Essential


  • Couple's names and contact details.
  • Addresses: Bride's house, groom's house, church, photoshoot location(s), reception. Your videographer can work out the travel times between locations (don't spoonfeed them everything!).
  • Timings/runsheet: The key times are ceremony start, bridal entrance at reception, and end time -- what time you want them there until. But all other timings are useful, though I've never yet seen a reception that runs to schedule. Even knowing something like what time flowers or hair and make-up get to the bride's house in the morning can be handy (if the videographer wants to arrive beforehand). And I like to try to get there way before the photographer (if I'm doing video), so I don't get in his/her way.
  • Phone numbers: Supply five.


Good to have


  • Parking info: Especially if there are any special instructions -- for instance, parking in a visitor's spot at an apartment block.
  • Names of the bridal party and close family. I'll cheat and go through these in advance, so I remember them more easily on the day of the event.
  • Are there any out-of-the-ordinary shots or moments you'd like captured?
  • Bump in and bump out: What's the earliest time your video person can start to set up at the church, and what's the latest time they have to be gone by? For instance, Greek and Serbian churches sometimes have back-to-back weddings, so you've got to be in and out quick smart.
  • Ceremony rehearsal: Most companies won't attend the rehearsal, but I will if I can. The rehearsal absolutely does help to plan a shoot.
  • Special entertainment at the reception: For instance, someone doing a performance or singing.
  • How many speeches are being given, and by whom?


Nice to have


  • Car types: So that, when your videographer is standing out the front of a church waiting for you, they know what to look out for.
  • If there are any special rituals or traditions that your videographer might not know, it's better to talk them through what happens.
  • AV setup during ceremony and reception, particularly in terms of what sort of audio is going through which system.