As promised, here is the Highlight Reel of Samantha & Jason’s wedding day, which they won (free of charge) from Marry Me Group! The skies were perfectly blue, the sun gloriously shining from dawn ’til dusk. The beautiful site and all the details sparkled gold from the radiance of it all! The couple chose yellow and black as their colors and the effect was both dramatic and sophisticated. I love how this video turned out – it’s fun and easy going, just like the couple. Enjoy!
Samantha & Jason were married the last weekend of August and the circumstances of their wedding day may have seemed quite regular on the surface: a beautiful setting, a happy couple, happy guests on the lawn and the sparkle that each wedding embodies. But what will always set Samantha & Jason’s wedding apart from the majority of weddings is that they won their wedding. Yep, you read that right! Samantha & Jason won a free wedding through Marry Me Group, and EVERYTHING was free. We were thrilled to participate by capturing their memories on film. We thought it would be fun to show you the behind-the-scenes footage of just what it takes to put on a wedding. You’ll see people sweating and out of breath, working with single-minded focus and determination….and we all do this every weekend! Participating vendors are listed below. Enjoy this fun little video and keep your eyes peeled for a highlight of the wedding itself, coming soon…
Labor Day weekend is always one of our busiest weekends of the year. Why wouldn’t it be? With 3 potential nights of festivities and 3 consecutive days off work for most guests, it’s easy to plan a wedding where many of the attendees are from out of town. Being that people feel they’re on vacation, both because it’s a long weekend and they’re in a different city, I think it’s especially fun for us to be privy to the parties that result from the festive mood. Sam and Sarah Jane’s wedding did not disappoint! Pucker up, because there are some kissable moments in these images! The whole affair was held at the Westin Grand Hotel and these gorgeous photos are by Amy Raab. Enjoy!
Every so often, a wedding speaks to your fancy and reminds you that love is all about possibilities. Maya & Josh’s wedding, planned by the delectable Jamie Sears of A Simply Chic Event was just such a wedding. Oversized white balloons, gold shoes, miniature ice-cream cones, chandeliers hanging from trees and other such Alice-in-Wonderland treats to incite the senses and inspire the imagination abounded. I am certain every single guest fell in love that very night! Maya & Josh, we wish you every happiness and may your marriage be as fresh and fun as your wedding day! These stunning photos, a teaser of video to come, brought to you by the wonderful Holland Photo Arts. And for even more photos of this event, visit their blog. For a list of all the vendors who produced this fanciful affair, please scroll to the end of the post.
Thanks a referral by the lovely Laura Weatherly of Engaging Affairs, Dolce filled a last-minute need for Elizabeth and Adam, married September 25 in downtown DC. Check out Laura’s fantastic blog about it at, “Bridal Bubbly,” under the title ‘A Whimsical Washington Wedding’.
We had a fantastic time filming this gorgeous day! Here are a few teaser images to enjoy, but to see the real deal about this fun couple’s Big Day, (including all the great vendors who participated), hop onto Laura’s blog. Photos by Fotobriceno.
Fun shots with dry-erase thought blurbs set up by Fotobriceno at the Meridian House reception site.
Melody Biringer (left), founder of CRAVE, has started over 20 businesses to-date. Haynal Papp (right) has founded 2 businesses and helped to launch a city guide in Hungary.
You’d think with the title “A Dream Realized” featured in a blog written by a wedding videographer, I’d more likely than not be talking about a wedding. For many couples, this special day is a dream realized. But the dream I wish to reflect on today is different in nature; it’s about a personal goal being realized, a chapter in life accentuated by a significant moment. So now I pin my heart to my sleeve.
I have a childhood memory of sitting on the floor near the foot of my bed and looking at a magazine featuring stories about women in business. The magazine was touting the women featured as role models for striving towards one’s dreams. I clearly remember thinking, “I want to be featured like this when I grow up.” I wasn’t yet thirteen, yet I knew then that I would want to own my own business someday and be recognized as ‘accomplished’. When I finally started my own business, some 17 years later, I remembered this moment and was motivated by it. I knew that I was doing something different from the mainstream. Many friends and loved ones worried. What would I do without health insurance? (I bought some). What would I do without benefits? (I invested). What would I do without someone telling me what to do? (Tell others what to do). Somehow, our society isn’t necessarily geared towards self-employment as a rational pursuit leading to a stable life. Continue reading “A Dream Realized”
Last weekend we had the privilege of shooting a Terri Eaves wedding; she owns and runs Bash, a divine planning company that puts together gorgeous events. Her couple, Maya & Steve, are such a sweet couple and have been a pleasure to work with. Better yet, we captured their sweet life – big time – because there seemed to be an endless succession of Dolce Vita (Sweet Life) moments. Photographer Michael Connor captured many of them as stills and shared some of his images with us this morning. While Maya & Steve’s video is in post-production here, I hope you enjoy seeing a glimpse of their dolce day, compliments of Connor Studios. To see Michael’s blog post about this event, click here.
The best things in life are free, but you can leave it to the birds and the bees…I want money,” so goes the song many of us remember and it came to mind this morning when a lovely coordinator we work with – Kelley Cannon – emailed to ask about tips. She wanted to know if it’s standard for couples to tip their videographers, and if so, what is the appropriate amount? Here’s what I had to tell her.
Honestly, we rarely receive tips and we don’t expect them. When we are tipped, it’s typically between $50 – $150 per shooter (and we do a happy dance in the parking lot on our way home). The best ‘tip’ for those couples who’d rather not tip us: provide a hot meal and a parking spot.
After shooting with our hearts and souls to capture the emotions and moments of the day and to ensure the family can revisit every significant moment in their video, it sucks to eat a BLT made the day before served alongside a stale cookie. It’s not always quite so bad, but it has been on occasion and those meals stick out in our minds like a walk down a pirate’s plank. A hot dinner or a divine vendor meal can really rejuvenate a shooter and have them feeling ready to take on the last part of the shoot with renewed vigor! And a parking spot can really take the edge off when shooting in a one-take environment.
Not having valet parking or an assigned spot can be a huge stress on any vendor. There’s no worse feeling than driving around the block searching for an on street spot or garage when you know the bride is inside putting her dress on or the processional is lining up. Yikes! While we do arrive early, if there isn’t a spot available for us, cruising the neighborhood is all we can do (I did have a shooter park illegally, halfway on the sidewalk outside a Cathedral in DC once, and they weren’t even ticketed, but that’s another story!). Spending $10-$20 on parking to ensure your cameras are actually filming and not driving around is a great investment.
The reality is, the meal and the parking spot guarantee that you get as much time in front of that camera as we can possibly provide. Months after, when you’re sitting on the sofa watching your wedding video for the first time, you’ll be thrilled to see all that was captured without you being aware of us. But you’d be really upset if your dad’s impromptu toast was missing because your shooter was out grabbing a burger or feeding the meter. If you can avoid this (and we know that sometimes you can’t), then it’s the best tip we can get!
If you’re looking for more tips on ‘tips’, ask Kelley for a copy of her “Wedding Gratuities Guide” here.
For more tips on how to reduce stress on your wedding day, check out our Less Stress series: Category “How to Reduce Stress on Your Wedding Day”
Left to Right: Bill & Anne Holland (Holland Photo Arts), Stephen Bob (Love Life Images), Haynal Papp (Dolce Studio Films). And "No." It isn't a Black & White party! Who took this fabulous photo? Jamie Sears (Simply Chic Events).
The last Thursday of August, under a beautiful moonrise, River Farm‘s outdoor terrace twinkled with fairy lights and hummed with the buzz of happy guests. The garden soiree was hosted by Love Life Images to launch the expansion of their services under three reinvented auspices: Love, Love Life and Life. Each department now focuses the lens on specific stages and events in a family’s life. Love captures engagements and weddings, Life captures portraits and family photos and Love Life is a hybrid of both, if you will. If you’ve never seen their gorgeous work, you must visit Love Life Images and see what they’re all about! Founded by the fabulous Jennifer Dominick (who photographed my BFF’s wedding and the images are spectacular) and the divine Mary Gardella, the studio also includes Associates Stephen Bob and Joe Wang. Talented, friendly, informed and insightful both in personality and in imagery, this team is a creative force to be reckoned with. If you haven’t heard of them ’til now, I hope you enjoy this introduction!
The party was great and highlights included a terrace divided into 3 distinct spaces each representing the 3 aspects of the studio. Separated by swaths of white sheers undulating gracefully in the evening breeze, each space sampled a different menu of appetizers and had its own Signature Drink. A popular fave was the Lynchburg Lemonade, an homage to the sultry south of late August if there ever was one: freshly squeezed lemon over crushed ice with Bourbon and a sprig of mint. Divine. I spent most of the evening Stage Right at the dessert table, where I chatted with friends while scarfing down rows of Kendall’s Cakes‘ divine Petit Fours, my fave being the hazelnut creme meringues. Although more popular were her brownies and cupcakes, (which didn’t bother me at all)! I must say, those were the silkiest brownies I’ve ever had.
Thank you Love Life Images!
If you’d like to view a film of a wedding at River Farm, check out our Gallery page and watch the Kendall & Spencer sample, top row, middle. If you’re interested in having your event hosted at River Farm, contact Janet Daniels at rentals@ahs.org or 703-768-5700 ext.114.
This past Sunday we were thrilled to participate in Engaged! Magazine’s innovative Bridal Show. 5 of the city’s top hotels participated in hosting an extravagant show, with a multitude of vendors showcasing their work at each location. 300 prospective brides, grooms and couples were shuttled from location to location. At the St. Regis, they were treated to food, drinks, spa services, engagement photos and a feast for the eyes! The excellent vendors showcased in this highlight video of the event include: The St. Regis, Janet Flowers Weddings and Events, Gala Cloths, Hannelore’s of Olde Town, Red Door Spa and Salon, Steve Canning Photography, Dandelion Patch, Elizabeth Bailey Weddings, Kate Parker Weddings, Sugar Bakers, Bloomingdale’s Bridal Registry, Dolce Studio Films, Production Works International and Syzygy Events. Enjoy!
