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.

Chase and Jessica - Instagramed - Utah Wedding Video

In lieu of the drastically cold weather that has pummeled our state this week, I thought it might be nice to post a warm weather wedding highlight. This one is from way back in July.

I had a little fun with this web teaser. I edited it in the style of an Instagram photo - square format, film burns, tweaked vintage colors. It forced me to look at composition through square eyes, versus the standard rectangular format. Quite a change.

Sometimes it's good to mix things up.

Duncan and Lissie - Rice Eccles Stadium - Utah Wedding

Call this my birthday wedding. They got married on my birthday - which was a Sunday anyway so we celebrated on a different day. Like I would ever turn down a wedding to celebrate getting older.....

Anyway, Duncan and Lissie are transplants to the coolest city on earth - Austin, Texas. They ended up back in Utah, getting married here to be close to friends and family. The reception was at Rice Eccles Stadium, which benefits from amazing lighting when those "sunscreens" are put to good use.

What a cool couple. Their first dance was straight out of Pulp Fiction. The dance in the bar. Way cool. And their ceremony went off without a hitch. I had a friend refer to their officiant as a guy who should be narrating Hollywood movies. When you watch this web teaser, you will understand why.

Are we cool? Yes. Yes we are.

Colby and Shannon - Swim, Bike, Run, Marry - Utah Wedding Video

What can I say? This is one of the most unique wedding events ever. I'm not sure I will shoot one of these again any time soon.

Colby and Shannon ran a triathlon the morning of their wedding. You read that right. I can't believe it.

What an amazing an exhausting day. For all of us. I'm not sure I've ever worked so hard on a "wedding event" in my entire life. Watching me run was I'm sure very entertaining.

I opted to focus on the triathlon more than anything for this teaser film. It was just so cool.

- Ryan

Gordon and Carole - Riverside Country Club Wedding - Provo, Utah

So there's more to this wedding film than meets the eye. It's the style of wedding film that best expresses where I need to be.

I need to be grounded. Let me explain.

I've tried before (oh, how I've tried...) to do the sweeping, hugely cinematic wedding films that some couples really like. Crazy steadicam, majestic shots, grandiose movements.

It's not my thing.

This is my thing. This wedding reminded me of that. I prefer my wedding films to be "grounded in reality". There's an incredible amount of beauty in just allowing the day to unfold. Great weather (or not), happy couple, events of the day. It's not to say I don't try. I just know that at the end of the wedding, the event is the cinema. There's no need to recreate the day. Just let it happen. Shoot what happens.

Just be meticulous about it and slave away at capturing those special moments. I chose to do both.

- Ryan

Clyde and Stefanie - St. Joseph Cathedral - Wolf Creek Wedding

What to say about a Catholic wedding....They are welcome occasions for me in this great state of ours. They are challenging to shoot. Many variables working here. Multiple audio sources, two cameras, moving priest, readings, music, even times when we are asked to turn off the cameras (during the eucharist). Much to consider. A very precise timeline.

When it all comes together, you get an amazing film.

Clyde and Stefanie came all of the way from NYC for their event. Wise decision. Utah is a great place for a wedding.

This is a short teaser edit of the entire day. I think it was important to include a good portion of the mass in this web highlight. If you ever get the notion to attend a Catholic wedding mass, I highly encourage it. It's an incredibly beautiful and spiritual event.

You will be uplifted.

- Ryan