No, aliens are not attending your wedding—that circling drone is one of your photographers, providing a bird’s-eye perspective on your nuptials.
“Drones [are] a tool to help tell the story of the couple,” says cinematographer Joshua Hall, whose WhiteFlair Productions includes drones in its wedding photography packages. “A drone shot can help tell the story of where the couple is getting married, or the grandeur of a stunning wedding venue.”
Drones can be used to provide either photography or video, and often are operated by the lead photographer or videographer (an additional person may not be required). But having a professional operator is crucial—this is not a place to save money by having a friend or relative bring their personal drone for a fly-over.
First off, a drone is considered an “unmanned aircraft;” commercial drone operators are subject to Federal Aviation Administration regulations, and required to have a pilot’s license. Local photographer Aaron Watson, who’s been documenting weddings for more than two decades and is a licensed drone operator, says most wedding venues require licensing and insurance, and have substantial restrictions on what equipment can be used, at what time of day, and in what locations—if they allow drones at all. (For example, “you can’t fly [a drone] in national parks,” notes Watson, so if you’re getting married on Old Rag, drone shots are not an option.)
Another big consideration: Drones can be noisy. Hall warns, “Flying a drone low during the ceremony can create loud buzzes that leave many guests looking around in the sky, pointing and talking about the drone”—not exactly what you want happening as you say your vows. An experienced, professional drone operator will know which equipment to use and where, to minimize disruption and to capture the memories you want to keep.
The advantages of using a drone? “It’s a different vantage point on the event,” says Watson. “And everybody wants something a little different.”
Charlottesville is known for its gorgeous venues—historic sites, vineyards and cideries, beautiful farms, or mountain vistas. Drones are the perfect way to capture these settings as part of your big day, whether in a shot from an aerial perspective or in a mobile video sequence.
Watson, whose award-winning company is known for its drone work, says, “If we do photography as an art form, we can [use drones to] make a work of art—personal art.” He stresses both the beauty and fun that using a drone can bring to the day, whether it’s arranging high-perspective shots of the wedding party in the event landscape, capturing the couple in a private moment after the ceremony, or finding those unguarded reactions that help make the day memorable. Drones can also be used to capture night shots, but with certain restrictions, such as lights to alert other aircraft, as per the FAA.
If you think you’d like to include a drone in your big day, “be sure to ask the right questions,” says Watson. Then, once you and your photographer have planned it all out, “the photographs—and the memories—are amazing.”
Photo: Aaron Watson Photography
