THE NEXT STEP IN OUR JOURNEY - COME FOLLOW THE THREAD

To all who have supported and been a part of the Weddings by SML family for the past 8 years. . . . THANK YOU so much!!! It is because of you that we have had the opportunity to film so many incredible couples and share so many unbelievable stories along the way. Storytelling is what we do and over the past 7 months, we have been reflecting and creating to come up with a new name. . . . a new image. . . .and a new brand. Something a little more reflective of who we are, what we do, and how we can apply that to your story.

Thus, you can now find us under the studio name "Threaded Films". In addition, you can follow the thread at www.WeAreThreaded.com. All future blog posts and features will now reside at that site in "The Fray". However, we will always keep this blog right here so we remember where we came from.

So, here's to all the fun we had with Weddings by SML, and here's to all the new journeys we are about to embark on with Threaded Films! See you at the new digs :-)

-Steve and the Team

Ashley + Ian + Postcard = Thank You for the Thank You

Everytime we get one of these in the mail, we feel we have to say thank you for the thank you. So here it is. Ashely + Ian. . . . . thank YOU for the thank you :-)

Brooke + Jason // Everything Sounds Better in Italian

Brooke + Jason have over the top personalities in all the best ways imaginable. Brooke is caring, genuine, thoughtful, gracious, and can laugh at just about anything. In fact, we found her laughing all day and taking it all in with a big smile on her face. Jason is a little more subtle in his overthetopedness (yes that is now a word). But, when we saw the watch he was rockin' as a rad wedding day gift from Brooke, we knew this guy had a personality as large as the watch itself, and he didn't disappoint.

The day after the wedding, these two set off for a country made for romantic getaways with a culture and history that is over the top in so many ways. . . . Italy. So what better than to incorporate little tastes of Italy through the wedding day like with Jason's custom Italian kicks and perhaps a reading or two in Italian during the ceremony??? Sure, why not!

Oh, and to top it all off, Brooke and her father busted out perhaps the craziest over the top father daughter dance we have ever filmed at a wedding, so kudos Brooke and Bill, you win the "craziest over the top father daughter dance award ever" from the guys here at the studio! Your magical performance is now externalized in this post just inches below this text. Enjoy :-)

While the wedding was over the top is so many fun ways, it was also very down to earth, real, and great to be a part of. For that Brooke + Jason, we thank you and you'll see that this trailer has a slight change of pace from some of the recent posts. The pacing is all done with intent to reflect the personality that is Brooke + Jason. And just remember, when all else fails and you are at a loss for words, no matter the situation in life. . . . . .  just say something in Italian, it tends to fix everything.

A very special thank you to Louis and Erin Palos of Palos Studio. Having known one another for years and never having had the opportunity to work together, this was a real treat for us and we can't say enough great things about Louis and Erin. Great photographers and great people as well. Also, thank you to Eric Morales from Extreme DJ for not only keeping the party rockin' but for being as helpful as he always is with all the technical aspects of the day.

Brooke + Jason



Craziest Over the Top Father Daughter Dance Ever

Angie + Jason // An Extra Innings SDE

One day, two people were introduced by coincidence at a San Francisco Giants baseball game during a corporate outing. The game may have finished in 9 innings, but Angie + Jason could have continued their conversation all night. The rest is history and we thought it only fitting to give this Same Day Edit a name that played off the first time these two met one another.

We were so honored to be a part of their day and have the opportunity to share this Same Day Edit Saturday evening at their reception in front of all of their family and friends.

A VERY special thank you to Cassandra Santor from Cassandra & Company Weddings. When we are under the pressure cooker that is the Same Day Edit, it makes our lives so much easier to be in the company of a great Event Planner, and Cassandra and her team are fantastic.

Edward + Ashlee // I Love Her Man

When we are a little child and all we know is the comfort of a bedtime story or the sand in the park around the corner from our backyard, we learn to ask a simple question for all of life's mysteries. . . . "Why?"

Oh yes, the ever annoying questioning of the smallest minute insignificant things from a parent's perspective, but for the child, the question is so incredibly justified. Seasons pass and as we grow and begin to figure out things on our own, we gain so much through our own problem solving skills and deductive reasoning, but we find ourselves asking such an important question less and less often. . . . "Why?"

As a creative studio,  we make an attempt to ask the question, "Why" every time we film a scene, compose a shot, choose our lighting or color tone. Shot selection in all of our edits is always done with purpose and intent and as we tinker with scenes and fine tune each piece, we are still asking "Why" and making sure it can be answered.

And when two people decide to formally and legally join themselves in one of the greatest covenants that life has to offer, unfortunately there can be so many answers to that question because life gets complicated.

For Edward + Ashlee, their lives are complicated, just like everyone else. There are commitments and obligations and all of the complications that we all experience, but fortunately for them, none of those things were the answer to the simple question, "Why?"

. . . . For Ashlee, the answer to the question is multi-faceted, but the root to the answer revealed itself on her face as she sat and wrote her card to him and again as she approached Eddie for the first time on their wedding day. For Eddie, the "Why" was quite simple, as it should be. Perhaps the title to the post will clue you in on his reason, as so beautifully explained by the Best Man in the trailer.

A RAD shout-out to Nick Radford from Nick Radford Photography. With a last name like that, how could he not be awesome??? Seriously though, great guy and working with him was a pleasure. Special thank you as well to Nikki Page from Elegant Weddings as well as Michael Palacios from Progressive Sound Productions for their assistance throughout the day!

Ashley + Ian // The Key to Every Man's Heart

Ian marches to the beat of his own drum. no seriously. . . . . . any guy who eats an Elvis Sandwich (Peanut butter, Bananas and Bacon) in lieu of a formal reception dinner on his wedding night marches to the beat of his own drum.

So it is no surprise that he chose Ashley because she is witty, caring, and can hold her own. The perfect compliment to Ian. . . . a witty, yet caring individual himself. While he and the boys kept the jokes coming all day, we know that his love for Ashley is undeniable.

At our first consultation, it was made very clear by Ian that wedding cinematography was not high on his list of priorities, but Ashley knew it needed to be a part of their day and thus, the challenge was born. We knew that this shoot was going to be unique in that these two have such a fascinating chemistry and Ian and the boys wouldn't disappoint, so we couldn't disappoint them. What we didn't know was how well some of the story lines were going to play out, and for this trailer, it was the reoccuring theme of keys.

The guests were all given keys with their place cards as they sat down for dinner. Ian opted out of a wedding ring and had a tattoo of a key placed over his wedding finger instead. Ian gave Ashley a key necklace as his wedding gift to her. . . . and Ashley's wedding gift to Ian??? Well, let's just say it is the key to every man's heart, lol. . . . and if you don't believe me, check out the trailer and you decide for yourself.

It was great to work again with Jesi Haack from Jesi Haack Design. If you recall, we collaborated with her on Melissa + Eduardo's wedding last summer. Also, a shout out to Janel Conlan from Focus Photography because she is always creative and a BLAST to work with. Mai from Bunch Studio rocked the florals and Eric from So-Cal DJ brought the beat.

A Change is a brewin'. . . . . . .

The Project that has been kept under wraps for months. . . . . . is slowly brewin' to the surface. . . . . . and while we can't show you just yet, we have to build some anticipation, right????

Weddings by SML is undergoing a major change, and in a good way. Same crazy crew and same focus. . . .

But a new name, a consolidated direction, and a lot of cool changes in store just around the corner.

Stay tuned. . . . . .

Chris + Meredith // Read Before You Look

Having met a little over 8 years ago at a college back east called Dartmouth, Chris + Meredith began a journey that has now committed itself to a lifelong adventure together. . . .

As we had our final meeting with this wonderful couple, they mentioned the idea of writing letters to one another and exchanging them before their first glance. Being that we are suckers for emotion, we suggested the option of reading the letters at the first glance, but before they actually saw one another. The opportunity to build up the suspense as they stood back to back and took in each other's words from the heart was something we had to take advantage of.

Set against the beautiful mountain backdrop of Palm Springs, this wedding boasted not only a beautiful venue and a breathtaking locale, but a fantastic pair of families now joined through the love and connection that is Chris + Meredith.

A Very Special shout out and thank you to Vanessa Preziose of Vanessa Preziose Photography for rockin' it and allowing us to share the shoot alongside her all day.

Katey + Bryan // A Circle of Prayers

The Power of Prayer. Often times unnoticed, overlooked, underestimated. . . forgotten. With a day filled with overwhelming emotion, strict schedules, and full blown chaos at times, Katey found time to pause for prayer. Katey + Bryan are spiritual in all aspects of their lives, and it was stressed that this was going to be a large part of their day, so we were prepared.

With this trailer, we wanted to take a unique approach simply because we found certain elements in Katey + Bryan's day to exemplify who they are and what they stand for. Most times in our trailers, you will see many aspects of the day. . . from preps to the reception, we show a variety of scenes involving countless stories. However for Katey + Bryan, we focused on 3 specific scenes that told a very important part of their story, as these three scenes were defining points in their day.

First we begin with Katey, her Mother and Aunt, and her Cousin, Kacey. As the afternoon began and the nervous tension began to grow, they huddled into a tight circle to pray for the ceremony and the remainder of the day. This single event showed not only how tight knit this family is, but also their dedication to their faith and unyielding devotion to the sanctity of the day at hand and the vows that Katey + Bryan were about to take.

We transition to Bryan as he sits in his hotel room hand writing out his vows to Katey. Bryan is "genuine" as described by Katey and it is most evident as he meticulously wrote down every word that he would later recite to Katey in front of all of their family and friends. Patiently, word by word, he worked his pen over the textured paper (which he also used to hand write out various notes on the gifts he gave to Katey) knowing that the meaning behind the words he was writing were nothing less. . . . than genuine.

And finally, we arrive at the exchanging of the vows on the altar. While this moment is often important and defining in most couple's days, we found it to be even more so with Katey + Bryan. Katey had told us how nervous she was for this moment when we met prior to their wedding (as she almost cried just thinking about it) because Katey + Bryan were hand writing their vows to one another. We knew that the vows would be difficult to get through and we focused on this scene as the third segment for this trailer because it shows not only how passionate Katey + Bryan are for one another (as they both fought back tears to get through the vows), but that they know they can't always get through the toughest of moments on their own. Sometimes it takes the love of family and friends. . . and in some instances. . . the power of prayer.

There are so many other layers to Katey + Bryan that we cannot wait to share with them in their feature film, but in the meantime check out their trailer!

A very special thank you to Eric Morales from Extreme DJ Services for his help at the wedding reception!

And here is Katey + Bryan // A Circle of Prayers:

Our Approach

I could spend hours writing a novel on the thought process that goes into our films and how we approach the wedding day. . . . but why not just show you. We are so thrilled that we finally had an opportunity to reflect on everything and bring this to life. Hope you enjoy :-)

Miss StrikeForce 2011 Presented by Rockstar Energy Drink

As another great year is beginning to unfold, we are gearing up for some amazing stories that we cannot wait to share with you! In the meantime, we have been continuing to work with some corporate clients that we love to post on the blog from time to time.

Rockstar Energy has nominated Kelli Hutcherson to become Miss Strikeforce 2011. Strikeforce and Rockstar teamed up for a photo-shoot to launch the 2011 year and here's the cinema side.

A Friendly Disclaimer** - This vignette features a model wearing a very suggestive outfit catering to a male crowd, thus the imagery from this edit may not be suitable for the kiddos. No Nudity, but don't say I didn't tell you so. . . .

Enjoy :-)

Jason + Dina // An Abstract Approach

This one is most certainly interesting. Whether you like it or not, hopefully you can watch this and say, "I've never seen any other wedding trailer edited like that before."

Jason + Dina had such a unique and aesthetically beautiful wedding that we wanted to take a unique, albeit abstract approach to their trailer. The inspiration for the stop-motion like feel is two-fold centered around the belly dancing (which was a very large part of their day, thus an important part of their film) and the song choice for this edit. We always like to show the viewer the day in a way they never thought was possible, so we are proud to say this edit keeps within that thought process that ultimately, drives us to do better work each and every time.

We are constantly asked where we find our music choices and while the answer is a well guarded secret, there are just some songs that are no brainers, even if many have heard them before. Florence and the Machine is already very well known (and rightfully so). Fortunately, this song has not hit mainstream yet, but it most likely will very soon. At least we can say it was here before it was on the radio, lol.

In any case, we encourage you to check this one out a few times as the first time you watch, it may be sensory overload, but pay close attention as even though the edit in and of itself is unique, there is still a story to be told. . . . Jason + Dina's story. Truly a passionate couple whose energy and enthusiasm was reflected throughout the evening, most noticeably in the incredible dance sets that took place throughout the night.

DISCLAIMER: First time we've ever had to do this to a trailer. If you have ANY adverse reactions to stop motion or constantly jittery footage, DO NOT WATCH THIS TRAILER. The rest of you. . . . Enjoy!

Weddings by SML Wins 2011 Bride's Choice Award

We just got the news that Weddings by SML has received the WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award in 2011 now setting three consecutive years that we have received the distinction!

What this means is that Weddings by SML stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

Truthfully, the reason we get these awards is because of our couples and the fantastic reviews they have left us over the past few years. Thank you so very much to all who contributed and we are truly looking forward to some big things in 2011 :-)

Stay tuned. . . . .

Tony + Chrystal // The Gift Giving SDE

While January is usually a time for winter sports, snow storms, and hot cocoa, here in beautiful Southern California, we keep rockin' the weddings! Tony + Chrystal invited us to be a part of their day as laughs and vows were shared along with an unusual invitation for the groomsmen. . . . .

The girls got ready at the salon and as Tony made the final touches, his parents gave him a traditional Chinese blessing as they placed his jacket upon him to send him off.

Special thanks to John from VIP Events for his help at the reception and also a shout out to Kristy Walker from Studio Verite. Kristy is a great photographer and so fun to work with as well! Filmed on location at the Grand Tradition in Fallbrook.

No snow at this wedding, just a ton of fun and a wonderful couple! Here is the Same Day Edit we showed at their reception on Saturday night.


P.S. - Did somebody say photobooth??? Of course we couldn't resist. Our favorite is the Bottom left.

Ted + Lisa // The "Trapp" Shoot

As we welcome in 2011, we start January off with a Bang, lol, literally. And the jokes are not going to get any better, so please don't hold your breath. Let's just say this shoot was so much fun to be a part of and we couldn't wait to pull the trigger on this one. . . . ok I'm done now.

It seems as though every year, our couples look to outdo one another as it pertains to their activities for the morning of the wedding day. Golf outings with father and son. . . . .5K runs and Yoga on the Beach. . . . so when Ted + Lisa showed us their list and it said "Guys to go Trap Shooting", we were sold. ha! Not to mention the pun of the phrase (Ted's last name is Trapp) was too knee-slapping funny to ignore.

We don't get the opportunity to follow a storyline like this at every wedding, but Ted + Lisa's day wasn't like every wedding either. Filmed on location up north in the sleepy seaside town of Morro Bay, let's just say that we stuck out like sore thumbs. As we went to grab some footage of the small town shops, locals were curious to say the least, but when we informed them that we were there for the "Trapp Wedding", they looked at us with a face that said, "Oh, the Trapp Wedding! Why didn't you just say so in the first place???"

Anyways, back to the storyline. . . . .Ted + Lisa are anything but ordinary and their sense of humor proves that point. While they don't take anything in life too seriously, they did have a plan for their day. Lisa mentioned at one point in the reception that "It takes a village", referencing what went into the planning of the wedding. That had more meaning than either of us realized because as we began to edit, we saw that theme over and over again in the footage, even culminating in the final shots of this trailer where family members came together at the rehearsal to put the decorating touches on the small church Ted + Lisa were to be married in. Grandma dropped flower petals on the runner that Ted had been on his hands and knees to tape down. Aunts and Uncles, Cousins, and friends, all rushed last minute to put the final touches on the church so it would be ready to go the next afternoon for the ceremony.

From sunrise to sundown over the 3 days we shared with Ted + Lisa, everyone surrounded the lucky couple and their sense of humor and willingness to laugh at each other and themselves even showed its face during the vows. While Lisa feels this word can be cheapened by its overuse, there truly is one word that describes the wedding weekend that was Ted + Lisa. . . . . amazing.

A special thank you to Paul Thompson from Escape Entertainment. Also, a special recommendation for anyone looking for a gem of a find in Morro Bay. If you want to treat yourself to a fantastic dinner on the water, goto Windows on the Water, where Ted + Lisa's reception was held.