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You have decided to live stream your wedding, congratulations!
You took a big step towards including your family and friends in your event and they’ll love it.
It’s no secret that watching a live video can feel a lot more connected and personal than watching something that happened a couple of days ago.
Live streaming your special day allows you to share important moments as they happen, instead of sharing a pre-recorded video when your videographer delivers the final edit. We love wedding videos but a 3-month delivery isn’t acceptable anymore.
Differences between a Wedding Video and a Wedding Live Stream
For starters, the quality of the video during live streams is usually a little lower than a pre-recorded video. The reason for this is that it’s being recorded at the same time it’s being broadcasted.
That being said, while watching on your TV or laptop the difference is so negligible that most people wouldn’t notice.
Assuming the internet connection is good enough, the live stream quality from today’s phones is better than professional cameras from a few years ago.
So.. do you need a professional camera to live stream your wedding day?
Absolutely not.
Does your videographer need a professional camera to record and edit your day? Yes, he does.
You could hire a professional videographer to live stream your wedding, but at EventLive we simplified the live streaming process so much that any family member with a phone and a tripod can do this for you.
How to verify the video quality of your live stream
Once you have the EventLive app installed on your phone, all you need to do is run a test (or multiple, since they’re free).
Here are my recommendations to run a successful live streaming test:
- Test on location: It is recommended to try your internet connection at the venue or location where the wedding will take place.
- Test using LTE / 4G: If you have access to a mobile data plan, test that one first. The reason for this is that if you test using WiFi and then 20 other people connect to the same network on the wedding day, the speed might decrease.
- Test using WiFi: Your distance from the WiFi source can affect the speed of your internet connection. If you test using WiFi and the ceremony location moves, you might need a mobile data plan.
Once you verified the quality of your live stream, it’s good to verify the sound too. If you’re having problems with it, we also wrote a little guide on how to fix common audio live streaming problems.
How to improve video quality during your wedding live stream:
Remember that it’s your wedding day, so you will designate someone else to do this for you.
It could be a cousin or a friend, but you want them to have access to this, so feel free to share this blog post with them, or our full guide on how to live stream a wedding.
A couple of things you should know about improving your video:
- The biggest impact on your video quality will come from improving your internet connection.
- The video quality of your live stream is only as good as your video source (your phone or device).
Now, let’s talk about common video problems:
Live Streaming Video Solution #1:
Switch from WiFi to LTE
When your guests arrive at the venue, they might use the local wifi for social media, video calls, or any other use. This consumes upload bandwidth and your video live stream might lower its quality to keep up with the reduced internet speed.
Anyone at the venue (including vendors) can be using the wi-fi at any point, which might cause an unexpected drop in quality.
This is easily solved by having an LTE connection at hand. Simply turn off WiFi and see how your signal improves.
Live Streaming Video Solution #2:
Get closer to the router
When you’re live streaming an indoor event, WiFi might be your best alternative.
The easiest way to fix the wifi signal is to walk closer to the internet source and stay within a close range while the live stream lasts.
Sometimes moving the router closer to the ceremony is also an option, depending on the venue.
Live Streaming Video Solution #3:
Clean your lens
This might sound like a silly fix, but it’s very common to see people live streaming without cleaning their camera lens.
Simply clean your smartphone camera with a piece of cloth to improve the quality of your live stream.
Live Streaming Video Solution #4:
Use a phone or device with better resolution
Many of our clients decide to use an old iPad instead of their phone for live streaming.
While iPads are great, their quality is usually subpar compared to a newer phone.
Whenever possible, use a modern phone to live stream your wedding day and the quality of your video will be excellent.
Live Streaming Video Solution #5:
Keep your image steady
The more you move your camera, the more the image needs to refresh. If you’re hand-holding your phone instead of placing it on a tripod, you’re pushing your internet connection even more.
Set your smartphone on a tripod in the middle of the aisle and your image quality will improve.
Live Streaming Video Solution #6:
Stay away from walls (and closer to WiFi)
Walls and water are WiFi’s biggest enemies. If there are multiple walls between yourself and the router, your signal might drop considerably.
With water (fountains, pools, and others) this is even worse. Stay away from water if you’re live streaming over WiFi.
Live Streaming Video Solution #7:
Remote location? Try different mobile networks
Some of our brides get married in the middle of the mountains where LTE isn’t always available. Within the USA, we found that Verizon or T-Mobile tends to work a little better than AT&T in most scenarios.
Different providers have different coverage, so we recommend that you try available companies on location whenever possible.
Live Streaming Video Solution #8:
Ask people to stop video calling over the same network
Internet bandwidth will spread between every person using it.
When you’re live streaming a wedding but three other people are doing video calls to show someone at home your beautiful event, everyone’s quality will drop.
Whenever possible, use a different connection or ask people to avoid video calls.
That’s it!
These are all the solutions that will help you improve your live streaming experience.
As always, we’re here to help if you can’t sort something out, or if you need to ask us anything.
If you haven’t read our live streaming guide for weddings, I strongly recommend you have a look.
Whether you’re still considering live streaming your wedding or you’re already committed to doing this, we’re here every step of the way.
