We all know that in our 'new normal' world, distance or illness or border restrictions can get in the way of sharing your big day with family and friends. But just because they can’t be there with you in person, doesn’t mean they need to miss out.
Thanks to the world of digital, livestreaming is fast becoming a way of including family and friends who can't attend. All you need is a webcam (mobile phone or tablet), a decent internet connection and a livestream platform.
If you're considering livestreaming your ceremony, here’s a closer look at some of the common livestreaming platforms, and a few tips on getting set up.
Common livestreaming platforms
Most people choose to livestream using Facebook Live, Instagram TV or YouTube Live.
Facebook Live is one of the easiest platforms to use and is free to any number of participants. During your livestream, people will be able to react and comment, and you can write replies to comments or respond to them in your streaming broadcast.
If you're live streaming to your timeline, you'll also be able to choose your audience, and when your livestream has ended, your video will remain where you shared it as a video post.
Creating a Private Facebook Group for your event and inviting your online guests to the group, then selecting to only go live for your private group is a great way to ensure only those invited get to see your livestream.
Read more about Facebook Live here.
To livestream using YouTube, your channel will need to have at least 1,000 subscribers and you’ll need to have a verified YouTube account. You can choose to livestream using your mobile, a webcam or an encoder. Just like Facebook Live, YouTube Live is free for unlimited viewers and you can stream in a single video for up to 12 hours.
You can find more information about YouTube Live here.
Instagram Live is much like Facebook Live with the additional option of adding your video livestream to IGTV.
Zoom and Facetime are also popular livestream platforms, but may limit the number of virtual guests you can have attending your ceremony.
Getting set up
Keep in mind that video livestreams use a lot of data so ideally you want to be connected to a stable WiFi connection with unlimited data.
Consider using a tripod instead of holding the camera to get a much clearer, and less shaky picture.
Do a sound check, to ensure the sound quality on the livestream is clear and that any background noise is limited.
Check who is invited to the livestream and send login details or an invite to the livestream to guests joining online.
Be respectful of your venue’s privacy policies when it comes to sharing livestream videos, and always do a pre-event test to ensure things run smoothly on the day.
It pays to have someone tech-savvy responsible for managing the livestream on the day.
Go live with your livestream at least 10 minutes before the ceremony starts to allow your virtual guests time to login and get connected.
Professionals
There are a multitude of professionals who offer a livestreaming service, at varying costs and offerings. As with any vendor, do your research to make sure their service meets your needs and budget.
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