While photos are known to capture even the most fleeting moments with a quick click, there is a unique emotional poignancy in full-length videography. Here’s why.

By Olivia C Frazer

Jamie Podworski, president of the Boston Wedding Group and owner of Boston-based JPod Films, recently recalled a few of his most notable weddings: “I just had this couple from about eight years ago post their wedding video again and they commented, ‘It’s our annual watch party.’ They post the video on Facebook and Instagram every year. This wedding even had Santa Claus show up.” We both laugh at the mental image. 

After 15 years in the industry, the success of Jamie’s business testifies to the importance of visual storytelling and how the market of wedding videography thrives. With the advances of modern technology, it’s no surprise how integral these personalized films have become to Jamie’s clients. According to Jamie, “You want to experience the day again. You can see it in pictures. I want you to hear the voices. I want you to enjoy it, yeah. Get goosebumps. Cry. I want you to feel it.” 

How videography makes you feel

The little culprit responsible for why we cry at weddings is a hormone called oxytocin. This hormone helps us feel empathy and love, even for absolute strangers, which helps explain why there are very few dry eyes at a wedding. Moreover, oxytocin is such a prolific aspect of human interaction that neuroeconomist Paul J. Zak has made his entire career out of studying this “moral molecule,” the neuropeptide that makes us feel for others. That’s why seeing clips of a wedding — whether someone else’s or your own — can be enough to give you goosebumps as you gain access to intimate moments of a significant day. You feel because you are watching someone else feel what you would feel — because we are all, at our core, social creatures. 

Why you want to revisit your wedding day

Ironically, a big advantage of videos is that they let you witness your wedding from a third-person perspective rather than from your own. For you, the day can understandably feel like a blur; moreover, the flaws of human memory can often contort or fade the events. That is why, if you look up “ways to relive your wedding day,” you’ll find a barrage of articles offering advice on how to get over the post-wedding blues — and one of the suggestions is to watch your wedding video.

And while having an uncle with a clunky camcorder record the wedding has its charm, there is a definite plus to having a high-end supercut crafted by professionals. JPod Films, for example, captures the unique energy of each couple so as to more truthfully tell their story by utilizing musical effects that best suit their personality. Another way videos tell the couple’s story is by the glimpses they offer into the lives of people that may no longer be with us. It’s a big reason many clients have reached out to Jamie, even years later, to express their gratitude. 

As the company’s website states, “To us, it’s more than a video, it’s a wedding film.”