Mike + Christine at the Mission Inn

Every year, it seems like more and more old friends are getting married and there is nothing more enjoyable than to have the opportunity to film those weddings. My friendship with Mike dates back to the fraternity days where it began as simply a Warden/AM experience (Sorry, Pi Kappa Phi Reference). For the rest reading this, let's just say that I was a "Pledge" and he was in charge of the "Pledges". Enough said.

Of all the people I met along my path through fraternity, I do have to say that Mike is without a doubt one guy that I have always had the utmost respect for. Truly a stand-up individual with all the qualities of a great man, and I was humbled that he would ask us to film his wedding.

As several years have passed since the good ol' days, Mike is still the same great guy and thus it is clear why he ended up with Christine. They are truly deserving of one another and it is clear they "dig" each other. I found this song by Incubus to be perfect for their trailer, as it is not only a song they chose, but one that is very reflective of relationships in general. . . . and to be honest, it's just fun to edit to. :-)

Enjoy!
-Steve

Randy + Michelle // Finding Forever

This summer was the wedding season with a little flavor. . . . as we had so much fun experiencing new venues and hidden gems. The Kyoto Grand is no exception.

Located in Downtown LA, perhaps it simply gets lost among the skyscrapers, but make no mistake, this is a beautiful and unique venue for a wedding, and it was perfect for Randy + Michelle.

Nestled into the rooftop garden, the two were married in the most intimate of ceremonies, and we must say that Michelle was simply stunning in her dress. There was so much great footage to choose from for this trailer, but we didn't want to spoil the final film for the newlyweds, so we had to keep it short, sweet, and simple.

Here it is, Randy + Michelle.

-Steve

Heather + Richard {The Happiest of Endings}

The daily grind. . . life grabs you constantly on a daily basis and pulls you in every direction. Whether it is getting up for work, or fighting traffic to be somewhere, or simply dealing with the cards you are dealt. . . sometimes we forget to stop, pause, and take a deep breath.

We stumbled upon this song awhile ago and I find it's message to be applicable in so many areas of our lives, and the wedding day is another perfect example.

To say Heather and Richard's wedding was epic simply wouldn't do it justice. From the jeweled centerpieces, to the cigar roller, to the ultra lounge after-hours party, this wedding was seeping with details. Then to top it off, they chose to get married at the one and only Rancho Las Lomas, a venue that hosts acreage as far as the eye can see covered with photo ops and animals (they even have bangled tigers). Our minds go into overdrive at this venue because there simply isn't a bad spot to shoot. Anywhere.

While planning this wedding was most certainly not an easy task, it becomes ironic that once the day arrives, there is no planning left to be had. All Heather + Richard had left to do, was stop, pause, and take a deep breath.

It is on that thought that we proudly present to you

Heather + Richard {The Happiest of Endings}

A very HUGE shout out to Lane, Amy, and Rani Lu of Amy Squires and Co for their hard work that day as well as always being so much fun to work with. Truly great photographers. Another shout out to Kerrie Underhill of Platinum Weddings by Kerrie. This wedding was amazing and there is no way it could have gone off the way it did without her there!

Enjoy!
-Steve

Jon + Elizabeth {A Boston Wedding}

I first started communicating with Elizabeth almost a year before her wedding. She was looking for a distinctive look in her wedding film and was having trouble finding it locally. We must have exchanged 25 emails before her and Jon decided to take a leap of faith and put their trust into our hands for the big day.

Well, if that isn't pressure, I don't know what is, but I must say that I have yet to meet a more gracious and hospitable couple. It is so ironic that we only had to fly across the country to find them :-) When we first met with Elizabeth to go over the day's events, she was so easy to work with and she even gave us the quick nickel tour of our surroundings. . . . and when you are in Boston, you'll take anything you can get! Every building, every street, every crevice in Boston has a story. . .

Jon + Elizabeth were married in the heart of Boston, which gave them the opportunity to have their portraits taken in front of a 500 foot long reflection pond and the stunning architecture of the Church of Christian Science Headquarters (Home of the Christian Science Monitor). The scenery was jaw dropping and needless to say, our minds were running a million miles an hour with ways to shoot this one.

A couple of other fun details, Jon is an enormous Red Sox fan, of course, if you hang out in Boston long enough (and you don't originate from New York), I'm not sure how you couldn't be a Red Sox fan. So we added a few fun "sox" touches to this highlight, including iconic Fenway Park. Also, the two exchanged gifts before the ceremony. Jon coughed up the coins for a beautiful Tiffany's solitaire pendant necklace and well, Elizabeth. . . . . . she gave Jon a "for his eyes only" kind of gift (Had to promise we would shoot him opening it in silouette :-).

It was a shame we only had the opportunity to spend a few short hours with Jon + Elizabeth, but it was time well spent and we feel honored to have had the opportunity to fly over 3000 miles to document such a wonderful wedding.

A quick shout out to Catherine from Catherine Morris Photography. What fun to work with and if you are looking for a photograher in the New Hamshire area, she gets our vote for sure! She is coming out to California in February and we hope to meet up at that point to catch up!

So with much love from one coast to the other, here is Jon + Elizabeth.

Enjoy! :-)

-Steve

Josh + Leah + A Same Day Edit

Contemporary, Vintage, Elegant, Raw, Flavor. . . . . . Serious Flavor.

Josh + Leah didn't miss a detail for their wedding. From the flowers to the food (oh what incredibly tasty food), nothing went to chance. Perhaps it is because Leah is a wedding coordinator. . . . you see when Leah contacted us and said she wanted to book with us because we were different than anything she had seen, well at first I was floored. There is nothing like a compliment from a fellow wedding vendor, especially a coordinator who has seen it all. Then I became extremely nervous as that is a high bar to set for a same day edit. As the clock ticked, we edited away until we came up with this, Josh + Leah's Same Day Edit.

Special thanks to Brandon Kidd from Brandon Kidd Photography. His style and art never ceased to amaze us, you HAVE to check him out. Thank you Alicia at In the Now Weddings & Events for her help with the day's festivities and one last shout out to Smog Shoppe, the ultra chic venue in LA. Off the wall imagery at every corner, a must see!

Enjoy :-)
-Steve

Jenny + Anthony // Same Old Song and Dance {not really}

This past year was full of fun surprises and some of our couples surprised their guests with some wedding day choreography. Jenny has an extensive background in dance and Anthony. . . . well Anthony married Jenny, so there you go. LOL, actually we think Anthony held his own in this one, you be the judge :-)

Namsil + Jung // Surprise! You're Engaged

Traditions. . .

Every family has them, and some traditions have been passed on for centuries. Every culture has an ancient rite of passage and many of them take place on the wedding day.

The Korean PaeBaek ritiual is one in which the groom's family formally accepts the bride into their home. As modern times have changed and most of the time the newlyweds don't move in with the groom's parents, so to has the ritual changed to usually include the parents from both sides. Regardless of the updates to the ritual, is still has deep roots in Korean culture and we were thrilled to be a part of it with Namsil and Jung on their big day.

With this trailer, I thought I would take a fusion-like approach mixing in elements from the PaeBaek as well as the modern day ceremony. With both elements being such a large part of their day, how could I not include the footage from both ceremonies?

You may be wondering about the title of this Blog post, but just watch the trailer, and you'll get the idea :-)

A special thanks to Esther Kim from My Bride Story Weddings & Events for both her help with the wedding day itself as well as a VERY informative site explaining the entire PaeBaek tradition. If you are interested in learning more about this fascinating wedding ritual, click here.

And here is Namsil + Jung, enjoy!

Cristina + Lucas - A Same Day Edit

I constantly refer to traditional weddings with large families being so much fun to film. Lucas and Cristina have VERY large families.

From the beginning of the day, the bridal suite was buzzing with excitement as the girls got ready. We met up with the guys downstairs at the bar and they were as relaxed as could be. Even when the guys lost a button off one of the tuxes, no problem, Joe Broccardo (Photographer + Seamstress Extraordinaire) was there to take care of it. The guys were just as easy to work with as the girls and it shows in the footage.

As we got to the reception. . . . "WOW" was all that came to mind. The guys from Atmosphere Entertainment didn't dissapoint and the room was immaculate. I cannot stress what a difference lighting can make at a reception and I think you will see with the grand entrance and the first dance footage what we were able to capture. It was a no brainer that it had to be included in this clip.

It was so rewarding to pull this edit together for the reception as 250+ guests sat and watched last night. A very large congratulations to Cristina + Lucas and here's to happiness and great memories in the years to come!

Truly a special day and a special couple!

Enjoy :-)

Sean + Karen // A Twist on Formalities

Sean + Karen were married in October in beautiful San Clemente. This couple tops our list in 2009 for couple with the best sense of humor. Be sure to check out the dance at the end of this clip, absolutely hilarious!

Enjoy!
-Steve

***NOTE*** - Due to the length of this clip, we recommend you press "Play", then "Pause" and allow the clip to load for a minute before continuing to view. This will ensure optimal playback :-)

Tyffani + Brad "She was cute, it was simple"

The first love, everyone has one, but not often do you find it to be the same person you end up spending the rest of your life with.

As we arrived to this shoot, the first thing that caught my eye was the photo montage of these two. Pictures from over the years flooded the peg board and it was as if you could see how their relationship had blossomed with time.

Tyffani and Brad decided to incorporate their story into the ceremony, thus it was only fitting to incorporate it into their trailer as well. From living in 4 different states, to being engaged for two years, this day was a long time in the making. Not to mention the two suggested a song from The Cure, which throws a fun little spin into this clip.

Shot on location at Pacific Edge in Laguna Beach. A Special thanks Priscilla Granger from At Your Service Catering for her help with the shoot. Also, thank you to DJ Todd from E-Mobile Music for keeping the night rockin'!

And here is Tyffani + Brad, enjoy!

-Steve :-)

Frank, Patricia, and Mr. Dad

I must say that this was the first time we filmed a father and daughter performing a remix dance to "Beat It", and that was just the beginning. . . .

It was such an honor to be a part of Frank and Patricia's big day. Tradition, respect, and love play such a huge role in both of their families and everyone was so easy to work with. How cool to see the parents from both sides greeting every guest that entered the room at the reception. Filmed on location at the Mission Inn, Riverside, a venue synonymous with beautiful weddings, this one didn't disappoint.

And the fact that this Bride and Groom like to dance didn't hurt either. . . . .

Here's Frank + Patricia, the Trailer.

Enjoy

-Steve :-)

P.S. - Special request from Patricia to show the entire "Beat It" portion of the dance with her father, so here it is. . . .

"Do What You Love and You'll Never Work a Day in Your Life"

Confucius wasn't lying. . . . . .

One of the most rewarding parts of our job is the ability to create something that is truly unique. Our couples know that we don't do ordinary and I like to think that all of our couples are distinct in that they hire us because they are looking for something that is truly extraordinary. We go into each shoot with that in mind and when we receive thank you cards, I always like to share them because I feel that every time we receive one of these cards, it shows that the mission has been accomplished.

Just today, we received a pair of thank you cards, one from Sean + Sara, who we had the joy of filming in Palm Springs, and the other came from Ryan + Sara, who took the plunge at Padua Hills.

Congratulations to both couples and may we say "thank you" for the thank you!

Here are the cards they sent:

Ryan + Jessica - Contemporary Flair

When Jessica first contacted us, she was interested in having the first glance between her and Ryan take place at the Lab in Costa Mesa. Instantly, we were in.

I think these two had one of the most emotional and moving first glances I have ever had the privilege of filming and I think it is a testament to just how deeply in love with one another Ryan and Jessica are. We had a blast not only putting together a killer photo session with Janel Conlan from Focus Photography, Inc., but also simply partaking in such a great day with two very gracious and fun loving people.

Congratulations again to Ryan and Jessica and enjoy the trailer!

-Steve :-)

Cooper Acoutin - Past Groom - Future Superstar

So this post has NOTHING to do with weddings. . . . . . . well, that's not entirely true, you see, you'll remember Cooper from two other clips that have made the blog. He was featured in a Save the Date video with his now wife Lauren, and we posted their trailer a short while ago as well!

Cooper is a drummer and that's all he wants to be, forever. He even formed a company (Acoutin Custom) which fabricates custom drumsets. If you get into a conversation with him about drumming or making drums, he will happily tell you that drumming is what he wants to do, forever. It goes without saying that this is most certainly why he was put on this earth.

It also goes without saying that he is good, really, really good. . . and I was honored when he asked us to put together a drum solo video for him with the intention of building a reel/business card for the industry.

So we got together late on a Monday night and filmed into the wee hours of the morning until we arrived with enough tape for two songs. This is the remix he laid down for the Jay Z song, "Run This Town". We also put together a killer video to an Eminem track, but for the sake of keeping this blog G rated, I haven't posted it here (lyrics to the song will not be found on the Disney channel). If you would like to view the Eminem track, just email me and I'll shoot you the link :-)

Cooper Acoutin, you are a talented man, and all I can say is don't forget about us little people when you become famous. . . . .

-Steve :-)

Ryan + Sarah - Perfect With Many Imperfections

When we first met up with Ryan and Sarah, it was evident that their day was going to be all about having a great time with family and friends, and they didn't let us down. As the thermometer cracked 101 on a blistering Sunday afternoon, Ryan and Sarah were married at the stunning Padua Hills Theatre. If you are looking for a venue that offers nothing but Kodak moments everywhere, this is the place. Special thanks to David from David Torralva Photography for being so easy to work with, too!

Perhaps one of the best parts of the day was the newlyweds toasts to one another. Unfortunately, since this is a trailer, you won't see most of what they said, but we simply had to include how Sarah summarized Ryan with such a simple phrase. (. . .the title of the post kind of gives it away. . . )

We pride ourselves on creating unique films that fit our clients. Ryan and Sarah made it very clear that they wanted their film to be upbeat, crazy, and all about the moment and just embracing the atmosphere of the day. So be warned, this edit is not for the sappy human, in fact, if you want to harness a box of tissues and some comfort food, may we suggest you scroll down a post or two to another clip.

This one is all about two things. . . . love and fun. . . . oh and maybe the glow sticks at the reception!

Enjoy!

Steve :-)

Stay Tuned. . . . .

Off to Boston

Whenever we have the opportunity to travel to share our couple's stories, it is truly a great experience and this one should be no exception.

We are thrilled to be spending this weekend in Boston for Elizabeth and Jon's wedding. Can't wait to get some amazing footage around the historic city and experience such an exciting wedding in such a spectacular place.

Stay tuned. . . . .

-Steve :-)

We LOVE the LOVE!!!

Just this past week, we received a couple very nice thank you cards as well as some goodies from our past couples. Amy and Ben (who is a Navy Seal) were way too kind in not only sending us some bad ass Navy Seal Stickers,

but a SWEET Navy Seal Polo as well!!!!

Finally, Amy and Ben were kind enough to send a very nice thank you card, too!

which left me no choice but respond in SIGN language. . . (sorry the jokes don't get better)

Also, we received a wonderful thank you card from Allison and Rob for the Same Day Edit we did for them. If you didn't have an opportunity to check it out, click HERE to watch thier SDE. This is the card they sent

A very special thank you to Ben + Amy and Rob + Allison for all the Love! It was a pleasure to work with both couples and we can only hope to have many more just as awesome as the four of you were!

-Steve :-)

jake ♥ kiki - The Highlights

One of the most intriguing aspects for me about the wedding day is the history and strong family traditions and values that are ever present at each shoot. When Kiki's father spoke about what it meant to him to give his daughter away to Jake, it simply reinforced my belief that a strong family is such a great foundation for the beginning of a marriage.

It was evident both on their wedding day as well as the rehearsal dinner that both Kiki and Jake come from very tight knit and strong families. Traditions played a big role in this wedding and they were exemplified in all the details. From photographs of grandparents in a locket on the bouquet, to a grand entrance capped off with their college fight song, Jake and Kiki didn't miss a thing.

My personal favorite to this highlight is the Vespa parked out in front of the Balboa Bay Club. While we have the opportunity to share in many couples' special day, I have never seen a Bride and Groom drive off at the end of the night on a Vespa, and as they say, "Just when I think I've seen it all. . . . . " you get the idea.

A very special thanks to Jim Kennedy from Jim Kennedy Photographers. We randomly had the opportunity to work together twice within a month, so that was definately a treat as he is always a pleasure to work with!

Also, thank you to Lisa Moon from Lisa Moon Events for moving the evening along just as planned. A good coordinator is worth her weight in gold and Lisa is a great coordinator!

So here are the wedding day highlights from jake ♥ kiki, enjoy! :-)

Erin + Greg - 7 Years, but Worth the Wait

Erin and Greg went to high school together. For whatever reason, their relationship didn't blossom until much further down the road, but as anyone who was at the wedding would tell you, their love for each other truly has grown over the years into a foundation for a marriage that will last a lifetime.

These two decided to have the party in style at the Ritz in Dana Point after a beautiful ceremony at St. Edward's in Dana Point. With so many of our recent clips reflecting a slightly faster pace, we decided to slow it down a bit for this trailer. We found a great song for Erin and Greg and we hope you like it, too!

A special shout out to Joel Eckman Maus from StudioEMP! Thanks for being easy to work with and we hope to have the privilege of shooting with you again!

Erin + Greg, enjoy!
-Steve

Allison + Robert - aBadKad Same Day Edit

This one was unique from the start. First off, a HUGE shout out to Allison + Robert for making this wedding their own. I have never seen lemons, limes, and oranges used as centerpieces on tables, and it totally rocked!

Second, I have to say that the father of the bride stole our heart with his Mint 46' Cadillac. As soon as we saw that car, we knew it was going to be a part of the SDE, hence we reference the license plate in this post.

Third, the watch that Allison gave Rob as a wedding gift was sweet, and let's face it Rob, you can never go wrong with Diamond Studs for the bride, never seen a bride who didn't like those. :-) Funny that the two of them got the same card to go with the gifts, as one bridesmaid said, "It must be a sign!" Be sure to pay attention for the shots of the gifts in the SDE.

And Finally, a huge shout out to the crazy cool vendors who helped to make last night's presentation a success. First, thank you to Kim Sanders and her team from Art With Nature as we were in their hair trying to get some fun ring shots with their fruity centerpieces for awhile!

Second, thanks to Tracy Norred from Serendipity Images Photography for letting us have our way with the lovely couple and being so easy to work with. And finally, a shout out to John from After Dark Entertainment for arranging the audio for the SDE. These presentations can't go off the way they do without help from DJs like John!

So without further ado, we bring to you Allison + Robert - aBadKad SDE. . . .

Enjoy!
-Steve

Lauren + Cooper - The Rock Trailer

I have been wanting to use this song in a trailer since the first time I heard it. Already being a HUGE Kings of Leon fan, I had to find the right wedding to use it in, and here it is.

Having done our first shoot for the save the date back last year (you can see it HERE), I feel like I've known Lauren and Cooper forever already, and to see the day finally come, and in experiencing it with the two of them and their incredibly gracious families, I have to say how perfect the day truly was.

We started at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach and made our way to the Newland House in Huntington (hidden gem of a location by the way). Being that Cooper is in a rock band of his own, I figured what better than to pick up the pace on this trailer and bring you a wedding in a way you probably aren't used to seeing it.

A very special thanks to Wendy Walker for all of her help at the reception, not to mention I have to give a shout out to her Vintage Mic as well! Andrea Martin from Something Blue Stylists also brought her flair to the day with a great hair and makeup session for the girls as well.

Hope you enjoy!
-Steve

Danny + Krystal - A Photo Fakeout

When Krystal and I were chatting on the phone for this Same Day Edit, her idea was to start with photographs to give the guests the idea that it was going to just be a photo montage, then we would come in with the Same Day Edit and give everyone an idea of what went on throughout the day!

Love the bridal prep shots in this one and we ended with a fun little stop motion piece that I hope you enjoy. Krystal also had a couple photos that she wanted to add at the end as well, what a fun wedding and a great family!

P.S. - I LOVE Mariachis

Enjoy!
-Steve

We Love Thank You Cards

As I always say, the most rewarding part of this business is the joy we bring to our couples. Nikki and Josh were so easy to work with and I thought I would share the card they sent us. :-)

In case you didn't have an opportunity to check out their trailer, you can view it HERE.

Sean + Sara Heating Up Palm Springs

When the thermometer hit 106 as we entered beautiful La Quinta Resort in Palm Springs, I was a bit concerned about the day. Fortunately, we brought extra water bottles and Sean and Sara brought some personality to a wonderful wedding.

I found it so perfect that the officiant mentioned that sometimes in marriage, "it's the little things that are really the big things". I found that to be so evident all day as detail after detail was planned to a "T". There was so much footage from this one that I was somewhat overwhelmed as I sat down to put together this trailer. You'll notice a fun touch at the end that gives a shout out to the candy station, because in all honesty, it was one of the hits of the reception. Who doesn't love candy?

A special thanks to Jim Kennedy from Jim Kennedy Photography for being so easy to work with and also shout out to Jenna Ball for keeping everything rolling right down to the minute. Always a pleasure to work with great vendors!

And here it is, Sara + Sean, enjoy!
-Steve

Why the Photo-Booth Rocks - Reason #423

So I was totally bummed because I took the greatest Photo-Booth Pictures with David and Melissa at their wedding back in January. I got back to the studio the following Monday and sure enough, I couldn't find the picture. I LOOKED EVERYWHERE.

Well, as time would have it, the picture finally popped up this past week when I opened a zipper I completely forgot I had in my camera bag.

And there you have it, reason #423 why the Photo-Booth Rocks - Because they allow you to find cool hide-away zipper pockets in your camera bag. (. . . . ok I know, not a good reason, but hey, why do you think it is all the way down at #423 ???)

P.S. - My favorite is the one down in the bottom right corner




What a great couple to work with!
- Steve :-)

Nikki, Josh & Tivoli, Too!

What a fun couple, and a truly a pleasure to work with! Nikki and Josh were married at Tivoli, Too! in Laguna Beach. The song from this trailer says it all with these two. Just a relaxing laid back way to start a new life together!

Here's the trailer from their big day.

Enjoy :-)
-Steve

Lauren + Jonathan {a beach-town wedding}

With wedding season in full swing, we have so much footage on the hard drives just waiting to jump on the blog. . . the trick is finding the time to make the posts happen.

Having said that, here is a Gem from a truly generous easy going couple. . . .

Lauren and Jonathan were married in Laguna Beach at St Catherine of Siena with an amazing reception at the Island Hotel in Newport. It's easy to find the motivation to cut a film when you can clearly see that a couple is very much in love as is the case with these two. While we are hard at work on the full length film, here is the trailer from the day.

A very special thanks to Mike Carcano of Carcano DJ for all of his help at the reception. Plus, Eric Cotter from Jim Kennedy Photographers was great to work with as well!

On a side note, pay special attention in this one to some more great footage from the Canon 5D Mark II. You'll notice it in the ring shots and the final clip of the invitation. So exciting to have this great piece of equipment in our arsenal this year.

Enjoy! :-)
-Steve

Kent and Michelle - Save the Date

I don't know what it is about Wine Country, but for some reason, it is one of the most relaxing places on Earth. The vineyards, the fresh air, the open space, all of it just brings out the greatest vibe. So when Kent and Michelle told us they wanted to film their Save the Date video in Temecula's Wine Country, we were in.

If you have never heard of a Save the Date Video, this is a great opportunity to check it out. What better way to spread the good word than with your own customized DVD inviting your guests to Save the Date!

Enjoy :-) - Steve

Mark and Alison {How Sweet it Is} A Same Day Edit

First and foremost, my sincerest apologies for neglecting the blog as of late. We have been gearing up for "Wedding Season" and I feel like I haven't been posting enough recently, but rest assured, this is the first of many to come in a short period of time!!!

Having said that, I couldn't be happier with the following Same Day Edit to get the season kicked off right!

Mark and Alison were married in Carlsbad at the beautiful Saint Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church with their reception following at the Crossings in Carlsbad. We had the privilege to experience the day first hand from the champagne lunch with the girls, to the fondue fountain desert at the reception.

This same day edit is especially fun because we had the opportunity to interview the newlyweds before the wedding and get their take not only on the wedding day, but how they met, a thought or two about the baby pictures, and also some thank you's and warm words for the guests as everyone watched the presentation at the end of the night!

A HUGE shout out and thank you to the one and ONLY Amy Squires of Amy Squires and Co. Her work is second to none and we had such a blast working with her as well!

This was also our first shoot this year with our newest toy. . . the Canon 5D Mark II. Nothing like a 22 megapixel still camera that can also record High Definition Video at 1080P, and give us the opportunity to explore the world of 35mm lenses. (and if you didn't get that last sentence, it's okay. . . just watch the clip below and enjoy the ring shots :-)

Here's to the start of a jam-packed summer of fun weddings! - Steve :-)

Weddings by SML wins an Accolade Award

Not that awards really matter when it comes down to the nitty gritty of the wedding filmmaker, but I'm not going to lie. . . it is cool. :-)

Truly an honor to be recognized by our peers as a production house that is putting out noteworthy pieces that ideally reflect well on our industry as a whole and where we are trying to take it. We were honored to receive notice that Erin and Greg's Save the date video was not only fun to film and edit, but it also was worthy of an Accolade.

If you haven't had an opportunity to check out Erin and Greg's Save the Date, you can view it HERE.

If you have never seen a save the date video or simply don't know what it's about, you HAVE to have one! Give us a call to get more information! They are a blast to shoot and truly a unique way to get out the word about the big day!

We've Started another Company geared for Young Families!

There are two types of families in this world:

TYPE A (aka, my family) - Takes HOURS upon HOURS of endless footage of kids when they are young. . . you know. . . that shot of the toddler playing with their toys on the carpet for like 45 MINUTES!!! Problem is, no one ever watches this stuff, and then it just sits on a shelf in a closet for like 20 years! My Mom must have 187 hours of footage of my brother and I growing up. . . .

TYPE B - Has 3 pictures of the kids growing up (all taken by friends at a Bday party). Simply never took the time, or didn't have the resources (aka camera) to take the videos/photos of the kids when they were all tiny and cute. . . .

So, I have found the solution! Enter Family Bliss Films. . . . . . rather than explain what we do, check out the video below, and if you like. . . . goto www.familyblissfilms.com for more information!

And yes, we still do weddings, too. . . I promise! :-)


The Elhaj Family from Family Bliss Films on Vimeo.

Weddings by SML announces FREE WEDDING FILMS

lol, I wish. . . . April Fools. . . . :-)

OK, so I couldn't think of anything better, but in the spirit of the day, I couldn't resist.

-Steve

Trash the Dress in a Ghost Town - Part 2

It took me longer than originally anticipated to get to this clip, but I wanted to get it finished to show you how AWESOME Brandon Kidd's photographs are! If you haven't seen Part 1, you must watch that first ( just 2 short posts below this one :-), otherwise none of this will make any sense!

But here is Part 2, Behind the Scenes of our shoot with Brandon Kidd and his killer photography!

Sometimes it's the little things

Just received this card in the mail and thought I would share. Toke and Angie were such a great couple to work with and we wish them all the best in the future. If you would like to see the original post from their wedding last year, click HERE.

Trash the Dress in a Ghost Town - Part 1

I'm really proud of this one, perhaps my favorite film to date, maybe because it's a little off the wall. . . . like me.

Trash the Dress, a concept that usually makes couples run for the hills, but in the case of Kimi and Geoff, it made them run for town. . . a ghost town to be exact. . .

I had the privilege of teaming up with the very talented Brandon Kidd of Brandon Kidd Photography, who managed to lock down a KILLER location. A very special shout out to the vintage vineyard truck which we found abandoned in the weeds. Just one of the many antiques left for us to feast our imagery upon in this gem of a location.

In any case, this is part 1 of a two part series. In part 2, there will be a behind the scenes look at the shoot itself including some of Brandon's stunning photography. -Steve

2010 - Year of The Short-form Edit

This year Weddings by SML is in a transition to the Short-form edit. Traditionally, brides have always expected to see their wedding film in a "documentary style" meaning, the film would be anywhere from 45 minutes to 1:30 in length.

The film would show the day in its entirety with the ceremony taking up a large portion of the film (depending on the length of the ceremony). Needless to say, when friends come over, there is fast forwarding and constant jumping to the "fun scenes". After all, sitting through a 1 hour Catholic Mass ceremony doesn't always make for the greatest cinema. :-)

Inevitably, the "fun scenes" were the montages and cinematic portions of the day (Ex. Bridal Preparations, Post ceremony footage with the Bride and Groom, etc.), which personally, I love not only to shoot, but to edit as well. Well, as our commander in chief likes to say, the time has come for change, not only in the way we shoot, but the way we edit the final film as well. . .

enter, the Short-form edit. . .

The concept is simple, "Deliver a final film that not only will entertain the bride and groom, but also knock the socks off the friends, family, co-workers, and anyone else dying to catch a glimpse. So, while we have been speaking with clients who booked their weddings with us for 09 in 2008 about the concept, here is an extended highlight, which takes on the look and feel of a shortform edit. Easier to let you press play then explain in text. . .

As we edge closer to 2010, we will ultimately make the jump into delivering only shorform edits ( 20-30min in length ) to our clients as a final delivery package. Keep in mind the video below is an EXTENDED HIGHLIGHT ( only 16 min ), however, the taste, touch, feel of it is very comparable to a full length Short-form Edit (once again 20-30 min in length).

PLEASE NOTE*** THIS VIDEO IS ALMOST 17 MINUTES LONG. FOR OPTIMUM PLAYBACK, PRESS PLAY, THEN PRESS PAUSE, LET IT LOAD, AND THEN PRESS PLAY AGAIN.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding - Nectaria and Jeremy

There is something about large families with ties to their ethnic backgrounds that I absolutely adore. The controlled chaos that is the interaction between one another. The emotion that spills from their bodies as you can tell how much they care about one another. The fact that no matter how much stress, (and in the bridal suite prior to the ceremony. . . there is lots of it) these families always seem to bend, not break. Nectaria, Jeremy, and their families are no exception to this rule.

From the start of the day, this one had everything in it. A little chaos, a little emotion, a few nerves, and even an off the cuff political joke (explained in the clip). Never the less, with all the challenges, emotions, and quirks a big family can bring to a wedding day, this one performed flawlessly with a lot of love in the process.

Nectaria and Jeremy were married at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Long Beach with the reception at the Long Beach Hyatt. When I went back through the footage, I found the toasts to be so fun, yet compelling that I had to share with everyone, and so here it is, the highlights from thier special day.

A very large thanks to Tony and Marion from Elegant Photography. Always a pleasure to work with! Couldn't ask for a better Husband and Wife team!

Robert and Marianne - Same Day Edit

There are several laws in nature that guide us in our lives and the way we live them. Gravity keeps us grounded. Traffic keeps us cranky. Weather keeps many of us in California. And last, but certainly not least. . . It doesn't rain on the New Year's Day Parade in Pasadena, nor does it rain on a bride's wedding ceremony.

The forecast called for rain moving in on a Thursday and carrying on through the weekend, which happened to be Robert and Marianne's Wedding Weekend. Saturday at 4:30pm to be specific. I assured Marianne of the "no rain on a ceremony" law and told her to keep the faith. Come Saturday morning, hail the size of marbles were hitting the ground outside my house. Wasn't looking so good. . . but, sure enough, as the sun rises every morning, I couldn't help but notice the clouds clearing as we cruised up to the Summit House in Fullerton for this beautiful "Black and White" affair.

The ceremony commenced at 4:30pm and sure enough, not a drop of rain. And no sooner had the rain parted for the two hour window we needed, did it return even harder by nightfall. Fortunately, by that point, the party was already underway under-roof without a hitch!

A Special Thank You to Scott Lim from Scott Robert Photography for being so easy to work with as we stressed out getting everything together in just a few hours for the presentation. Also, a HUGE Thank You to Justin Lopez from Generations Entertainment for his assistance with the Same Day Edit playing smoothly!

And here it is. . . Robert and Marianne, A Black and White Affair. . . . .

Weddings by SML Receives a Bride's Choice Award

WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, just announced that Weddings by SML has won the 2009 Bride’s Choice Awards™!

In its inaugural year, the Bride’s Choice Awards recognizes and honors vendors from the WeddingWire Network that demonstrate excellent quality of service, responsiveness, professionalism, value of cost and flexibility. This year’s recipients represent the top three percent of WeddingWire’s vendor community, which includes over 100,000 wedding vendors from across the US. That means Weddings by SML is one of the very best Video Production Houses out there!

Unlike other awards in which winners are selected by the company, the Bride’s Choice Awards are determined exclusively by recent newlyweds through surveys and reviews.

“We are excited to launch this annual award program to honor high-performing vendors based solely on the experiences of our WeddingWire community,” according to Timothy Chi, WeddingWire’s Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients have set the bar high, exhibiting excellent service and expertise in the wedding industry.”

I would personally like to thank all of our past clients for speaking on our behalf and helping us win the 2009 Bride’s Choice Award! If you haven't had an opportunity to review us online yet, please do so by clicking HERE.

Electric Hearts - David and Melissa - Featuring Brandon Kidd

With the new year, comes new weddings, and with the new weddings, well. . . . comes some VERY fun edits. This one definately stands out so far as not only incredibly entertaining to shoot, but almost twice as fun to edit!!!

From the moment we arrived at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach, I knew this one was going to be spectacular. The energy in the bridal suite was unbelievable and Melissa was glowing from minute one.

Melissa and David met before the ceremony so that we could get all the good stuff with sunlight still around. Brandon Kidd setup a spectacular first glance shot that was a moment the B&G will soon not forget!

For those of you who actually read the posts, not just watch the clips. . . good for you, because I have to preface this one by warning you that this is not your everyday wedding highlight. . . Quite the contrary, so I hope you are ready. LOL. . . if you had already pressed play, I suppose you would be able to decipher that for yourself. . . . hmmmm

In any case, a mastodonic shout out to Brandon Kidd from Brandon Kidd Photography. You will see his images sprinkled throughout the clip, and he never disappoints.

Special thank you to Jennifer Johnson from OC's Finest for keeping everything on time and being there at every moment for us crazy vendors. . . . and a very special thank you as well to Joe Paxton from Atmosphere Entertainment. What an amazing job he did with the lighting at the venue. . . it really popped in the footage!

Without any further delay. . . here it is. . . hope you enjoy! - Steve

Crystal and Daniel's Same Day Edit

Here is the Same Day Edit from their big day!

Enjoy!:-)

New Years Day. . . From Rancho Santa Fe. . .

What better way to bring in the new year than with a new marriage???. . . That's what I always say!

Tane and Jeff were married in an intimate spiritual ceremony at a breathtaking estate in Rancho Santa Fe on New Year's Day. Beneath a beautiful Palapa sat 25 of their closest friends and family as the two exchanged hand written vows. A very special thank you to Tony and Marion from Elegant Photography for helping to arrange the shoot that took place just hours after the ball dropped.

Happy New Year (again. . . lol. . . if you read the post before this). Hope you enjoy the trailer :-)

Happy New Year! - Gearing Up for 2009

Well, January 2nd and here we are in 2009!

Happy New Year to all and I truly hope that each and everyone one of you had a wonderful Holiday Season. . . . Now BACK TO WORK!

LOL, for us, that started yesterday as we welcomed the new year in style at a beautiful estate wedding in Rancho Santa Fe. I'll be sure to get some new gems posted for you in the next few weeks as we begin the year with a bang.

There is still limited availability for 2009 on the calendar so if you received a special piece of jewelry on Xmas (like so many do), and you are starting to plan the big day already, give us a call TODAY and reserve the date before it dissapears!

Cheers and Here's to 2009!!!

-Steve

My First Love

So, yes. . . this is a wedding cinema blog. . . and yes. . . you come here to check out fun clips of all the crazy stuff we make. . . but this post is more for the guys out there, I hope you can all empathize with me. . . .

When I was 16 years old, I was given the option of going away to college or having a new car . . . . I know, I know. . . rough life. . . but, hey, what can I say.

So, seeing that I wasn't going to college for another year and a half (I was a junior), I decided on the car. That's when me and my Mustang were first introduced to one another. May of '99, bright red, shiny and new. . . wow was I in love, and my mustang was happy to have a new home.

Years of time, sweat, blood (definately cut up the fingers under the hood a few times), and MONEY, and then more MONEY, and then more MONEY went into my Mustang. I even took her to car shows, and she never dissapointed.

I'll never forget the time my father and I decided we were going to install Short Tube Headers into the car in the driveway. Started on a "5 hour project" on Friday afternoon. Well, by Sunday morning, we were almost ready to have the Mustang towed because it was not drivable with the pieces we had taken out, but simply couldn't figure out how to get back in. However, as all things in life, we worked it out, and the Mustang was that much greater of a car for it.

Just one month ago, my wife and I purchased a new car for her, which left us in a pickle, because now we have a 2 car garage, with 3 cars. . . hmmmm. Selling our SUV was not an option because we always use it for the mountains and lugging around our 4 legged child. So after much toiling and understanding the inevitable was coming. . . .I put my beloved Mustang up for sale.

Just hours after the Craigslist ad, several inquiries, and I almost wanted to tell them, "Just Kidding," but I had to go through with it. The thought of my Mustang just sitting in a parking space in front of our house collecting dust was almost as pain staking as turning over the keys to someone else. . .

Well, today I sold my Mustang, to a guy who truly was ecstatic to have it, which made me feel good, but wow I feel like I gave away a piece of me. To see his eyes light up when he came to pick up the car was funny. It felt like someone else was now looking at the car the way I always have. I must say that was comforting, much better than trading it into a dealership or giving it to someone who wouldn't appreciate it . . The car was truly my first love and although I'm sure anyone who is actually still reading this would say it was just a bunch of metal. . . it was much more to me.

So I write this post with a heavy heart and place in that heart that will always be reserved for a 16 year old's shiny new toy. . . my Mustang.