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TOLL FREE: 866-550-MEDIA
- Damon & Denise
-- Originally reported by TheKnot.com (adapted)
Imagine your dad, decked out in a tux and with his glass raised, delivering a toast that leaves you and most of your guests reaching for the hankies. Your photographer will snap the pics to preserve the moment, but after the champagne glasses clink together, Dad's words are only a memory -- unless you have them on film. Wedding videography captures the sights and the sounds of your day, evoking a feeling and portraying the day's emotion. Your videographer is bound to catch something you missed. The bonus: With digital video -- often called DV -- becoming the norm, your DVD promises to have a much longer shelf life than a grainy VHS tape. That means future generations will be able to see how Grandma and Grandpa married. Here are some of our favorite video innovations.
The Digital Revolution
DV is pretty much the highest quality format that currently exists. One of it's many benefits is that you get super-high resolution on your wedding DVD. You can send discs to people who couldn’t attend as well as to close family and friends along with your thank-you notes. Hot on DV's tail is shooting in high definition -- the same crystal-clear picture that's driving many to buy flat-screen televisions. With high-def wedding video (if your TV is HD-compatible) you'll see that the quality is incredibly sharp and amazingly clear. As is the case with most new technology, high-def wedding videography has a higher cost -- since the technology requires all new cameras and editing equipment.
The Subtle Factor
In the past, many brides bristled at the thought of an intrusive, gear-laden cameraman following them around all day. But new technology means a wedding videographer today is much more of a fly-on-the-wall presence than in the past. "My two videographers worked so stealthily, I didn’t even see them during the ceremony," says Rosie, 32. New cameras are built specifically for filming these events, so they're well suited for shooting in low light and don't require bright spotlights.
Knot Note: If you're having a very dimly lit ceremony and the site won't allow extra lighting, consider asking an assistant to raise the lights slightly to film the processional and recessional. The lights on the congregation can then be dimmed when you're at the altar, which is generally adequately lit anyway.
The Sound Check
And don't worry about guests stumbling over microphone wires. Many wedding videographers use wireless mics during the ceremony, hidden discreetly just under the groom's boutonniere (the mic's tiny and black, so you'll never see it on his tux) with a small pack that acts as the transmitter and clips onto the back of his waistband under his jacket.
The New Angles
Part of the reason it's become so much easier to get creative with editing is because it's also simpler to shoot from unexpected angles. No more plunking a camera on a tripod and letting it roll.
Your Own Indie
New approaches to wedding video editing have flourished over the last few years -- gone are the days of long interviews with drunk uncles slurring their congratulations set to a background track of Kool & the Gang. The trend: a combination of documentary and cinematic styles. "We wanted a condensed version of what the whole day was like and something our friends and family might actually want to watch," says Felicity, 28, "so we decided on a highly edited style of video." Today's videographers often use filmic techniques (think flowing compositions, dramatic music, and wide-screen shots) to make the video even more dynamic. Effects that were once prohibitively expensive are now much more accessible, and the results are wedding videos that feel more like feature films than ordinary home videos. That's just perfect for your extraordinary nuptials.
-- Miles Stiverson, The Knot
Many times we are asked by couples about photographers that we may know and love. Well, I would like to take this opportunity to mention Jordan, of Jordan Brian Photography. His photographs are breathtaking and he takes the time to bond with you and your fiancee, enhancing the intimacy and beauty in your portraits. He is extremely fun to work with but books up very quickly, so take a look at his site and give him a call!
Here is photograph from a recent wedding celebration...
~Denise
We would like to present the wedding highlights for Mary-Beth and Martin who wed earlier this year. It was a beautiful ceremony followed by an amazing reception, which was held at the premier Pleasantdale Chateau. The couple entered the reception hall to shooting sparklers and shared their first dance as man and wife to this Jack Johnson song. It was an amazing time, and we were honored to be able to capture their wedding day for them. Click the icon below, allow time to buffer, and enjoy...
~Damon & Denise
Custom dessert tables at weddings are a great way to send all of your guests home with sweet memories of your wedding day! Interested in having one at your wedding? Call Alees Magzanian! She does a fantastic job, and this 30 second demo showcases just a small part of what she can do. If you are looking for a beautiful and elegant dessert table for your wedding... watch this demo, and give her a call.
~Damon
When I got a call from Nick & Greg at Alpha Omega Entertainment regarding producing their new 2009 wedding demo, I was honored with the opportunity. Alpha Omega Entertainment has entertained at hundreds of events throughout the tri-state area over the previous 15 years. I love working with these guys, and I can't say enough great things about them. So, without further ado, here is their new wedding demo... enjoy!
~Damon
Just some ideas for you brides & grooms out there looking for inspiration for selecting your first dance song. The songs I have listed includes the most requested first dance songs selected by couples as recorded by a mobile DJ survey conducted by discjockeys.com.
Top Wedding Songs For The First Dance
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
Can I Have This Dance? (Ann Murray)
The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)
It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.)
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)
I Cross My Heart (George Strait)
I Swear (John M. Montgomery or All 4 One)
A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)
As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Michael Feinstein)
When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)
Faithfully (Journey)
No Ordinary Love (Sade)
Here And Now (Luther Vandross)
I Can Love you Like That (John M. Montgomery)
Power Of Love (Celine Dion)
Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)
Everything I Do {I Do For You} (Bryan Adams)
When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)
All My Life (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
I'll Be There (Mariah Carey)
On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)
At Last (Etta James)
Don't Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
From This Moment On (Shania Twain)
Our Love Is Here To Stay (Harry Connick, Jr.)
Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)
~Damon
During the worst economic downturn in the past two centuries, couples are finding it more difficult than ever planning for one of the most memorable and important days of their lives. “We are just not sure we can afford to do all the things that we had originally planned for,” explains newly engaged couple Gerilyn and Dan, speaking of their upcoming September 2010 wedding. “We thought the reception hall was going to be the majority of the cost, but we didn’t factor in the added costs for entertainment, photography, a wedding video, as well as a lot of the other little things.”
We now know that there remain possibilities for couples like Gerilyn and Dan to cut costs for services that they have come to desire and expect, but no longer believe they can afford. “All it takes is a little effort and creativity to finding better solutions”, explains Denise Elsasser, vice-president of Absolute Media Productions. “Don’t think in terms of what services you can’t afford, rather how to afford all of the services that you want.”
According to Brides.com, a mere 29% of brides in 2007 hired a professional videographer for their wedding day and 63% of those brides who skipped the video regretted it. “My friends that didn’t buy a video say that they wished that they would’ve gotten one, and I don’t want to have regrets,” says Gerilyn. “We want to be financially responsible, but I want to make sure that we look back on this day and can feel glad that we did it right”, adds Dan.
"We produce award winning, upscale wedding videos," said Elsasser, "but we realize in this type of economy not everyone can afford a full wedding video, so we created the ‘Same-Day Edit Stand Alone’ package.” The “Same-Day Edit Stand Alone” Package offers the same high-end service that clients at Absolute Media Productions are accustomed to, but at a fraction of the cost. It includes a New Jersey and/or Philadelphia Wedding video of the following: filming of the bridal preparation, two-camera coverage of the ceremony, and filming of the introductions and first dance, which is then edited that same day and displayed on a projection screen at the reception later that evening. The highlight clip is then transferred to DVD and delivered to the couple once they come back from their honeymoon. The standard pricing for New Jersey and Philadelphia wedding video packages at Absolute Media Productions range between $3,000 and $6,000, but the “Same-Day Edit Stand Alone” package can be sought out for about $1,895.
Sometimes planning the wedding of your dreams, especially in today’s economy, will require some creativity and the ability to “think outside the box;” but know that all things are possible. The memories of today can only truly be cherished and appreciated during the days of tomorrow if preserved in an appropriate fashion. For more details on New Jersey & Philadelphia wedding videos, or the “Same-Day Edit Stand Alone” package, please contact Absolute Media Productions, at 866-550-6334, or visit www.AbsoluteMediaProductions.com.
~Damon
After taking a few weeks off from blogging to tend to the busy start of the wedding season, and to spend every precious minute with our new baby, we are happy to say that we are back! We are proud to showcase a theatrical trailer for the wedding of Joanne & Kenneth from this past weekend. For Joanne & Ken, it was no small feat to put this wedding together, with guests coming from all around the globe, including the Philippines & Korea, as well as many different states like California, Texas, Pennsylvania, & Delaware. And for the many who were not able to attend, and for those friends and family who love Joanne & Ken so much... we are proud to present their trailer. (To watch, please click the play button below).
P.S. For those of you getting married out of the Philadelphia area and would like Absolute Media Productions to film your wedding... please remember; we travel worldwide for destination weddings! Thanks for stopping by our blog, and enjoy the show!
~Damon & Denise
Andrea & Chris's reception at The Atrium Country Club, in West Orange, NJ was off the hook! Dancing like crazy... extensive room lighting... a cigar bar... three room cocktail hour with the most amazing food and drinks! Well, here is wedding video dance clip featuring the band, Brothers 2+2, and all the dancing the guests were doing. Enjoy!
~Damon