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.

Jamie + Michael // A Ceremony Within the Ceremony SDE

Mike's father, also Mike, is a Colonel in the United States Air Force. So when he stated that the planning that went into this wedding was the best he had ever seen, it meant something. He was not only referring to the wedding, but all of the activities surrounding it.

Jamie + Mike live the life of a military family. As Mike is a Major in the Airforce, they are bound to the life that it brings, including the relocation from time to time. So for the wedding, family and friends joined them from all over the country, thus Jamie planned out activities for everyone. From shopping at South Coast Plaza, to Yoga on the Beach, to a 5K run the morning of the wedding, there were activities all weekend.

This is not to say that the wedding was not every bit as structured and as we arrived to the ceremony rehearsal, it was very evident that this couple was not messing around. As Jamie + Michael and immediate family arrived, Jamie quickly began going through her wedding notebook approving itinerary and details as Mike and his brother, Brad quickly took to the Sabre Ceremony. In military tradition, a special ceremony is performed at the end of the ceremony service that involves ushers, very real swords, and the bride and groom. Brad, the lead in the service took the honor very seriously and the two probably spent 25 minutes rehearsing and perfecting what was to take place on the big day. This became a driving thread in their Same Day Edit as you'll see.

As the morning of the wedding came, the two set out for split activities with family and friends. Mike lead the 5K run while Jamie's good friend led a Yoga instruction on the beach. From there, the rigid timeline began and helped to unfold what was a most memorable of days, and one that definitely shined during the Ceremony within the Ceremony.

A couple MONSTER points of mention. First, Kathy Nosek from A Divine-Occasion Wedding and Event Planning. This woman is incredible and her execution at any event is second to none. Thank you to her for helping us to deliver what was truly a fun presentation for all that evening. A second shout out goes straight to Chuck Wansley and The Chuck Wansley Band. If I was getting married tomorrow, these guys would be performing at the reception. Unbelievable. The only word to describe them and they made the Same Day Edit happen without a hitch, so thank you to them as well! Finally, our new friend, Pepper Nix from Pepper Nix Photography. Photographer and crazy like us, need we say more?

And here it is as it was shown to everyone at the reception las night. Jamie + Michael // The Ceremony Within the Ceremony SDE

Scott + Brigitte // the Scigitte SDE

First and foremost, Happy Halloween!!! Belated or otherwise, always a fun holiday and an opportunity for children and adult children alike to give into the practice that is dressing up like a complete idiot and candy binging. . . guilty as charged.

Moving forward, we switch gears to Scott + Brigitte (who will be referred to from this point forward by their true power couple name, Scigitte).

Our crew lives for juxtaposition, the concept of placing two things together that you wouldn't normally see and making them more interesting because of it. If you watch our films, you know that we look for it in everything we do. So when Brigitte contacted us for her wedding day to take place on Halloween, you know we were instantly sold.

Before you jump to conclusions, however, this was not a wedding you would expect on Halloween. These two are not creatures of the night or costume hounds just waiting for October 31st to get married. . . . just a couple that stands firm in their faith and the belief that things happen for a reason, and ultimately a puzzle can only be put together in one way (to be explained in the SDE).

Scigitte has a crazy long backstory that involves several twists and turns that incorporate finding their faith, losing one another, rekindling, and vowing not to EVEN SHARE A KISS until they were married. It almost goes without saying that the Same Day Edit was going to have to end on that first kiss, right???

Scott began the day golfing with his father. A last outing as a single man looking for those fatherly words of advice, which he later shared with one of the guys on his car ride to the venue. Brigitte sat quietly at her friend's house, putting together the final touches for the florals, which she had done ON HER OWN for the entire wedding day.

A day that is so infamous for demons and devils, candy and scares, horror and fear. . . it was the ultimate juxtaposition for Scigitte. Demons and devils??? We saw an angel fairy princess flower girl. Candy and scares? We saw laughing, good food, and an overwhelmingly sweet candy bar. Horror and fear? Not on this day. . . . Only love, laughter, and an unyielding dedication of Scigitte's devotion to their faith.

It wouldn't be fair to proceed without first thanking two UBER-RAD vendors! First, Janel Conlan from Focus Photography. The definition of Rad Photographer, and amazingly sweet and cool human. Thank you Janel for always being so great to work with. Second, Justin from Generations Entertainment made the SDE possible. Thank you for allowing us to work through your soundboard all evening and for keeping the party rockin'

And now, Scott + Brigitte // the Scigitte SDE

Jill + Jamar // A Studio Backlot SDE

One element that certainly caught our attention when we first were contacted by Jill + Jamar was the answer to the question, "Where is your reception going to take place?" When the answer was CBS studios, we were intrigued. . . . very intrigued.

Such a unique setting for a wedding and the imagery. How cool to be in a residential neighborhood on this block, and then downtown NYC on the next? Once we met with Jill + Jamar and saw how easy going and incredibly sweet they were, we were sold. And yesterday, in front of friends and family, we were thrilled to share this SDE with them.

The day began at MAC with a little makeup session, which became the bookends to the edit. The girls then traveled to the chic Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach where Jill became acquainted with the perfect wedding day accessory, which also happened to be her wedding day gift from Jamar. Another element of the day that we felt should be included in the edit was the travel. While the ceremony took place in Manhattan Beach, CBS studios is in Studio City. For anyone who doesn't live and/or work near LA, the commute between these two cities is 35 minutes without traffic, but one good accident and it can easily mushroom into a 2 hour commute. Travel was definitely an element to the day, thus an element to the SDE. Finally, we arrive at the reception, where the venue is truly unique, but the details laid out into this wedding easily overshadowed any studio set. From the floral to the cake design, this wedding was to the 9's, so we wanted to show some of the labor that went into the setup.

Jill + Jamar, what a wonderful day that was shared by all and we truly are honored to call you one of our couples! Congratulations and we hope you enjoyed your Same Day Edit!

Burt + Lily // A Beachside SDE

Two great people. Perhaps keeping it simple is best. Burt + Lily are truly generous in all that they do, so when 400 or their closest friends and family showed up to see them exchange vows, it is no surprise to us that there was a huge outpouring of love and support.

Filmed and edited on location in Huntington Beach, this edit incorporates some of the storyline of the day. The girls discussed placing for the ceremony over pizza and the guys pointed out the engravings in the wedding rings.

You'll notice a very cool part of the Persian ceremony in which women grind sugar over the heads of Burt + Lily. In Persian tradition, this is to symbolize how their lives will be filled with sweetness and happiness.

A very large shout out and congratulations to Burt + Lily!

Brianne + Bill = Dancergy + A Same Day Edit

What a wedding. On so many levels was this day truly enjoyable. There is nothing more rewarding than when we can say that not only has a couple been one of our clients, but they have become our friends as well. Brianne + Bill are two of the nicest, most genuine and sincere individuals we have been able to work with and it was an honor to be a part of their day!

So here's the story. . . .

Brianne is a lifetime dancer as well as dance instructor for a local High School. In fact, we first met Brianne because she used us to film some dances for her classes at school. Bill is an attorney and now. . . dancer extraordinaire. . . well at least according to the video we made for them:-)

Wanting to take their reception to the next level, we thought it would be fun to build up to their first dance by showing a fun little "Dancing with the Stars" type short directly preceding the dance itself. This way all of the attention would be focused on their first dance, which Brianne had choreographed herself! All of the guests know Brianne is the dancer, so the play was for Bill to be teaching Brianne the dance steps for their first dance as Brianne clearly had no idea what she was doing.

Needless to say, the video was a hit, and of course we filmed some of the reactions, as well as their first dance so we could show all of it here!

To take it a step further, we went in the completely opposite direction for their same day edit with a wonderful interview narrated piece that truly revealed just how in love these two are with one another.

From a Spoof Video to a dramatic Same Day Edit. From Laughter to Tears. This one had it all, and here are three different clips for you to check out.

This is the spoof video that was created for their guests to see directly before they took the dance floor for their first dance:



This is the Same Day Edit that was shown later in the evening:



This is the spoof video with reactions cut into it AS WELL AS the actual first dance from the reception (NOTE: the reaction shots are dark because we didn't want to distract the guests with lighting. So we simply filmed the reactions in the dark and bumped up the gain on our cameras. That is why you may see some pixelation in the reaction shots):



Also, I wanted to give a VERY LARGE THANK YOU to Peter Papadopoulos from Vive Entertainment for all of his help at the reception with the audio, setup, and testing of the video presentations for the evening. Truly an exceptional guy who does a great job moving the reception along! Also, special thanks to Kathleen Clark from KCP studios as well as the honorable Jeffrey L. Gunther who performed a fantastic ceremony service.

Rolyn + Stephanie // A Big Woody SDE

Rolyn + Stephanie's wedding was 12 years in the making, as Stephanie will happily tell you:-) So as the day approached and they needed to pick a song for the Same Day Edit, it is only fitting that they chose "All in" by Lifehouse.

From our first meeting, we were taken back by how easy going and just plain nice Rolyn + Stephanie were. We felt as though this really poured the pressure on because we wanted to do something unique to make their Same Day Edit stand out and reflect just how fun and cool their day was. It doesn't hurt when the ceremony is at the one and only Mission Basilica in San Juan at the Mission San Juan Capistrano. This church has Ornate written all over it and the footage from inside is breathtaking. We knew we were in for a treat with the church, but another unknown surprise was their transportation. Rolyn + Stephanie decided to go for the ultimate beach ride in a giant woody. For more info on the Bus, check out the company's website HERE.

As soon as we saw this crazy contraption, we knew it was going to be showcased in their Same Day Edit, along with all the fun footage from the Mission Grounds and the reception. A special thank you to Jan Walker and Jennifer Mildner from Magnolia's Floral Design for allowing us to film as they setup the reception venue. Also, a shout out to Mardy Divina from Your Divine Wedding.

So here it is, Rolyn + Stephanie // A Big Woody SDE. Enjoy! :-)

Vicente + Deanna // A Sentimental SDE

We took a different approach to this Same Day Edit, so be sure to let us know what you think!

In the past, we have put some funky, funny, and all around crazy cuts together for our couples and their guests to enjoy at the reception. With Vicente + Deanna, we wanted to slow it down a bit and tell a story.

So we brought Lorinda's (Maid of Honor) toast into the edit and tied into the emotion and excitement that was clearly evident at every turn of the day.

Thank you to Michelle Johnson from MichelleJohnsonPhotography for being such a plesure to work with and a very special thank you to Scott Yoffe from Entertainment Express as he was pivitol in helping us to tie everything together for the edit. Also, if you are looking for a venue for a wedding, go no further than Padua Hills Theatre. Just watch the SDE and check it out for yourself!

Jason + Kristina // An Eclectic SDE

What do Donuts, Kanye Glasses, Lucha Libre Masks, Cardboard Cutouts, Bobble Heads, Cinderella, and Utility Knives have in common??? LOL, this Same Day Edit of course!

Jason + Kristina is one of the most enjoyable couples we have been able to work with and their personality and style is in a class all its own. When we first arrived at the beautiful Hilton in Pasadena, we couldn't help but notice the life size cardboard cutouts of these two sitting in Kristina's suite. We simply had to find a corky way to incorporate those into the open for this larger than life SDE.

Jason, the self proclaimed King of Donuts, decided to give all of his groomsmen Lucha Libre masks and they in turn decided to wear them, which was beyond entertaining. From the "Power Up" to the Kung Fu Demonstration during the grand entrance, there was plenty of camera chemistry to go around.

As the reception ran along, the party grew larger and as the Same Day Edit was presented to over 250 guests, the footage was barely a couple hours old.

Special thanks to Joe Paxton from Atmosphere Entertainment for providing a rockin' reception, as always. Thank you also to Theresa from Hustle and Bustle Events for keeping the night on track.

And here it is, Jason + Kristina // an eclectic SDE . . .

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

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 :-)

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

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

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 :-)

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. . . . .

Crystal and Daniel's Same Day Edit

Here is the Same Day Edit from their big day!

Enjoy!:-)

Stephen and Kristin Mikolajczak - Same Day Edit

With our eyes fighting to stay open, we crawled out of bed at 6am to be down to San Diego in time for Steve and Kristin's big day. Having known Steve personally for the better half of a decade, it is not a stretch to say that when the cameras are rolling, he doesn't disappoint. And he couldn't have picked a better wife in Kristin. Not only is she beautiful, but her personality is bursting at the seems and it made our job so easy! The two compliment each other in every way, not to mention their undying love for everything 80's, which makes this Same Day Edit stand out.

When we were first handed the task of putting a SDE together to Bon Jovi, I must say I laughed and thought, "how are we going to do this one???" But, as I received their pictures and Davin got a feel for their style, we must admit that it came together almost naturally. So here it is, in it's blog debut, Steve and Kristin. . . Wanted. . . Dead or Alive. . . Enjoy!

Also, a shout out to Paul Peterson from High Energy DJ for his efforts in keeping the reception rocking. For those who witnessed his performance in the middle of the dance floor, it was one that will not be soon forgotten. . .

Sam and Krista Barton - Same Day Edit

Sam and Krista are not your ordinary couple. In fact, it is their unique tastes that compliment one another so well. From Sam's insistence on rockin' the Converse All Stars with the Groomsmen, to Krista's preference for Pink. . . pink bouquets, pink dresses, pink ties, and even a pair of pink heels for herself, all the attention to detail is what made this wedding stand out. Shot on location at the beautiful Old Ranch Country Club in Seal Beach.

Working with Tony and Marion from Elegant Photography is always a great time. Their work speaks for itself and their upbeat attitude brings out the best in the photographs they create. A very special thank you to Ryan Anderson from Station Identification for helping us to ensure that the sound for the Same Day Edit played flawlessly. With a distance of over 60 feet from the DJ booth to the projector, the presentation could not have happened without their expertise and professionalism! And as always, Allison from Flower Allie providing beautiful pink roses for the special day.

This one had to be cut in a hurry. With just 3 hours to get everything together, it was a mad dash to the finish line, but we pulled it off in true Weddings by SML style! ENJOY!!!

Peter and Megan Foseid - Same Day Edit

WOW. . . what a beautiful wedding. Another perfect day in Dana Point. Shot at St. Edwards Catholic Church overlooking Doheny and beyond, the ceremony was as elegant as could be.

The party moved along without delay straight over to Marbella Country Club where the fun continued long into the night. Working with Amy Squires of Amy Squires Photography is always a pleasure and her work speaks for itself. A very special thanks to Lorraine Keseloff from The Wedding Fairy for helping both families to create such a special and spectacular wedding day. Her planning and communication always keeps the big day moving smoothly. Last, but not least, all would not be the same if it weren't' for Michael Carcano from Carcano DJ for keeping the party rocking 'till the lights came on.

Here is the Same Day Edit we did as a surprise for the newlyweds! Enjoy!!!