Wedding
Your day, seen from the sky.
Your wedding day goes by in a flash, and from the ground you only see part of it. From above you see it all at once: the church, the venue, the guests waiting for you. You focus on enjoying the day, I take care of the sky, and I hand the footage to your photographer or videographer, who edits it into the video.
What I film
The moments I recommend
These are the moments I usually film from above, agreed in advance with your photographer.
The church and the venue
The venue filmed from the air as the drone flies towards it. At our wedding, the villa seen like this opened the video.
The couple's arrival
I follow you from above as you arrive, from a distance and without getting in the way. In our wedding video, our arrival by car along the tree-lined drive still takes my breath away.
The rice toss
The exit from the church amid the applause, filmed from above as the rice flies.
The group photo from the sky
All the guests in the courtyard looking up at the drone. A photo like that just can't be taken from the ground.
The couple in the landscape
A few minutes alone in a park or in the countryside. The drone starts from you and slowly pulls away until it shows everything around you.
Guests arriving, in time-lapse
A sped-up aerial shot: the empty venue slowly filling up and coming to life.
The evening party
The reception seen from above, before it gets dark.
With your photographer
I work with your photographer
Before the wedding I agree on the moments, times and positions with your photographer or videographer. On the day we work as a team, without getting in each other's way.
I hand the drone footage over to them, and they edit it into your wedding video together with their own. That way the ground shots and the aerial shots fit together in one video.
Permits and safety
Check first, then fly
The centre of Bologna, for example, is entirely a no-fly zone, and the rules near the airport are strict too. That's why the site visit comes first.
Flight zones
I check on d-flight in advance whether the church and the venue are in areas where flying is allowed, and I apply for any permits needed. If it's not possible, I'll tell you straight away.
Never over people
The drone always stays at a safe distance from the guests. I don't fly inside the church.
The weather
On the day I check wind, rain and visibility. In Australia, at the Island Arch Lookout on the Great Ocean Road, I gave up on flying because of the wind: it was still within the manufacturer's limits, but it would have pushed the drone too hard, and with the single 30-minute battery I had back then I didn't know how long it would last. Today I also have two 50-minute batteries and a power bank, but the rule hasn't changed: if it isn't safe, I don't fly. If it isn't safe to fly on your wedding day, you only pay for what has been done.
The flight plan
I have more than two hours of flight time between my batteries and a power bank. A wedding lasts longer, but that doesn't mean any moment gets missed: before the wedding, I agree with your photographer where to take off from and when to fly. That way the drone isn't in the air when it isn't needed, it captures the moments that really matter in the right light, and its battery is always charged when it counts.
A qualified, fully compliant pilot
I hold the A2 pilot certificate for the Open category, I'm registered with d-flight and I fly in line with the European regulation (EU 2019/947). Before you sign I'll show you my documents, and for every wedding I fly with dedicated third-party liability insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Before you book
How long does the shoot last on site?
It depends on the schedule for the day, the weather and the light: we agree on it together in the quote. Evening or night shoots cost a little more, because editing images shot in low light takes longer.
Will the drone disturb the ceremony?
No. During the ceremony the drone stays on the ground and never goes into the church. It only flies at the agreed moments, outdoors and at a distance from the guests.
Is a permit needed to fly at a wedding?
It depends on the place. Historic centres, areas near airports and military zones have stricter rules, and in some areas flying isn't allowed at all. I check this before confirming your quote and, if permits are needed, I take care of them.
How can we know the pilot is fully compliant?
Always ask: pilot certificate, d-flight registration and insurance. Anyone can buy a drone today, but flying at a wedding without being compliant is a risk, for you as a couple too. I show you my certificate and registration before you sign, and before the wedding I send you the policy that covers your wedding day.
A friend of ours has a drone and has offered to do the filming: why choose a professional?
It's a kind thought, but in my experience, entrusting any wedding-day service to someone who is also a guest risks lowering the quality a great deal. Between friends there isn't the detachment you have with a professional: it's hard to ask them to stick to timings and agreements, and they'd be torn between the filming and the party. With me you sign a quote and a contract: creative freedom aside, I'm bound to do the work as agreed, otherwise I don't get paid for what's missing or, in the most serious cases, at all. And your friend gets to enjoy the wedding as a guest.
Can the drone fly over the guests during the rice toss?
No, the law forbids flying over groups of people, and rightly so. I film the rice toss from the side and from above, at a safe distance, and it still looks great.
What if it rains or is too windy on the wedding day?
I know the wedding date can't be moved. If it isn't safe to fly that day, we don't fly, and you only pay for what has been done.
Do you also film the whole wedding video?
No, I only do the drone footage and hand it over to your photographer or videographer, who adds it to the wedding video.
Will the guests appear in the footage?
The images are for you and your photographer. If I publish any on my website or on Instagram, I only do so with your consent and with faces blurred.
How far in advance should we book?
The sooner the better, especially from May to September, because the site visit and any permits take time. Write to me as soon as you have your date and venues.
Tell me about your day
Send me the date, the church and the venue. I'll reply within 24 hours and we'll talk to understand exactly what you need, then I'll prepare your quote.
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