Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Blue Mountain Manor

We were happy to take part in a styled shoot and open house to promote a new venue in the Hudson Valley, The Blue Mountain Manor in Saugerties.  This rustic, elegant, BnB farm property offers many options for ceremony and reception spaces, as well as accommodations for getting ready. The large barn is a blank canvas that you can make your own.  The grounds offer many locations to hold your ceremony.  The day of the shoot, we used the pond, but there are several areas with beautiful trees and stunning mountain views as well.

There were three reception set-ups for the open house and we shot two of them with our lovely couple, Cristina and Nelson, so we edited two clips to show what each wedding design could look like in a wedding film.  The first clip features the barn, set up for a rustic, yet elegant fall wedding, with paper lanterns hung from the rafters and uplighting splashed on the wooden stall doors. We even got to take some really cute shots with a miniature horse.  The second clip features an elegant, romantic farm table set up under the trees with vintage place settings.

 RUSTIC BARN ELEGANCE



FARM TABLE VINTAGE ROMANCE

If you viewed these clip, please let us know what you thought. You can comment here or on the blog or on the post for this clip on our Facebook page.  If you enjoyed the clips, like our Facebook page to follow our work.

 To see more from this styled shoot, be sure to check out Jean Kallina's blog post, Styled Shoot at Blue Mountain Manor.


The Production Team
Location:  Blue Mountain Manor, Saugerties, NY
Planner:  JoAnn Provanzano, What Dreams Are Made Of, Kingston, NY
Photographer:  Jean Kallina, Hudson Valley Photography, Kingston, NY
Horse Drawn Carriage:  Frank Castella, Castle Carriage, Poughkeepsie, NY 
Vintage Rentals:  Hudson Valley Vintage Rentals, Accord, NY
Officiant:  Rev Jude Smith, Rhinebeck, NY
Bride's Headpiece:  Z Malan, Brooklyn, NY
Bride's Hair:  Beautiful Images Hair Salon, Kingston, NY
Make-Up:  Celeste Von Damon
DJ Set-up and Uplighting:  Platinum Party Events,Highland, NY 

If any of the vendors that worked on this shoot would like to use one of these clips on their website or blog, please contact us.



Saturday, November 15, 2014

Jodie + Adam: Wedding with a View at The Eagle's Nest




When I met Jodie, there was something I immediately noticed about her.  She was smiling and laughing a lot.  Now, it's not unusual for brides to be happy when we meet with them, but Jodie was different, in a great way.  Her joy was contagious.  I could tell in our very first meeting that Jodie wasn't just happy and excited over her upcoming wedding.  Jodie is a genuinely and naturally happy person.  The type that makes fast friends with everyone and someone you feel comfortable with immediately.  Our first meeting lasted close to three hours because we just talked and talked.  When she left, it was like saying goodbye to someone I'd known for years. 


We didn't get the chance to meet Adam until the wedding day, but we did get a glimpse into his personality through photos Jodie and Adam's family sent us for a slideshow we made for them.  We imagined Adam as someone who liked to have fun and who often laughs, just like Jodie, and when we met him, he was just as we had imagined. 

It wasn't hard for us to see what attracted them to each other and we aren't alone.  Everything we thought was confirmed in the heartfelt toasts given at their reception. 


Jodie's aunt, who served as Matron of Honor, said, "What I admire most about my niece is she smiles more than any person I have ever met.  Jodie, you are able to find joy in situations that nobody else would find it in.  And I think what makes it so special is that there's never any meanness or guile or calculation.  And when I met Adam, he too has that type of kindness.  When it gets serious and you want to have an important conversation, Jodie will listen without judgement.  It's this non-judgmental type of attitude that really pulls people into her and again, Adam has a very similar personality."






Her best friend said, "As some of you know, at first I was less than fond of Jodie.  She was always the hot mess. She was always running late for class, taking forever to get ready and she always left Jodie items everywhere.  But as you know, Jodie tends to grow on everybody.  Her contagious smile and all her quirky sayings just really... I don't know.  You get hooked.  I'm not sure which crazy day we became best of friends, but our friendship has grown and bloomed ever since."



Her brother said, "I'm inspired by many of Jodie's qualities.  For one, she never passes up an opportunity to smile.  Throughout all the stresses in her life, Jodie always found something to smile about.  Additionally, Jodie is accepting of people, regardless of their flaws, and she finds something special in everyone.  These qualities are the reason I look up to Jodie, for they are qualities that I certainly aspire to, but don't come as naturally to me, or most people for that matter.  When Jodie met Adam, I immediately noticed how right there were for each other, but I couldn't put my finger on what made them so similar.  I have come to learn that it's these qualities; the ability to find something to laugh about when nobody else can, to find the good in people where it may not be so apparent, that Adam and Jodie share.  As I witness the beginning of this marriage between Jodie and Adam today, I'm left knowing that these virtues and this kind of love make life most worth living and most worth sharing with others."


Every word they said is true.  They are a joyful, loving, honest, silly (watch during their photo session, it's too cute) and sweet couple.  Now that you know a little more about Jodie and Adam, here is a preview of their wedding film, which hopefully displays some of their wonderful qualities.


Jodie and Adam not only share love for each other, but also love for family and friends, nearly constant laughter and good hearts; a perfect recipe for a lifelong marriage.

Congratulations Jodie + Adam!


The Productions Team

Ceremony Location: Temple Sinai, Middletown, NY
Reception Location: The Eagle's Nest, Bloomingburg, NY
Photographer: Rose Schaller, Rose Schaller Photo, Middletown, NY
DJ: Brian Stylez, Stylez Entertainment, Wallkill, NY


Thursday, October 2, 2014

Alicia + Eric: Love, Fun and Dancing at The Thayer Hotel



Alicia and Eric are cute as a button and their love is abundantly apparent and completely infectious.  They have known each other since they were kids, but you'd think they've only been together for a short time when you look at them.  This is the type of love that lasts forever! 


As they grew older, they dated, went to prom together and became engaged.  They were married on a rainy Fourth of July day at The Church of St. Denis in Hopewell Junction.  Their ceremony was personal and sweet and it was topped off with their emotional vows and adorable first kiss. Just look at how happy they are in that moment when you watch the video clip.


Their wedding day celebration continued at The Thayer Hotel in West Point, which was elegantly dressed in candlelight and sparkle (mainly from the gorgeous candelabras).  Subtle hints of the holiday were found everywhere; the bridesmaids wore blue, the groomsmen wore star spangled socks, the tables were dressed with blue runners and their signature drink was a blue colored "Uncle Sam-tini".


Guests had fun and let loose on the dance floor all night long!  Donnie and Jenny of Your Event Matters supplied the tunes that keep them dancing.  When the evening ended, they brought out sparklers to share with their guests to celebrate the Fourth of July and a beautiful wedding day that no one will forget, especially Eric.  His birthday was the next day, a guarantee that he will never forget a wedding anniversary.



Here is a clip from their wedding day.  Hope you enjoy it!


If you watched this clip, please let us know what you thought of it.  You can comment here on the blog and/or below Alicia + Eric's post on our Facebook page.  If you enjoyed this clip, please like us on Facebook to follow our work.


Congratulations to Alicia + Eric!!



The Production Team

Ceremony Location: The Church of St. Denis, Hopewell Junction, NY
Reception Location: The Thayer Hotel, West Point, NY
Reception Entertainment: Your Event Matters


Thursday, August 7, 2014

Rachael + David: A Beautiful Falkirk Estate Wedding

Rachael and David were married at the Falkirk Estate on the Fourth of July weekend.  A sweet first look was followed by photos, their beautiful outdoor ceremony and fun reception full of surprises, including a fireworks display for their guests.  Here is a clip from their beautiful wedding!



If you enjoyed this clip, please comment here on the blog or on our Facebook post to let us know.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Lift Expectations: Choosing You're Last Song Thoughtfully

Choosing a song for the last dance at your reception can be difficult.  Some couples want to end the party with a love song to keep the mood romantic, so they choose songs like "What a Wonderful World" ""At Last" or "Wonderful Tonight".

Other couples use the lyrics of the song to send the message that this is indeed the last song of the night by choosing songs like "Last Dance", "Save the Last Dance" or "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)".

Then there are participation songs that people sing along and dance with that keep the energy high, send a sweet message or allow everyone, young and old, to get involved like "Don't Stop Believin", "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" or "Theme form New york, New York"

One thing to note; when you decide to end your reception with the song "(I've had) The Time of My Life" from the movie "Dirty Dancing", there is a certain expectation.  Regardless of how dangerous or impossible performing a lift while wearing a wedding dress seems, guests get giddy with anticipation that the couple will suddenly transform into Baby and Johnny and WOW them with a show stopping lift in the center of the dance floor.  Trust me on this.  They're all thinking it and hoping for it.

NOBODY PUTS BABY IN THE CORNER

Here are some video examples of what we typically see at weddings that end with (I've Had) The Time of My Life".


Alison and John succumb to the calling of the song by doing a simple, "hug" lift and gentle spin that ends with a sweet kiss.




Noelle and James kick it up a notch with a modified overhead lift and spin that was a real crowd pleaser.



THIS VIDEO IS A MUST WATCH!!!
Not to be outdone, Kristy and Stephen give the crowd a sweet little lift and adorable pose.  They were kind of pressured into it, but you'll see.


Will you be ready when your guests expect a WOW moment?

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Laura + Hector: Love at The Paramount Country Club





Laura + Hector got married at the Paramount Country Club on a day that we weren't sure was going to be beautiful and sunny or cloudy and wet.  Mother Nature made up her mind moments before the ceremony was about to begin.  The skies cleared and the ceremony was aglow in warm sunset tones just as Laura made her way to the ceremony with her Dad.  The clouds continued to clear as they spoke their vows, which made for a gorgeous backdrop for an already beautiful ceremony.


Laura found us through her brother and sister-in-law, Erin and Mike, whose wedding we filmed in 2010.  We were so excited to be asked to film another wedding with this wonderful family!  We get so close to our couples and their families in the process of filming and editing a wedding that when we met with Laura, it was like meeting up with a friend you hadn't seen in a while to talk about the best thing ever.  Her wedding!  She said they were going for rustic and modern elegance with personal touches.  We talked about all the details; the gorgeous gardens for her ceremony, personal details she wanted to incorporate, her colors and her flowers, all of which were, by the way, totally amazing.  Below are stills of some of the details.



The ceremony space was set up with chairs positioned to face a beautiful mountain view.  The couple would take their place at the top of an incline to be seen by all the guests.  Brightly colored flowers were placed on either side of the incline as well as in little vases hung from the chairs on the aisle.  Sweet rustic signs were everywhere.  One sign greeted guests directing them where to go and another sign, "This is How Our Story Begins", met them when they reached the ceremony location.  Our favorite sign was the one brought in by the ring bearer and his entourage letting Hector know that Laura was on her way.


Whenever I'm asked for advice on how to make a wedding memorable, I always say to make it personal.  Tell your story.  Show off your personality.  Share with your guests who you are as a couple.  It's all the personal details that your guests notice and what makes them remember your wedding.  Laura did just that!


Both Laura and Hector are sports fans. In fact, they met at a place called Green Rock on a Sunday Funday.  The Cowboys had just lost a game and Laura noticed a guy that was taking the loss pretty badly.  Finding the moment kind of funny, she did what she always does, snap a picture.  Hector noticed the pretty girl that had just taken his picture and walked over to talk to her.  To make a long story short; Laura is a Giants fan and Hector is a Cowboys fan.  Hector is not a fan of the Yankees, but Laura is.  Early on, they each decided that they would not root against each other's teams.  What happened the year they met?  Both teams had a great season.  The Yankees won the World Series and the Cowboys won their division and first playoff game since 1996.  These two are a match made in sports heaven.


They took their love of sports and incorporated it into their table numbers.  Each table had a photo of a favorite athlete from a variety of sports with a description to share a story with the guests.  The Tony Romo card was our favorite, by far.  The description is personal and comical showcasing the sense of humor of this sweet couple.  By the way, Laura isn't hugging Tony Romo in the photo above.  That is Hector donning the jersey of his current favorite athlete.  So adorable!
 

 

The guests were greeted at the start of cocktail hour with mason jar mugs filled with their signature cocktail, "Happily Ever After", a tropical drink made with pineapple vodka and club soda with a fresh slice of kiwi to garnish.

Wanting to encourage her guests to dance, Laura put an appropriate sign at her escort card table.  It worked!  She also found some great ways to incorporate their new home, Arizona, into the wedding.  Each guest received a succulent to take home. 




We just loved Laura's bold color choices for her wedding and were excited to see them come to life!  Fall weddings usually bring brown, orange, red and other fall tones.  Laura wanted to liven things up with a brighter pallet of purple, orange, hot pink and white.  She had told me that some people were skeptical that the colors would work together, but when she told me what they were, I knew that she had a winning combination and I couldn't wait to see how it would look.  She was so excited when she received the photos from her florist's mock up centerpiece that she forwarded it to me.  That made me even more excited to see them in person.  The florist surprised her by adding the most beautiful reddish-purple toned succulents to her bouquet.  I was obsessed with this bouquet! It's my favorite bouquet to date, and it has some amazing competition, but her's was so vibrant, interesting and unexpected that it was a total stand out!  I couldn't resist getting a shot with the rings in those succulents.




The reception space was washed in purple light to match the primary wedding color.  The accent colors of orange, hot pink and white were present in the centerpieces giving a dramatic pop of color to each table.  A combination of tea light candles and warm ambient reception light helped to complete the modern and romantic look.




To keep the guests entertained, Laura and Hector had a photo booth with tons of props, which was visited by everyone, including her grandmother.

By far the best takeaway from this wedding for any couples planning their wedding is to be tech savvy.  Your guests will bring their cameras and, most of the time, you never get to see the photos they took.  Laura thought ahead and set up a hashtag for the wedding and encouraged her guests to Instagram the photos they took.





And now, here is a peek at their wedding.  Hope you enjoy this clip!

If you watched this clip, please let us know what you thought.  You can comment here on the blog or on Laura + Hector's post on our Facebook Page.
If you liked the clip, we would love it if you would like our page while you're there.


Want to see more?

Laura + Hector Video Stills Album
Throwback: Erin + Mike: Preview Clip
Throwback: Erin + Mike Wedding Highlights


Congratulations to Laura + Hector on a beautiful and memorable wedding!



Monday, January 13, 2014

Loren + Dan: A Super Fun Lazy Swan Wedding



We are so lucky that we get to film so many weddings within the same family or the same group of friends! Loren and Dan came to us from one of our most favorite groups of friends.  These girls are all so incredibly sweet and such a super fun group to be around.  Their weddings are all unique to the girls and their styles, but the one thing they all have in common is that each wedding is always so much fun and such a blast to film!  This wedding was no exception!


When we got the email from Loren that she was getting married, we were very excited for her.  We'd come to know her and the girls so well that it felt like hearing from a friend.  From the moment we met with her and Dan, we could feel the energy and love between them instantly.  There was a noticeable change in Loren from the girl that we knew from her friend's weddings.  She was still sweet, happy and beautiful, it was just enhanced by Dan.  They are a perfect compliment to each other.  When they left the meeting, I remember commenting to Mike how cute they were together and then promptly emailed Loren to tell her that Dan was a keeper!  You'll see for yourself in the video clip.  Whenever they are near each other, there is such a look of love and complete happiness on their faces!  

Here is a preview of their wedding day.  Hope you enjoy!
If you watched this clip, please let us know what you thought. You can leave a comment here on the blog and/or find the link on our Facebook page and write it there.
If you like our work, we would love it if you would like our page while you're there.


Production Team

Ceremony Location: St Stanislaus, Pleasant Valley, NY
Reception Location: The Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club, Saugerties, NY
Entertainment: DJ Domenic Entertainment
Cake: Deisings Bakery, Kingston, NY
Cake Topper: Magical Day

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Isadora + Troy: A Beautiful Wedding at Home


Isadora and Troy were married on a beautiful summer day on her family's gorgeous property here in the Hudson Valley.  It was such a joy to film them!  They were so easy going and had so much fun the whole day.  Most importantly, you can see how very much in love they are every time they look at each other.  It makes your heart melt and puts a smile on your face!  You'll see when you watch their clip below!  The sweetest thing for me was when Troy said "I Do" before he was supposed to during the ceremony.  The guy was eager to be married and there's no harm in that!


Here is a preview of their wedding film.
If you watched this clip, please leave a comment here or on Isadora and Troy's post our Facebook wall and to let us know what you thought.
If you want to see more from this wedding or our other weddings, please like our Facebook page for updates.

Productions Team:
Photography: Steve, Toast Photo
DJ Entertainment: Donny and Jenny, Your Event Matters