Broadcasting wedding live on the 'net

[StraightShooter 62]

We'll be having a garden wedding in the large tree island in my front yard here. I'm planning on setting up an HD webcam with my laptop and broadcasting our wedding live on the internet so that her family can watch it in real time in the Philippines. It will be a morning ceremony for us and a late evening event for them.

My WiFi connection works well enough out there. On a couple of occasions I've actually been out there chatting with my fiancee and sipping on coffee as the day awakens. We'll also have at least 2 other video cameras set up on tripods recording the event.

Has anyone else done something like this? Any pointers to offer or pitfalls that I should watch for?

Other than our area entering into hurricane season now and the rainy season in a couple weeks, I'm thinking that we'll be fine.

[Darnell 8,478]

that is so cool.

[X Factor 1,112]

I was thinking of doing the same when my fiance gets here. Will you be using Skype or some other medium?

[aws&ndd 103]

That is an awesome idea!! I really like the idea of a garden wedding. Even better the idea of broadcasting it live for her family to see it as well. If you have really good internet I don't see any problems with it. How will you broadcast? Will you do it through Skype or another similar software?

[X Factor 1,112]

Here is a link of someone who broadcasted live to the Philipines in 2010 using Skype. Nice tips.

http://elegantevententertainment.com/2010/wedding-planning/skype-for-weddings-broadcast-your-wedding-live-for-friends-and-family-who-cant-be-there/

[Grant PDX 183]

I've broadcast events before... the biggest problem is getting the sound right... the video seems to work ok, but the sound is tough at a distance outside... might need to connect to an external microphone

I've used skype, gotomeeting and ym (if just connecting to one other). of those 3 gotomeeting is the most flexible for what you can do, and you can get a 30 day free trial...

[VanessaTony 3,567]

I looked into it. Several issues I didn't want to deal with were:

1. You will need someone to monitor the feed

2. if for whatever reason the feed drops out, are you going to stop and wait? or continue?

3. We have a 15 hour time difference (17 hours sometimes) so finding a favourable time for my family to be awake and not at work and for those attending was hard

4. Where are you going to position the webcams so as not to ruin guests views, videos or photos and so the people watching can actually see well?

I stuck with video recording the event and mailing the DVD to my parents. I was going to (money got in the way) return to Aus for an Aussie reception with my family and friends and play the video before the reception so everyone can feel like they are actually at a wedding reception rather than just a party.

[StraightShooter 62]

Ahh... the sound thing might indeed be a concern, what with all the birdies singing and chirping in the area. But yeah, maybe I need to use a "real" videocamera instead of a webcam. Then I could add remote mics if needed. Hmmm...

We'll be using Yahoo Messenger as the broadcast link. Her friends and family will likely be grouped at one location, I think. Maybe. Heh. It will be a 12 hour time difference for us.

I do have a young neighbor who can play the part of cameraman. In addition to monitoring the broadcast, he can keep track of the videocamera recordings and even move around a little.

If the link goes down on either end, we'll press on to completion. No stopping and starting. We will have the video recordings as a backup (I'll be editing those and adding music, etc. as appropriate.)

The WiFi at my place is 40Mbps and even out front I get a solid connection. Positioning the cameras will be addressed repeatedly, including some rehearsal stuff. Don't want guests here to have poor views or the folks overseas to miss out either.

Some good feedback here folks. Keep it coming! (Hahaha! I made a "feedback" joke!)

[Philwithlove 17]

I did this last january too on our wedding. I have a 5 pm wedding here (6am in the philippines). I havent planned it so well that it wasnt that great. I used www.tinychat.com as i used it before with my friends.

the issues i had:

*i never thought church will be not that bright so my family and friends can't see it clear.

*my husband's nephew is the one who handled the laptop, put it on top of the piano in the church before the flowers were put on the altar, end up me covered by the flowers. He is my ring bearer so he wasnt able to check if the video is right. lol

we have an official video from the church so it wasnt unlucky for my family and friends not seeing the wedding as i planned to ship it this month.

Anyways, my advice is make a practice video when you have your wedding rehersal and have someone to man it. Then ask your fiance or family in the philippines to watch and give a comment to improve it. And always have a back up just incase the internet screwed up.

Goodluck and best wishes!

[StraightShooter 62]

I did this last january too on our wedding. I have a 5 pm wedding here (6am in the philippines). I havent planned it so well that it wasnt that great. I used www.tinychat.com as i used it before with my friends.

the issues i had:

*i never thought church will be not that bright so my family and friends can't see it clear.

*my husband's nephew is the one who handled the laptop, put it on top of the piano in the church before the flowers were put on the altar, end up me covered by the flowers. He is my ring bearer so he wasnt able to check if the video is right. lol

we have an official video from the church so it wasnt unlucky for my family and friends not seeing the wedding as i planned to ship it this month.

Anyways, my advice is make a practice video when you have your wedding rehersal and have someone to man it. Then ask your fiance or family in the philippines to watch and give a comment to improve it. And always have a back up just incase the internet screwed up.

Goodluck and best wishes!

Thanks for that info... very helpful!

[Hank_ 9,174]

We used Skype , they give a 7 day free trial of their group conferencing so we sent out invites to those we wanted to see it and broadcast it over skype. We were broadcasting to Taguig City and northern Minnesota. It worked way cool for everyone to "attend" our wedding.

[revtech100 16]

Cool idea! How about hiring a local broadcast/sound company that could do all the technical stuff? I'd do this, but we will do a small civil ceremony here and the big church wedding in her hometown in the Phillipines.

[StraightShooter 62]

Cool idea! How about hiring a local broadcast/sound company that could do all the technical stuff? I'd do this, but we will do a small civil ceremony here and the big church wedding in her hometown in the Phillipines.

Cuz I'm a geek and like to do this stuff!

[X Factor 1,112]

Cool idea! How about hiring a local broadcast/sound company that could do all the technical stuff? I'd do this, but we will do a small civil ceremony here and the big church wedding in her hometown in the Phillipines.

What is the possible cost of hiring a local broadcast company?