Common Questions
Detailed answers to help you understand our process.
Where is Dream Wedding Stories based out of? Do you travel worldwide?
We are based in Kolkata (India), and we travel all across the world to shoot weddings.
How can we book you?
What is the typical team strength of the DWS team that will be traveling to cover my wedding? Will a reduction in crew affect the cost?
We usually film with a crew of 3 cinematographers (candid style) and 3 photographers (candid and documentary style) along with a director, 3 assistants and an aerial drone operator. The crew works as one coherent team with different cameramen specializing in different lenses and styles including aerial, time-lapse and underwater filming.
For a larger scale wedding, we don't recommend a reduction in the size of the crew as this is likely to affect the quality and grandeur of the film. This choreographed, multi-camera setup allows us to position ourselves strategically to capture ceremonies more naturally as they take place, without any hindrance.
However, there are certain advantages to having a smaller team too! For more intimate weddings, a crew size of 5-6 people is enough. This allows for a greater, non-obtrusive individual control of filming for each crew member and this can lead to better, unobstructed views of the festivities especially when the party is on a smaller scale involving lesser people. This also creates a warmer bond between the crew and families as there are lesser people to coordinate with. There is an obvious reduction in cost too!
Can we also have additional photographers / videographers along with DWS? Do you guys shoot only the groom or bride side in a wedding ?
Sorry, we absolutely do not recommend it. Apart from being uneconomical, it may obstruct and tamper with our work. The advantage of a single team is that we will get clean, unobstructed visual frames without local photographers jumping into our frames and ruining the film moments.
We feel a wedding is not just about the bride & groom but about two families joining with each other through emotions. We feel we would not do justice to a wedding if we cover only one side. Moreover, it would create havoc during certain rituals and ceremonies when two teams are shooting the same event simultaneously.
How big is your team ? How many Weddings do you shoot on a given date ?
Our team is equipped to shoot up to 2 weddings per day, and we exclusively take on a maximum of 2 weddings each day. The creative direction is led by Saurav and Khushali, our two talented creative heads.
Is it possible just to get a pre-wedding shoot without opting for the complete wedding package?
Yes. We even come out with promotional outstation prewedding shoots with Airport to Airport packages where we take care of everything at an affordable budget and you get to experience your prewedding without breaking a sweat.
What are the common deliverables that we can expect as part of the package?
In the standard package, we deliver three different versions of the wedding film and all the edited digital photographs that include both candid and documentary style. The number of edited photos is approximately 1000 shared through our facial recognition online gallery.
The three versions of films include –
- 1) Reels30-45 seconds cinematic reels that are based on events showcasing the entire event in a glimpse. Perfect for instagram uploads.
- 2) The TrailerA 4-5 minute trailer or teaser film that can be released on social networking sites for the friends and family to see, reminisce and cherish.
- 3) The Highlight filmA 30-45 minute highlight film of the best moments of the wedding on select songs interspersed with the story as narrated by the couple and their loved ones.
- 4) Sangeet MovieUncut Video of the stage performances & entry of the sangeet with mixed audio and video from the various angles we have captured.
Our Delivery timeline is 90 Days.
"Good things come to those who wait!"
I would like an exclusive, tailor-made track for my trailer. How do I go about it? Does it come at an additional cost?
Yes. We can produce an original track for your wedding film. We have a team of lyricists, music composers and singers who can create a magic track based on your story. The cost of same depends on the artists involved.
Can you make the trailer or a short film of the wedding so that we can show it at the reception / last day?
Yes, we offer this service. These are referred to as Same Day Edits, and they are a great way to showcase some of the best moments of the wedding instantly to everyone present. However, this is an expensive process (extra equipment and setups are required for an extra editor to produce this) and adds to the final cost of the package.
Are there any specific requirements in terms of venue/stage lighting and other aspects of the setup for the best photo and video results? How can we ensure that the photography team has the best resources at hand to create magic?
Good lighting is a pre-requisite for great photos and videos. If a few simple things are taken care of at the planning stage, the job is half done. Go for natural lighting instead of tinted hues and ensure that the stage, mandap etc. are well lit especially in the night.
The spatial design should be such that it allows the crew to cover the event from multiple angles for a good variety in footage. Always advise your planner to keep in mind the space needed by photographers in case of over-crowded events.
It is a good idea to have some extra time at hand before each event for couple shots. It does not take more than 10-15 minutes, but ensures that the couple has some stunning portraits before the hair, makeup and outfits make their way to the dance floor.
What are audio bytes and why are these important for the quality of the film?
The primary charm of the wedding video is the footage, and to interlink events nicely, we film interviews with close family (bride, groom, parents and siblings / best friends - usually 6 frames) so there is an underlying story that keeps the viewer connected to the film. As the story unfolds, the viewer gets a sense of how the couple met and decided to spend their lives together. For this, we film about 15-20 minutes of audio/video bytes with each of the six frames of people. This is because we ask specific questions to different people and place the story in a coherent format in the edit room.
How is our footage delivered to us?
We deliver everything in a special memory box curated by us. Moreover, the images, trailer and highlight film are delivered via an online link. Everything that has been shot by us is your property. We do not hold back anything. You get all the raw data on a Thunderbolt hard drive. This raw data may be useful for edits later like first anniversary / 25th anniversary etc.
What is copyright? Can DWS use our images and footage on its social media handles?
All original works of art, including pictorial and video works, have copyright protection. This means that the creator of an image/video (in this case, Dream Wedding Stories) owns the copyright for the same. Hence, DWS can use any images/videos on our social media channels for any purpose that we deem suitable. Naturally, these images portray clients in a good light and more often than not, such social media posts are a matter of pride for all clients and vendors involved. If a couple does not want their images/videos to be shared publicly, this has to be specified explicitly at the time of signing the contract.