Everyone has their own way of booking things for their wedding, so sometimes when people finally get to EWS they have already booked a photographer. Because we have our own photographers the other part of the time they book us for both, which is nice because we are all guaranteed to get our shots during the day. With other companies involved you simply never know how it will work out.
I have had the pleasure of working with a few amazing photographers this year so far, and a few that make me so happy I have my own team here. I have been mistreated several times this year by photographers who don’t even take the time when they show up (about 5-6 hours after me) to introduce themselves. To combat this issue, I really like to call them before the wedding and chat with them about how they shoot and how we shoot. The problem with that is I will leave a message and never get the courtesy of a phone call back. So, as I continue to call them, I think the best way for you to be sure you will get amazing shots from your photographer and EWS, is to let them know who we are and what we do. Tell them that we are interested in making a great film for you and we need to collaborate with them on things such as first looks and ceremonies and even bride and groom prep.
It is so nice when we work with people we really get along with. People we have worked with for years such as Heyn Photography, Berry Photographics, John Arcara and many others. It is of course amazing to have 3 super talented photographers working for EWS now too. We always want the best for each couple and the way to achieve that is to have group of professionals around to help make that happen. Someone who works with us and not against us. So choose every aspect of your wedding wisely and with the thought in mind that, we have to be together ALLLLLLL day long!
I hope this post helps couples with the way they approach their wedding day and maybe they can help educate us about their other professionals too. We do care about them getting their work done correctly and hopefully you all can convey that to them and ask that they make sure to watch a film or check out the photos. We always look into people’s work to see how they shoot, and it is a big help, trust me. Thanks everyone!
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I know that many brides simply do not know where to begin. You look on the internet for inspiration and you see so many different ways to make a wedding unique, that at the end of the day you are simply confused. I know how to fix that for you.
My friend kristin is quite possibly the most talented event designer I have ever met. She pulls together a wedding like no other. Her style and knowledge combined makes her so successful. I have been able to get to know Kristin as a bride first, a friend next, and then as a truly talented event designer. Her company; Bella Bridal Consultants well take your wedding from “wow that wedding was amazing” to “HOLY COW! THAT WEDDING WAS THE BEST I HAVE EVER BEEN TO!” I know this, because I have personally seen it.
Kristin also has an amazing blog that is so worth following closely as it is real inspiration for real brides. I stole that. It is the tag line to go along with Bonafide Bride. The blog that just may help you find your way when planning your one, most important day ever. Bonafide Bride highlights professionals that Kristin and her team think exemplify the word amazing in our industry. From ideas for bridesmaid gifts to the perfect pair of shoes, Bonafide Bride will keep you abreast of the greatest possibilities to make your wedding a “HOLY COW” wedding.
Later on folks.
Greg..
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I have been in production for about 13 years now and I have owned Endless Wave Studios for about 10 years (January marks our 10 year anniversary). In those 10 years, I have never had a limousine company NOT tell the bride and groom that they are going into overtime. I am so fed up with this that I am calling them out. I am tired of the trick. They tell you that you need about 3 hours with them and they know it is more like 4-5 hours. I am sick of seeing people have to pay extra money for no reason, so I will advise you on how to judge time length for your limousine, and then YOU will be in control when booking.
First: Take note that 3 hours is not long enough. This is in the case that you are not having the wedding all in one location (ceremony, photo session and reception). If you are having the ceremony at one location then leaving to go to another for a photo session and then on to the reception hall, this is for you. 3 hours is not long enough. You have to factor in the drive from home to the ceremony site and the length of the ceremony. Also, please note that if you have one limo for the girls and the guys, then you need extra time so that the limousine can get the guys to the ceremony and then go to the girls, and get them there as well.
Some ceremonies take over an hour. From there, you may do a receiving line, which can take up to another half hour, and then family photos which can range from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. Most people fall somewhere in between there at about 15-20 minutes. Your ride to the location for your photo session is next. How far away is it? How important are amazing photos and video to you? If you are having any kind of images taken at your wedding by a professional photographer, we know it is important, otherwise you wouldn’t be paying for it. Why let a limo company take that away from you by rushing you? I consistently feel rushed when filming photo sessions because the limo driver (who is unfortunately the bad guy, not the owner) keeps telling the couple they need to hurry or be charged. I never enjoy seeing the look on the bride and groom’s faces when this happens.
I always ask the driver why they don’t advise the correct amount of hours for the bride and groom and they all have the same answer; “it is up the the owner.”
Finally, you need to remember the ride to the reception. That part is fairly simple.
Second: Do not let the limousine company tell you what you need. The whole reason they do what they do is because they charge more for overtime than they do for hours booked up front. Naturally they are looking to collect…a lot.
You have the power to say that you want an extra hour or two up front. Knowing what you have going on on your wedding day is the most important part of this issue. All you need is to plan your day well and you will be able to dictate the way you spend your money.
I hate having to call an entire industry out like this, but sometimes someone has to step up and do it. I cannot watch people get taken advantage of much longer. Hopefully, this will help you all plan your wedding.
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Photo editing, such a huge part of my life. What you see here on the blog has generally gone through a preliminary edit, but is not always what the couple get back. I like to try and get a preview out to people so they can start getting excited for the finished product. But here’s a few examples of what was and now is. And side note, this isn’t how all finished pictures end up looking, just for these pictures and this couple, this is what I saw. There will be more educational business on editing coming up soon!!
-Ben out
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cinematography |ˌsinəməˈtägrəfē|
Noun
The art of making motion pictures.
It has come to my attention recently that many couples simply do not understand what they are getting. Are they getting a cinematographer or a videographer?We have been in business for 9 years now, and made the evolution from videographer to cinematographer in january of 2009.
We did this by learning from the best cinematographers in our industry; Patrick Moreau, Konrad Cyztowski, and Michael Y. Wong. We took the time, and spent the money to become better at our craft so that we could tell stories about people getting married in a more in depth way, and a more emotional way. It was the most amazing experience of my life, outside of marrying my wife this may.
Recently, I have noticed that companies everywhere are picking up the name, and in many cases the work has not changed. This is not a bad thing, It is simply misleading. I always say, there are great cinematographers and bad ones, just like there are great videographers and bad ones. I am not judging anyone, nor am I trying to say one style is better than the other, I am simply saying that there is a difference, and people should be aware of what they are paying for.
Our storytelling style has now developed from a cool looking bunch of clips strung along together with a catchy musical track, to well thought out sequences which are placed in they’re position on the timeline for a distinct reason. The reasons why we use one lens and not another, or why we cut a clip short due to something so minute like a tiny camera shake are just a few things that we take note of. These little things are so small and subtle to our couples, that they may or may not notice them, and so big and evident to us that we could never live with them in our film.
I believe that if you are looking for a great videographer, you should be looking for a company that can document a day in it’s entirety and also edit a video that has every element you are looking for. Typically they will include a full ceremony, and full reception (intros, first dance, parent dances, toasts, dancing, cake cutting, ect.). This will be topped off with a really nice highlight video, which will capture the entire day much like a music video.
If it is a great cinematographer that is your taste, I would look for some key elements. The most important of these is storytelling. Does the story convey an emotion. Do you feel connected to the film or the couple? A cinematographer will use voiceovers to tell the story, and add depth to the story. We also shoot and edit in sequences, not just shots for no reason. There is always a beginning, middle and end, and the story should reflect that throughout. So if Gary is putting his tuxedo shirt on in one shot, and then it cuts to him fully dressed in the next shot, we are missing the middle of the story for that sequence. Our goal is always to keep the storytelling at the forefront of our reason for shooting your wedding. Another great way to tie a story together is the music. The soundtrack is there, not for you to notice, but to be a support. Our Same Day Edits and Highlight Films may usually have a much more playful soundtrack, however when it comes to our Feature Films, we go with what compliments the story over a 20 minute film. Finally, Color Correction/Grading. These are two elements that are often overlooked. I would say by watching other company films for about 10 years, about 50% of studios actually do custom color grading. When looking at a film you should notice that the whites are white, and the blacks are black. Whites change from room to room and outside to inside. Making sure the Whites all look the same is key to being able to color grade the film to evoke an emotion.
I hope these little bits of knowledge help you along the path of choosing a videographer or cinematographer. Here is one of our Same Day Edits that I think portrays storytelling very well. Enjoy your wedding. 
..Greg
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