Italian wedding videographers are renowned for their captures of moods, connections, and love, transforming weddings into cinematic masterpieces showcasing technical finesse.

In recent years, the art of wedding videography has taken centre stage in documenting these moments of love, capturing destination weddings, from Venice wedding videos to Rome wedding films, and providing couples with lasting memories that go beyond mere photographs. We embark on a journey through the world of Italian wedding videography, delving into the works of some of the country's finest videographers - Alessandro Pardi, Alessandro Pentenè, Poeticæ Studio, Simona Tortolano, Three Seconds Film, and SE Wedding Films.

We uncover the distinctive styles, trends, and aesthetics that define the artistry of these talented professionals. They share their insights into their unique approaches, storytelling techniques, and how they build meaningful connections with the couples they work with. Additionally, we explore the practical aspects of the industry—discussing booking processes and pricing.

Dynamic and uplifting wedding videos / Alessandro Pardi

Alessandro’s first job in the video field was as a documentarian. He loves documentaries and continues to make them, together with many reportage, corporate and fashion jobs outside the wedding sector. This is reflected in his wedding videos, in which he tries to tell the most beautiful day of a couple without filters and artifices, with delicacy and elegance.

He shares that his greatest desire is to recreate and convey the emotions and mood of the day, without imposing a style at all costs or working for clichés but putting himself at the service of the story, of the emotions that he experienced with them and that he feels he can tell, trying every time to make the story unique. His cinematic wedding films are very dynamic and uplifting and not strictly as romantic as the works of many other wedding videographers.

Alessandro’s take on Italian wedding videography trends

Speaking of current wedding videography trends, he reveals that after years of exponential growth in terms of the quality of wedding videos, we have reached such a high level that it is perhaps difficult to understand how we can improve further, despite the existing differences in style.

At this moment, he believes a certain flattening prevails in general from a narrative point of view, perhaps also encouraged by a now predominant use of stabilizers and gimbals, with which the personal stylistic code is a little less during the shooting phase and the bulk of the I work in this sense during the subsequent editing.

As a professional wedding videographer, Alessandro Pardi has developed his distinct approach, and he shares that he doesn’t like to follow current trends or tastes too much, but he focuses, during the wedding day and then in post-production, on creating a product that lasts and thrills in the same way, now and in the years to come, without boring never.

For example, he works a lot by hand or with a monopod, with his eye often in the viewfinder, as if wanting to be inside every moment, every situation. As far as possible, he believes a wedding video should strive not to be a photocopy of others, in which only the "actors" change and little else, but must represent something unique, personal, faithful to the spouses and the emotions of the day.

When inquired about the unique features of Italian wedding videography, Alessandro Pardi believes he’s telling the truth and not being too biased if he says that Italy is a truly unique country. During a wedding season, wedding videographers can find themselves working with couples from all over the world, by the sea, in the Chianti hills or the middle of the imperial forums of Rome; among the canals of Venice, in a castle or on a boat on Lake Como.

As he explains, in no other country in the world is something similar possible, and it is no coincidence that in recent years, many European or overseas colleagues have concentrated many of their efforts on coming to work in Italy and presenting a made-in-Italy portfolio.

Alessandro elaborates that it is, therefore, clear that for an Italian videographer, it is essential to tell all of this, showing with style, taste and elegance (characteristics that are part of the DNA of this country) the landscapes, locations, decorations and top-level settings of the events in which they work. The couples who come here are in love with Italy, they want to live a dream, breathe the Dolce Vita, and therefore, find it in the videos and photographs of their wedding. This is perhaps the biggest difference: Italian wedding videographers don't just tell an event but the dream behind it.

Building connection with the couples

When talking about his approach to working with couples, Alessandro Pardi explains that, as with all wedding videographers and photographers, he is usually contacted personally through social media or wedding planners. In any case, he always asks to make at least one video call, in which he and the couple can see each other, get to know each other and talk about themselves, his work, the couple's story, the event and what they envision.

Through a series of targeted questions, he tries to find out more about the couple, to understand what type of event it will be, how it will turn out and what they expect from him and his work. Then he explains to them how he works and what his few needs are so that the couple can arrive prepared and calm on the wedding day.

During the wedding day, Alessandro Pardi follows everything that happens with a documentarist eye, discreetly and sensitively capturing it all. The light guides and inspires every one of his shots, which he studies as much as possible and, in the short time available, lines and composition. The rest is made of emotions which are transmitted to him, and which he tries to show with sensitivity and empathy in his images. As he concludes, he tries to show beauty in all its facets.

Booking and pricing

Alessandro Pardi advises the couple to contact the wedding videographer 8-9 months in advance. He admits that very often, the choice of the videographer comes after that of the wedding photographer, which in most cases is still primary. He has had brides who wrote to him 2 years before the wedding because, for them, the video was of primary importance; others contacted him 2 months before because maybe they managed to recover the necessary budget to also have a good video.

As he explains, wedding videographers are used to doing impossible things during the wedding season and also prepared for last-minute requests, so all the requests, no matter how timely, have the same importance to him.

Regarding the costs for a videographer in Italy, there are different degrees for every type of need. Much depends on the services offered and the hours included, but, in Alessandro’s personal opinion, above all, they depend on the target of the couples with whom the videographers work. You can go from €2,500/3,000 to €8-9,000 and more. As he explains, wedding planners, in this sense, play a fundamental role and guide couples' choice of this or the other supplier, depending on their taste and spending possibilities.

When asked if he can share some advice for couples on how to find the right videographer, Alessandro Pardi responds that he doesn’t think there are any tricks or secrets on how to find the right videographer, as every couple has different needs and sensitivities and chooses based on these. However, the advice he would like to give is to dedicate the right time and resources to the choice of video because, as, unfortunately, often happens, only afterwards do we realize its importance and how it is a unique means of keeping memories alive over time.

As he emphasizes, this is true even if the event is small and very intimate: some of the works that he is the fondest of and which he considers to be the most successful are very small weddings or elopements, in which at the centre there is nothing other than the couple and their love in their best day. This is what he loves to tell, what he wants to give them.

Vibrant and romantic wedding videos / Alessandro Pentenè

Alessandro Pentenè tells us that he loves to create engaging videos that can be unconventional, vibrant and romantic at the same time. He further explains that the trailer video he edits is generally more artistic, while the film (longer video) is more documentary-style. He enjoys creating romantic wedding cinematography in every location, from a marvellous masseria in Apulia or an enchanting tenuta in Tuscany to an elegant villa in Como Lake.

Alessandro Pentenè and his team are flexible and can work in any condition to meet the needs of the couple. He offers all kinds of videos - wedding stories, elopement, engagement, corporate videos and events.

Speaking of his communication style with the couples and work style on the wedding day, Alessandro Pentene shares that he always prefers to capture moments the way they happen, in reportage style, for instance. He aims to create a tailor-made experience so the couple can enjoy their best day, knowing he’ll take care of every detail.

When inquired about the prices of his wedding video services, he explains that every event is tailor-made, but they generally change depending on how many video makers are requested and if the couple wants the trailer video (shorter version) or also the film (longer version). The drone is always included in all their packages.

Cinematic wedding films / Poeticæ Studio

One of the best Italian wedding videographers, Umberto Tumminia from Poeticæ Studio, shares that he loves cinema therefore the look of his videos is always cinematic. In his eyes, in a film, shots and music are fundamental. For him, it all starts from here. Naturally, every wedding becomes an opportunity for him to try new approaches with the couple and look for new things that can make the storytelling deeper and more intimate.

Speaking of the current wedding videography trends, Umberto reveals that the trend in recent times is to include some retro-style parts in the video through software that today includes film simulations. However, he thinks it would be cool to use the original vintage instruments instead of simulations. He admits that he doesn’t like the trends often promoted by social media. Umberto thinks that storytelling is worth more than any trend, and we should focus on that. Trends go out of fashion, while a well-written story is eternal.

Based on what Umberto sees, comparing Italian wedding highlights with wedding videos in other European countries, it seems that European videographers pay more attention to the romantic part and experiment less, while many Eastern videographers love to use special effects, transitions and artificial lights to make videos more scenic. Umberto thinks that beauty lies somewhere in the middle and that everything proposed has to tell a significant message.

Sharing his approach to working with couples, Umberto emphasizes that it is essential to meet the couple before the wedding and understand whether they can be comfortable in front of the camera. Knowing this allows him to have a suitable approach without ever making the client feel uncomfortable. He shows them his videos and asks them what moved them the most.

Additionally, he proposes a pre-wedding session that allows him to achieve two objectives. First, to have footage to include in the wedding film to have more powerful storytelling. Second, to understand more to what extent he can use them as models.

On the wedding day, Umberto dedicates himself to reportage in the preparation, ceremony, and party phase without directing the couple, trying to capture their spontaneity. Differently, in the couple sessions, he tries to guide them like a director. Some things he has in mind previously, for others, he lets himself be inspired by the location or by the couple themselves, trying to always put them at ease. He likes movement – walking, dancing, running, playing, etc.

Umberto advises the couples to contact their desired videographer at least a year before the wedding date. After the wedding, Poeticæ Studio delivers the trailer within 48 hours and the complete video in about three months.

Umberto adds that even if the wedding has few guests, the video can convey what photography cannot do – voices and sounds. In his experience, couples often cry watching videos while this rarely happens with photos. In conclusion, photos and videos are two things you absolutely must have! One cannot replace the other.

Editorial wedding video / Simona Tortolano

Simona Tortolano is a Florence wedding cinematographer renowned for her fashion-inspired wedding films. Her work goes beyond the traditional documentation of ceremonies and events; she seeks to capture the poetry behind each image, creating storytelling wedding videos. Simona's films are not just a visual record of a wedding day but a carefully crafted narrative that intertwines the elements of fashion, emotion, and artistry.

What sets Simona apart is her ability to infuse her own emotions into the films she creates. Each shot is not just a visual composition but a reflection of the sentiment and atmosphere of the moment. Her unique style involves weaving together the aesthetics of fashion with the emotional depth of a wedding day, creating films that are not only visually stunning but also deeply resonant.

Destination wedding videography / Three Seconds Film

Three Seconds Film is a destination wedding videography team known for its expertise in crafting immersive and cinematic wedding videos. Their work goes beyond traditional documentation, aiming to transform the wedding experience into a visual narrative that resembles a feature film. The use of cinematic techniques, such as dynamic camera movements, creative editing, and attention to visual storytelling, gives their videos a movie-like quality.

The team at Three Seconds Film is skilled at turning weddings into cinematic masterpieces, where every detail contributes to the overall narrative. Whether it's the breathtaking landscapes of a destination wedding or the intimate moments between the couple, their videos capture Italian love stories.

Authentic and spontaneous wedding films / SE Wedding Films

SE Wedding Films is a team of wedding videographers celebrated for their authentic and spontaneous approach to capturing the essence of each couple's love story. They work everywhere, creating Tuscany wedding films, immersing themselves in Como or Amalfi Coast videography, as well as travelling to do destination wedding videography.

Rather than staging scenes, they aim to be unobtrusive observers, allowing the day to naturally unfold while capturing the raw and genuine emotions that make each wedding unique. SE Wedding Films takes a personalized approach to storytelling, recognizing that each couple has a distinctive journey. Their videos are crafted to reflect the individuality of the couple, showcasing not only the major events but also the smaller, more intimate moments that define their love story. The team at SE Wedding Films is likely skilled in using their expertise in videography to create a narrative that feels both authentic and cinematic.

Author: Renāte Berga

Italian wedding videographers: Alessandro Pardi, Alessandro Pentenè, Poeticæ Studio, Simona Tortolano, Three Seconds Film, SE Wedding Films