SPEAKER_02:

And the S12 is also 50, giving you 5.1k open gate at 50 frames a second.

SPEAKER_04:

Both of these cameras have 100 frames a second with a 1.1 crop plus.

SPEAKER_02:

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SPEAKER_04:

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SPEAKER_02:

Not only will they deliver them for free, but they'll also pick them up for free as well.

SPEAKER_04:

Use the code TWVP at the Lumix Store for 10% off. Check the link in the show notes below.

SPEAKER_02:

Welcome back, folks. We'll have more of that conversation later on in the episode. But first, it's time for our first feature. Everyone's favorite box. The Lumix Lottery. What's in the box today? A question will be pulled from this box at random, and then we'll ask that question to ourselves and then put it into the Facebook group, which is that winning videographer podcast on Facebook. Make sure you join that. And we'll pose a question in there, and you guys can have your say on that topic as well. So let's see what we got in the box today. Gimme, give me, give me. Oh yeah, you're picking.

SPEAKER_04:

It's me to pick.

SPEAKER_02:

You're picking. It's me to pick.

SPEAKER_04:

Our cinematic slow-mo films dying.

SPEAKER_02:

Um dying is a har is a harsh word.

SPEAKER_04:

That is quite a harsh word, I think.

SPEAKER_02:

But because there's a lot of people who definitely utilize it well, I am moving so far away from slow motion.

SPEAKER_04:

I don't yeah, I don't I don't know if it I don't know if it's dying. I don't know if it will ever die. I don't think it will ever die, but I think it's maybe it's not I would say those types of films are not so much what I see on my feed anymore. Yeah. I at the moment what my feed is is um covered in is like fast-paced what I would deem a shaky camera movement that gives me the fear a little bit, because I am that kind of I prefer the kind of like slow-mo cinematic-y kind of look. Um yeah, more energy less slow-mo.

SPEAKER_02:

I think the reason that things like that are kind of taken off, maybe I'm not getting so much like shaky stuff, but what I am getting is more like spoken word, natural feel in the moment thing. What slow motion does is take you out of the wedding. It enhances a moment, like confetti stuff looks great when it's slow mo, but actually it also looks great when it's not slow mo. It it it and it's a reminder of like how that moment actually looked. When you kind of go to 25 frames a second, it just feels more real. It's on the day. Um, and I think that's kind of what people are leaning into now. They they want to feel more natural, they want less of the, you know, uh like this is a highly cinematic thing. I want to just feel like what it was actually like to be there on the wedding day.

SPEAKER_06:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So I'm finding that I am shooting in 25 frames a second most of the day now. And I even if I shot at 50, I tend not to slow it down. The only ways the only times I want to slow it down is maybe like the detail shots or something like that, where I like, you know, I can't pan properly at 25, so I slow it down at 50 and then it stabilises. Yeah. That's pretty much the only time I do it. But um that just kind of gives it safety for me. But yeah, I think 25 frames is I just think it looks I'm I'm just enjoying it way more now.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. Yeah, I think uh like I said, I don't think it's dead, but I think it's me. It would appear, and I don't know, again, that could just be my algorithm being absolutely skewed, but I don't think it's quite as popular as it once was. I think the the real authentic kind of that look is more in at the moment.

SPEAKER_02:

Social media's got a lot to play as well because it has shortened everyone's attention span. So unless something has a visual hook or is visually appealing immediately.

SPEAKER_04:

Won't get shown.

SPEAKER_02:

Won't get shown or people won't be interested. And a slow motion, you know, if it if it takes ten seconds for someone to walk around a corner to walk down an aisle, it looks great, sure, but it's no one's gonna sit and wait for that payoff. And if every shot after that is also slow, it's it's just not there's definitely a time and place for slow motion. Like, and I like to use speed ramps to slow moment down if it's if it's necessary. But I think there is I can't remember the filmmaking term, but um if you just use slow motion for the sake of using it, uh it it doesn't maybe doesn't fit as well as it maybe used to because I think a lot of us just discovered that oh we can shoot in a hundred frames, so let's just use it, you know. That flappy dress looks great in a hundred frames. It does, but like when would you sit in a cinema and watch someone walk walk for five seconds with a floaty dress? When would you ever watch that in a film and be like that was necessary?

SPEAKER_06:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

It's just because it looks nice, but maybe that's not what you need for making cinema.

SPEAKER_04:

No, no, but things change, so I think things are changing.

SPEAKER_02:

Sounds like my style's in.

SPEAKER_04:

Well, according to my Instagram feed, yes. Apparently so. Maybe I need to change, okay. That'd be a laugh.

SPEAKER_03:

You'll never change.

SPEAKER_02:

You're so so the opposite way though. Like it's not you're not like a slow motion cinematic person, but because you do like to use like natural time as well, but like the shaky stuff, my god, if the if it moves an inch, a centimeter even. I just don't like it. I know, it's fine.

SPEAKER_04:

But some people that do it and it looks great, but just if I look at it, I just like it. It doesn't look like it's intentional. It looks as if I've just jerked the camera.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't think anything. Any movement is intentional. Wedding is the fact that it's just chaotic, isn't it? But um hey.

SPEAKER_04:

Well, that was the Limits Glottery.

SPEAKER_02:

What's your thoughts? Join us on that wedding video for podcast in the Facebook group. We'll put that question in on Thursday, not like Monday like we did this week, which is why we have no reason to not no none of your answers that we will talk about this from last week's question because well, I mean, I just posted it now.

SPEAKER_04:

We're really busy planning the summit. Now back to the podcast. I've definitely purchased purchased stuff over the years that I probably didn't need to do. I think less so I have less regret with the cameras and the lenses that I've purchased. Um more regret probably with like microphones and stuff. Because I have I think I've bought almost every single thing that's been available to me. Like I bought so started off, got the Sony TXs. Wasn't happy with them, no idea why, but just you didn't like them. I just I like them, but it was like all the peaking and stuff like that just annoyed the life out of me, you know, especially when because we've got a few celebrants in in this neck of the woods that if anybody's in Scotland that's a videographer, they'll they'll know.

SPEAKER_02:

They'll know. There's a list.

SPEAKER_04:

There's a list, but um, yeah, they they'll like to shout uh during parts of the ceremony, and it just used to annoy the life out of me because I you can't fix it. Um wasn't happy with that, then bought Tazcams, was somewhat happy with it, but it just used to annoy me that I had it because it the Taz Cams recorded like two two different um tracks of the same track, except one was maybe like six decibels quieter or whatever, so you could you know you could save it. That was a bit annoying. Then went over to the what what did I have after that? I had the I got the tentacles, they were quite good, but I don't know why it just a couple of times I just didn't hit the record button, just different workflow and stuff, and then I just got annoyed with them. Um and uh and I I think I literally bought two of the tentacles and then two weeks or three weeks later bought the Holly Landmark II Art Max IIs and they I think now they uh I've I've settled that they are the one for me.

SPEAKER_02:

I'm glad you're happy.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. But that's a lot of just purchasing crap when really in the grand scheme of things I could have got away with the TX's because the majority of the market uses them, you know. But again, it's just it's buying more stuff constantly to improve something that maybe was already good enough, didn't really need it. It's it's like it's like small things, and that's not to say that don't always look to try and like step up, you know, in in your craft and stuff like that, but there's also times when it's like just have a think about what you're buying at the moment and do you need to buy it? Yeah, I have definitely wasted a lot of money over the what five years or something like that that I've been doing this that really didn't need to get wasted.

SPEAKER_02:

See, I was listening to that thinking, oh you know what, I've I've not like like been on the same journey as you. I bought every single one of those microphones bar the tentacles. Like I've oh yeah, I got the task cams, I've got the TXs, I bought the DJIs as well. Oh I forgot about them.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, them, yeah, they used to annoy the life out me as well, though.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. I mean they're good for the the microphone. You couldn't have a 32-bit float, that was the issue. No, I mean I've I started on the zoom H1. Like, so it was just a little thing you'd stick on the the field recorder. Yeah, and that's what I had. I didn't have on I did I actually know there was one I bought, it was like this little like I didn't even I can't remember what brand it was, but it was like this little dictaphone thing that had like a lav go into it and it would record, but it it would just it would fail every time. I I think it had like an internal memory of like I don't know 500 megabytes or something like that. It was it was awful and I d I think I got one good wedding out of it, um like one successful attempt out of about five. So I was like, I really need a decent option here, and I think TXs were about, but I hadn't really looked into them, so yeah, got them. Um Tascams, I thought, oh I kind of need that, people have got that, and it would be good to like that was during my I'm gonna make the bride era, and then that got put the window very quickly. Um and then like the DJIs I needed for interview field, that's actually been pretty good for that. But again, when people like put the microphone on their mouth, it's just gone. Um I haven't got the tentacles yet, but I like the idea of them.

SPEAKER_04:

They're good, they're just yeah, I don't know. My brain just I think it'd be better for I'm keeping them, I'll use them for corporate stuff.

SPEAKER_02:

But anyway, yeah, I mean the the whole point of this is obviously like yes, microphones is something you need, um, but thinking like, oh, I need this microphone because it'll make it better. There's you know uh different microphones for different jobs. The Task Cams are still probably the most popular uh microphone in America. Every podcast I hear, they're using Taskams. Um so it's still a great, great source, but it's um you don't need all the microphones. You don't need the very best microphones, you just need like a TX is a great entry-level microphone for you. Great. Um they're coming down in price because I think demand is is actually getting lower. They're tall quality and like so robust, they just work.

SPEAKER_04:

Um but if you can stretch the just go straight to the Lark Max 2s.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, just do it. Like because to buy four TXs will be the same price as buying the four Larks.

SPEAKER_04:

And at least you get 32 bit four. Yeah. They're great. And you can control them wirelessly.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, it's just they it's a great bit of kit. They have been so good. I kind of went down a different journey in terms of like buying all the equipment. I thought, yes, I've got the basic equipment that I need, but what I didn't realize at the beginning is that I just made my website, it was fine, that'll work, you know, websites exist to get bookings, but I my journey was like going through education and um branding. That's where I spent my money, and that did make a massive difference at the beginning. Um I think you know, you can there's so many education courses out there, and I do think you have to be kind of selective over what you choose to invest in because there's a lot of people that will say, We're going to transform your business, you're gonna have$10,000 a month coming in no matter what happens. And you know, there it is definitely achievable, but you've got to remember with a lot of these adverts that's that that clean this stuff, um you know, it it gets you interested. Like it absolutely get you interested because who doesn't want to make that? So thinking, oh if I just buy this course and I just buy this course will be fine. Try and try and really invest your time into figuring out who it is that's that's talking to you. And if you've got questions and they will respond to you um with you know genuine genuine support, then yeah, it might be worth investing some of their time if they've got stuff to to show you. But um education definitely helped me for sure.

SPEAKER_04:

Um yeah, I would say and it's one of those ones as well that when you start off you maybe or when you're starting out, you'll maybe put a little bit into. Like I didn't put I didn't I d I I don't think I properly started investing the education until I was a little bit further down the road and then started to kind of put a bit of money behind it. And it's always quite difficult, isn't it? Because it's every every pound is precious, especially when you're first starting out. Yeah. But doing different the different courses, especially now that are available, you know. Obviously you've got Ruse course, you've got um you know the Lawsons, um you've got um neither of which claim are going to make you ten thousand dollars a month. Well Ruse definitely does Nah yeah none of them do, but again, I think because they are especially based in the UK, they're they understand that that stuff's not really gonna you know fly over here. Because I mean some people make that amount per wedding, but they are in the very you know, I don't know, one percent uh or five percent or whatever. Like there's there's not a massive amount. So in terms of like for like the mid-market and stuff like that, it would just turn people off, but um but yeah, there's like a plethora of courses that are available now, you know, fill white as well, like so so many different ones, and then you've got different mentoring that's available. And I would say that mentoring is definitely something that you should consider. Um I didn't I I think when I first started out, I maybe didn't think it was as this is kind of the opposite of what we're talking about, but I didn't think it was as important as you know, maybe for instance like the new camera equipment or the new drone or whatever, like because that's kind of it's like tangible or whatever. Whereas I would say getting a mentor for some from somebody that's been there, done that and you know, lived it, getting almost like direct access to that lived experience is you know in in a lot of ways far more valuable.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. One thing I would say, um, if someone is starting out or they're thinking about changing the direction and they're thinking, yeah, we need all this equipment to do it. The most important thing you can do to either get started or to showcase that this is the work you want to do is to have work to show. And the quickest way to do that is investing in style shoots. And there are loads of style shoots out there for different types of brands and and and looks and feels like yes, you can go to Lake Como and and you know it's it's it's expensive, not necessarily because you know it's it's not worth it. It's super expensive to host a a style shoot out there one for one thing. But if you want to go out there and shoot that content, and that's the content you want to show at the world to say that's what you do, get yourself a camera that can film. Like that's and then go and and film the content. You won't necessarily get weddings booked um before you do that, because no one knows what you're capable of. So like I didn't invest a lot in styled shoots at the beginning, and I think it would have elevated things a lot quicker if I had. And to be fair, I've not really used a styled shoot in any of my marketing because I eventually got the weddings, but um I kind of did it the hard way. I think I think if I was beginning, I would be going really hard at the styled shoots. And obviously, you know, you got to say that it's a styled shoot and things like that. And if all your experience is styled shoots, then it's a real it's a real wake-up call when you go to a wedding and it's not a paid couple who are models. That is a very different experience, so really bear that in mind.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, and also don't sell the the trying to sell the footage or photos to make it imply that it was a real wedding as well. You gotta be honest, like it's it's a styled shoot that's it's literally it's just showing off your your ability, what you are able to do. Now granted it's in a it's in a controlled environment without a deadline, which is why it it's different. But it still shows that you can you can work a camera.

SPEAKER_02:

And if you don't want to buy a a style shoot, organize one. Like if you if you type in to Instagram or Google, like model couples I think generally you generally you'll need to pay for the model.

SPEAKER_04:

Of course. You may have to pay for the venue, but some venues will be happy to collaborate. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Um I mean there there's there's an investment still, but what that will do for you is more than a c an expensive camera will do for you if you don't have any weddings. Like if you just spend all your money on an expensive camera and you've got no weddings to film, then all you've got is an expensive camera with no weddings to film. But if you go and invest in a styled shoot, then at least you've got something that you can put advertising behind and go, actually, this is what I can do with a camera. Would you like me to do that with you?

SPEAKER_04:

I got another one. Okay, hit me. So when I first started out, I would not buy second hand.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

Just wouldn't do it.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

New all the way. Has to be new. If it's if if it's touched somebody else's hands, I don't want it.

SPEAKER_02:

The only things I bought brand new are SD cards, hard drives, and the Holyland Larks. Everything else I own is second hand. Is it? Apart from the bag. But yeah, I think I all my cameras were secondhand.

SPEAKER_04:

Were they?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, so I just was like, nah, it has to be now, because don't trust it and stuff like that. Whereas now, like I've watched so many secondhand lenses. Because there's like, again, there's people out there that have just like a Stevie Weir, for instance. Yeah. That's bought all this stuff, played about with it for a month and went, yeah, nah, not for me. Yep. On on to the next thing.

SPEAKER_02:

There's very uh there's a lot of people who like to dabble in different bits of technology and just play about with it. But the second hand market is brilliant, um, especially if you're starting out.

SPEAKER_04:

Like massive.

SPEAKER_02:

Just so good. Um, and there's so many sites that are, you know, really good for that. Like it it can really, it can really help you out. I um I think not everything needs to be brand new, but um it just obviously you don't want to get something that's absolutely embattered, but uh, but I mean like you can like for instance like I bought quite a few things off of eBay.

SPEAKER_04:

I've tried I've generally I've stayed away from what place like Facebook Marketplace. I've had too many bad experiences trying to sell stuff on Facebook Marketplace. Like some guy basically tried to come and rob me of my my MacBook Pro um at the at the original studio that I was at with John. Tried to like show me a fake kind of like bank thing to say that he transferred the money. I was like, Well, I don't have it. He's like, Oh, you'll get it in a couple of days. I'm like, Well, you're not you're not, you're not, you're not leaving here with the laptop, so wow.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, you can come back in a couple days, mate. Still in it. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, it was wild. I knew straight away anyway, because it was like a different guy that turned up than the the Facebook profile photo and all that, so just like nah. Like that's awful. John was meant to be in the body room with me as well, because he's quite a big guy in that. Um John was meant to be there and he's kind of like just ducking in and out. And I'm like, can you just do it in the fucking room, please? Holy crap. Yeah, so yeah, no, I don't really like doing Facebook marketplace, but eBay, eBay is a good eBay's a good source for for um for stuff. Quite a few different lenses off of there as well. And then just slowly but surely kind of just start to you will add to it, and that's fine, but you just don't need to definitely as well, don't just don't try and get everything at once, you know? Yeah, so don't go and buy, unless there's like an amazing deal or offer or something like that, don't go and buy, you know, all these different cameras and and absolutely rick yourself so that for instance you don't have the money to get involved in a side shoot or get you know put some money behind marketing or invest in your website and stuff like that. Because stuff like that, website and branding, we've talked about it before in the podcast, it is just way more valuable.

SPEAKER_02:

I remortgaged my house to start this business to buy all the equipment at once. Don't do it. Did you? Yep. Did you actually? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04:

Is that how you funded your Yep.

SPEAKER_02:

That's how I bought all the equipment. I had a full-time job, I could have paid it, but I was impatient. And I was like, you know what? I need all this stuff right now. I made a list and I need all this stuff right now. How long did that come to? 12 grand.

SPEAKER_04:

Right, well. So what you just took 12 grand out of the house? Yep.

SPEAKER_02:

And I didn't need to.

SPEAKER_04:

You didn't just take 12 grand out though, did you?

SPEAKER_02:

No, I did. 12 on the button? Yeah, 12 grand. Um I didn't need 12 grand for the equipment, but I wanted a cash flow reserve at the beginning to kind of as a buffer as well. Um that was really pointless. Yeah. That was really unnecessary. And there was a grand drone there. Didn't get used. Um but I yeah, so you don't need to do that. And um definitely don't do that. Definitely don't do that. That is that I mean, this is not financial advice, but that is financial advice. Don't do that. Um yeah, it was you know, I kind of thought that I would if I have all this gear, then I can get, you know, I'm on the go.

SPEAKER_05:

All the gear.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that was pretty much it. But um realistically, when I look at it, what I you know I needed at that point I was using the Sony A7S2, um, which at the time I think you could get for 1600, the the 24105, which you could get for 800. Um, you know, I could have just filmed weddings with that and a B cam. For I had the the 6400, A6 A6400, which you can get for 700, uh, and I could have just used a prime lens, I could go for 300, and then add everything I needed. But I didn't know. I didn't hadn't filmed my own wedding. I'd only worked for a company that had three times the amount of equipment that you've got, and I was like, that's what I need to become this. That's why it stopped I hadn't done it for years, hadn't started for years because I thought I have got nowhere near enough to start this. You genuinely like Christ, you can go you don't have a podcast to tell you any different. No, that's it. You can you can start filming weddings with a bloody phone now. That's the thing. You can. I mean, yeah, you can eat like you can.

SPEAKER_04:

You can yeah, you can. You can, you can, but you won't.

SPEAKER_02:

You won't.

SPEAKER_04:

No, don't do it.

SPEAKER_02:

I mean, Jeff would absolutely like if you've got all those little kits and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_04:

Jeff's tried. He's went he's he said he went back anyway.

SPEAKER_02:

Well, if he if he didn't get bored, he could have kept on going. Like the stuff was good.

SPEAKER_04:

You just well, you could go and get you could, for instance, you could get Linux GH5. Yeah. And you could, like I said, loads of people still use that. You could go and you pick them up super cheap now. I don't know, 500 quid, 400 quid. This is the thing, I think I'll get 400 quid. And that camera still shoots 4K. Yeah, you get slow-mo on it, like it's yeah, it's a great camera. Caveat is the autofocus is not great, and it's not very good in low light, so bring lights. I shot one wedding with that GH5 and then suddenly went, I need full frame.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, but you know, if someone should start lights, it doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_04:

If I had lights, it would be fine.

SPEAKER_02:

Because now you're telling the new people that they also need lights.

SPEAKER_04:

No, but you when I say lights, I'm not meaning you need lights like this. You could just get an on-camera light. That's the thing.

SPEAKER_02:

You can just get a forty quid on camera not even that, a twenty quid on the right.

SPEAKER_04:

20 pound small rig light that sits on top of your camera and that would be enough.

SPEAKER_02:

100%. This is the thing.

SPEAKER_04:

Unless you are filming in somewhere like the caves in Edinburgh. Just don't take that booking on.

SPEAKER_02:

That was that was the I've not shot there. I haven't shot there yet, but it was the biggest fear. You got one? No.

SPEAKER_04:

Alright. So yeah, yet implied that you had one.

SPEAKER_02:

No. But I mean I I'll probably still do it.

SPEAKER_04:

No. No, thank you.

SPEAKER_02:

Um yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

If you're uh if you're wondering what the caves in Edinburgh is, go and I mean it's pretty much what it says in the tin, but go and uh Google it and you'll see what we mean. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

So this is it. I think when you're starting out, just get yourself just just work out what's the minimum that I need and then work from there and build it up because it's way more satisfying if you do. Um and all these all of your favourite filmmakers have equipment that works for them and their style. You might not like that style once you start doing it. So try and film as comfortable as you can with the equipment you've got, build it up, and you will learn what it is that you actually need.

SPEAKER_04:

So right, so we've agreed that the camera equipment and stuff like that is not is not probably like you you don't have to spend big on or get the best of. But what's one what would be your one thing that is worth spending the money on?

SPEAKER_02:

Hard drives. It's not sexy, it's not fun. No one likes splurging money on data online. But let me tell you, you get into a situation where a file is corrupt or it goes missing, it will happen. It will happen to you. And if you don't have a backup, you know. I mean, there's much to be said, like, do you keep every file you've ever filmed? You and I do. Um because it costs so much money.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, it's overcut and to be fair, I'm gonna start deleting like a lot of the But look at the post that Adam Wing just put up on Instagram the other day.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't know if you saw this, right? He had an inquiry come in from a couple he shot their wedding ten years ago. Uh-huh. And they wanted a 20-minute film as an upgrade to their original five minute film that was done five uh ten years ago. He was able to fulfil that. Now granted that's a the uh you know, that's outlandish that that's gonna happen all the time. But he had it, you know. There's people in that film that no longer here anymore. There's kids in that film that are now growing up. And it's um it's just something that you can offer. I I think for the c you know, w what day what hard drives can cost and things these days, I just I just think it's worth keeping it.

SPEAKER_04:

I mean I keep it. I I don't know. But yeah. For me it would be music. Music is a big one. Cause you can cause you can you can get away with using it. I mean I used things like art list, even used epidemic sounds for probably a lot longer than I should have. Um but you could get away with it because it wasn't it didn't sound terrible. Yeah. But I think in hindsight now you can now but there's like a start difference between the likes of some of those and music bed.

SPEAKER_02:

100%.

SPEAKER_04:

Like I that's been a worthwhile investment because I remember having a conversation with Kirsty at the time and Kirsty said you cannot spend over a hundred pounds a month on music for your films.

SPEAKER_02:

Watch me.

SPEAKER_04:

Uh yeah, so uh and I did, and I I'm glad that I didn't. But but again, when you're first starting out, obviously£100 a month's a lot of money. Do you know what I mean?£100 a month when you're first starting out, or even just now, it is you know, it's it's a it's not an insignificant amount of money, but it's worth the it's worth the investment. So I I do feel like there's not really a comparison, personally, that's my opinion. There's not really a a comparison when it comes to quality of music.

SPEAKER_02:

I think when it comes to wanting to tell the story that you want to do, to have the vibe that you want, you need a premium song selection. Like you need to have a library of songs that are gonna give you the flexibility to to do the work that you want to do. And I found before when I was using the similar services to you that I ran out of ideas. Like music for me is inspiration. When I hear a song, I go, I I could edit something like this. I could that that's not how everyone works, but that's how I worked. And then I discovered um Music Bed, the premium option, and I listened to it before I subscribe to it. I was listening to it in the car every day and going, Oh my god, I've got inspiration here, inspiration there. I hadn't even shot the weddings that I was inspired for, but that's what it was doing for me, and it got me excited. And I knew that that's absolutely what I needed. And of course, it was I think it was for me, it was like 90 quid a month at the time. And I didn't even second guess it because as soon as I did it, it was like the doors unlocked to creativity. I was like, I've got so much room to go here in any direction I want, and it doesn't really feel like lift music or like corporate music. It it is it felt personal, and I could find a song that was personalized to the couple. The quality's definitely and then I thought of it as a business sense. And we've mentioned this in the podcast before, but you know, a hundred a hundred quid a month, okay. How many weddings do you do a month? Maybe on average three, two, even two or three, right? So it's not a hundred quid a month, it's now fifty quid per wedding. Let's say let's say you do a wedding for£1,500 and your music that's if it costs£50 quid. Let's say that's one of two weddings in a month,£1,500. You've done two weddings at£1,500 that month. Your£50 per wedding comes into 3% of that allocated budget for that wedding. Now I think that's worth it.

SPEAKER_04:

Well, especially considering I think music uh is worth more than 3% of the overall product.

SPEAKER_02:

When it's heard literally 100% of the product. So yeah, it it can carry, it can make or break.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, it does. Not can, does.

SPEAKER_02:

It does. So absolutely worthwhile getting the top uh I I think it's just worth it. I just don't think it's I think it's a no-brainer for your business.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05:

Definitely.

SPEAKER_04:

If you want to give your couples a viewing experience that matches the quality of your films, then Vidflow is the way to go.

SPEAKER_02:

Just upload your work, let the couples watch it on their TV, they can view a gallery on their phone and wrap it up with all your branding so they get the ultimate viewing experience. Think of it like Netflix, but for wedding films. Listeners of that wedding video offer podcast get 10% off when they use the code TWVP. Hit the link in the show notes to get started. Level up your wedding film delivery experience today. Maybe the the theme song to this section should be the up theme because I can't read quiz questions without my glasses. See, since I got my haircuts even worse, I need to get new glasses. Or just commit to content lenses, but I just can't get them in. It's quiz time, the ID IQ. Woohoo! I love the first one. He's in the hot seat, he's answering the questions because I've got the quiz questions right here.

SPEAKER_04:

Wolf trap, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_02:

You're ready? Ready. Okay. There's no rules to ID IQ, you just answer, and I'll reveal all the answers afterwards. Okay. Question number one. Whose bum garnered worldwide media attention after its appearance at a royal wedding pass. Damn. Mohill Media just won videographer of the year at this year's Twia final. But what city hosted this year's final? What does the F in F-stop stand for?

SPEAKER_04:

F in F-stop.

SPEAKER_02:

Focus Rustain was our first guest on TWVP. But who was our second?

SPEAKER_04:

Russell.

SPEAKER_02:

Which month has the fewest weddings in the UK? January. Okay, right. Five questions. How did you find that?

SPEAKER_04:

Wait a minute. The royal bum. I'm gonna have to say something for that. Can you you said pass? Oh do you? Oh, do you? I don't know about that. I can hear that.

SPEAKER_02:

I don't know about that. Okay, right. Give me a name.

SPEAKER_04:

Princess Diana.

SPEAKER_02:

Princess. Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

Siren.

SPEAKER_02:

Maybe I should have said the year. The queen. If I said 2011, would that help?

SPEAKER_04:

Princess Beatrice.

SPEAKER_02:

Princess Beatrice. Okay. Well, daddy. It's time to go over the answers. Do you think you did alright at home? We're gonna find out what the answers are right after this quick break.

SPEAKER_04:

Ah, come on! Are you tired of TRM just not getting the basic things right? Things like being able to customize your brand fully. Or constantly sending your emails to their spam folder.

SPEAKER_02:

Or the juicy stuff getting analytics and performance. That's why we have made the switch to Wadola. The TRM built by Wedding Pros for Wedding Pros. It's honestly the prettiest TRM we've ever seen. To help you make the switch, we're offering three months free on Wadola by entering the code TWVP.

SPEAKER_04:

Wadola, the community-built TRM for wedding professionals.

SPEAKER_02:

Alright.

SPEAKER_04:

That took forever.

SPEAKER_02:

Come on. Okay, cool. So question one. Uh-huh. Whose bum garnered worldwide media attention after its appearance at Royal Wedding? I then did Adlub in 2011. Uh-huh. You said Princess Beatrice.

SPEAKER_04:

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02:

Pippa Middleton.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh shit, so it was.

SPEAKER_02:

Comically, worldwide attention. Everyone's just talking about her bum.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

And metal. Right. Molehill Media just won videographer of the year at this year's TWIA final. Yes. London. And what you said London, which it always is London.

SPEAKER_04:

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02:

But this year, they moved to Liverpool.

SPEAKER_04:

Did they?

SPEAKER_02:

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_04:

Bastards.

SPEAKER_02:

They did it at Liverpool this year.

SPEAKER_04:

Did they actually?

SPEAKER_02:

Yep. Wow. Yeah. What does the F in F-stop stand for? Yeah. You said focus.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

It's focal length.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh, so it is.

SPEAKER_02:

Zero for three, Danny. Alright. Rustein was our first guest on TWVP, but who is our second?

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah. Russell.

SPEAKER_02:

You said Russell.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02:

Are you gonna go zero for five, Danny?

SPEAKER_04:

Is that no? Who was our second?

SPEAKER_02:

It was Russell. Of course it was. If you didn't get that one, it was gonna Byn't have got that. No. I would have known our guests, but I would never have known them in order. Um alright. And lastly, which month has the fewest weddings in the UK? Because you asked me last week which month has the most. So that's the fewest. You said January. And do you want to change your answer?

unknown:

No.

SPEAKER_02:

The answer is January. That's two out of five.

SPEAKER_04:

Would you get three? I got three. Bastard. Yeah, baby. Focal length, of course it is. I couldn't think there. The bum question as well, that just threw me.

SPEAKER_00:

Yep. It threw the world apparently.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, but I love winning. How'd you get one at home? Let us know what uh your answers were. And uh if you beat Danny, then uh I should really get you like a D hat, like a dumb play with them and D for Danny.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, J for Jack in us. Hope you enjoyed that conversation today. Um, but as our new format is in full swing, we are gonna end today with the Reddit rabbit hole. You ready for this?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. I I'm I hope I hope this section becomes great. We get some absolute bangers from.

SPEAKER_04:

And by the way, I I just going out there, if you guys have any like Reddit rabbit hole crazy wedding stories that you want to send into us, send us them in and we'll see if we feature them.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, because it'll save us actually looking them up. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04:

It will. Okay, are we ready?

SPEAKER_02:

Hit me.

SPEAKER_04:

So bad, man, the Grimm's surprise guest.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_04:

So a bride posted on Reddit saying her wedding was perfect, beautiful venue, amazing weather, ceremony went smoothly, everyone crying, photographer and videographer nailing it.

SPEAKER_02:

Great.

SPEAKER_04:

What more could you want?

SPEAKER_02:

This is a good start.

SPEAKER_04:

That is it. That is the end. What did you think of that? Well, I mean, see you next week, folks. Then they got to the reception, and that's where things started to fall apart.

SPEAKER_02:

So obviously, been through the ceremony and then we're into the reception part of the wedding.

SPEAKER_04:

Okay.

SPEAKER_02:

Yep.

SPEAKER_04:

The liquor is flowing.

SPEAKER_02:

Yep.

SPEAKER_04:

Yep. During the speeches, the groom stood up and said he had a special surprise for his new wife. Can you guess what this is?

SPEAKER_02:

Vaguely.

SPEAKER_04:

Everyone thought fireworks? Video montage? A song? Nope. All three. He invited someone to come up from the back of the room. In walks. His ex-girlfriend. His ex-girlfriend? His ex-girlfriend. I know that's not what you were thinking. That's not what I was thinking. No. You were thinking the man that she's cheating on him with. Yeah, that's another one. Oh, okay. Okay. Dead silence. Turns out the groom thought it would be mature and symbolic to have his ex come up and publicly thank the bride for taking care of him now. It's like giving him away. To prove there were no hard feelings. The bride had no idea that this was happening, of course. But the ex had no idea that the bride didn't know.

SPEAKER_02:

She thought the bride was How does that conversation go down, by the way? By the way, and like you fancy coming out of wedding and giving me away. Because we spent two weeks together, and uh, you know, I know it sounds like this was like so.

SPEAKER_04:

Now you've got a bride walking in a bride in a dress trying not to cry, an ex awkwardly holding a microphone, 120 guests staring into the abyss, and the best man slowly sliding under the table.

SPEAKER_03:

He's still got his speech to go, by the way. Content.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh I know I mean he just doesn't he doesn't need to look at his pre-written script anymore. The ex says, I didn't realise this was I didn't realise this was meant to be a surprise. I probably shouldn't be here. You think? And walks straight back out. The bride leaves the room, the groom follows, dinner's delayed by 45 minutes, and then later that night the bride posts on Reddit asking, Am I overreacting for wanting an annulment after my husband invited his ex to our wedding speech? Note they did not make it to their first anniversary. What was he thinking? I don't understand what goes see, see some guys, right, that think this shit up. Right? Like, surely. I mean he's told somebody, surely.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, his ex.

SPEAKER_04:

No, but he must have he must have told, but even the ex, like, why would she Why?

SPEAKER_02:

How did that conversation actually go down? Like you know what's really common at weddings? Exes.

SPEAKER_04:

Jesus.

SPEAKER_02:

Maybe that's what's wrong with weddings. There's not enough exes turning up.

SPEAKER_04:

Oh no, I think I think that's fine. I think I think we're fine with the level that there is at weddings.

SPEAKER_02:

That is horrendous. I do wonder, did the videographer know and did he or she mic up the ex?

SPEAKER_04:

I mean, I don't I don't think we would need to worry about not having her mic'd up. I'd be honest. But I mean, yeah, because it's gonna generally it's gonna be the bride that's booked them. Oh, it's bad than it. Oh my god. Imagine that is horrendous. That's so awkward. That's like how like so You that you don't come back for that.

SPEAKER_00:

No.

SPEAKER_04:

See, even like within like your family or friend group, like you're that guy that invited their ex to essentially give you away at the wedding to say it's okay, you have my permission. But the but the ex turned up to give him away. Just to say thanks for thanks for taking him on.

SPEAKER_02:

Thank you. He was an absolute dick. He was absolute dick. You know, I'm sure he's better with you.

SPEAKER_04:

Wild in it.

SPEAKER_02:

Man.

SPEAKER_04:

Guys are just stupid.

SPEAKER_02:

I wonder if he'll invite his ex-wife to the next wedding to give away.

SPEAKER_03:

We almost got there. But I've no this year I've got two.

SPEAKER_04:

I've got my ex- my ex-girlfriend and my ex-wife.

SPEAKER_03:

I've got a chorus of exes here to give me away. Um walking down the aisle in the ceremony.

SPEAKER_04:

Any words of advice?

SPEAKER_03:

Holy crap, that is horrendous.

SPEAKER_02:

I know there's a bucket load more of these out in the world because people people are trying to be different. I mean, what absolute idiocy.

SPEAKER_04:

That's chaos.

SPEAKER_02:

And if you are the groom and you're one of our listeners, do not get married again. Just invite us, we'll give you away.

SPEAKER_03:

Christ. Jesus.

SPEAKER_04:

That's bad, eh?

SPEAKER_03:

That's terrible.

SPEAKER_04:

That's so bad. That is terrible. That is grim. I'll speak to us after that. I hope you enjoyed today's Reddit rabbit hole. Um, yeah, like I said, if you've got any juicy ones, send them into us and we will feature them on the podcast. But yeah, that is uh that is gold. That is brilliant. Anyway, that's all we have time for this week. We will see you again on Monday. But for now, I've been Danny.

SPEAKER_02:

I've been Jace.

SPEAKER_04:

And that's been That Wedding Video for Podcast. See you soon.

SPEAKER_02:

And you have our blessing.

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Danny Rizzo

Host