Creative Wedding Videography Ideas For Your Northern Ireland Wedding
Northern Ireland is a beautiful part of the world, rich in history and natural beauty. From dramatic coastal cliffs to rolling green hills, it’s no wonder that many couples choose to tie the knot in this stunning country.
Step 1 - Choose a stunning location.
Here are some unique wedding venues in Northern Ireland that offer something a little bit different:
The Culloden Estate and Spa - Belfast
The Culloden Estate and Spa is a luxurious 5-star hotel located just outside of Belfast.
The hotel is set within 12 acres of beautiful gardens, and its grand architecture and stunning interiors provide the perfect backdrop for a wedding.
The hotel’s unique features include its spa, which offers a range of relaxing treatments, and its culinary team, who can create a bespoke menu for your big day.
The Titanic Hotel - Belfast
The Titanic Hotel is a stunning wedding venue that celebrates the history and culture of Belfast. The hotel is located in the former Harland & Wolff Drawing Offices, where the famous Titanic ship was designed.
The hotel’s unique features include its opulent ballroom, which can accommodate up to 192 guests, and its interactive Titanic Experience, which takes guests on a journey through the history of the ship.
Castle Leslie Estate - County Monaghan
Castle Leslie Estate is a magnificent country house located in County Monaghan, just across the border from Northern Ireland.
The estate is set within 1,000 acres of stunning parkland, and its unique features include its beautiful gardens, its lake, and its equestrian centre.
The estate also offers a range of unique wedding packages, including a glamping experience where guests can stay in luxury tents or the famous “castle pods.”
The Ulster Museum - Belfast
The Ulster Museum is a unique wedding venue that offers something a little bit different for couples who love art and history.
The museum’s stunning atrium provides a dramatic backdrop for a wedding ceremony, while its galleries offer a unique space for a drinks reception or evening entertainment.
The museum’s in-house catering team can also create a bespoke menu for your big day.
The Merchant Hotel - Belfast
The Merchant Hotel is a luxurious 5-star hotel located in the heart of Belfast’s historic Cathedral Quarter.
The hotel’s unique features include its opulent Victorian architecture, its world-class spa, and its range of bespoke wedding packages.
The hotel also boasts several stunning event spaces, including its grand Great Room, which can accommodate up to 210 guests.
Mount Stewart House and Gardens - County Down
Mount Stewart House and Gardens is a stunning National Trust property located in County Down, just a short drive from Belfast.
The property boasts 98 acres of stunning gardens, including formal lawns, woodland walks, and a lake.
The house itself is a beautiful example of neo-classical architecture style, and its interiors provide a grand and elegant space for a wedding reception.
The Old Inn - County Down
The Old Inn is a historic coaching inn located in the picturesque village of Crawfordsburn, just a short drive from Belfast.
The inn’s unique features include its traditional thatched roof, its charming courtyard, and its beautiful gardens.
The inn also offers a range of unique wedding packages, including a winter wedding package that includes mulled wine and a roaring fire.
Larchfield Estate is a stunning wedding venue located in County Antrim, just outside of Belfast.
The estate is set within 600 acres of rolling countryside, and its unique features include its beautiful walled gardens, its picturesque lake, and its stunning Orangery, which provides a dramatic space for a wedding reception.
Northern Ireland offers a range of unique and beautiful wedding venues for couples looking to tie the knot in a truly special way. For more venues, don't forget to check out my two posts on weddings:
My Top 5 Wedding Venues for Videography in Northern Ireland and The best wedding photography venues in Belfast (Northern Ireland) for wedding videography.
Step 2 - be different!
Wedding Day
There are countless ways to make your wedding unique and memorable. Here are some creative ideas to consider:
Have an unusual wedding venue: Instead of the traditional venues, consider having your wedding at a botanical garden, a museum, a zoo, or even on a boat. Whilst it's often a gamble to take a risk against the weather in Northern Ireland, consider having your ceremony in the grounds of a venue. The sunshine always makes for a wonderful day, magical moments and great wedding videos!
Have a theme: A wedding theme can add a fun and unique touch to your special day. Ideas could include a beach theme, a vintage theme, or even a superhero theme.
DIY Decorations: Making your own decorations can add a personal touch and save money. Consider creating centerpieces, place cards, and wedding favors yourself.
Include cultural traditions: If you or your partner come from a different cultural background, consider incorporating traditional elements from your culture into the wedding ceremony or reception.
Have a food truck: Instead of traditional catering, have a food truck cater your wedding. This can provide a fun and unique dining experience for your guests.
Have a unique guest book: Rather than a traditional guest book, consider having guests sign a large puzzle, a map, or even a guitar.
Have a photo booth: A photo booth can provide entertainment for guests and also create fun and lasting memories.
Include surprise performances: Surprise your guests with unexpected performances during the reception, such as a flash mob or a live band.
Have a color scheme: Instead of just one or two colors, consider having a full color scheme for your wedding to add a cohesive and unique touch.
Have a non-traditional wedding party: Instead of having a traditional wedding party, consider having your closest friends and family members stand with you during the ceremony, regardless of gender or relationship to the bride and groom
Step 3 - Help me to form the most creative wedding videography ideas for your Northern Ireland wedding video!
I can only watch and record what happens! Some of my best work as a wedding videographer come from couples such as Adam and Nicola who married at the Galgorm Resort, Northern Ireland (they wrote romantic letters to each other the morning of their wedding), or Conor and Lisa, who married at the Rabbit Hotel and Retreat, Northern Ireland (they wrote their own vows and love letters to each other!).
Here's a few tips for that extra creative wedding video:
Incorporate personalised messages:
Have your wedding guests record personal messages to you and your partner throughout the day. This can add a personal touch to your wedding video and make it more emotional and memorable (this is why I always work with two videographers, so that one can capture the bride with her family and friends, whilst the other is capturing or filming the husband to be!
Use drones:
(Ok so this one is down to me!) Incorporating aerial footage of your wedding day can provide a unique perspective and stunning visuals for your wedding video. Drones can capture the beauty of your wedding venue and surrounding landscape in a way that traditional cameras cannot.
Get creative with music:
Choose music that reflects your personalities and tastes, and incorporate it into your wedding video in a creative way. This could include using a song that you wrote together, or using music from a live performance that took place during the reception. Another one down to me as a wedding videographer, but at times I'm happy to couples to give me a certain steer on their wedding music.
Use time-lapse:
Consider using time-lapse footage to show the progression of the day, from getting ready in the morning to the dance party in the evening. This can add a fun and unique element to your wedding video - and might just need you to carry on your day with one of my cameras in the corner!
Tell your story:
Work with your videographer to create a storyline that tells the story of your relationship and your wedding day. This can include interviews with you and your partner, as well as footage from your engagement shoot or pre-wedding events. By telling your story, you can create a wedding video that is truly unique and personal to you.
What else?
Writing love letters and buying gifts for each other on the morning of the wedding can add a special and romantic touch to the big day, your photos and your wedding film. It is a way for the bride and groom to express their love and appreciation for one another, and to take a moment to reflect on the journey that led them to this special day. Your wedding photographer will also want to take a few snaps of this too!
The act of writing a love letter to one's partner is a beautiful and thoughtful gesture. It allows the writer to express their feelings in a heartfelt and personal way, without any distractions or interruptions. The letter can be a way to remind the other person of the love and commitment that they share, and to reflect on the memories, moments and experiences that they have shared together.
In addition to writing love letters, buying gifts for each other can also add an extra element of romance to the wedding day and your wedding film. The gifts can be small tokens of affection, such as a special piece of jewelry, a handwritten note, or a favorite book. The gifts can also be more elaborate, such as a surprise weekend getaway or a special experience that the couple has always wanted to share together - wedding videographers love this!
On the morning of the wedding, the couple can exchange their love letters and gifts in a private and intimate setting, preferably when your wedding videographers have their camera already setup. This can be a moment of calm before the whirlwind of the day begins, where they can take a deep breath and focus on each other. The act of exchanging letters and gifts can be a special and one of all the special moments that they will treasure for the rest of their lives.
Incorporating love letters and gifts into the celebration of the wedding day can also add an element of surprise and excitement. It is a way for the couple to show their love and appreciation for one another in a way that is an unexpected and one of many candid moments which is great for filming and capturing.
It can also be a way to set the tone for the rest of the day, reminding them of the love and commitment that they share as they embark on this new chapter in their lives together.
Conclusion
Writing love letters and exchanging gifts on the morning of the wedding can add a romantic and personal touch to the big day and help to create cinematic wedding films or cinematic wedding videos. It is a way for the couple to express their love and appreciation for one another, and to take a moment to reflect on the journey that brought them to this special day. By incorporating these gestures into the wedding day, the couple can create truly special moments that they will cherish forever for years to come, and are such a joy for me to incorporate into your wedding video.
For more information about my style of wedding videos just check out my films here, and be sure to take a look at my joint photography and videography package to see my full wedding photography and videography packages and see how far your videography budget can go!
I cover, Ireland and destinations across the globe. For more information just get in touch today. I look forward to hearing from you.
