Sean and Dawn: 20th Anniversary Edition

On April 27th, Sean and Dawn, two of our closest friends, celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.  Sean approached us a while back and asked if there was anything we could do with his wedding photos and video (a home video shot by a guest with her personal VHS camera).  He wanted to do something special to surprise Dawn.  Knowing that this would make two of our very best friends incredibly happy on their anniversary, I took his memories and got to work.

Now, I'm not an advocate of DIY wedding video; not because I'm a videographer, but because it never comes out as you had hoped and becomes a video that you never want to watch.  Sean and Dawn's original footage really brought this point home.  Sean said they watched it a few times and shared it with their kids.  It was and unexpected gift from a guest and it's nice to have, but nothing you would feel compelled to watch.  This is one very big reason that engaged couples opt out of video for their wedding.  These home video style wedding videos are what most people associate with wedding videos in general and why many couples see videography as an unnecessary expense.  One of the biggest reasons people give for not getting a video is that they will never watch it.

As I was editing Sean and Dawn's video, I was getting upset for them.  Their guest was not a professional and I'm sure she did the very best she could, but the most important parts of their wedding are not clear, cut off or missing entirely.  Their vows are inaudible and cut off.  Their kiss at the alter is also cut off and shot from a bad side angle, so you can't really see Dawn, just Sean's back.  The first dance is mostly the feet of the shooter running to a better location, only to reach the destination and get two shots of the first dance with them alone on the dance floor.  The cake cutting footage has the photographer in front of the bride and groom.  The dances are shaky, in silhouette, out of focus or in a constant pan from side to side.  Definite home video material.  This is the primary reason why you should hire a professional to film your wedding.  Hiring a professional is not only about the editing of the finished product.  It's an important part, but so are the things you don't think about or may not know about; how the shots are framed, the way the sounds are captured so they can be heard clearly, anticipating the next move and being in the right place at the right time, knowing what shots are important and being sure to collected them all and doing it all without being noticed or getting in the way of your other professionals. 

Though the shots in their original video are not what we would shoot and many were short clips, I'm not the type to back away from a challenge.  I was determined to make something special for our friends to celebrate this important anniversary with; a video that I hope they will enjoy watching instead of leave on a shelf.  It was a lot of work, far more than it is to edit one of our originals,  but for the sake of preserving their memories, it was well worth the time and effort to us.

I thought it was important to share this story because there are so many engaged couples that struggle with the question of whether or not hiring a videographer is worth it.  The sad truth is that video is never really appreciated until after the wedding is over.  Even couples that hired us often tell us after they get their video back that lots of things were more important to them than video when they were planning their wedding, but these couples also tell us that there is no greater way to remember their wedding than to watch their wedding film.

I guess one of the best way to answer the question "Is a professional videographer worth it" for you is to watch the clips below.  Two of the clips are from the 20th Anniversary Film I edited for Sean and Dawn and the other two are 3 minute clips from their original footage.  Would you be happy if you ended up with a video that looks like the original footage?  I know, that is a VHS and you can use a new HD Camera to film yours so it will look better, right?  Even with the new cameras that are available, you can end up with a bad video because it's not just the quality of the equipment, it's the people behind it.  When you hire a videographer to film your wedding, you are hiring experience, equipment, talent and creativity that will deliver you a great finished film.  

I'm happy to report that Sean and Dawn have watched their new 20th Anniversary Edition Video many more times than they ever watched their original VHS.  They have shared it with friends and family, many of whom never saw the original VHS version.  Sean and Dawn have demonstrated to us that not only is a wedding video important, it will be watched over and over again if it's entertaining. 

This is a clip from the new edit I made for Sean and Dawn using their wedding song.

This is a 3 minute sample clip from their original VHS Ceremony footage.

This is a new dance segment that I edited using their old VHS footage.

Here is a 3 minute sample of the original dance footage from their VHS Tape.

As always, your comments are welcomed, here on the blog and on Facebook.

Family History Film

So many families have old films and VHS tapes lying around unwatched and waiting to disintegrate. Some people take the time to convert them to the latest media, but one of our former brides took it one step further. Joanne came to us with footage her family filmed starting from as far back as the 1940's all the way up to present day and asked us if we could edit her footage into a family film for her.

Though we specialize in weddings, we do take on specialty projects when time permits and when the opportunity came to help Joanne archive her family history, we couldn't resist. It has been a long process and massive undertaking by Joanne and us that is still ongoing, but when we see start to see the finished results, we agree that it's well worth all the effort put into it. Preserving memories is our passion and this is another important element to that.

This is the first clip from Joanne's family history film showing her as a child. We unveiled this and four other clips as a surprise for her and her family at a recent party for Joanne and the reaction from all in attendance was warm and sentimental, lots of oohs and ahs, laughter and a tremendous round of applause at it's completion.

You just never realize the impact and importance a video will have years from now (or in this case, decades). Watching film of you, your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc... , reliving fond memories and seeing and hearing those who have passed on is priceless.  What a beautiful reminder of your family's history.

We're honored that Joanne approached us with this project and trusted us with her precious family memories. Thank you, Joanne!

If you enjoyed this clip, please leave a comment here on our blog and/or post to our Facebook page (Don't forget to like us while you're there)

Anniversary Session with Marissa and Justin

Long overdue for posting, this clip is the companion to our trash the dress video.  An Anniversary Session, Post Wedding Session or Rock the Dress Session is a great way to get more than one use out of your dress (and unlike the Trash the Dress, you don't have to get dirty).  We had such a great time shooting with Marissa and Justin.  They were both really ready to just get outside and have some fun!

Each year when Spring finally arrives, we just can't wait to get outside and create!  If you want to go out and have some fun with us, now's the time to secure your spot!  Hope you enjoy the clip!

If you enjoyed this video, please leave a comment here on the blog and/or on our Facebook Page.  (Don't forget to like us while you're there!)

If you missed Marissa and Justin's Trash the Dress video, you can see it here.

Congratulations Kristin and Dave!

GLAMOR, SPARKLE, SURPRISES, FAMILY AND LOVE

Kristin and Dave hosted our first wedding of the season and we couldn't think of a better way to kick start 2011!!  What a memorable wedding!!  There was the undeniable love between Kristin and Dave, a strong sense of family embedded throughout, surprises for their guests and all the sparkly details!


I want to start this post off with a preview clip and then post a few stills with some of the fun details and events from this beautiful wedding.

KRISTIN AND DAVE'S WEDDING: A PREVIEW

If you enjoyed this clip, please leave a comment here on the blog and/or write on our facebook wall
and don't forget to check out the clip of Kristin's dance with her dad below.

THE GLAMOR
Kristin looked like she walked right off the silver screen in her gorgeous Martina Liana dress with all the crystal and vintage styled details.  Now, I'm not an expert when it comes to fashion by decade, but this looks like a dress Rita Hayworth could have worn in the forties.  Such a beautiful gown; stylish, flattering and fun.  I was so happy that she asked us to be there for her bridal preparations.  When so much detail goes into your look, it's important to have that documented and the footage we got that morning is priceless (Kristin and her look had A LOT to do with it).  Flawless and absolutely stunning is how I would describe Kristin.  Her look was a combination of smart purchases, hand made items, gifts and borrows that made it all come together.  Her earrings were a Christmas gift from her parents.  Her garter was made by her sister, Kerry.  The fur she wore to shelter her open back from the frigid temperature during pictures is vintage and borrowed from her mom's best friend, Gail (Kristin calls her aunt because they're so close).  At the last minute, Gail couldn't make it to the wedding, so she sent up her fur for Kristin to wear.  Kristin said it was nice to have a reminder of Gail with her on her wedding day.  It added to her look perfectly as well!

THE SPARKLY DETAILS

From her hair clip and jewelry to the detail on the dress and the shoes, Kristin shimmered from head to toe.  In the stills below you can see some of the sparkly goodness; Crystals in her bouquet, crystal detail on the front and back of her dress, delicate crystal details on her straps and those spectacular shoes!! 

Let's talk a little more about those spectacular shoes.  Can you believe they were a DIY project for Kristin??  I know!  They were absolutely perfect and so well done that I could hardly believe she put every crystal on them herself.  The amount of time, work and patience that went into making these sparkly beauties was well worth it!  They were a total show stopper and the perfect hidden detail that would peak out with every step!   Absolutely fabulous!

Of course, to go with the sparkle on the bride, there had to be sparkle at the wedding.  Kristin and Dave's wedding took place at The Fountains in Middletown, NY.  The sun drenched the ceremony space adding to the glimmer coming off Kristin's dress and accessories and helped make their ceremony even more magical.  When the reception space was revealed, it was just as brilliant from the crystals on the tables to the bling on the cake.  The staff did a great job of making the room beautiful! 

THE SURPRISES

Because Kristin and Dave decided to do their photos before their ceremony, we set up a moment for them to see each other before the photos.  We brought Dave outside to wait for Kristin so they could still have that moment of surprise when the groom first sees the bride.  Picture one is Dave anxiously waiting for Kristin to arrive and the second is when he got his first look at her all glammed up.   After a few peaks at the details, it was off to take some photos!

A big surprise for the guests was the dinner entertainment that Kristin and Dave had arranged; Aisha, a belly dancer!  Not only was she fun to watch, but audience participation was encouraged and expected.  I think one of my favorite moments is when Aisha was dancing with Kristin's Dad and you can see her Grandmother dancing in the background (you can see this in the preview clip above.  Too cute!!).  Everyone enjoyed Aisha's performance and guidance as she demonstrated some key moves, especially the kids.  I think a few little proteges may have been born on the dance floor.  Many of the guests continued to utilize their newly discovered, hip shaking moves well into the evening as DJ Domenic supplied them with tunes to keep them dancing.

FAMILY AND LOVE

I saved the best part for last.  No wedding is complete without the love of family and friends, but there was a very special family member that took center stage (next to her mom).

This wedding was not only about bringing two people in love together.  It was also about forming a new family.  When he proposed, Dave included Kristin's daughter, Scarlett, by having her hold a bouquet of flowers and even let her pop the question (Well sort of, he asked her again after Scarlett did).  Kristin said that she was so touched by Dave including Scarlett in the proposal.  On the day of their wedding, Scarlett was also a very big part of the day.  Not only did she have the honor of being flower girl, but was also the center of her own special vow ceremony where Dave promised to care for her and she was given a necklace from the two of them because Scarlett is the key to their hearts.  The unity sand ceremony was a family affair as well.  All three of them filled a picture frame with three colors of sand to represent the three of them becoming one family.  Group hugs and a series of blown kisses from Scarlett to her great grandmother ended these moments to make you smile, laugh and tear up.  It was all so precious and lovely.  What a great way to start off our wedding season!!  Thank you, Kristin and Dave (and Scarlett) for letting us take part in this very special day in your lives!  

If you enjoyed reading this post, please leave a comment here on the blog 

and/or write on our facebook wall (Don't forget to Like Us while you're there)

and don't forget to check out the clip of Kristin's dance with her dad.

THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Location: The Fountains at the WallKill Golf Club, Middletown, NY
DJ: DJ Domenic Entertainment
Belly Dancer: Aisha - exquisite belly dancing

Awesome Father Daughter Dance!

Kristin and her dad blew guests away with this dance!  Surprise dances between the bride and groom are growing in popularity due to viral videos posted all over YouTube, but I haven't seen any with the bride and her dad.  This clip begins with the parent dance already in progress so you can see the fun stuff faster.  

Just a note to Kristin's Dad from us:  You totally rock!!

Enjoy the clip!

If you enjoyed this clip, please leave a comment here on the blog and/or write on our facebook wall (don't forget to Like Us while you're there) You can also check out a longer post with a preview clip and all the details from Kristin and Dave's wedding here.

Thanks for the Kind Words, Amy and Adam!

 Hi Jenn,

We got the DVDs!!!!  Wow.  Amy and I both agreed we had this nervous/excited/scared feeling when just looking at the package, kinda like an amazing present you don't want to open.

We watched some of the video last night and absolutely love it!!!  Thank you so so much for all of your hard work, correspondence and everything.  We watched part of the video last night and were blown away by it.  The opening specifically is just so impressive and we love what you did.  I'm so glad you thought of it and encouraged us to do it.  We're saving a full viewing until we have some more time, probably Friday night.

Thanks again and we hope to stay in touch.  We'll be recommending you to every engaged couple we know!

Adam and Amy



Watch clips from Amy and Adam's Wedding Here

Had to share this wonderful comment!

We receive comments, phone calls and letters all the time from our happy Brides and Grooms about how much they love their videos.  It's always wonderful to read that people are happy with what we have produced for them, but when we get a comment like this from someone we only just met, never worked for or worked with, it's beyond what any words can express.

Comment from our Facebook Fan Page

Carolyn was working at the Mary Kay Cosmetics booth next to ours at the Villa Borgehe Bridal Show this January.  We're used to other vendors coming by, having a look at our work and introducing themselves, but Carolyn couldn't tear herself away from screen.  She would walk back to her booth and minutes later, she'd be peeking at our screen from over her table.  Bride's would be at her booth and she would be sending them our way.  This is not unheard of at Bridal Shows, but it's highly unusual to receive this kind of support when you've only just met the person that morning.

We were so blessed to have met Caroyln that day and feel so privileged that she was so impressed with our work that she liked our Facebook page and left us such a wonderful comment.  Thank you, Carolyn, from the bottom of our hearts!