Fun Ways to Use Video Before, During, and After a Party or Event

If you’ve got a big event coming up — be it a wedding, birthday party, baby shower, engagement party, anniversary party, bar or bat mitzvah, or anything in between — video can be a great way to make it memorable.

When most people think of “event videos” the first thing that comes to mind is an event recap. But video doesn’t have to be reserved for after an event is over. We’ve put together some ideas for using video before, during, and after your event to delight your guests (and create some fun keepsakes along the way!).

Using video before your event

A save-the-date video or video invitation can be a great way to let people know about your upcoming celebration. You can share the video via email with your guests, post it on an event website (if you’ve got one), or share upload and share it on a Facebook event page.

Here’s an example of a save-the-date video, created with photos from an engagement shoot and a few simple text slides:

Using video at your event

Video can also be a fun addition to an event itself. If you’ve ever been to a wedding rehearsal dinner or wedding reception where they showed a slideshow or video featuring the happy couple’s story, you know it can be a powerful highlight. This type of video also works well at young children’s’ birthday parties, showcasing milestone moments from the past year, as well as at family reunions, engagement parties, anniversaries, graduations, and memorials.

Here’s a fun video that Beth from the Animoto team created to share at her daughter’s graduation party:

If you’re feeling especially industrious, you can also share live video updates from your event for friends and family that wish they could be there. You could live stream with a service like Periscope or Facebook Live (you can save these clips to edit into a highlight reel later) or you could even take photos and create a quick slideshow using the Animoto mobile app on iOS to share on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Using video after your event

Once your event is over and your guests have gone home (it was a huge success, of course!) it’s time to thank them for coming (and for any gifts they may have brought!). Video can be a fun alternative to the traditional thank you card. Jeff from the Animoto team’s son created personalized thank you videos for all of the guests at his bar mitzvah:

And of course, you won’t want to forget that recap video! Your guests will love seeing a video created with photos and video clips of the event. When you’re making your recap, make sure everyone is accounted for (people love seeing photos and videos of themselves).

Here’s a 40th birthday party recap — what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but what happens at a Vegas-themed birthday party in California gets recapped!

We’d love to see your event videos! Share a link with us in the comments or reach out on Facebook or Twitter.

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