Angel and Sam's Wedding

     On June 7, 2014 I had the opportunity to capture Angel and Sam's big day in Madison, WI. The weather couldn't have been better and the day itself was simply beautiful. I had met Angel and Sam back in April after they discovered my work online and were interested in having me there to film their big day. I could tell right from the first meeting how great they were for each other. I also enjoyed their laid back, enjoying the ride attitude toward the wedding. These were definitely two people I knew I would enjoy working with.

     The big day got started for me when I arrived to Bethel Lutheran Church in Madison. Angel had been there getting ready with her bridesmaids and family so I spent some time getting shots of them having some fun and some nice shots of the church itself. I was surprised to see how big the church was once inside, but it was a beautiful setting. Sam arrived shortly after and I was able to get some nice shots of him with the guys and his mom putting the boutonniere on his suit. I was able to capture a great moment between Angel and Sam as they exchanged cards around a corner from each other so neither would see the other before the ceremony, both holding back tears as they read their respective cards. Again, I could see how great they were for each other.

     As the ceremony began, there were plenty of people that filled the seats to witness this marriage and support the newlyweds. The ceremony went off without a hitch. As for my filming end off it, things went just as planned. Following the ceremony, we all went to a park nearby to take some great pictures. The weather was great, the video turned out amazing, and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Following the park photos, I headed to the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union where the reception would be held to begin getting some detail shots and prepare for the rest of the night.

     The reception was a lot of fun to be a part of. It was my first time filming at the UW Memorial Union, which was a great place for a reception. The room was located with windows overlooking the lake behind the building and had a patio guests could access. The room itself was decorated very nicely and I could tell they put time into designing the table settings right down to the individual pictures of Angel and Sam on each table.The food was great, the music was great, and everyone seemed to have a great time dancing and enjoying the night.

     Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your big day and being able to provide you with a lasting memory of it. I wish you all the best! Congratulations, Angel and Sam!

Danielle and Sean's Wedding

On August 3, 2013 I had the privilege of filming Danielle and Sean's wedding at The Abbey Resort in Fontana, WI. I enjoyed being there to film their wedding for several reasons. The first being that Danielle is a friend whom I grew up with. So it was great to be there on her wedding day to help her celebrate and be able to provide a great memory in the form of their wedding video for them to look back on over the years. Secondly, I worked at The Abbey Resort for several summers throughout my college years and to be able to finally go back and film a wedding there and see some friends who are still working there was fun. And lastly, it had been a while since I filmed a wedding and was looking forward to the day and getting back to it and utilizing some new skills I had recently learned.

The day started at the ceremony for me. It was an outdoor wedding and the weather was perfect. Sunny and warm, but not too hot. The setting was beautiful, right on the shores of the Abbey Harbor on the west end of Lake Geneva. The ceremony went flawless. From Danielle's beautiful dress to the final kiss and exit. It was a very nice ceremony and guests were even treated to Danny Gokey, who took third place on American Idol in 2009, singing a couple songs throughout the ceremony. Overall, it was a beautiful ceremony and a great day for a wedding in a wonderful location.

Since it was still summer and the temperature was nice, the ceremony was followed by an outdoor cocktail hour overlooking the harbor and the reception was inside of a big tent set up on the west end of the property. It was decorated beautifully. The wedding party was one of the largest I had ever seen but I didn't really realize it until I saw the head table set up. It had two rows with one row spanning the entire length of the reception hall! It was neat to see and I always love seeing the different set ups and themes to the wedding I attend and film. The food was great, the DJ and music were great and I got to see some friends I hadn't seen in quite some time.

It was a great wedding and I enjoyed being able to be there to capture it on video for Danielle and Sean. They are a great couple and I could see how happy they were to be spending the rest of their lives together. Thanks again to Danielle and Sean for having me there to film and provide you with a video! Congratulations Danielle and Sean! I wish you all the best!

Cassie and Adam's Wedding

In January of 2013, I had the honor of meeting with Cassie and Adam about filming their wedding later that same year. During our meeting, we were able to hammer out some details about what they were looking for but I also got the chance to learn more about them. I could see that they have a strong relationship and were both very excited for their upcoming big day. Their excitement got me excited to be working with them and be able to be there to capture their big day!

I spent a morning during the week before the wedding getting some great shots of Cassie's wedding dress, jewelry, shoes and decorations for the wedding in the barn that the reception would be in. When I first walked in, I immediately thought to myself that this is going to be a very neat place for the wedding reception and couldn't wait to see how it would be all set up just a few days later.

Finally the big day had come on May 25th, 2013 and I started the day out at the lake house that Cassie and Adam were getting ready at. Their families were very welcoming and helped me to feel comfortable as I began getting some footage of the house, decorations and everyone enjoying the day. I had brought both of my tripods and cameras so I was prepared but soon after I arrived, one of the tripods fell over and the part that holds the camera on broke off so I was out one tripod for the day. Luckily I had the second tripod to use when needed! Footage of both Cassie and Adam getting ready were taken along with all the details such as the flowers and we were off to the ceremony!

The ceremony was held in a small chapel which was a perfect setting for them. We arrived about 15 minutes before the ceremony started so I had to move quickly to get set up and ready to go. People were being seated and the music was playing as soon as we arrived.  It was a quick set up but it worked out just fine. The ceremony went well and I captured some great moments for them to look back on and remember their special day. I know both Cassie and Adam were busy preparing for the day so I tried to capture the little things they may have missed. It was a beautiful ceremony capped off by some great pictures out behind the chapel. Following the ceremony we were off to take some more pictures.

We traveled all around the area on the bus so the photographer could get some more group pictures. We started out getting some pictures at the reception site. I finally got to see it all set up and decorated and it looked amazing! It was a very cool site and something different. We got some great shots there and headed out to the bowling alley where Cassie and Adam had first met. That was a fun place to get some footage as we were able to use a couple of the lanes and have them pose. Everyone seemed a bit more relaxed now and ready to celebrate the night.

We headed back to the reception to continue the night. The barn had a nice rustic feel to it and the decorations were not too overdone. Many of the decorations were made by hand and every sign was created by pieces of wood that they painted on. The food was great and people were lively. Once the music started, there were many fun shots to be taken with people dancing and having fun. Soon the sun went down, the music kept rolling and everyone seemed to have a blast and I was there to capture it all. I wrapped up the night by getting some interviews with anyone who had some special words or advice to share with Cassie and Adam. Sometimes it's hard to find people willing but there were several ready to jump in front of the camera and add something special to their wedding video.

I could tell that a lot of work went into the set up and planning of their big day and it turned out to be a fantastic day! I enjoyed working and talking with this couple from the very first meeting. They were flexible with me and willing to share their ideas so I could create the video that they were hoping for. Congratulations to Cassie and Adam on their marriage!

Melissa and Marty's Wedding

On July 16th, 2011 I had the opportunity to attend another beautiful wedding for a couple friends of mine, Melissa and Marty Wright. It was held at UCC church in Delavan, WI with the reception being held at the Hamilton Room at UW-Whitewater's campus in Whitewater, WI. Both were great sites and decorated beautifully. We'll start with the ceremony.

I arrived a little early to get set up as people were beginning to slowly arrive. It was a warm, sunny day and I had decided to wear a suit for the occasion. Only once I began moving around and getting things ready did I realize the suit may not have been the best choice. The church had been decorated beautifully and everyone there to support the happy couple had smiles on their faces. I spent some time with the groom and groomsmen while they were taking pictures outside and I could see the excitement and eager anticipation on his face. Following the pictures with the boys, I found the bride and shot some video of her preparing for her big day. Just as with Marty, Melissa was equally excited about the wedding. One of my favorite things about filming weddings is getting to see the happiness surrounding the entire event and the excitement and joy that the bride and groom always share on their special day. It was a beautiful ceremony that was enjoyed with some laughter, great readings, some music and plenty of smiles. As the bride and groom exited, they were greeted with bubbles and cheers on their way to the getaway car.

From the ceremony, we headed to Cravath Lake in Whitewater, WI to take pictures with the bride and groom and the wedding party. The beautiful weather made for some fantastic pictures. We then went to the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater for the reception that was being held in the Hamilton Room of the University Center. This was a great place for ceremony to be held with plenty of room for everyone as well as room for a dance floor for the entire night. Food was fantastic, DJ and music were great and there was also a slideshow of their lives that was shown which was a nice touch to see them growing up to where they are now. After dinner and the speeches from the head table, the dancing got kicked off and it was an enjoyable rest of the night. Everyone that I spoke with had a great time and were so happy for Melissa and Marty.

I feel so honored that I was able to be there to help capture and share their special day with them! You were a lot of fun to work with and I greatly enjoyed being a part of your wedding and helping to make it something you can easily look back on and remember! Congratulations once again to Melissa and Marty Wright!

Lauren and Jon's Wedding

Again, this is quite a bit late but like I said in the last post, this is something new I'm starting up.

Lauren and Jon got married on September 5th, 2010 at the beautiful Geneva National Golf Club in Lake Geneva, WI. This was the first time I had been here for a wedding so I wasn't sure what to expect for set up or weather since it was planned to be outside. I got there and realized that I was missing a camera battery. That left me scrambling to figure out how to film with both cameras when I only had a battery for one of them. Luckily, I had brought extension cords and was able to find an outlet close enough that I could run the cable to the stationary camera and just keep it plugged in throughout the ceremony and what I had to do the rest of the evening during the reception.

The ceremony was held out on the lawn over looking Lake Como. It was a beautiful view and a great place for a wedding. The flowers were beautiful, the string quartet was great and everyone seemed to enjoy the day. The weather held up for the most part. It was quite windy and cloudy, but the only rain that came was just after the ceremony thankfully, and there was not much of it. Everyone I encountered at the ceremony was very friendly and helpful if needed.

Inside the clubhouse ballroom was where the reception took place. It was set up wonderfully. It didn't feel too crowded and had a wall that was all windows overlooking the lake and where the ceremony had just taking place. Very nice view. I really liked the cake as it had a traditional look to it, but also had a bride and groom on the green of a golf hole. That was nice touch that they added to it. It tasted great too! Table settings were nice as well. After dinner, the slideshow I had put together was shown and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Seeing Lauren and Jon growing up through pictures to where they were on that day must have been special for many of the people that attended the wedding.

Once the music began, the dance floor was never empty. The DJ for the night was fantastic. He was by far the best at keeping people having a good time, a good entertainer for the evening and very knowledgeable. When there may have been a lull here and there, he would always have an interesting story to share about marriage traditions. I don't know about everyone else, but I found those stories to be quite interesting. There was also a photobooth available for those wanting to take home a little something for themselves. This seems to be a growing trend at weddings and I personally think that it is a great idea. The photographers were also great at both working together with me and the DJ and being able to get the shots they needed without being intrusive. And the wedding planner for the day had at least one other, maybe two weddings that she was doing that day and seemed to do it flawlessly. She was always there to check on everything and was able to help me out with some of the requests that I had.

Overall, this wedding was a ton of fun to be at and I loved working with everyone I encountered. Thank you again to Lauren and Jon for giving me the opportunity to be there to capture your day and give you a way to always remember it. I hope the past 5 months have treated you well and congratulations again!

Jessica and Matt's Wedding

It's been awhile since Jessica and Matt's wedding, but I decided I wanted to start a blog posting some highlights from each wedding I film so I can say a little bit about them.

Jessica and Matt got married on October 16, 2010 at the beautiful Epikos Church in Milwaukee. This was a great place for a ceremony and for the time of year here in Wisconsin, they had amazingly, perfect weather for their day. Warm temperatures and plenty of sunshine. The ceremony was great and seemed to have a little bit of everything. Plenty of friends and family gathered to help them celebrate and everyone was very kind. There wasn't a ton of decorations, which I thought was just enough, because the church was already a beautiful place for a wedding. The band they had playing there sounded good as well. Everything seemed to go smoothly for myself and everyone else. If there was an issue, I definitely didn't notice it!

Just after the ceremony, everyone began heading to the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center where the reception was being held. Again, this was a great place and we were able to get some great shots in the trails and on Lake Michigan because of the great weather. The pictures I have seen have also turned out fantastic. They had a great, friendly photographer who knew exactly where to put everyone for great shots which helped me get some good shots I hadn't thought of!

The reception hall was a neat building. Had a rustic feel to it, but it was still modern. The DJ/band was already set up when I got there and the mood was being set for the evening. Cake was beautiful (and tasted just as good!) and everyone seemed to have a great time. Dance floor was full most of the evening following dinner and there were plenty of fun activities along with the bouquet and garder toss. This was one of the most enjoyable weddings that I've had an opportunity to film and the people I got to work with were great!

Thanks again to Jessica and Matt for having me there to capture your special day! I had a great time and enjoyed working with you. Although it's over 4 months later...congratulations once again! I wish you all the best.