Dave and Emily....And No Officiant // Sundance, Utah

Okay, okay, there was an officiant, but he was a stand in. A last minute decision. Due to some misunderstanding, the officiant never showed on Dave and Emily's wedding. A scramble ensued. A close friend was chosen to stand in...

Something magical happened...

This was a very personal wedding for me. I've known Emily for years through her twin sister Brittany. I shot Brittany's wedding years ago, as well as Courtney's wedding. Court is a close friend to both of the sisters and a close friend of mine. It should have felt like a no-brainer.

I had to squeeze this wedding into my schedule. Literally squeeze. Thought I couldn't do it. So grateful I had.

This wedding is a testament to making your ceremony a very personal event. If you can get a close friend to marry you, do it. If you have vows, make them personal and meaningful. Heck, make them up as you go! Don't have a plan. Sometimes things just work out.

A lot of this wedding ceremony was improvised. It was one of the most incredible ceremonies I've ever filmed. It makes my cry to watch it. Even after multiple viewings.

It will make you cry too...

Talon and Katie - The Valentine

I was with Talon and Katie on many occasions surrounding their wedding. We did a couples story (we call it a "Two Story"), I attended their wedding dinner the night before and I was with them for quite a while on their wedding day. They had a temple sealing in the morning, ring ceremony in the afternoon and a reception immediately after. During the ring ceremony, Katie's sister gave a reading of "The Valentine" by Carol Lynn Pearson. It's a beautiful poem, and it fit perfectly as a narration for this highlight.

And special thanks from me to Carol. She gave us permission to use the poem in it's entirety. A special treat.

Seth and Amber - Salt Lake Temple - August 17th, 2013

Seth and Amber got their wedding right. If there's a spectacular backyard available for your wedding, grab it. Backyards are always my favorite wedding spot. Everyone is comfortable, there's room to spread out and everyone seems to stick around the wedding longer. Just really an ideal situation.

Here's a great wedding highlight of the entire day. I enjoyed every minute of this wedding. Plus I had the rare opportunity of working with an awesome photographer - Becky Ravenberg. She's pretty great. It's always a welcome occasion when the photographer cares as much about me getting a good wedding film as I do about her getting great photos. It makes for a stress-free day.

Here's a few of my favorite pics from the wedding. And here's her website - Ravenberg Photography.

Matt and Tonnie and A Mini Horse

It's a "Two Story" time of year. Lot's of couples stories getting finished.

I met with Matt and Tonnie in a field behind Tonnie's house. She's very much in to Mid-century modern, thus the retro table and chairs. It works. Just a cool setting for a couples story, and only about a dozen military jets flying by from the base. Not sure I would ever get used to that.

I confess, this is one of my favorites I've ever done. These two are so at ease with each other and Matt's a seriously funny dude. I think Tonnie's the perfect match for him. She'll keep him grounded (I think he even says that at one point).

It's amazing how the course of a couples story changes when the couple is at ease. It takes a story from good to great.

Anyway, enjoy.

Also check out some seriously mad photos here from Travis Richardson. He was their engagement and wedding photographer and these photos were blown up to "beyond poster size" and hanging all over the wedding reception. Amazing..

Here's his website - www.travisjphotography.com

Spencer and Melissa - July 6th, 2013 | Las Vegas, Nevada | World Market Center

I had the privilege of getting down to Vegas last month. My father and step-mother live in St. George, so I welcomed the opportunity to stop in and see them as well. A trip and a side excursion, all in one.

I also had the opportunity to work with Laura at Forevermore Events. A first time for everything. She's a pro. I can't stress how much a wedding coordinator makes the day. There's a "smoothing" quality to what they do. I can't put it into words. Things just work.

Anyway, here's Spencer and Melissa's web highlight. These web highlights are part of some of my packages, so get one of these! It gives you the social networking fix so many couples need and lets you share a highlight of your wedding with the world.

And it wasn't even 100 degrees that day. Sweater weather for Las Vegas...

____________________________

Location - Las Vegas LDS Temple and World Market Center
Event Coordinator - Forevermore Events
Photographer - Gideon Photography

Richard and Margaret - Dallas, Texas Wedding - Texas Wedding Video

I went back to this wedding - it's been done and delivered for quite some time. I just needed a perfect song for a web highlight, and this is it. It was too great a wedding to not have something from it.

This was a two-day affair. A wedding dinner and reception the night before, with the ceremony and reception the following day. A big event.

Margaret found me through a Jackson Hole wedding I had shot the year previous - her friend Diana's wedding. Another big bash.

What a great wedding. In every way.

Tyler and McCall - The First Look

I'm growing fond of shooting these. They are almost fully controlled shoots. We can start and stop, experiment, do some "scene" building. A lot of variables that aren't always present on the wedding day with time being the main benefit.

And these first looks are fun. I get to know you as a couple. It gives us a head start on the wedding day.

Never a bad idea.

Adam and MaKenna - Salt Lake Temple Pre-Shoot - Utah Wedding Video

Pre-Shoots, Couples Stories and First Looks are becoming much more commonplace, as couples seek to have something special to show at their wedding. This pre-shoot with Adam and MaKenna was an incredibel experience. Just me and the couple, and no schedule to tackle. It gave us time to experiment, get the best of everything, take breaks. We took advantage of the "evening hour" to get the best colors and the softest, warmest light. Evenings on a sunny day are always the best time to film.

This shoot also gave me the opportunity to kick around some ideas and make something meaningful for the couple. It's a beautiful piece, for such a great couple. I spent a lot of time with these two prior to the wedding - a pre-shoot and a couples story. It made the wedding day such a more relaxed experience.

Brad and Shae Robins - Their "Two Story". - Utah Wedding Couples Story

 Going into this, I knew I had a good story ahead. Both Brad and Shae are entertainers and both are incredibly confident and well-spoken. Brad is a natural speaker. Shae is mature beyond her years. This is their story from their first meeting through the engagement.

These personal stories are really a great way to share with your guests your courtship, beyond a slideshow or a still photo.

I refer to them as a "Two Story."

Simon and Kimberly - St. Regis Hotel in Park City Utah - Utah Wedding Video

Good vows (and toasts) always make my wedding films pop. I have nothing to do with it. It's the aspect of wedding videography that I focus the most on - the story. If your vows are thoughtful, your wedding film will resonate. It's plain and simple. There will be a story in there and the video memory of the day will have a lot of impact with those of your friends and family who watch it.

The St. Regis is always a special affair. Beautiful backdrops, amazing deck and excellent staff.
Thanks for having me Simon and Kimberly. This was a great day.

Jared and Janessa - Saint George, Utah | Utah Wedding Video

After shooting this wedding in Saint George, I didn't want to come home. It's just the most "level" weather in the state of Utah. Always nice. And my parents live there now too! If you have plans to get married in Saint George, please call me. I now have special rates for Saint George, just for that reason.

This was a two-day affair. Reception the night before and temple wedding the next day. Always nice to take a breath in between events. This is really an amazing temple. The grounds are lush, and of course the weather thing.

I also finally got to shoot along side Justin Hackworth, a legendary photographer here in Utah. Wise and well-seasoned in his craft.

Great weekend.

- Ryan

Jess and Januari - Riverside Country Club Wedding - Utah Wedding Video

This wedding ceremony is in my top 5. What amazing, heartfelt vows. And what an amazing couple.

Rain loomed the entire day, and we got a pretty steady sprinkle during the reception. Just enough to cool things off, but not kill the party.

I absolutely love this couple. I love their story.  I love how the day unfolded. I love them together.

This is a true love story.

- Ryan

Mike and Katie - The Canyons Park City

What can I say. Totally great wedding. Picture perfect wedding mass, beautiful scenery and an awesome couple. We did have quite the scare though. After taking the gondola to the top of the Canyons, it was shut down due to weather - with the guests stuck at the bottom of the mountain! Somehow Mike and Katie stayed cool under pressure and we had a wedding to film, albeit a little late getting started.

Gave us time to enjoy the serenity of a mountain reception on an amazing "end-of-summer" day. To cap it off, I enjoyed a gondola ride down the side of the mountain. In pitch black and almost total fog.

A spiritual experience.