WEDDINGS ON TAPE COSTLY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31269, 16 January 1967, Page 2

WEDDINGS ON TAPE COSTLY

"The Press’' Special Service AUCKLAND, January 15. Getting married is becoming more and more expensive. Among the latest nuptial trimmings are tape recordings and colour films of the service and reception.

New Zealand weddings have not yet reached the proportions of many ceremonies in America, where the annual bill for weddings is more than 7060 million dollars, or in Australia, where a father can pay 5000 dollars to see his daughter wed in style. But records of the great day on tape and film are growing in popularity in New Zealand.

The manager of a recording firm in Auckland said that the number of people wanting their wedding recorded on

tape was increasing—but very slowly. “The majority are new settlers who seem to be more aware of the practice than New Zealanders,” he said. “Usually they want to send a record home to their parents or relatives.” A good recording required professional equipment and technique, he said. A technician arrived at the church half an hour before the ceremony to place the sensitive microphones where they would catch even the most breathless “I do” from the bride and bridegroom.

He said that about 20 minutes was allowed to record the speeches at a reception, although some speakers were exasperatingly terse and others too long. “There have been one or two occasions when some embarrassing things have been said after a few too many drinks but we can edit it afterwards,” he said.

The manager of another recording firm said that a few ministers objected to having equipment and technicians in ehurch. Most, however, did not mind as long as the microphones were well concealed. Prices vary from firm to firm. One charges £2 10s an hour, another £6 10s for the service and reception, and another charges seven guineas. Added to this is £2 6s each for tapes, or £5 to have a record cut Making a colour film of a wedding is expensive and the demand small. Ono firm said that a customer "would be lucky to get a film for under £lOO using a 35-millimetre camera."

Another, using a 16-mllli-metre camera, charges about £3O, and a third, using an 8-millimetre camera, charges £5 for every roll of film. It was not big business in New Zealand, a photographer said yesterday. If a professional had to take films for a living he would soon go broke.