Here are 5 ways that a good DJ can make your wedding better.

1. Announcements.
Having a DJ that can announce the toast, cake cutting, and the occasional lost set of keys, and be heard and understood is a huge plus. The person on the microphone has to be able to cut through all the chatter and get everyone’s attention.

2. Mixing music that suits your guests.
A good DJ can look at any group and sum up a play list that fits. And he can only do this if he/she is familiar with many genres of music and it’s era. (Adult Contemporary, Pop, country, hip hop, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s)

3. Quality equipment.
While it doesn’t necessarily make a better DJ, quality equipment can provide a better experience and service that not only sounds good, but looks good. A “rats nest” of wires on the DJ table or around the Dj’s setup tends to take away from the nice  center pieces, cakes, and linens that make up your reception decor. Especially in smaller rooms.

4. Be prepared.
Having an outline of the order of events for your reception and any special songs that go with those events will allow your reception to run much more smoothly. If the DJ has a digital setup, making “folder” in his DJ program with all special songs for the reception, or putting all special songs on a single CD and having them ready for use ensures all those important songs are accounted for and ready to play on cue.

5. Knowing the wedding etiquette.
You can’t take a karaoke jock from a bar, and expect them to know how to pull off an elegant and fun wedding reception. This is how that could turn out. ((insert blog link to that couple taking for ever to load the first dance and mother son dance.)) You will want a DJ that has wedding experience and references. When the budget needs to be cut one of the first things they think of is the DJ entertainment.  Because all the DJ does is play music right? By getting a cousin to man the iPod, or a friend that has a big music collection, you stand to lose many if not all of the tips mentioned here. If you’re on a small budget, try to budget more for the services that really affect your wedding, and cut some smaller things that may not be quite as important.

CMB DJs
http://cmbdjs.com/
903.724.3192

We are starting off today with some tips from Vanessa McKellar.  You know I LOVE me some wedding video and she is the best in the area.  Check out one of her trailers and then jump down to read some video tips.

My biggest advice overall is to just do what you want to do and enjoy your big day. But there are a few things you can be aware of that will help your video be its best.

1) If you are having a DJ, ask him to include a light kit. Sometimes it’s included and sometimes you have to pay a little extra for it, but it’s always worth it. Colorful lights on the dance floor add so much energy, interest, and dynamism to dance footage.

2) Along the same line, the darker you keep your ceremony and reception space, the more flat and grainy your footage will be. Conversely, more light equals more vibrant imagery, so keep this in mind as you “set the mood” for your event. And be sure to communicate your wishes to your site coordinator ahead of time.

3) Be expressive. One of the many things that makes video so amazing and valuable is its ability to record audio. So if you talk about how you feel, tell little stories or jokes, and give background info on important details, your video will be all the more meaningful to you in the future. This goes for your family and friends, too!

4) Build in extra time for your videographer to get her or his shots. For example, when you’re making your timeline for the day, if your photog says he will need one hour for photos, allot 1 hour and 15 minutes. This way your videographer can occasionally step in when she wants to in order to direct a shot. Make sure your photographer understands this, too.

5) And here are some quick tips:

-Don’t chew gum.

-Walk down the aisle slowly.

-Hold your bouquet low.

-Don’t whisper your vows.

-Keep the room you’re getting ready in bright and tidy.

Here’s to a wedding video you and your family will cherish forever!

Vanessa McKellar Productions
http://www.vanessamckellar.com/
903.894.6078

Also, here is a list of some of her wedding vendors which she loved so much as well as a few favorites of mine from each of her sessions.

Cakes: Chez Bazan
DJ: CMB DJs
Flowers: Michele’s Flowers by Ela
Venue: Villa di Felicita
Videography : Vanessa McKellar Productions

A few weeks ago Vanessa McKellar posted this trailer of a wedding she recently shot.  It was too great not to pass on and after you watch it take the amount of love you have for it and multiply it times 1000 if it was you and your husband in the video.

You should book her for your wedding.

Melissa & Cace’s Trailer from Vanessa McKellar Productions on Vimeo.

One of the things that really makes weddings fun is getting to share your day with your closest friends and family.

One of the things that really makes wedding planning NOT fun is deciding who your closest friends and family are.

Time and time again, when I meet with couples and talk about how the planning is going, the thing that constantly brings the most stress is the guest list. Whether it’s the addresses, narrowing it down, or licking and stamping the envelopes, the guest process seems to be one of the more stressful parts.

Erika & Phil took a slightly different approach when it came to planning their wedding.  They only invited immediate family.    Thats right, the 11 people you see in that photo are all that were there to witness their vows.

(Actually, myself and super cool wedding videographer Vanessa McKellar were also witnesses, but you get the point.)

Phil’s comment to me was he “didn’t want to be introduced to anyone on his wedding day”.  Not a bad way of looking at it.  Erika told me they wanted a smaller wedding, but as they started coming up with the guest list it kept getting bigger and bigger til they decided there was only one way of doing it.  Just family.  I have photographed weddings with hundreds of guests and a wedding with less than a dozen guests.  There is no right or wrong way to do it.  My advice to you is invite who you want.

It’s your wedding.

If you only want 50 people there, invite 50 people.

Trust me, your friends and acquaintances that do not get invited will not stop being your friends.  They may be confused at first.  But if they are truly your friends, then they will understand.  They want you to be happy.  If having 50 people at your wedding makes you happy, then they will support you.

Side Note: You may end up getting less gifts this way, but we’ll assume you’re OK with that.

If you want to see more images from Erika & Phil’s September 9, 2009 wedding click here.
I’ll give you one more shot to entice you click that link.

Click on the right one to read the interview and hear my witty banter.
(If you are not sure which one to click you can also just click this link.)

Every now and then when I meet with a bride, they mention that they are not getting a videographer because they don’t think it’s all that important.  A quote I hear frequently is, “We are already getting photos, and we can always have someone set up camera a in the back.” 

Now, the reason many people don’t understand the value of a great wedding film is because all they have seen is footage from a friends wedding where it was just that: a camera set up in the back.  A good wedding videographer will take your day and turn it into a movie.  Beautiful images, great camera work, a soundtrack, and most important of all, your voices.  That’s right, you talking.  This is one of the areas where wedding photos just don’t do your day justice.  You will experience so many emotions and thoughts on your day and not having someone document you saying those feelings will be something you regret.  Anyway, Vanessa actually did a little blog post contrasting the differences between wedding photography and videography a few weeks back and used some photos from Your’s Truly.  (Take a look at it here.)

Before we get to the interview, here is a short little trailer she recently finished.  Take a look at it, then scroll down to read more about her.

How did you get started & how long have you been doing this?

I think my story really starts in the 90’s, when my love for weddings blossomed. I designed wedding dresses, subscribed to Martha Stewart Weddings magazine, all that stuff. I wanted to be a wedding coordinator when I grew up. Then when I went to film school at UT Austin, I decided that I should combine my two passions and become a wedding filmmaker.

I’ve been in the industry since 2001, when I started shooting and editing for wedding videographers while I was in school. When I graduated in ’03, I used my savings to buy a camera and computer, and I haven’t looked back since!

Also, in the summer of ’08 my husband quit his day job in sales to come work with me full time, and it’s been fabulous. He brings a different eye to the table and I’m so excited with how he’s contributing with his filming and editing.

What is your favorite part about your job?

There’s no way I could pick one. First off, I love arriving the day of the wedding and seeing what the bride’s dress looks like, what color the flowers are, all those things the make a wedding a wedding. Every event is different and beautiful in its own way and I enjoy the aesthetics of it all.

My other favorite part is when I’m editing and it just “clicks” and I make myself cry. Might sound a little silly, but when the imagery and music combine to create something timeless, emotional, and touching, I know I’ve got the best job in the world.

What sets you apart from other wedding filmmakers?

For one thing, I’m female, and there aren’t a lot of female filmmakers out there. I’m a recently married bride, so I can completely empathize with everything a bride goes through on her wedding day and in the planning process. Plus, Vanessa McKellar Productions is a husband and wife team, so while I’m with the girls, there’s also someone the groomsmen can feel comfortable with too. And lastly, I have a blog that’s full of my videos and also wedding planning tips and ideas; it’s a great resource for brides.

What’s your favorite thing to film at wedding?

I love the few minutes right after the ceremony when all the bride and groom’s family and friends gather around and congratulate them. I think it’s one of the purest and most uncontrived moments of the whole day; everyone’s so excited about what has just taken place. Hugs and smiles and jokes and kisses all around. Brent likes to film crazy awesome moves on the dance floor.

When not filming weddings what are you doing?

Editing weddings! Beyond that I like to make jewelry, watch movies, read wedding blogs , eat out with my hubby, clean and/or decorate our new house, and chat with my amigas. Brent just tries to find something to do to counteract all the fufu female estrogen vibes everywhere.

OK, now that you totally love Vanessa and know you want her at your wedding, let me just show you one of my favorite things that she does. These are called Love Stories and they are AMAZING. It’s a perfect way for your friends and family to hear how you met. These are perfect for showing at your rehearsal dinner or even during your wedding. (Instead of that slideshow that has embarrassing baby photos of you growing up.) And, think of how cool it will be for your kids and grandkids to hear from your own mouth how you fell in love.

Vanessa McKellar Productions
http://www.videobrideblog.com/
http://www.VanessaMcKellar.com/
903.894.6078

When Danielle and I were married, we just had a few friends with cameras film it for us. It is the single biggest regret we have about that day. We have plenty of “home movie” like footage of our wedding, but nothing at all like what a good videographer would have been able to document for us. I can’t encourage you enough to book a videographer; it’s just something you HAVE to do.

Anyway, one of the best videographers in the area is Vanessa McKellar. I love her work and I love working with her and her husband, Brent. I thought I’d share a few of her recent videos from weddings we have shot together just to give you guys a taste of how powerful video can be.

Erika & Phil (Wedding Post)


Some Super 8 video goodness.

Stephanie & Michael (Wedding Post)

Davi & Jonathan (Wedding Post)

This is a super example of where photos just don’t do the moment justice. This is a shot from their First Look.

Now, watch this trailer and see that First Look in action.

Kim & Josh (Wedding Post)

Click here to jump to Vanessa’s blog and see more of her work.

(The other two were Hot Pink Brides & Rock n Roll Bride.)

Anyway, this times comes courtesy of Bride’s Cafe. A great little website with tons of tips for all you brides out there. They post new stuff daily so be sure and bookmark them and get ready to have your brain filled with ideas.

The images they are featuring are Davi & Jonathan’s wedding at Elmwood Gardens, and the best part is they also have the movie trailer Vanessa McKellar did for them, so after you watch the Bride’s Cafe post, hop over to Vanessa’s website to see more movie magic.

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Anyway, all that to say.  There is no “wrong” way to have your wedding.  What works for some people may not work for you, and don’t be scared to try something different.  It’s your day and that last thing you want to do is look back on it and wish you had done the thing you always dreamed of doing.

It looked to me like an eyelash torture device, but I’m guessing this is something most girls do?

The super talented tandem of Vanessa & Brent McKellar were also there filming and making their movie magic. (I can’t wait for the wedding trailer)

Erika didn’t have any toothpaste so I ran to my van and shared mine. It was the last little bit of paste, but I’m sure Phil was thankful for it.

There’s always that point of the day where it “hits” brides that they are getting married. This was Erika’s moment.

Phil had a great reaction to seeing his bride come down the aisle.

One of the cool things they did during their ceremony was plant a tree. (Try doing that inside a church.)

Here is a quick little overload on details.

I blogged this last image for the sneak peak, but love it too much to not include it in their full post.

Erika & Phil, thank you for making me feel like family and for trusting me with your day.