Her dad spent so much time working on his speech for the reception.  I love this frame of him.

Good times at their First Look.
Josh is s total natural with kids.

Party bus heading towards the reception.

I’m pretty sure there is an Aggie joke somewhere in this frame.

Whoop.

If you look towards the lower right of this image you can see Brent McKellar of McKellar Productions creeping in the darkness.  I can’t wait to see all the video goodness they got.

Sometimes couples ask me “Why don’t we get every single image you shot at our session?”
Answer:  Because sometimes you both are talking and you look like this.

Selective Color For The Win!

Photoshop effects are fun!

Nothing says professional maternity photography quite like dressing a man up in a matching shirt and making him hold his wife uncomfortably.

Their hands make a heart.  Because they love the baby so much.

It’s like a Where’s Waldo game.

More awkward kissing and hugging.

For realz though these two are some of my favorite people ever.  They are having a baby next week and I can’t wait to see them be parents.  Go team McKellar!

So, to all you past brides out there who want a maternity shoot feel free to give me call.  Just be ready for the results.

Anyway, Brent & Vanessa McKellar are some of the most creative people I know so when she mentioned having The Mug Machine at her party I knew it would be a smash hit.  Don’t believe me?  Take a look:

Yes we did.

These two are getting married on 1-1-12.  I can’t wait to shoot their wedding.

Vanessa’s parents.  Great with pillow.

Vanessa & Erika.  Yes ladies, that’s Erika of Erika & Phil fame.

Family photo.

Our lovely host.  Who for some reason decided to point a sword at Vanessa’s womb.

So want to find out what she’s having?  Take a look at the little video she put together below.

That’s right.  There is a McKellar baby on the way.  I’m super excited for them and can’t wait to see them turn into incredible parents.  They made this little movie of them finding out as well as them telling their family.  I know the child will be loved.  I know the child will be smart.  I know the child will have the best home movies ever.

They are totally going to keep shooting weddings and the baby should be here the first part of next year.  That means you can book them for your Fall weddings of 2011 and your Spring 2012 weddings.

The girls and their socks.

Major props to La Te Da Flowers for all the centerpieces and florals at this wedding.

The girls without sock.  (But with cool shoes.)

Love how they decorated the arch at the Villa di Felicita.  Can’t wait for a bride to do all three arches!!!

The Village Bakery in Tyler doing what they do.  Tasty too, not that I had a piece.
About as “formal” as they get.
DJ Goldman made sure everyone danced for about 4 hours.  It was epic.

Vanessa & Brent McKellar were also their doing their video thing.  (Hit the bottom of this post to see their wedding trailer.)

Q: How do you end such a great wedding?
A: Crowd surfing.

You two were so much fun to shoot.  I had a blast spending the day with you and can’t wait to get you more photos.  Maybe your trailer from Vanessa & Brent McKellar can keep you satisfied for a little bit longer.

Ashley & Chase’s Trailer | Tyler, TX from Vanessa McKellar Productions on Vimeo.

Kecia & Zach from The Upper Hand Salons were there making everyone’s hair behave.

Whoop.
Whoop.  Whoop.
Melissa did not even make it to Ross for their First Look before she started tearing up.

Not a fan of the formals.
Whoop.  Whoop. Whoop.Claton from Southwest Sound did one of the best DJ jobs I have ever seen.  If you are getting married in the Houston area you have to hire him.
The wedding reception took place at Melissa’s parent’s house in the country.  It really was the perfect setting.
Somewhere in the madness that was the dance floor you might be able to pick out Vanessa McKellar.  She was there filming the wedding and even did a big of Super8 magic.  We even jumped out onto the dance floor together.  Click here to view my mad double dutch skills.

Even though Grand Finale Catering filled everyone’s tummy at 6:00, by 10:30 we were ready for a snack.  Whataburger Taquitos to the rescue!

So… technically I did not take this last photo at their wedding, but I feel like Melissa & Ross won’t mind sharing their blog post with the 2011 NCAA Women’s Basketball Champions.

If you know me you know that I ALWAYS encourage brides to get their wedding filmed.  AND, if you know anything about getting your wedding filmed you that all the cool brides get their wedding filmed in Super 8.  The thing with Super 8 is that it’s typically really expensive.  Here’s where it gets better.  Vanessa McKellar is running a limited time offer where you can save 50% on having your wedding filmed in Super 8.  This is a crazy good deal and if you have been on the fence about getting your wedding filmed then this should push you over the edge.  Go visit her site for all the details.  Also, here is a little trailer she did in Super 8 from Erika & Phil’s wedding that we shot together a little while ago.

This was the part of the session where I started calling Mitch “Hollister”.  He was totally a rock star model.

These two met at the gym where they both trained so we figured it would be a good place to shoot.  We were right.

Thanks again for a fantastic morning.  Can’t wait for your bridals.  We are going to blow Mitch’s brains with what we come up with.

This year was extra fun because my favorite wedding videographers Vanessa & Brent McKellar came along and filmed a family video for us. Our kids have already watched it over and over and I know the older they get the more this video will mean to us. I have tons of photos of my kids but there is something extra cool about capturing them on video. You really get a feel for their personality, how they walk, their tiny hands struggling to hold a huge burrito. It’s perfect. (The same is true for getting your wedding filmed. You absolutely MUST do it.)

Grab some popcorn and enjoy the flick.

(This is a service they offer to anyone so hop on it parents!)

One of the coolest things about Castle is their HUGE bridal suite.  This thing just blows away every other location.  If you have ever been a bridesmaid you know just how crowded these “prep” rooms can get.  Not the case with castle.  I shot a wedding with 10 bridesmaids getting ready in this room and there was still plenty of room for moms, aunts, and grandparents to come in and visit.  It’s awesome.

They have a couple of options for your ceremony.  One is a big a big tree.

The second is a cool rock wall they just built.

Finally, here is a video that Vanessa McKellar just shot.  Brittan is the bride you’ll see.  (La Tee Da Flowers did the flowers.)She’s also the owner and runs this place day in and day out.  She is super nice and will totally become your BFF as she helps you put together your wedding day.  Give her a call and get this placed booked! 903.721.3593.

Castle on the Lake
http://www.jacksonvillecastle.com/
903.721.3593.

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.

Warning 2: Davi is an English teacher so I’m going to type this out and not spell check or proof read it jsut to make her mad and show everyone just how horrible I am at spelling and such

I absolutely LOVE spedning the day from beginiing to end with my brides. This is one of my favorite shots fromt he day.

Her and her mom getting ready for the day.



The guys were rockin’ the Chuck Taylors

Davi was absolutely giddy on her way to the First Look.

I love giving couples these quite moments alone together. It’s my favorite part of the day.

A bit of fun at teh formals.

Reason #284 why Jonathan makes a great groom. When the ring bearers are freaking out and don’t want to be still for the photos, he jsut squats next to them and makes it look cool.

Jonathan’s mom did an amazing job on their wedding cake.

I am crazy about theses next two shots. It’s just them being sweet to each other. Nothing posed or force. Just two people who are crazy about each other .



Casey Brown of CMB Music Productions was there and he brought his laser lights. It really helped set the mood for the dancing and made the photos that much cooler. (You brides who are booking him for your wedding, be sure and pay the little bit extra it cost for those. They are totally worth it!)

Anytime a 100 dollar bill makes an appearace, you know it was a good Dollar Dance.



There were 3, count em, 3 former Alex M. brides at this wedding! Canon has not cut his hair since his wedding, Kerri the trampoline bride was there, and it’s great to know Tonya still likes to dance with her dad.

Once it was pitch black outside we snuck out for a few more shots and I’m glad we did.

Venue: Elmwood Gardens
Videographer: Vanessa McKellar
DJ: CMB Music Productions
Flowers: Dagley’s Flowers (903) 729-8665
Hair Stylist: Amanda @ T&G Hair (903) 729-0318

OK, so here’s the deal, for some reason when it comes to weddings not long after getting engaged people think “I HAVE to hire a great photographer.” Then, about 3 weeks before the wedding people think “I HAVE to remember to ask my cousin if he can bring his video camera and record it.” I’m not sure why it works this way, but for a lot of people it does. I truly get sad when I work weddings where there is not a professional videographer. This is a HUGE day, everyone is dressed up, people are smiling, dancing, and having a great time and honestly, you will miss most of it because it just goes by so fast. Photos are a great way to remember things, but let me let you in on a little secret. (Promise not to tell anyone?) a well done video about your day will tell the story in a way that photography can not. There is something about the movement, the audio, the music that just brings your day to life in an almost surreal way.

One of the first things I do when meeting with a bride is ask her about her videographer. Sometimes they mention someone, but often I hear “I don’t have room in my budget for it.” I get budgets and I understand not wanting to spend the next 30 years paying off a wedding, but let me do everything I can to encourage you to look and look again at finding a way to make it work. I have seen plenty of videographers and have done video work myself in the past and I can promise you that Vanessa and Brent McKellar do the best job in the area at capturing your day. That’s why I was so excited that they agreed to this discount idea. Trust me, Vanessa and I both would rather get a bit less money and know that you will be getting the best documentation possible for your day.

For those of you unfamiliar with her work, here are two of her recent films.

This next clip is one that you should not watch unless your next plan of action is to pick up the phone and book her. It’s kinda like and engagement session, only much cooler.

One last note, this in no way means that I will not work with other videographers or shoot weddings without videographers. Like I said, I understand budgets and sometimes certain combinations just don’t fit. I just wanted to offer a discount to those brides who are interested in getting one of the best in the area.

Give us a call to find out more AlexM: 903.729.4884 Vanessa McKellar: 903.849.6078

(Mini Rant 1: Vanessa was there filming the wedding since her and her husband are so great to work with and I believe EVERY couple should have their wedding filmed we are offering a little deal for future brides. Stay tuned to the blog for details coming soon.)

Anyway, I had such a great time at Kim & Josh’s wedding. I was there for a little over 10 hours and loved being able to capture the day form beginning to end. Rather than me blab on and on, Let’s get to the images.

The Villa was as always… a perfect place to have a wedding.

In true Aggie fashion, they brought this and basically tailgated before the wedding. It was pretty awesome.

Kim was a perfect bride in the sense that she let others help her and pamper her, but still took time to make sure everyone else was having a good day.

So I brought this chair in from outside for the flower girl to sit on and someone shouted “Frog!” We had yet to see Josh, so could this be a Magical Disney Moment?

Those of you who know Josh and his fondness for the color burnt orange will appreciate this photo.

About 2 weeks ago Kim called me and said. “OK, Josh and I have decided to see each other before the ceremony. I thought I’d tell you so you could be excited.” I was giddy.

(Mini Rant 2: Unless you go a wedding weekend after weekend there really is no way of describing how hectic and “un-romantic” SOME of them can be. There are literally hundreds of people around, all of them are wanting to talk to both the bride and groom, there is a timeline that we have to stay on or guests start to bolt for the doors, and every now and then people are running late from the get go. Every time couple choose to see each other before hand I love it. Not because it makes my job easier, or because I’m ready to get the pictures over with, but because I know that you will have some time alone. Time to reflect on the day, time to enjoy each other’s company, and time to whisper nice things in each other’s ears. If it really is a day about just the two of you, then having some moments like these guarantees that it turns out that way. Oh by the way, we’ll also get TONS of super great shots of the two of you.)

Kim had been “fine” all day, but the second she stepped into that chapel, she started tearing up.

One of my favorites form the day.

Kim’s family is not normal. Josh is.

Kim not being a big cake fan, decided to have Josh feed her chips and salsa.

Casey Brown, the best DJ in the area, was there making sure everyone had a good time.

The Vendors
DJ: CMB DJs
Flowers: Michele’s Flowers by Ela
Venue: Villa di Felicita
Videography : Vanessa McKellar Productions