8 Tips for live streaming your wedding

By Michael Palmrose

Wedding season is upon us! Live streaming a wedding can be crucial when you have a destination wedding or relatives that simply don’t have the means to attend your special day.

If you try to live streaming a wedding on your own, you may run into a number of unexpected issues:

●      You can hear the officiant, but you can’t hear the bride and groom

●      You can only see the bride’s reaction or you can only see the groom’s reaction

●      All you get is shaky, low-quality video from someone’s hand-held device

●      Your Wifi could cut out in the middle of the ceremony - especially if it’s outside

●      You could face some serious lighting issues if you use a tablet or other mobile device

Relying on your wedding videographer also comes with it’s challenges. They typically do not own live streaming equipment and are more focused on getting the right shots after the ceremony - such as cake cutting, first dance, etc. A live stream team can record the ceremony and provide a copy ASAP, whereas a videographer will take months to produce your wedding ceremony video. Ideally, having a live stream setup is perfect if you have a large audience watching your ceremony overseas OR if you are an influencer and you’d like to bring your fans along for the ceremony. You can even charge fans to join your live stream at a price, if you’d like.

Things your live stream team will need from you in advance

So... you’re sitting down with your potential live stream provider. Here are a few questions that you should be prepared for:

●      Do you want closeups of the wedding party?

●      Do you want just the bride and groom reactions?

●      Do you want reaction shots from the family?

●      Are there any religious aspects that should be covered?

●      What is the schedule for the ceremony?

●      Will there be more than one speaker during the ceremony?

●      Do you want any wide shots of the ceremony (a tree, a wedding arch, the beach, etc)?

●      How soon will you need the live stream URL in advance to send to family and friends before the ceremony?

●      How soon will you need the live stream recording afterwards?

●      Would you like to add graphics to your ceremony? Like a logo, name(s) or hashtag for your wedding?

●      Would you like to include a slideshow while people are watching and waiting for the ceremony to start?

Here are some other considerations when planning your wedding live stream event:

How much does it cost to live stream a wedding?

A top of the line professional live stream package with fail-proof audio and video, multiple camera angles and an HD camera shoot would be in the range of $2,000-$3,000. The budget is always negotiable, depending on your preferences.

Have multiple cameras to capture all of the reactions

A professional live streamer should provide you with multiple cameras. That way, you don’t miss the reactions on both the bride and the groom’s side. Close ups on faces are very important. In so many cases I see great shots of the officiant, but not a great shot of the bride/groom’s side reactions. You can also toss in a reaction shot for the family’s reaction if you have the budget to do so!

What platform should I stream my wedding on?

If you want a secure website link to send just for your family, you need to make sure its password-protected or has a unique URL (meaning it is not searchable by others). Our company uses Vimeo, which is 100% password-protected. This can be embedded onto the couples wedding page so that it's easier to find prior to the start of the wedding. If you’re an influencer and you’re looking to reach as many people as possible, I would recommend YouTube. Keep in mind, if there is a copy-written song playing in your wedding ceremony, YouTube could cut your stream. This is something to think about. Facebook Live would by my third recommended option, but it can be tricky. One of the issues that I run into is that if someone wants to stream to multiple destinations, YouTube will block all the other streams. So as of 2019, you cannot do Facebook and YouTube at the same time, in one stream.

Always have a backup ceremony location

Make sure there is a rain contingency. If there is no backup plan to move the outdoor ceremony into an indoor venue in case the weather gets bad, I would not consider hiring a live stream company.

The live stream team schedule

Your live stream team should do a location survey at least a week before the ceremony. The live stream company should arrive at least 2 hours before the ceremony to set up. This needs to be done in order to confirm there’s modem reception and electricity access for all of the equipment. The live stream must be able to test and record, ready to go at least an hour before the ceremony. If the bride and groom do not want to rely on the officiant’s microphone, the bride’s and groom’s microphones must be hooked up and ready an hour before the ceremony starts.

Should I tip my live stream team?

It’s not necessary to tip your live stream team. All costs are included within the quote.

Point of contact for your live stream team

Have a wedding coordinator or venue point of contact? Send over their contact info to your live stream team. The only thing the couple should be thinking about on the day of their wedding is enjoying their special day!

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10 events you will want to live stream

By Michael Palmrose

As part of our second blog post ever, we’d like to provide a useful checklist to make sure you are incorporating live streaming into your daily life where it makes sense and where it will have the biggest impact on your audience. The entertainment business is getting a lot more global. Don’t restrict yourself to one place - make yourself seen! Take a look at our top 10 use cases for live streaming and how it can augment your current capabilities to grow your audience more than ever before.

1. Dance performances: Privacy is of utmost importance for this, especially when broadcasting your child’s dance recital. Today’s live streaming capabilities allow friends and family members to access a unique and private link for dance performances. With live streaming, dancers have full situational awareness backstage. The live feed can be shown in dressing rooms so instructors and dancers are fully aware of the upcoming acts. Loved ones can watch the feed from the comfort of their home. Think of grandma who couldn’t make it to her granddaughter’s recital because she lives in another state! Attendees can also have access to a recorded copy of the live stream after the show is over.

2. Musicians: Live streaming concerts is a chance for up and coming artists to really get their name heard and break through the noise! Imagine this as an added layer to reach new fans. One great example was how indie band They Might be Giants live streamed one of their concerts from Denver. It was an opportunity for people who couldn’t make it to the show to connect with their fan base and share it with friends online. Fans were also able to watch their concerts after the fact using the live stream recording. By live streaming on platforms like Twitch artists can gate and monetize their concert feed and gain new followers.

3. Comedy: A quirky and oddball sense of humor may have more global appeal than you think. Take a look at what it was like for comedian Gabriel Iglesias to perform in Saudi Arabia! In this case, social media and live streaming are a match made in heaven. Your fan base will appreciate it! Live streaming gives you the power to reach an untapped audience on the other side of the world. Sometimes all it takes is just a live stream for a comedian’s career to take off.

4. Weddings: Live streaming your special day is a prefect fit for brides that have family members overseas. This option is also ideal for brides on a budget with big families and social networks. Couldn’t afford to invite all 300 people to your wedding? Have no fear. Now you can showcase your special day through a live stream. Although many clients will only want to live stream the ceremony, social media influencers and celebrities may want to live stream the entire day through a private link. Not to mention, live streaming also serves as a great backup option for your videographer and your photographer. Putting a laptop next the newlyweds during the ceremony and just simply launching Skype will leave your viewers wondering why the audio and video quality is almost unbearable. Don’t skimp on the opportunity to live stream your wedding professionally.

5. Religious services: This is an opportune moment for a church, synagogue or mosque to gain new followers. This is also a way for people to find houses of worship when they move to a new neighborhood. Followers are able to worship from the comfort of their home using a live stream link when physical or geographical obstacles prevent them from attending in person.

6. Global All Staff Meetings: Unify your global offices through a company-wide webcast. Corporations that are seeking to connect remote offices or remote employees can create a feeling of belonging through All Staff or Town Hall meetings. A live stream could also provide you with the capability to ask questions directly to your CEO. A link to the recorded event can also be shared with all employees through a intranet/internal corporate portal or via email.

7. Conferences: Having a live stream at a trade show is yet another benefit for conference organizers. Audience members worldwide would love to have access to keynote speakers, workshops and breakout sessions. Options to monetize the stream are also available to the organizations that put on these conferences. Take a look at how one telecommunications company live streamed their Industry Day where they address their goals, challenges and exciting news on the horizon.

8. Education/Non-profit Outreach: Have you ever watched a telethon? If you don’t even know what that is, it may have been before your time. Livestreaming is made for fundraising. It can also be used by government and nonprofit entities to run educational workshops, volunteer training, record local parades and air city council meetings. A larger audience can create a more informed community and increase community involvement such as volunteering and small business growth.

9. Culinary Shows: Move over, Food Network! You’re not the only one transmitting high quality cooking shows anymore! Using the best ingredients may make you a quality chef, but creating a quality live stream show is a challenge if you’re a novice. A live stream package can definitely get rid of any grainy, low-quality streaming you typically see with home-made cooking videos. Professional live streaming is not only crystal-clear, but it also includes an option to export your shows to YouTube and Instagram Live which are quite popular channels for today’s celebrated chefs. Beer, wine and food tasting connoisseurs can also get in on the live streaming action to showcase their craft.

10. Podcasts: Some podcasts are destined to be shown on screens. Former Mythbuster’s host Adam Savage not only has a popular podcast, but also has over 4 million subscribers on his YouTube channel: Adam Savage Tested. These days, a lot of famous YouTubers are using both audio and video platforms to reach their target audiences. You can even start with your YouTube video and automatically push your audio into a podcast. Watch the tutorial here.

No matter what talent you are showcasing, make sure that you don’t underestimate the impact of live streaming. This new, interactive, global and powerful tool is not limited to the ten categories listed above. What are some ways that you’ve used live streaming to reach a wider audience? Leave a comment below. For a live streaming quote, be sure to click here.

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Entertainment Unlimited: Who are we? What is our Mission?

By Natalia Kossobokova

Welcome to our very first blog post!

As part of our very first blog post we’d like to thank you for visiting the site. We launched this platform for you to be able to get helpful tips, tricks and suggestions for your livestreaming needs.

Entertainment Unlimited is a professional live streaming service and the owner and CEO, Michael Palmrose started this business because he is passionate about being able to transmit live video from anywhere in the world. As a tenured videographer, Palmrose has spent decades working as a live streamer. His portfolio includes working for ESPN, FOX Sports and local news stations around the country. While he served as a videographer at these events, he’s become incredibly fond of the individuals he has filmed throughout his career whether it be professional dancers, football players or reporters.

“I thought -- if I could just take all of my experience as a broadcast industry veteran -- how can I use it to benefit the community around me?” says Palmrose. “For me it’s about using transportable or mobile equipment that can transmit video from a live event to anywhere in the world.”

Originally, Palmrose came up with the idea when he was covering local dance recitals in the city of Falls Church, Virginia. He could see that the parents loved having the capability to watch recitals from the prep room backstage, in the lobby while they bought tickets and the family members also enjoyed having a full copy of their child’s performance after the show was over.

Palmrose’s ambitions do not end with dance recitals. He sees a lot of benefits for both the public and private sector when it comes to live streaming. He also hopes his clients can leverage his equipment and expertise to broadcast local, national and international musical performances, comedies, weddings, culinary shows, podcasts and many more events around the world.

“In the day and age where social media is so powerful, live streaming is a key component of enhancing someone’s social presence. Whether you want to spread a message, promote your business, or fund raise for a local charity - social media and live streaming go hand-in-hand,” said Palmrose.

To read more about the CEO and his professional background, be sure to check out his bio.

We are always looking for suggestions to improve our blog and our website. Please be sure to leave any questions you have for us below and stay tuned for our upcoming blog posts!

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