How to Live Stream a Wedding in 2020
In 2021 we rewrote the How to Live Stream Your Wedding guide on our blog. Feel free to check it out.
Why Live Stream Your Wedding?
When someone special can’t attend your wedding, it can feel heartbreaking. Luckily, with today’s technology, it’s easy to live stream your wedding letting them feel included and putting your (and family’s!) hearts at ease.
Who Should Stream Your Wedding?
With a bit of in-advance planning, streaming your wedding is a simple task. Enlist your friend or family member to help you do it. You can also use a tripod and EventLive App. Make sure to put someone in charge to start and finish the streaming. If you are eloping, or don’t feel comfortable asking your friends, talk to your photographer or other vendors to see if they can help during the ceremony.
Equipment to Live Stream
To keep things simple, the best tool to live stream your wedding is a smartphone. Modern iPhone and Android cameras have stunning video quality. It’s all you need to record and live stream a wedding. Tripod is great to have but not a must.
Dealing with Shaky Hands
Newer iPhones and Android phones have Optical and Electronic video stabilization feature. A great option is to put your phone on a little smartphone tripod ($24).
Audio Quality
Your phone’s built-in microphone is going to do a great job at an indoor ceremony.
If the ceremony is outside and it’s windy, you can improve the audio by adding an external microphone. Amazon offers microphone kits with a mount for about $55. Point the external microphone towards venue speakers, or towards the couple (if there is no sound system in the venue).
Where to place your tripod
Consider how the ceremony will unfold, and put it close to the action.
- Inside the gazebo (so both the bride and groom are in the frame) for a unique behind-the-scenes angle. This way you can capture the wedding party processional.
- In the middle of the aisle focusing on the ceremony (can be placed there after everyone is in).
- From one of the guest's seat or behind the seats.
Internet Connectivity
Test internet connectivity in advance. When visiting the venue, connect to their WiFi network and measure internet upload speed with the SpeedTest app directly by the ceremony site. Good upload speed to shoot for is 10Mbps.
If there is no WiFi, it’s possible to use the mobile internet. Check the speed at ceremony site using the same app. Make sure you have enough data in your plan. A 30-minute video stream can consume around 1GB of data.
Recording the Video
The app you’re using for streaming should be able to to record the video on the servers while optimizing the streaming video for the network. You should be able to have a downloadable link of the streamed video after the wedding.
Platform and App
Social network giants are offering live streaming along with their apps: Facebook Live, Youtube Live, Instagram Live, Twitter Periscope, Amazon Twitch. It’s not a good idea to use them for your wedding:
- It’s hard to ensure privacy and keep exes, co-workers or other random uninvited people from coming across your wedding stream.
- Since there may be copyrighted background music at your wedding the streams can be automatically blocked/deleted.
- Platforms like Twitch or Instagram delete videos after a certain short time.
- Most of these platforms require your guests to have account and apps installed which might confuse the older generation.
Other apps are meant for one-one calls (FaceTime, Skype) or conference calls (Zoom, Google Hangouts, GoToWebinar). None of them allow saving the video to your phone while streaming.
Professional platforms (Vimeo Livestream, DaCast, etc) require you to get more in-depth knowledge, have high monthly subscription fees or don’t have an easy way to invite your guests.
EventLive.pro platform was designed specifically for weddings. Create your wedding stream page and invite the guests privately. They will be automatically reminded ahead of the event by email notifications. Your guests can watch on any device, no registration or app installation required.
EventLive has a dedicated iPhone and Android app which makes streaming as simple as tapping a button. The stream is smooth and uninterrupted and you can share it with people you love! You will receive a downloadable link with the video file after the event.
Wedding Live Stream Checklist
- You selected the person to stream or have a tripod.
- Event stream page is created, and the link is shared with guest viewers.
- Internet (WiFi or mobile) is tested at the venue. Your phone is connected to the network.
- If the mobile network is used, there’s sufficient data plan.
- The phone is charged.
Happy Streaming!
