Jenny + Jack + The Pretty Pink Dress

Here is a little something from what I'm working on now.  As I've been editing this film, I was reminded of how much I liked Jenny's wedding gown, so I featured Jenny's dress on our Facebook page yesterday as my favorite of 2012. I love when a bride selects a dress that's outside the norm; something with a touch of color, unique appliques, or a custom made gown.  The pop of color from the pink floral organza and the floral printed inset panel were beautiful and something that I heard many guests comment about at the wedding. 

Today I wanted to add a little something to the blog so everyone can see that pretty dress in action!  For those of you wondering about where you can get this dress, it's from David's Bridal and is part of an exclusive collection.

 Jenny and Jack's wedding day took place on a sometimes overcast and sometimes sunny day in July at Most Precious Blood Church in Walden and Magnanini Winery in Wallkill.  We had the pleasure of working alongside one of our favorite photographers, the very talented Cheryl Bolton-Reuter, to get all the beautiful shots in the fields and the vineyard.  Be sure to check out her photos from this wedding as well.

Here is a highlight clip from Jenny + Jack's wedding film.

If you watched this video, please leave us a comment here on the blog and/or on our Facebook page under our update for Jenny + Jack's Highlights.  If you like our work, we would love for you to like our page while you're there too!

Love Letter: Miriam + Mike (5 Years Later) or Why You Need to Get off the Fence and Get a Wedding Video

When I opened my inbox this afternoon, I found this wonderful email!  I was so touched that I had to share it!

Hi Mike and Jenn,

Hope you guys are doing good. Mike was asked to officiate a 20 year wedding renewal for his brother, so I took out our video to get some ideas....and it brought me back.  It's almost five years (this May), and seems like a lifetime ago, yet just yesterday.  We are still ridiculously happy!  The day was so beautiful, and once again, I'm so grateful to you both for capturing those memories for us.  I can't wait to one day show our children when we have them, Lord willing. 

The time you took, the detail you put into it...you seemed so excited for us.  It didn't seem like just a job to you.

Words can't describe our appreciation!!!

Sincerely,

Miriam and Mike

It always makes us smile and warms our hearts when we hear back from our couples like this!  Our goal is to make wedding films that our couples will love to watch and continue to watch as the years go by.  When we get emails years after the wedding like this one, it means that we're meeting that goal and that fills us with such happiness.  It happens more often than you would think too.  And that got me thinking...

All couples are excited to see their wedding video when they first get it, but after a while, many let it sit on the shelf.  Why?  The answer is simple.  It's because those couples didn't make getting a wedding video a priority.  Often these are the couples that spent most of their budget elsewhere and only had $1000 left to devote to a wedding video or worse, set up a little camera on a tripod at the back of the church or had a friend or family member film "just the important moments".  The things is that, beyond the obvious moments like the vows, toasts and first dance, you never know when the important moments will happen, so these videos are not a true representation of your wedding.  These videos often look half asked or home videoish because that's precisely what they are and that's why they just collect dust on a shelf.  However, it's comments like that and the stigma of really cheesy, old-school wedding videos which drive the most asked questions among engaged couples:

Is a wedding video worth it?  

Will we ever watch it?  

Won't it just be duplicating the photos?  

This is a decision that many couples struggle with, including Miriam and Mike.

Miriam came to us kind of late in her wedding planning process because, like many other brides to be, she wasn't sure she wanted or needed a wedding video.  Like many other engaged people planning their wedding, she thought a wedding video wasn't necessary.  "I'll get a good photographer and that will be enough."  But she never stopped thinking about it and after going back and forth about it and getting some encouragement from Mike, she decided to do some research.  She found a few videographers online and decided to meet with them to finally decide if it was worth it to get a wedding video and if it was something that she wanted to move forward with.  As you can see, she did and now, five years after her wedding, she still loves watching her film and is grateful to have it.

Most couples don't regret getting a wedding video, 

they regret not getting a wedding video.

There is a reason "I wish I had a wedding video" comes up on a lot of regrets lists.  The one thing that most engaged couples don't realize is that a wedding video doesn't really show it's worth right away.  Even couples who decide to get a wedding video don't realize how much they will love having it until years later.  Our couples often send us emails saying that they wanted to reminisce or just celebrated their anniversary, so they decided to watch their film.  It's after these viewings that we receive these wonderful emails.  We get a greater response from them years after their wedding than we did when they initially received their wedding film.  This is because wedding videos appreciate more over time.  As you begin to forget all the little nuances of your wedding day, as loved ones pass away and as you start to have a family of your own, you become nostalgic and want to go back or want to share your wedding day with your kids.  We get a lot of emails from our couples saying that their kids can't stop watching their wedding film (most call it mommy and daddy's wedding movie).  It's important to point out that your not only filming your wedding day for you to remember, but also for your parents, grandparents and children.  We recently heard this from one of our couples:

"Get a video!!!!!! Hubby's grandmother watched it 3 times in one afternoon, so if not for yourselves, then for your family, since they love you so much."

So, what is the true worth of a wedding video?  A wedding video is an investment that you make in your memory.  Years after your wedding, maybe when you have a disagreement, you'll be able to pop in your wedding video, listen to your vows and remember how you felt the day you got married.  Maybe you'll notice the way you were looking at each other during your vows or a tear on your cheek, if you cried.  Maybe you'll see a smile, hear a laugh or listen again to the words someone used to described how much in love you are in their toast.  Maybe after watching your wedding film that disagreement will seem silly in the grand scheme.  Maybe you'll watch back your video and see your grandfather dancing and having fun when now, he doesn't really get around so well (this is actually from an email we got from our past bride, Tina).  Maybe it will be a happy reminder of your dad who has since passed away, like it is for our groom, Danny.

We hear back from so many of our couples, especially those from years ago when they find us on Facebook (we didn't have a Facebook page when we started).  It's so nice to read all of their comments.  Many of our couples even continue to follow our blog and watch our Facebook page for new clips and leave comments, like Adam.  That is a true testament to the worth of a wedding video vs the myth that all wedding videos are boring.  Though some of our couples are family and friends of other couples we've worked with, most are not, yet they still enjoy watching the clips we post.  To me, this means that if you prioritize wedding video and hire someone who does a great job, even total strangers will want to watch your wedding video. 

Many of our couples enthusiastically recommend us to their family, friends, co-workers and anyone else who will listen (Marissa).  Over and over again, they tell them "You need a wedding video!" because they know the true value of what they have now that their wedding day is over.  They realize that when people tell you "the day goes by so fast" and "it's all a big blur" that it's REALLY TRUE!

I wish I had some video clips prepared to add to this post of the comments our past brides and grooms make when we're filming a sibling or friends wedding because those comments are just as sweet as the emails!  We've heard several of our couples tell their kids, "These are the people that made mommy and daddy's wedding movie."  Many have told us that getting a wedding video was the best decision they made.  Some have said that they watch their film far more than they look at their wedding album.  

(Scratched Vinyl Record Sound Effect Here - see, if it were a video, I wouldn't have to write it in) 

Easy there photographer peeps. I'm not belittling your importance at all.  We believe that photography and videography are equally as important.  I'm just trying to get the point across that afterwards, many of our couples think that video is more important than they thought it was when they were planning their wedding.  It's pretty common for engaged couples to splurge on photography because it's always held a place of importance, but often videography only gets the left overs.  That means that sometimes we fit in a budget and sometimes we don't.  This is where that dilemma comes in.  Is it worth it to reallocate money in the budget or dig up some more cash somehow for a video?  We often ask, "If you had to do it again, what would you change?".

Most of our couples say that they would have looked for and booked a videographer sooner 

and they would have given wedding video a higher priority.

We are so grateful to all of the couples who chose to work with us, continue to recommend us every chance they get and especially those of you who come out of the woodwork and send us an email or post to our Facebook wall years after your weddings to tell us the wonderful things that you do!  We love an appreciate all of you and are glad that you let us into your life!  And just for the record, we remember each and every one of you and all of your fabulous weddings (I'm talking to you, Michelle).  If you're reading this post and weren't mentioned, please know that it's not personal.  I was just writing it REALLY fast and used what I found first.


Miriam and Mike were so happy with their final film and their experience with us that they wanted to do a testimonial video for us.  I thought it would be helpful to repost it for any couples out there that are on the fence about getting a wedding video.  In this clip, they talk about the process they went through and the struggle that Miriam faced when deciding if she wanted a wedding video.  I've also posted a clip of Miriam's bridal prep from their wedding film.

Here is a Miriam's Bridal Prep from their wedding film.

Special thanks to Miriam for taking the time out of her day today to write me such a wonderful note which helped me to write this long overdue post! 

Please feel free to comment here on the blog and on our Facebook wall or the link we have to this post there.  Whether you're a past couple of ours, a couple currently planning your wedding, someone that has been married for years or a fellow wedding professional, we'd love to hear what you think of this article.
 

Amy-Jo's Adorable Bridal Prep

There was so much activity that morning.  So many people around and so much being said.  It was a wedding videographer's dream because it's our job to tell the story of your wedding day and there is no better way than through the words of your friends, your family and yourself.

Amy-Jo was a smiling bundle of energy and emotions.  So excited, a little nervous, but incredibly happy.  It's written all over her face and it's in everything that she says in this clip.  I really can't do much more to describe it.  It's really something that you have to see for yourself.

Here is the clip of Amy-Jo's Wedding Day Preparations. Enjoy!

If you liked this video, please leave a comment here on our blog or on Amy-Jo's post on our Facebook Page. If you like our work, we would love it if you would like our us while you're there.

Want to see more from their awesome wedding? Check out their wedding day preview here.

Andrea + Nick: Colorful Wedding at The Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club Village

Andrea and Nick were married on a beautiful and hot summer day in July.  Their ceremony was sweet, romantic and a bit funny.  Though you won't see it in the clip below, Nick had a close call, almost passing out on the alter. You never realize how hot it can get standing up there for so long under all the lights. What could have easily been a time for panic quickly turned into a group effort to keep Nick comfortable, kept lighthearted by the efforts of family and the bridal party.  His new father-in-law was quick with some water, his groomsmen found chairs for the couple to sit on and his lovely bride Andrea was fanning him with a giant smile on her face to keep him cool and happy. It was a sneak peek into their future of love and support of each other and from their families.

After the ceremony, they were off to celebrate at The Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club Village in Saugherties.  This was our first visit to The Lazy Swan and we hope to film there more often.  It's a stunning venue with beautiful grounds, perfect for taking wedding photos and for your guests to enjoy as they mingle during cocktail hour.  The ballroom is octagonal with a gorgeous octagonal wooden dance floor and an elaborate in-house lighting system that was customized to fit Andera and Nick's colorful theme. The staff was wonderful to work with and the food was phenomenal.  It was the perfect setting for this colorful, glamorous, high-energy celebration.

We absolutely love it when our couples drench their weddings in lovely personal details and Andrea and Nick's colorful DIY details didn't disappoint. Though their main accent color was blue, Andrea wanted a rainbow of vibrant colors and included them everywhere she could from the colorful shoes on herself and her bridemaids to her heart covered cake and all of her DIY details.  Andrea was a bride that paid close attention to every detail and knew the exact look she wanted.  She must have spent hours upon hours on all her DIY projects to achieve it.  Totally worth it!  We're not talking sitting at a printer and letting it do all the work diy.  This girl took it old-school with construction paper, markers, glue, glass beads and other notions. Check out some of the details in the stills above and below. 

With tunes supplied by Danielle Perry of Music By Danielle and Andrea making the rounds about the dance floor, the guests only left the floor to eat; a much needed refueling to keep that energy going throughout the night.  There were a few surprises along the way, including a set of slideshows to go along with their parent dances and a flash mob styled surprise Zumba performance by the bride and all her girls.  You can watch their Zumba performance here.

We had the pleasure of working alongside one of our favorite photographers, Cheryl of Bolton-Reuter Photography.  With this adorably cute couple, all their personalized details, the fabulous venue and the high energy on the dance floor, there was so much to cover that day.  This is we get giddy with excitement.  We each love capturing all the details, big and small, as well as all the fun.  The cameras never really left our hands that night.  It was so much fun to watch and capture everything and it's always great to work alongside a photographer that gets just as excited about documenting every little thing as we do.  Be sure to check out Cheryl's blog for some really great pictures from this colorful wedding, especially the one taken at night on the green with a glowing heart around Andrea and Nick.  The photos are sweet and sassy and fit their theme perfectly!

Last, but not least, here is a clip from their wedding showing all the fun! Hope you enjoy!

  

If you watched this clip, please leave us a comment here on the blog and/or on our Facebook page. We'd love to hear what you think! Don't forget to like us on Facebook while you're there!

Production Team

Ceremony Location: Redeemer Lutheran Church, Kingston, NY

Reception Location: The Lazy Swan Golf and Country Club Village, Saugherties, NY

Photographer: Cheryl Bolton-Reuter, Bolton-Reuter Photography

DJ: Danielle Perry, Music By Danielle

Cake: Lauren Stein, Enchanted Cakes by Lauren

Corin + Albert's Highlights: Rhinecliff Hotel Wedding

From the very first time that I met Corin and Albert, I could see how very much in love the are!  It's undeniable! Watch their faces throughout the video clip and I promise you will melt. They are so completely sweet together!

Here is a highlight video from Corin and Albert's sweet, romantic and fun wedding. I hope you enjoy!

If you watched this video, please leave us a comment and let us know what you think! You can do it here on the blog and/or on our Facebook wall. We would love it if you like us while you're there!

Love Letter from Diana, Mother of the Bride

We got such a warm feeling in our hearts from this post to our Facebook wall from Diana that we just had to share it!!

We had the pleasure of meeting Diana and her family back in 2006 when we filmed her daughter Stephanie's wedding and this year, it was her sister Krystle's turn.  We were so excited to hear from Diana with the news of Krystle's wedding and that she wanted us to be there to film it!  It always means so much to us to be asked to film another wedding in the same family.  We see so many familiar faces that it feels like being around family to us.  It's so wonderful to hear back from these families that it is very much the same for them!  Here is Diana's very sweet post!

Dear Jenn,

Thank you so much for the wonderful job you did at Krystle and Nick's wedding at the Poughkeepsie Grand. I just finished watching the DVD you sent to me. Reliving that day brings back such great memories and having you there to be part of this made it so much better. You became part of our family when Stephanie got married in 2006 and all I know is that you did such a great job then we could not have a wedding/event without you being there.

I would recommend you to anyone looking for a well organized, personal, compassionate,caring and most of all loving person to make their special day a day to remember. Anything I can do in regards to recommending you don't hesitate to give my name,number. Once again, thank you in advance for your professionalism and friendship.

Diana Rienzo

Surprise Zumba: Andrea and Nick's Wedding at The Lazy Swan

We always love it when there are surprises for guests or when one of the newlyweds has a surprise for the other.  We've seen choreographed dances from the bride and groom, surprise parent dances, bellydancers, fireworks, musical performances and surprise candy buffets, but this was a first for us!  Andrea surprised her new husband, Nick, with a Zumba performance at their wedding (and she did it wearing those heels!!!).  Her and the girls suddenly took over the dance floor like a flash mob and amazed everyone with their spot on moves!  So much fun!!  Check it out in the video clip below!

Here is Andrea and her girls performing their surprise Zumba at her wedding.  

Please leave your comments here on the blog and/or on our Facebook page. We'd love to hear what you think. Don't forget to like us while you're there!

Great job ladies!!  Hope we see more of these!