How to Get the Best Quality Audio at Weddings

While great audio can’t save a terrible video, terrible audio can ruin a great video. Bottom line: sound matters. Try these audio tools and techniques to keep your couples sounding as good as they look.

1. Use Multiple Sources
Connect officiant and groom lavaliere mics to wireless transmitters such as the Sennheiser G3 or a portable recorder like the Zoom H2N. Ideally, use both to ensure a backup audio source for crucial ceremony dialogue. If the ceremony venue has a sound system, record a line in from their soundboard, but try not to rely on this as your main audio source; you may not know the quality of the venue’s equipment, nor the competence of their sound person.

2. Always Mount Your Mics
Mount your hidden lav mics using Rycote Overcovers, which have removable adhesive to stick under clothing and are made with wind-jamming material that buffers clothing rustle. The bride’s lav adheres under the cleavage of her dress, while groom and officiant lavs should nestle neatly under the collar of a dress shirt.

3. Capture Audio the Right Way
Feed mics into individual recorders or a central multi-channel recorder, like the Roland R-44 or Tascam DR-70D. The latter allows for live monitoring and makes syncing sources easier in post, while the former offers simplicity and size advantages. Ideally, use a multi-track recorder for primary mics and individual recorders for secondary and ambient sources.

4. Don’t Forget Ambient Sound
A shotgun mic, an omnidirectional mic, and/or an audio recorder from your central camera position will allow you to capture ambient sound and round out the soundtrack during editing.

5. Give Everyone a Mic
Avoid the temptation to pick up the bride’s audio with the groom/officiant mics. “Ambient noise and soft-speaking brides give you troublesome audio in post,” says Michael Shu, director and cinematographer at Alumiq. His team uses a specialized garter belt holding a small Olympus recorder with a Sennheiser lav. Cinematographer Georgia Yeh takes over mic placement. “Having a lady on the team is the best way to have the bride and bridesmaids comfortable with the process,” she says.

6. Prep For the Reception
Wedding receptions offer their own challenges, with guests and speeches of varying volume. You may have sound reinforcement from the venue or DJ and will be able to record a line off their soundboard from a wireless mic. Otherwise, place a shotgun mic on your camera and keep it pointed at whomever is speaking. A well-placed audio recorder can also provide a backup source as well as ambient sound.

7. Look at Sound Levels
You may be tempted to boost the audio to catch nervous couples and quiet vows, but it’s always easier to bring up quiet audio during post than to replace distortion caused by unexpected bursts of laughter and cheers. “We like to keep our recording levels between -6 and -12dB to allow headroom for peaks,” Shu explains. “We can’t always be checking the audio, so having it at these levels gives a safe range.”

8. Use Lavaliere Mics
At a wedding, you, your mics, cords and equipment must be out of sight. Hidden lavaliere mics such as the Sennheiser ME2 are crucial for capturing clear audio unobtrusively. Clip-on mics may be more affordable, but are visually distracting and are unlikely to be accepted by the bridal party.