The Ultimate Guide to Preparing Wedding Video Projects for Professional Editing

As a wedding videographer, capturing those perfect moments is just the beginning. The real magic happens in post-production, where raw footage transforms into cinematic masterpieces that couples will cherish forever. Whether you're using WedWill's unlimited video editing service or working with another editor, proper project preparation is key to a smooth, efficient workflow.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the essential steps of preparing your wedding video projects for professional editing, helping you streamline your workflow, reduce revision requests, and deliver exceptional results to your clients faster.

Step 1: Organize Your Wedding Video Files

A standardized folder structure prevents missing media and compatibility issues, making it easier for editors to start work immediately.

Recommended Wedding Video Project Folder Structure

Create a main folder named Couple Name with these subfolders:

1. 1. Project: Contains the Premiere Pro project file (.prproj)
2. 2. Footage: Contains raw wedding footage
3. 3. Assets: Includes wedding music, graphics, LUTs, or fonts
4. 4. Proxies: Stores wedding video proxy files

Couple Name/
├── 1. Project/
│   └── [CoupleName]_Wedding_Project.prproj
├── 2. Footage/
│   ├── A cam
│   ├── B cam│  
│   ├── Audio‍‍
├── 3. Assets/
│   ├── FirstDance_Music.mp3
│   ├── WeddingLogo.png
├── 4. Proxies/
│   ├── Ceremony_Cam1_Proxy.mov
│   ├── Reception_Cam2_Proxy.mov

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Best Practices for Organizing Wedding Footage

• Consistent Naming: Use descriptive file names that clearly identify the content
• Do Not Rename Files: Keep wedding file and folder names unchanged after creating proxies to avoid relinking errors
• Include All Assets: Provide licensed wedding music, LUTs, or fonts used in the project
• Check Premiere Pro Version: Confirm your Premiere Pro version is compatible with your editor's system to avoid project file issues

Step 2: Creating Proxy Files for Large Wedding Projects

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If your wedding footage exceeds 500GB, creating proxy files is essential. Proxies are low-resolution versions of your original footage that make uploads and editing significantly faster without compromising final quality.

Benefits of Using Proxy Files for Wedding Videos:

• Faster Uploads: Proxies are smaller, reducing upload times by up to 70%, especially with multiple camera setups
• Efficient Editing: Editors can work seamlessly with proxies, and easily relink original files for high-quality rendering
• Compatibility: Ensures your Premiere Pro project is compatible across different systems

How to Create Wedding Video Proxies in Premiere Pro

1. Start a New Wedding Project:
   • Open Adobe Premiere Pro and create a new project named [CoupleName]_Wedding_Project
   • Import your raw wedding footage into the Project panel
2. Select All Wedding Clips:
   • In the Project panel, select all wedding footage clips (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A to select all)
3. Create Proxies for Wedding Footage:
   • Right-click the selected clips, choose Proxy > Create Proxies
   • In the dialog box, apply these recommended settings:
     • Frame Size: Full (matches your original resolution)
     • Preset: H.264 QuickTime Proxy
     • Watermark: Proxy Icon (helps identify proxy files)
4. Set Proxy Destination for Wedding Files:
   • Choose the "4. Proxies" folder you created earlier
   • Ensure proxy files have the same names and timecodes as originals for automatic relinking
5. Process in Media Encoder:
   • Click OK to queue the clips in Adobe Media Encoder
   • Media Encoder will process proxies in the background
6. Enable Wedding Video Proxies:
   • Once complete, go to Preferences > Media > Enable Proxies or use the Toggle Proxies button in the Source/Program Monitor
7. Save the Wedding Project:
   • Save the project file (.prproj) in the "1. Project" folder

Pro Tips for Wedding Video Proxy Creation

• File Naming: Proxy files must match original wedding file names and timecodes (use QuickTime containers, not MP4) for seamless relinking
• Storage: Store wedding video proxies in the "4. Proxies" folder for easy organization

WedWill's Recommended Wedding Video Proxy Settings

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For optimal wedding video editing, especially for color grading wedding footage, use these professional settings:

• Frame Size: Full (matches your original wedding footage resolution, e.g., 1920×1080 or 1024×540 for 4K wedding footage)
• Preset: H.264 QuickTime Proxy (lightweight and compatible for wedding video editing)
• Watermark: Proxy Icon (helps identify proxy files during the editing process)
• Bitrate: Lower bitrate to reduce file size while maintaining frame size

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Step 3: Share Wedding Footage via Dropbox

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Dropbox is an excellent method for sharing large wedding video files, supporting up to 2TB without compression. Follow these steps to share your wedding project folder securely.

How to Share Wedding Video Files with Dropbox

1. Upload Wedding Files:
   • Install the Dropbox desktop app (Windows or macOS)
   • Move the wedding project folder to your Dropbox folder
   • Wait for synchronization (a green checkmark confirms the upload is complete).

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2.Create a Shared Link for Wedding Videos:

1. In the Dropbox app or on dropbox.com, right-click the wedding project folder
2. Select Share > Create Link and copy the link

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3.Submit the Wedding Project Link:

1. Provide the Dropbox link to your editor
2. Include any specific instructions or preferences for the edit

Wedding Video File Sharing Tips

• Avoid File Renaming: Dropbox may append your name to files, causing relinking issues. Use the shared link method
• Storage Limits: Desktop app uploads have no size limit (up to your Dropbox quota); browser uploads are typically capped at 50GB
• Security: Shared links are secure. Optionally, set a password or expiration date for extra protection of client wedding footage
• Backup: Keep a local copy of your wedding project folder until the project is complete

Step 4: Relinking Original Media After Editing

When you receive the edited project back from your editor, you'll need to relink the proxy files to your original high-quality footage.

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How to Relink Original Wedding Media in Premiere Pro

1. Open the Edited Project:
   • Download the .prproj file from your editor
   • Open it in Adobe Premiere Pro
2. Relink Missing Media:
   • If Premiere Pro shows the "Where is the file?" dialog:
     • Navigate to your original high-quality footage in the "2. Footage" folder
     • Select the first missing file
     • Check "Search for other files that are still missing" to find all files at once
     • Click "OK"
3. Manual Relinking (if needed):
   • If some files aren't found automatically:
     • Right-click on the missing media in the Project panel
     • Select "Link Media"
     • Navigate to the original file location and select it
4. Verify and Render:
   • Play through the timeline to verify all media is properly linked
   • Render the sequence with your original high-quality footage for final delivery

Pro Tips for Relinking Wedding Media

• Media Browser: Use the Media Browser panel in Premiere Pro to navigate to your footage folders for easier relinking
• Match File Properties: Ensure the frame rate, resolution, and audio channel count match between proxy and original files
• Skip Preview Rendering: After relinking, delete any preview render files and re-render with original media for best quality

Common Issues and Solutions

Media Files Show as Offline

• Double-check file paths and make sure your original media hasn't been moved
• Verify that file names haven't changed
• Try the "Link Media" option and manually locate the files

Poor Performance After Relinking

• Your computer may struggle with high-resolution footage
• Toggle proxies back on for editing, then disable them for final export
• Close other applications to free up RAM and processing power

File Size Still Too Large Even With Proxies

• Lower the proxy resolution further (e.g., 720p instead of 1080p)
• Consider using a more aggressive compression codec
• Break the project into smaller segments if possible

Conclusion

Proper preparation of your wedding video projects is essential for a smooth editing workflow. By organizing your files effectively, creating proxies for large projects, sharing via Dropbox, and knowing how to relink media, you'll save time and ensure the highest quality results for your clients.

Remember that communication with your editor is key—provide clear instructions and be available for questions to achieve the best possible wedding videos with minimal revisions.

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