About the Author
https://www.5kframesfilms.com/
Oleksandr Diachenko is a wedding filmmaker and the founder of 5 Thousand Frames Films. Working in the wedding industry since 2014, he has filmed more than 500 weddings, developing a cinematic storytelling style focused on real emotions and authentic moments.
In 2021 he began experimenting with Same Day Edit (SDE) films - creating short wedding movies that are filmed and edited on the same day. Even when working alone on a wedding day, he is known for delivering emotional Same Day Edits within hours, allowing couples and their guests to relive the most meaningful moments of the celebration before the night is over.
What is Same Day Edit and why is it becoming so popular at modern weddings?
Same Day Edit (SDE) is a short wedding film that is filmed, edited, and presented on the very same day of the wedding - usually during the reception. Throughout the day, the video team captures key moments such as getting ready, the ceremony, emotional reactions, and details of the celebration. While the wedding continues, one member of the team begins editing the footage on-site to create a short cinematic highlight film that is ready to be shown to the couple and their guests just a few hours later.
The magic of Same Day Edit lies in the immediacy of the experience. Instead of waiting weeks to relive the emotions of the day, couples and their guests can watch the story of the wedding unfold on screen while they are still celebrating it. It often becomes one of the most emotional moments of the evening - guests see moments they missed, parents relive the ceremony, and the couple experiences their day from a completely new perspective.
In recent years, Same Day Edit has become increasingly popular because couples are looking for more immersive and memorable wedding experiences. Modern weddings are not only about documentation but also about storytelling and creating moments that bring everyone together. A Same Day Edit turns the wedding film into a live part of the celebration rather than just a memory delivered later.
When did you first start doing Same Day Edits, and what inspired you to try this format?
I first tried creating a Same Day Edit in 2021. At the time, it was more of an experiment - I wanted to see if I could actually manage the time and put together a meaningful video during the wedding day itself. Instead of a full film, I started with a short Instagram Reel that I edited directly on a tablet.
Surprisingly, everything came together beautifully. The video captured the atmosphere of the day, and the couple loved seeing it so quickly. That experience showed me that it was possible to create something emotional and polished even within a very limited time.
After that first attempt, I began developing the idea further and started producing Same Day Edits more professionally, editing them on a laptop and integrating them into the wedding timeline so they could be shown during the reception.
What does a typical Same Day Edit workflow look like during the wedding day?
In many ways, the day looks just like a regular wedding filming day. We capture the same key moments - preparations, details, the ceremony, and the atmosphere of the celebration. The difference is that the editing process is already planned in advance.
Before the wedding day, I prepare a project on my laptop with the music already selected and the basic structure, effects, and transitions in place. This allows me to start editing much faster once the footage is ready.
Throughout the day we focus on capturing the most meaningful and visually strong moments. Everything up until the reception is filmed as usual, and then during dinner — when there is usually a short window of time - I begin assembling the film.
Of course, if the main goal of the coverage is specifically the Same Day Edit, the filming approach is slightly different. The focus is on the most emotional and important moments of the day, rather than recording every speech or every dance. This helps create a concise and cinematic story that can be finished and shown to the guests the very same evening.
Which wedding moments most often make it into a Same Day Edit video?
Typically, a Same Day Edit includes the most important and emotional moments that happened throughout the day. This often starts with preparations — small details, getting ready, and the atmosphere before the ceremony - followed by key highlights from the ceremony itself.
Very often I also include short fragments of the vows, words from the officiant, or small pieces of speeches if they help tell the story of the day. Even a few seconds of meaningful audio can add a lot of emotion and context to the film.
The goal of a Same Day Edit is not to document everything that happened, but to create an atmospheric film that captures the feeling and energy of the wedding day. It should reflect the vibe of the celebration and allow the couple and their guests to relive those emotions while the day is still unfolding.
How much time do you realistically have to edit the video before the evening screening?
When I work on a Same Day Edit by myself, it usually takes about one to one and a half hours from the moment I start editing to the final video being ready. That’s why preparation beforehand is so important.
Before the wedding day, I already prepare the project on my laptop - the music is selected, the structure is planned, and the basic effects and transitions are set up. This allows me to immediately start working with the footage as soon as I have the material.
Because of that preparation, the editing process becomes much faster. Instead of building the film from scratch, I simply focus on selecting the best moments from the footage and placing them into the pre-prepared structure, which makes it possible to finish the video within that short time window.
What equipment or technical solutions help make the editing process so fast?
For me, speed mostly comes from having the right tools and preparing everything in advance. The main piece of equipment is a powerful laptop, usually a high-performance or gaming-level machine, that can handle editing directly from the original footage in full quality without slowing down.
I also use high-quality Bluetooth headphones, because sound is extremely important. Even a short Same Day Edit benefits greatly from clear audio, especially if I include fragments of vows or speeches.
Another important tool is a fast card reader, which allows me to transfer footage from the memory cards to the laptop as quickly as possible. Saving even a few minutes here can make a big difference when working within a tight editing window.
Small practical details also help a lot - a comfortable mouse for faster editing, ready-made color presets, and a pre-built project template prepared specifically for that wedding.
And of course, one of the most important factors is capturing the footage well from the start. When the shots are clean, well-composed, and already close to the final look, there is much less time spent sorting through clips or fixing things in post-production. That makes the editing process much faster and smoother.
What are the biggest challenges when creating a Same Day Edit?
The biggest challenge is definitely time, especially when you are working alone rather than with a full team. Everything has to be very well planned, and you need a clear understanding of the wedding timeline.
It’s important to know exactly when you will have a window to edit - usually during dinner or a quieter part of the reception. If that time is not planned in advance, it can be very difficult to complete the edit comfortably.
That’s why I always make sure to understand the schedule of the wedding day ahead of time. Once you know the timing and have that editing window, everything else usually falls into place. With good preparation and a clear plan, the process becomes much smoother and manageable.
Have you ever experienced particularly stressful or dramatic situations while creating a Same Day Edit?
Yes, there was one situation that was quite intense. We had filmed a lot of material during the day, and the Same Day Edit was scheduled to be shown during the reception at 9:00 PM.
At one point, the banquet hall unexpectedly lost power for about an hour. The challenge was that my laptop needs to run at full performance while editing, and on battery it can only last for about 40 minutes under that load. So during the blackout I had to carefully manage the remaining power while continuing to work.
When the electricity finally came back, I had to finish everything very quickly. It was a stressful moment because the screening time was getting very close. In the end, I managed to export the video and hand over the flash drive for the presentation at 8:58 PM, just two minutes before it was supposed to be shown.
It was definitely a bit of an extreme moment, but also a reminder that Same Day Edit work can sometimes feel like a race against time.
What is the reaction of couples and guests when they see the Same Day Edit for the first time on screen?
The reaction is usually much more emotional compared to watching the wedding film weeks or months later. When the video is shown during the reception, it creates a special kind of cinema-like experience - everyone is watching together, reacting at the same moment.
You can see guests getting emotional, sometimes tearing up, and other times laughing when they recognize moments from earlier in the day. Because the memories are still fresh, the feelings are much stronger.
There is also something very special about the atmosphere at the end of the wedding evening. Seeing those moments on screen — moments that just happened a few hours earlier - makes the whole day feel even more meaningful for the couple and their guests.
Does Same Day Edit change the way you film during the wedding day?
Overall, not significantly. The filming process still follows the natural flow of the wedding day. However, while shooting, I already start mentally noting which moments might work best in the film - which shots could open the video, which ones feel the strongest visually, and where I might capture meaningful audio, like vows or short speech fragments.
In many ways, editing a Same Day Edit can even feel easier, because everything is still fresh in your memory. You clearly remember the emotions, the sequence of events, and the small details that happened just hours earlier. When you start editing a wedding a month later, sometimes those small moments are not as vivid anymore.
Another interesting part is that during the day you can sometimes adjust your filming based on the edit. For example, if while editing you realize that a certain transition shot or detail would make the story stronger, you can simply go out and film that moment. That flexibility is one of the things that makes the Same Day Edit process really exciting.
How is a Same Day Edit different from a traditional wedding highlight film?
For me personally, the difference is not very big in terms of style. I try to keep the Same Day Edit in the same cinematic style that I use for my regular wedding highlight films, so the storytelling and overall feeling stay consistent.
The main difference is usually color correction and the amount of detailed post-production work. Because of the limited time during the wedding day, it’s not always technically possible to do a very precise color grade. Sometimes the lighting conditions make it more difficult - for example, when everything is filmed outdoors in strong sunlight - and sometimes there simply isn’t enough time.
In general, I would say that about 80% of the Same Day Edit is very close to what the final highlight film would look like later. Occasionally I might not have time to add certain visual effects or more detailed finishing touches, but those are usually small things.
The most important part is that the video exists here and now, while the wedding is still happening. That immediacy creates completely different emotions for the couple and their guests.
Is every wedding suitable for a Same Day Edit format?
In general, yes. Almost every wedding can work for a Same Day Edit. Even if there isn’t a large screen to show the video during the reception, the film can still be enjoyed in many other ways.
The couple might watch it together later in the evening, maybe quietly after the celebration when everything slows down, or even the next morning while reliving the emotions of the day. Another option is to share it on social media before the wedding day even ends, which many couples really love.
Of course, every wedding has a different format, timeline, and atmosphere. But with the right approach and by focusing on the most meaningful moments, it’s possible to create a beautiful Same Day Edit from almost any wedding.
What advice would you give to couples who are considering a Same Day Edit for their wedding?
I would definitely say that it’s a wonderful idea. A Same Day Edit creates incredibly special emotions because the couple and their guests can experience the story of the day here and now, instead of waiting several weeks or even months to see the wedding film.
It also becomes a very touching moment for the guests. When everyone watches the video together during the celebration, it often turns into one of the most memorable parts of the evening.
My advice for couples would be to plan a small time window in the wedding timeline so the video team has a chance to edit comfortably, usually during dinner or a quieter moment of the reception. It’s also helpful to think about where the video will be shown - whether on a large screen during the reception or shared online at the end of the day.
Most importantly, couples should simply enjoy the moment and trust the process. The beauty of a Same Day Edit is that it captures the real atmosphere of the wedding while the emotions are still fresh, creating a memory that feels incredibly alive.
