Want to Live Stream Your Wedding? Here’s How

Even dream weddings can be missing something — friends and family who cannot attend. So what better way to utilize live streaming technology than for a once in a lifetime event? There are a number of web based services that specialize in live streaming weddings. Check out a couple of them here:

Marry Me Live

Stacy Yamaoka and her business partner Christopher Anderson started Marry Me Live in 2009. “It started because we recognized the needs of both of our families,” Yamaoka told Mashable. Anderson’s grandparents weren’t able to attend his sister’s wedding in 2009. By the time wedding Yamaoka’s sister’s wedding rolled around later that year, they decided to live stream the occasion to guests who couldn’t make it.

Yamaoka and Anderson live streamed their own wedding this past month. Since Anderson is from Texas and Yamaoka’s from California, the couple, who met in New York, decided it would be wise to stream their special day so everyone they know could attend, at least virtually.

Since 2009, Marry Me Live has expanded to 15 cities and works with a network of 20 videographers. Yamaoka said Marry Me Live vets each videographer to ensure they are hiring qualified professionals. All the videographers are versed on how to utilize the Marry Me Live streaming platform. Weddings can be live streamed overseas if needed. Yamaoka recalled one bride who live streamed her wedding to her brother in Iraq, who watched the service from a local Internet cafe.

March through September or October is the busiest time of the year for the site, with three-to-four weddings being live streamed each month. Each couple gets a personalized wedding page, from which their wedding will be live streamed, at least two weeks prior to the couple’s wedding.

“Most of the time, a wedding couple shares their viewing webpage in an email or on their wedding website several weeks before their wedding,” Yamaoka said. “Facebook and Twitter are also a great way to notify a larger network of friends a few days before the big event.”

Marry Me Live has two pricing plans. To hire Yamaoka and her husband (who are based on Texas), wedding streaming fees start at $2,000. This includes a video expert simultaneously broadcasting live and recording the ceremony for later. However, pricing differs between cities and videographers.

What sets Marry Me Live apart from other live streaming platforms? Yamaoka said they understand a wedding can only be live streamed once, so they perfect this experience. “There are only a handful of other regional companies trying to do what we do,” she added.

I Do Stream

Based in Connecticut, I Do Stream offers live streaming for weddings throughout the United States and destination weddings in Cancun, Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, St. Thomas and Hawaii.

I Do Stream works with more than 350 videographers, but like Marry Me Live, the prices vary. If you’re on a budget and a newbie streamer, you can rent the equipment for $595, or you can use I Do Stream and your own equipment for $199. A support line can walk you through the setup. Support staff will also monitor the live feed for your entire ceremony.

When your customized page is ready, virtual guests will be notified via an automated email. They can also view the wedding at any time for 90 days after the event or purchase a recording for their iPod.

To test the live stream before your big day, make sure your customized page is ready and download the broadcast software. Have a friend or relative in another location login to the site and make sure they can view the live stream.

Even if your wedding is this coming weekend, there’s still time to setup this live stream. I Do Stream asks for one day advanced notice assuming you have all the necessary equipment: a laptop computer, camcorder, firewire or USB video capture device and Internet access.

Ordering the Enhanced Broadcast Package requires a two weeks notice to process and ship the equipment.

You can view what the live stream will look like on the company’s website.

Couples might also consider general streaming services like Ustream or Skype.

What do you think about Marry Me Live and I Do Stream? Would you use either of these services? Tell us in the comments.

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