
Why would I want to live stream my wedding ceremony?
Perhaps one of your guests is ill, unable to travel, or deployed. Though they may not be able to make it in person, they may still want to be there for you, virtually!
Technology enables us to be closer to one another, and live streaming your wedding is a cool way to connect people that may be thousands of miles away!
This guide is a DIY version of how you can easily live stream portions of your wedding. It, in now way, replaces the talent and hard work of professional filmmakers and videographers, and the quality that they can provide if you were to hire them livestream and record your wedding.
I always advocate for hiring professionals. It’s less stressful and is one less thing to worry about! However, there is a low-cost way to DIY it using a smartphone and under $100 of optional, but recommended, equipment.
How to live stream your wedding using your iPhone or Android
- Designate a friend or family member
This person should be fairly tech savvy! This will be the person in charge of live streaming!
- Download your streaming app of choice
Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or Zoom
- Purchase a microphone
An external one that connects into your iPhone or Android
- Buy an iPhone or Android tripod
This will hold your iPhone or Android steady during the filming
- Get a portable battery pack
Streaming consumes a lot of battery
- Arrive at the ceremony location early
Test internet connectivity (wifi vs data)
- Charge your iPhone or Android
To 100%
- Reserve a seat close to the ceremony
Ideally the 2nd row, 2nd in from the aisle
- Connect with your remote viewers
Preferably 15-20 minutes before ceremony start time
- Sit back and relax!
and hope it all goes smoothly!
Which app should I use to livestream my wedding ceremony?
Here are my favorites for 1 on 1 streaming. All are free, easy to use, and relatively reliable.
Tip: Have your remote viewers download the app prior. Test it out with you so that they are aware of how to connect on the app.
There are several social media platforms that also allow for streaming. Be aware that these links are public and depending on privacy concerns, you may not want to broadcast this to the world.
Also, sometimes these platforms do record and you’re able to replay it later. However, if you’re using copyrighted music for your processional song, these platforms are quick to take the video down based on copyright infringement.
- YouTube Live
- Facebook Live
- IGTV
- Twitch
Is livestreaming faster with WiFi or data?
It depends. It’s important to test both to see which is more reliable. I suggest arriving at the ceremony location 1-2 hours in advance to test it out with your remote review.
Know that a 30 minute video stream will take approximately 1-2 gigs of data.
What audio equipment do I need?
Technically, none. Your iPhone or Android does have a built in microphone. However, if you’ve ever watched any video with bad audio, you’ll know that it’s a bit painful.
There are a lot of different types of microphones, but the easiest ones are the ones that plug right into your phone and clamp on top.
I wouldn’t recommend this for professional uses because of the plethora of other options – lavalier mics, boom mics, etc. However, I do believe that a plugin one will be the easiest and most reusable in the future for consumer use!
Here are my smartphone microphone recommendations:
- Smartphone Camera Video Microphone Kit,Veksun ASMR Microphone for YouTube Windscreen 3.5mm Jack External Mic for Phone iPhone Samsung DSLR Canon Nikon with Mini Tripod $57.99
- Movo Smartphone Video Rig with Shotgun Microphone, Grip Handle, Wrist Strap for iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6S, 7, 8, X, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy, Note and More $52.95