Our Wedding: Buzzwords and Motif

Previously in this series- "Our Wedding: The Colors"

After we had decided on a color scheme for our wedding, it was time to nail down our "buzzwords" and "motif". Again, this is something that The Knot really helped me out with. I read an article that said when you're planning your wedding you should try to define the two. A buzzword is simply an adjective that describes how you want your event to look and feel, such as casual, bohemian, preppy, whimsical, vintage, modern, etc. It was pretty clear to me that our buzzwords would be elegant and rustic. And that's one thing I loved about our wedding, that in some ways it was a play on contrasts. Elegant and rustic don't typically coexist happily, but for us I think they did. Think satin against rock, crystal against wood, lace against cactus...

(photo by Casey)

Which brings me to our motif. According to the dictionary, a motif is a design which is used as a decoration or as part of an artistic pattern. It's a repeating element that you incoporate throughout your day, such as polka dots, chandeliers, bumble bees, stripes, etc. We decided that ours would be crystal because it played up the contrasts we wanted. You don't usually see crystals out in the country amidst rock, dirt, and woods. We also had somewhat of a flower motif, which I'll expound on soon. I wrapped my bouquet stems in beautiful crystal trim, all the flowers had crystals nestled among them, our guest book had crystals on the cover, our cake had crystal trim on it, and we had cut glass candle holders and glass vases in our centerpieces. My jewelry and the bridesmaids' jewelry had clear crystals incorporated in the design.

This photo (of our sadly lumpy cake) shows quite a few of the crystal elements in action:

(photo by Casey)

When you're planning a wedding, picking your buzzwords and motif is an excellent way to define the feel of your day and create a really cohesive look throughout the entire event, from invitations to cake.

And the Colors Go Pop!

I was going through my old blog drafts and I realized I never published this post announcing Vanessa McKellar Productions' move to High Definition video. So here it is, better late than never!

As you know, at the beginning of the year we purchased two new high definition cameras: the Sony FX-1000 and the Song Z5U, pictured here.

Brent and I waited and waited until the right camera came on the market: one that was small and inobtrusive, that was good in low light, and that was at a price point that made sense for our business. I was told about this camera on a videography forum, and soon thereafter I pre-ordered one before it was even released. (Just FYI, these two cameras are essentially the same, but the Z5U has a few more features and will be used as my main camera. They make a great team.)

So what does this mean for my clients?

First of all, from now on, all weddings will be taped in high definition. You will then have the option to upgrade to high definition delivery on a Blu-ray disc. These have to be played on a Blu-ray player on a HD compatible TV, and the results are well worth the upgrade. The crispness, clarity, detail, and realism of HD footage are amazing. For a little taste, watch the previous post's video in HD in Vimeo, and then compare that to the quality of this video. Then imagine what it can be like on a big bad TV screen at home.

For those that do not upgrade to HD delivery, your video will be delivered on Standard Definition DVD's, just like they are now. But since everything was shot it HD, the quality will still be improved. Plus, HD is a widescreen (16 x 9) format, so the videos will all have a more cinematic feel to them. (Widescreen is the aspect ratio you see at the movies, and 4x3 is what a lot of the square-ish home TV's are.)

We have already videotaped several weddings with our new "babies" and we are extremely thrilled with the results. And we know you all will be too!

The Maresch Family '09

A while back you saw Brent's experimental edit of our annual Maresch family shoot. The parents finally decided on a song for the "real" edit and now I've completed it. It's different than Brent's- softer, gentler, sweeter, I think. I wanted to focus on the kids' adorable faces and the way they look interacting with their environment. I threw in some shots of the carnival rides for a little spice and to allow the viewer to "rest" their eyes for a moment. It's interesting how those ride shots somehow remind me of a graceful ballet dance.

These kids are so sweet. When they played the little rubber ducky game and were able to pick out any toy they wanted, after much deliberation they all ended up picking out the red "Love" teddy bear after the oldest chose that one first. They love each other so much and get along so well; I hope my kids are just like them!

The Maresch Family '09 from Vanessa McKellar Productions.com on Vimeo.

Nic & Cam: The Flowers

Before my sister's wedding I wrote a post on our chosen florist, and I just wanted to follow up with a review now. Iris with Pod Flowers did a beautiful job bringing Nicole's vision to life. Nicole wanted lush, modern, bright arrangements featuring hot pinks, greens, purples, and oranges, with some succulents mixed in. Look how pretty the bouquet and boutonniere turned out!

(photo by Casey Benson.)

We were especially stunned by the reception table centerpieces. They had modern elements like the bamboo sticks, and they were stuffed full of myriad different and unique flowers. I was able to take one home after the wedding and I could look at it over and over and always discover something new.

(photo by me.)

And the cake! Looks pretty nice huh? Would you believe it's from Randall's grocery store? Nicole had them bake and ice a very basic cake and then asked Iris to have fun with it. I think it turned out spectacularly and I also believe this is a wonderful way to help cut costs a bit if you need to.

(photo by me.)

Another great thing about Iris is that her prices were totally reasonable. I think if I recall correctly she even said during the consultation that what Nicole wanted was going to be under Nicole's budget. How cool is that? If you're a Houston bride be sure to give Pod Flowers a call. It looks like Iris's web site isn't working now so here's her phone number: (832) 385-9037.

The Magic of Magic Bullet

In my previous post Gadgets, Gizmos, and Romance I talked about some software called Magic Bullet Looks that allows videographers to change the look of our video. It can alter video with tweaks in curves, diffusion, vignetting, saturation, tints, and a bunch of other parameters. I don't want to get too technical, so I'll just show you some before and after frames from Megan & Mark's Sneak Peek. The before's are on top, after's on bottom. See what a difference it makes? Doing this to our videos adds a ton of time to the editing process, but we think the results are well worth it.

Gadgets, Gizmos, and Romance

Today I wanted to get a little technical and talk about some of the tools we videographers have available these days. It's such an exciting time to be a wedding filmmaker; there are more options than ever before! The equipment and software we use is allowing wedding videos to look more like Hollywood productions instead of Uncle Charlie's handycam home movie.

Here is a run-down on some of them (and by the way, Vanessa McKellar Productions uses every one of them):

- High Definition: This high resolution format is fast becoming the standard, replacing standard definition. Oftentimes it costs extra to have your video delivered in HD, but you will certainly appreciate the difference in quality.

- Super 8: This nostalgic film medium is shot on circa 60's and 70's cameras. (So it's not really "new" per se but it's becoming more and more in vogue.) The camera operates noisily, but you'll end up with warm evocative imagery that adds spice to videos. The film is expensive and it works best with lots of light. Pairs perfectly with a vintage-style or outdoor wedding.

- Canon 5D Mark 2: Wedding filmmakers are buying this still photography camera because of the beautiful HD imagery it can capture. Because it uses photo lenses, the depth of field is shallow and it looks more like a movie. This camera really sings with detail shots and dancing coverage at low-light receptions.

- Steadicam/Glidecam: These are counterbalanced camera stabilizers that allow the videographer to walk and run while the camera remains steady. Originally created for use in big budget movies, they are now trickling down to the event industry. They create a dramatic cinematic look that can really enhance a production.

(Here's me adjusting my Merlin Steadicam, photo courtesty Alex M Photography.)


- Magic Bullet Looks: This is a software plug-in that generates effects for video while editing. You can have a video clip that looks blah and flat and washed out, apply Magic Bullet and make some tweaks, and turn it into something that is vibrant or romantic or moody. Think of it as Photoshop actions for video. Here's another blog post I made that demonstrates what Magic Bullet can do.

Hopefully this little crash course on new technologies will help you make a more informed hiring decision when it comes time to research your wedding videographer. It's nice to know what's out there, what you might like, and what you need to look for in a filmmaker.