Visions Unlimited Productions, Inc.

videography and photography for all

Why Multiple Cameras make a Better Wedding Video

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A sophisticated polished & professional Wedding Video is typically shot with more than one camera. This allows your videographers to shoot from several different angles at any given time, then edit several tracks of video and audio for a more multi-dimensional looking and sounding Wedding Video. For example, when the bride is walking up the isle, I film her face and my husband Mark, who is usually at the back of the isle, films the groom’s reaction and the back of her wedding gown. I’m up front to film mom’s tears as dad gives the bride away. Mark is shooting a nice wide shot to give you a perspective of the whole thing. These are just a few examples of why a multi-camera shoot can capture the story of your wedding day.

Another example is before the ceremony even starts. One of the most emotional times of the wedding day that we shoot, is the “Getting Ready” of the bride and her bridal party. While the bridesmaids are primping, the groomsmen are often playing golf or relaxing before the big moment. Having 2 cameras allows you to see what your future spouse is doing before the ceremony. Often, we’ll get comments of the bride and groom. It’s a great opportunity to capture the excitement and anticipation of sharing a life together. I love to ask grooms what they’re looking forward to, and they’ll often tell me of their dreams and goals. He can talk about why he first fell in love with his bride. Funny stories can add another layer of depth. When edited in to the wedding video, it can be quite profound. Adding meaningful comments like this to your wedding video makes it a priceless keepsake.

~ Photos & article by Leslie Harris-Senac of Visions Unlimited Video Productions, Inc., in Sarasota, Florida

Tiffany and Eddie's Beach Wedding in Destin, Florida
Beach Wedding filmed by Leslie & Mark in Destin, FL

Videographer & Photographer Checklist

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Pre-ceremony

  • Bride’s gown before she slips it on
  • Bride having her hair styled and makeup applied
  • Candid shots of the bride and her maids getting ready
  • Brides’ maids & MOB reacting to the bride in her gown
  • Bride heading to the ceremony site
  • Bride and her father just before walking down the aisle
  • Groom with his father
  • Candid shots of the groom and groomsmen getting ready
  • Groom heading to the ceremony site
  • Dramatic on-site landscapes (such as sand dunes & sea oats, lush woods, fields of flowers)

Ceremony site

  • Exterior and interior of the ceremony site before guests arrive
  • Guests arriving
  • Bridal party arriving
  • Musicians performing
  • Family members being seated
  • Processional and recessional
  • Bride and groom reciting their vows
  • Bride and groom exchanging rings
  • The couple’s first kiss
  • Bride and groom being introduced to their guests as a married couple
  • Bride and groom exiting their ceremony site
  • Receiving line
  • Bride and groom in their getaway car

Reception site

  • Exterior and interior shots of the reception site before guests arrive
  • Table settings
  • Menu and table cards
  • Guests signing the book
  • Food stations and bar setup during cocktail hour
  • Bridal-party table
  • Bride and groom cutting the cake
  • Wedding-party introductions
  • Guests seated at their tables
  • Bride and groom’s first dance
  • Toasts and blessing
  • Father-daughter dance & Mother-son dance
  • Bridal Party & Tribute Dances
  • Band or DJ
  • Guests dancing
  • Bouquet and garter toss, anniversary dance
  • Candid shots throughout the night
  • Bride and groom send-off

Close-ups

  • Bridal bouquet
  • Boutonniere
  • Shoes
  • Details on the bride’s gown
  • Details on the groom’s attire such as cuff links
  • Jewelry
  • Ceremony programs
  • Centerpieces
  • Hors d’oeuvres
  • Specialty drinks
  • Wedding cake
  • Party favors

Wedding Night Sex – Hints for Grooms

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Red Roses = LOVE
Red Roses = LOVE

Well, there you are. The wedding reception is over and you’re alone with your bride — finally. The wedding day can really take a toll on the groom and bride. You’re bound to be dead tired after hours of standing, posing, dancing, and talking to every family member and friend at the reception. If you’re like 55% of newlyweds, it’s time for bed. However, if you’re one of the lucky 45%: Game on! Here are some helpful tips on making wedding night sex an experience that you and your bride won’t soon forget.

First Things First
You need to chill out and relax for a bit after the wedding. But be careful, there’s a fine line between falling asleep and resting to build up some energy. Chances are, you’ll spend the first hour or so after the reception reminiscing about the wedding day and how great it was. We also recommend having a doggy bag prepared with wedding food from the reception. This is a standard practice with most caterers. Because most couples are too busy to eat very much during the day, food will replenish your body for the more strenuous activities to come.

Leslie’s Recommendation: One thing most guys may not realize about the wedding reception is that every time you have an empty hand, someone will probably hand you a drink. Word to the wise: Try to drink in moderation. You don’t want to have trouble rising to the occasion later.

Talk Dirty To Me
Of course, we’re talking about telling your brand new wife how special she is, and how beautiful she looked in her wedding dress. Nothing will likely get your bride in the mood more than hearing this. She’s been looking forward to this day for quite some time.

From there, the conversation can turn to more arousing material.

Turning in the V-Card?
First off, congratulations are in order to those of you who held out and waited for marriage. We’re certain it wasn’t easy to do. The main thing to remember in planning for the first time is not to stress yourself out. Let’s be honest: your performance the first time won’t be perfect. But what will be perfect is the experience. However, if you really want to impress her, I recommend picking up a book on the art of love making. Trust me, they’re out there. Just be careful about how much you put into practice the first time — you don’t want her to wonder where you learned all of your tricks. Just be sincere and loving; make your bride feel special.

Bag of Tricks
Since you’ll (hopefully) never get another shot at wedding night sex, why not make it an experience that will be hard to top? Whether you’re staying at a hotel or a house, plan ahead and have some rose petals, chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, or a combination of the three prepared in the bedroom. I don’t expect you guys to understand, but women dig this kind of stuff (especially brides). Another way to really set the mood is to create a mix CD of songs that have meant a lot to you and your bride. Pick songs that won’t get old because you’ll hopefully be hearing them on repeat all night long.

Leslie Recommendation: You know your bride-to-be better than us. Use this information as a jumping off point to planning your big night. The main thing to remember is making your bride feel special. If you can do that, you’ve already succeeded.

And remember the most important thing: It’s your wedding night, so kick back, relax and enjoy the ride. Or if you’re Superman, rides. Enjoy!

~by Leslie Harris Senac, Videographer serving Sarasota & Manatee Counties in Florida. She is a member of the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce through her  Weddings of Sarasota membership.

~Excerpts taken from www.themanregistry.com

Rehearsal Dinner Party Advise for Grooms

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Head Table at The Meadows Country Club
Head Table at The Meadows Country Club

The rehearsal dinner is arguably often the largest financial responsibility for the groom and his family in the wedding process. This event, which immediately follows the wedding rehearsal, is an opportunity to honor the bride and groom one final time before they take their wedding vows. It also gives the couple a chance to thank their families and the wedding party for their support and for being a part of the wedding. While the wedding reception will be the biggest party of the weekend, there’s no reason the rehearsal dinner can’t hold its own. We know that most men don’t have extensive event or party planning experience (it would be scary if you did). Rest assured, though, throwing a memorable rehearsal dinner shouldn’t be difficult for you and your family. Chances are you’ve been to at least one rehearsal dinner in the past and can draw from that experience. Your parents may even want to incorporate some aspects of their rehearsal dinner (location, menu, photos) into yours. Traditionally, the groom and/or his family pay for the rehearsal dinner. But if they’re unable to do so, it’s perfectly acceptable for another family member or friend of the groom’s family to take charge of it. This event doesn’t need to be a ritzy, black tie affair. While some couples like to stage a more formal affair, others prefer to just invite the wedding party to their home for a backyard barbeque. Whatever the case may be, there are some basic pieces of information that any groom-to-be should know when it comes to the rehearsal dinner. The guest list and invitations Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner guest list is comprised of the wedding party, immediate family, and anyone else who took part in the rehearsal. However, it’s not un-common to invite any out-of-town guests who have traveled in for the wedding. This is another way to thank them for making the trip to be a part of the big day. Unlike the wedding, you have a chance to be a little more casual and creative with the invitation style. If you’re on a tight budget, e-vites are a free alternative to the traditional invitation. Remember to wait to send out the invites until the wedding invitations have already gone out from the bride’s family. The venue When choosing a venue, the most important thing to remember is head count. You’ll need to know if you have enough room for everyone. It’s a safe bet that most, if not all, of your wedding party will be attending the rehearsal. Therefore, it should be easy to get a solid idea of the rehearsal dinner size. Ideally, the location of the venue will be relatively close to the church so there won’t be a long delay in getting there after the rehearsal. Common venues include banquet halls, country clubs, restaurants, church halls, golf courses, hotel event space, and homes. Realistically, anywhere with a suite or private room should be suitable. TMR Recommendation: Get creative. If you and your bride-to-be enjoy watching your favorite team together, see if their stadium has any private suites that are available for rent. The menu & catering Unless you’re holding the rehearsal dinner at a restaurant with menu options, you’ll need to decide on a caterer and a menu. The main thing to remember is to make sure that you don’t duplicate the wedding reception menu. Another big decision to make is whether you’ll have an open bar at the rehearsal dinner. Budget-wise, open bars can take a toll. One way to prevent breaking the bank is to only serve beer or wine. These drinks can be bought for a relatively cheap price compared to buying a large supply of liquor. Make it memorable You can make the rehearsal dinner memorable by making it more than just a dinner. · Many couples utilize the rehearsal dinner as a time to present their attendant gifts to the wedding party and parents. It’s always nice to personally thank each attendant again for being part of your wedding weekend. · The rehearsal dinner is also a great time for toasts (including the groom’s toast). Often, couples will decide to get the toasts out of the way at the rehearsal dinner so they won’t distract from dancing time at the reception. · If there are plans to put together a photo montage of the couple, the rehearsal dinner can be the perfect time to show it. Leslie Harris-Senac of Visions Unlimited Video Productions can help you with this. She specializes in Photo Montages. Call her today for a free consultation at: 941/315-3456 ~ Excerpt from www.themanregistry.com