First Dance Pictures

SDE¹s, and Why They Are Incredible!

Too many times in the wedding industry we use terms and concepts that we in the industry are very aware of, yet people outside of our industry (and even some within) do not have a clue about.  SDE is one of those acronyms… and even the name doesn’t totally explain it… Same Day Edit.  However, SDE’s are becoming extremely popular with brides, so it’s good for the rest of us to know what they are, and how they can make a wedding reception a truly unforgettable experience.

  Same Day Edits are a videography/wedding film term for a highlight video clip that is played during the reception – complete with music, dialogue, and visuals from the wedding, shot just hours earlier!  Guests who watch this video at the reception are usually first a bit confused, until they realize that they are watching what just transpired a short while ago.  The clip is emotional, beautiful, and each member of the reception is immediately emotionally invested in the clip, because they were there. After showing an SDE at a reception the response is usually overwhelming for everyone – the bride, the groom, the parents, and all the guests.

  If a slideshow picture montage seems a bit 2005, then maybe it’s time to look into showing an SDE at your reception.  Drop us a note – visit us @ http://www.firstdancepictures.com or send us an email info@firstdancepictures.com to learn more!

Wedding Video and Your Mother

As the years go by and young couples become older Moms and Dads with kids about to be married, there are lots of things about a wedding that a daughter is much more fortunate to have now than 20+ years ago.  One of those things is a great wedding video.  When Deanna and I were married over 20 years ago (no dinosaur jokes, please!) our wedding video was just a very simple recording using 80’s consumer camera technology. You can barely hear us giving our vows, and its VHS tape quality is grainy with the colors all blown out. Although we are glad we have something, it’s not anything like what we now produce for our clients.

  The wedding videography industry has changed so much and so rapidly over just the past 10 years that there really is no comparison to 1980’s videography.  Better cameras, better microphones and wireless technology, better editing systems and a more discerning eye for artistic rather than just documentary-style wedding videography have made wedding video a completely different medium. Now it’s even possible to capture high-quality stills from the wedding video if the Photographer happened to miss something important to the couple. It’s definitely not your Mother’s wedding video – not by a longshot.

  All too often we hear of couples opting not to have their wedding videotaped. We can’t help but wonder if it’s because they have an old model or perception of what wedding video looks like.  It’s up to us in the wedding videography industry (but also in the overall wedding industry as well) to re-educate couples on the benefits of getting a video, since the differences are truly night vs. day compared to 20 years ago. There really is no comparison for the vast majority of videographers/wedding filmmakers. It’s a truly different concept and product.

  Couples really have options now when it comes to wedding media – they can tell their story to their reception guests through a well-produced video clip that entertains and informs. They can send all their family and friends throughout the world a video clip that highlights their entire wedding. They can do themed wedding videos, music videos, short films, and all kinds of other creative ideas with the help of talented wedding videographers now.  Their video can tell their story like no still photograph can (although photographs are always a given – we love photos too…) and today’s videography really has become more of a time capsule than just a simple wedding video. Couples can capture who they are as a couple at that moment – how they met, how they fell in love, what they were doing, and all the moments of their day in a beautiful stylish way, probably in a way they’ve never been featured before, and share that either with their wedding guests, or via the Internet to all their family and friends everywhere.

  Every single weekend there are couples who are getting married who have put wedding video at the bottom of their priorities for their wedding, to the point in which they let it fall off their list – and they wake up after the wedding with no opportunity to change their mind, or to get those moments back in a way they can share with their family and friends.  It may not hit them immediately, but sometime down the road they are going to wish they had done it. With the wedding videography industry improving and innovating as it is now, they are also going to see more of their friends sending out great highlights clips, love story clips and “save the date” clips to their family and friends - and wishing they had done the same.

  I believe it is our responsibility not just as wedding videographers, but as wedding industry professionals in general to educate couples as to what is really available to them now with video - for it is a totally, completely different product than what they may remember from their Mom and Dad’s video, and that’s a good thing.  It’s also important for wedding planners and bridal websites to emphasize to their clients the importance of getting video, and the possibilities around it. Planners especially should recognize the value of video for their clients, since they work so hard with the vendors to create a beautiful atmosphere that deserves to be captured on digital film.  

  For so many great reasons, today’s videos for weddings are nothing like your Mother’s wedding video. Hire a professional wedding filmmaker/videographer and you won’t have to look back on your video with any regrets – and you’ll be able to see your wedding from a beautiful, artistic and unique perspective.

The Nashville Summer Bridal Show

Thanks so much to all who came out in the heat to see us at the Nashville Bridal Show yesterday!  We talked with lots of brides, couples and vendors, and had a great time meeting and talking with everyone. Below is a picture of our booth, but I may as well have called it "Where's Deanna" - because I took this picture and didn't realize she was in it! The way the picture came out, I didn't even see her for a few seconds after looking at the picture - but since you know you may be able to spot her a bit quicker.  ;)

Thanks again to everyone who came out and talked to us yesterday!  

Eric & Kylie: Their Summer Wedding

A few weeks ago we had a wonderful time getting to know Kylie and Eric, who held their beautiful summer wedding at the Garden Inn in Monterey, TN. The ceremony and reception were very sweet, elegant, and intimate, and we could not have asked for a better couple!  :)  It isn't hard to tell from this clip and from getting to know the both of them that they are seriously and absolutely crazy head-over-heels in love!  Although they are together now, they were each separated by several states for a long time as they dated - but never missed a weekend of being together.  I don't think they could have been any happier that day, and we couldn't be any happier for them too!!

Thanks so much to Eric and Kylie for sharing just a bit of their great relationship and friendship with us! 

Terry and Courtney Highlights - 5/29/2010

Here is a clip of highlights from Terry and Courtney's beautiful wedding and reception on Memorial Day weekend in Murfreesboro, TN.  We loved shooting this wedding, and want to thank Terry & Courtney for sharing their lives and their big day with us! 

Vendors

Cake- Cakes by Pat

Photographer- Sara E. Rose  

Venue/Catering- Stones River Country Club

Terry & Courtney - A Love Story

Over the past few weeks it has been our distinct pleasure to get to know Courtney and Terry Cole. From shooting their Love Story all they way through their wedding day they have been an incredible couple to work with, and so much in love! It's always a joy to work with such beautiful people inside and out, and it really comes through in their Love Story. We shot this clip at Middle TN State University campus, and had so much fun putting it together - their willingness to share and be so open really makes this story fun to watch.

One of the most exciting parts of our job is when we get to feature a Love Story at a wedding reception - and watch people's reactions firsthand. As we projected the Love Story on the big screen for everyone to watch, we saw lots of laughter and tears of joy as everyone was moved by their story, and by them - and we couldn't have asked for a better compliment from the audience. We are pretty sure that everyone who was attending won't soon forget watching it, and it was the perfect way for Courtney and Terry to not only share their story with everyone, but to also thank their guests for being a part of their wedding weekend. 

We hope you enjoy watching. Thanks so much to Sara E. Rose for introducing us to Courtney & Terry, and thanks to the both of them for allowing us to share their story with everyone!

New Website and More Stuff...

It’s true!  We have a brand-spanking new website, and we are excited to be unleashing it on the world today!  Also, we were fortunate enough to be asked to do an interview for “Positively Tennessee” about our business and starting a leap out of the corporate world into creating First Dance Pictures.  They are doing the story as kind of a “lemons to lemonade” story after my layoff from the corporate world in the economy crash of Dec. 08.  It certainly has been a wild ride, and we feel very fortunate and thankful to all of our couples and new friends in the wedding Industry here in the Nashville area.  So please, have a glass of wine, watch the segment tonite @ 5pm on WKRN Channel 2 (ABC) and drop us a note on FB or Twitter and tell us what you think of the new site and of the story!  :)

Update: Click here to watch the segment on WKRN's website!

Love and peace to all...

Bill & Deanna

The Ripple Effect

In our experiences with couples on their wedding day and beyond, we’ve realized a few things. Probably the most important thing is, don’t depend on Google Maps or GPS alone!  ;)  But all kidding aside, another very important thing is that a wedding will go much, much smoother when it is organized and planned by a professional.  When a wedding is not well planned or executed, it has a ripple effect on every vendor associated with the wedding.  In other words, if you want the best pictures and video of your event, you should have a well-planned event.  If you want to constantly be worried, frustrated or otherwise harried on your wedding day, just wing it and see what happens.
 
There are so many qualified people that really can make your day the joyous day you have dreamed of and hoped for. It’s really just a waste of your time and money not to use them in planning, at least in some capacity.  They know the ropes. They know that certain venues have certain challenges that you won’t find out about until the day of the wedding if you do it yourself. They know the best people. They know the things that you should be concerned about, and the things you shouldn’t.
 
Lastly, why am I writing this? Simply because a well-planned wedding is a joy to shoot video for. I know exactly what is going to transpire, and know exactly what to do, where to go and how to get there. I know who the “go to” person is for questions. I understand the logic behind what is happening because she/he has already explained it to me. I cannot do my job as effectively, no matter how naturally good I am at my job, without an organized wedding. I can’t, and neither can any of the other vendors hired to do their jobs. It’s just the way of things – The Ripple Effect.

The true wedding planner is like a symphony conductor – they understand how to make all of the parts work together to make a beautiful symphony.  It is a difficult job, but one that takes an infinite amount of stress off of the bride and groom.  It IS worth the fee, because again, all of your other vendors that you have spent your money on will be most effective in a finely-tuned wedding.
 
So remember brides – you want great pictures, video, food, and overall experience? Hire a planner/coordinator – not tomorrow… today.

Ashley & Ryan's Hermitage Hotel Wedding!

Finally.... at long last... a new highlights video from us!  It's been a long time coming - but we've been really busy with behind the scenes work, and now we will be posting more and more of our incredible couple's wedding clips! So, let's get this wedding season started with a beautiful couple in a beautiful location - Ashley & Ryan's wedding at the Hermitage Hotel!  This wedding was so fun to watch and be a part of. We are so grateful to have such wonderful couples, and are honored to let them share their lives with us so that we can preserve their memories for them!!

Terry & Courtney - Save the Date!

Terry & Courtney's wedding is coming up very soon, and we wanted to tease everyone with a couple of shots from their Love Story clip that will be shown at their reception. So, without further ado...