Audio Gear for Wedding Video

Clean audio is 50% of your wedding film. Invest in quality microphones and recorders to capture vows, speeches, and ceremony moments.

Golden Rule: Bad video with great audio is watchable. Great video with bad audio is unwatchable. Always prioritize audio quality - it's what makes couples cry watching their film.

Wireless Lavalier Systems

Essential

Compact Wireless Systems

Modern compact wireless systems for vows and speeches.

  • DJI Mic 2 - Compact, built-in recording, great range
  • Rode Wireless GO II - Industry standard, reliable, built-in recording
  • Hollyland Lark M2 - Compact, good value
  • Deity Pocket Wireless - Budget-friendly option

Minimum: Own at least 2 wireless systems (officiant + groom/bride).

Professional

Professional Wireless

Broadcast-quality systems for demanding environments.

  • Sennheiser EW-D / EW 100 - Professional standard
  • Sony UWP-D Series - Excellent build quality
  • Shure SLXD - Broadcast reliability

Lavalier Microphones

Recommended Lavs

  • Rode Lavalier II - Included with Wireless GO II
  • Deity W.Lav Pro - Great value, clean sound
  • Sennheiser ME 2-II - Professional standard
  • Sanken COS-11D - Broadcast quality, excellent concealment

Lav Accessories

  • Rycote Undercovers / Overcovers - Wind protection, concealment
  • Ursa Straps - Secure, comfortable mounting
  • Moleskin / Medical Tape - DIY mounting
  • Wind Screens - Essential for Hawaii outdoor ceremonies

Shotgun & On-Camera Microphones

On-Camera / Hotshoe Mics

  • Rode VideoMic Pro+ - Industry standard for DSLR/mirrorless
  • Rode VideoMic NTG - Hybrid shotgun, excellent audio
  • Sennheiser MKE 400 - Compact, professional quality
  • Deity V-Mic D4 Duo - Dual-capsule option

Use For: Ambient sound, backup audio, b-roll, and crowd reactions.

Professional Shotgun Mics

  • Rode NTG5 - Lightweight, broadcast quality
  • Sennheiser MKH 416 - Industry legend, super-cardioid
  • Deity S-Mic 2S - Great value professional shotgun

Audio Recorders

Essential

Portable Recorders

  • Zoom H6 / H5 - Multiple XLR inputs, versatile
  • Zoom F3 - 32-bit float recording (never clip!)
  • Tascam DR-40X - Good value 4-track recorder
  • Sound Devices MixPre-3 II / MixPre-6 II - Professional quality, 32-bit float

32-bit Float: Modern recorders with 32-bit float recording virtually eliminate clipping - huge advantage for unpredictable wedding audio.

Backup Recording

Always have backup audio! Options include:

  • Rode Wireless GO II / DJI Mic built-in recording
  • Dedicated recorder near officiant (hidden)
  • Camera audio as emergency backup

Typical Ceremony Audio Setup

Recommended 3-Point Setup

  1. Officiant Lav - Wireless lav on officiant (captures vows, readings)
  2. Groom Lav - Wireless lav on groom (picks up both vows)
  3. Ambient Mic - Shotgun on camera or separate recorder (music, crowd, ambiance)

Optional 4th: Bride lav for redundancy or if couple prefers to face each other.

Speech Coverage

  • Option 1: Handheld mic feed from DJ/venue (XLR to recorder)
  • Option 2: Your own handheld wireless to speaker
  • Option 3: Lav on each speaker (more setup time)

Tip: Coordinate with DJ beforehand for board feed access.

Hawaii Audio Challenges
  • Wind: Trade winds are constant - use wind screens/dead cats on all mics
  • Waves: Ocean sound is beautiful but can overwhelm dialogue - get lavs close
  • Humidity: Keep equipment dry, store with silica gel
  • Open-Air Venues: Less reflective surfaces means less ambient sound pickup
  • Musicians: Coordinate with ukulele/slack-key players for clean audio
  • Backup: Always have backup recording - equipment failures happen