Why should I get a wedding video?

Video is not what it used to be.  John and I's wedding video from just 9 years ago looks completely different to what is produced these days.  The skills that we have along with the techniques that we use really create a cinematic memory.  We have had several brides and grooms that said that they felt that they were movie stars!  

I actually met someone last night at a wedding that said her number one regret from her wedding is that she didn't get a wedding video.  One of our organizations that we belong to (WEVA) did a study that showed just that.   You really won't remember most of your wedding day.  (And moms: you are too busy entertaining all of your family, out of town guests, and neighbors to even come close to grasp how beautiful your daughter's wedding day was.)  Your photos and video will be all that you have at the end of the day.  I have hundreds of emails from brides, grooms, and other family members saying how much they enjoyed their video.  

What comes standard with every package?

For every one of our packages, we use at least a 2 camera setup during the ceremony.  One of the cameras will be used for a wide, steady shot, the other camera, the close up shot.  I love a close up shot.  That is where true emotion is seen.  We will provide a wireless microphone for the groom to wear.  Keep in mind this is not for the entire congregation to hear, but just for the cameras.  It will also pick up your audio.  

Standard items during the reception include:  introduction, cake cutting, 1st dance, daddy/daughter dance, mother/groom dance, beauty shots (decorations, flowers, all of the details of the day), people shots, and any dancing.  All of this is included in the Basic package up until your time ends.  The more your package includes, the more you will have on your video.  Now if we see an opportunity to "shadow" your photographer to get other amazing footage, then we will, regardless of your package.  We have always tried to give our customers more than they expect.

When does my coverage time start? 

For every package but the Epic, coverage time starts at the start of the ceremony.  Say your ceremony will begin at 6:00 - with the Basic package, your end time will be 9:00 - the Feature will cover until 11:00 and so on.  We do arrive approximately one hour before the ceremony for setup.  Unless your package specifies, we don't start rolling until the grandparents start down the aisle.

Can your packages be customized?  

For many brides, our traditional packages are exactly what they are looking for.  But because every wedding is different, sometimes our packages need to be tweaked so to match perfectly with an event.  You can use the packages as a guideline.  

How do I determine which package is the one we need?

To determine which package is best for you, start with your coverage time.  If you are having a reception in your church hall and only plan to stay an hour, then our largest package, the Epic, would not be right for you.  But on the opposite end, if you plan to have a reception that lasts until the early morning hours, then our Basic package is not for you.  We have several add-ons that can be customized: Getting Ready coverage, Guest Interviews, Rehearsal Dinner Coverage, Photo Montages, anything you can think of, we can film!

Do I need HD?

We upgraded to HD cameras back in December 2006.  (I believe we were one of the first wedding videographers in town to do this.)  Since then we have been producing high quality videos for our customers.  Everything that we film is in HD, but how it is delivered is completely up to you.  

If you have a HD TV, watch the evening news on NBC13 vs. another local news program.  The NBC13 broadcast is crystal clear - that is HD.  Your video can look like that too! You just need a HD TV and a Blu-Ray player!  We can deliver a Blu-Ray compatible DVD, HD DVD, SD DVD or any combination of those.  The video quality is amazing!

Now if you don't own a HD TV/player and don't care about having the latest technology, then you will still get a very high quality SD DVD.  We still film everything in HD, but it will just be down-converted to a SD DVD for you.  The picture quality that we get with our HD cameras starts off better than if filmed with SD cameras.     

Can I pick the music used in my video?

Please!  Just provide us the artist name and title, we can download the song.  We love the get the songs from you a couple of weeks before the wedding if possible!

We think we would like to have Main Street Productions as our wedding videographer, now what?

I always like to meet with potential brides - we need to make sure we click!  During this meeting, I will also show you several short clips from previous weddings.  This will not only let you see more about what we can do, but I will also be able to gauge your likes and dislikes.  I make tons of notes so that I don't forget a thing!  

How do we reserve Main Street Productions for our wedding?

To reserve your date, please fill out our Wedding Agreement (you can download it from the website).  We require a 50% deposit, either by cash, check or credit card.   For our Premiere and Epic packages, we only require a 25% deposit to reserve the date, with another 25% paid two weeks prior to the wedding.  The reminder is not due until we deliver the DVDs.   

How long will it take for us to get our video?

While on your honeymoon, we will send you a link to a short piece of video from your wedding.  But the final video will not be ready for about 6 weeks.  Sometimes it is shorter, sometimes a little longer, but always worth the wait!  This is not a hobby for us, this is a business, this is our life.  

How many events do you film per year?

For the 1st half of 2009, we have over 40 events scheduled.  Not all of those are weddings, as we do corporate events as well.  It keeps us very busy.  We have a great team of people that work with us to ensure a timely delivery of all of our events.  

Congrats go out to the new Mr. and Mrs. Grant Lauderdale!  After a perfect ceremony at St. Mark the Evangelist off of Hwy 280, we were on to the Marriott Grandview for the reception.  Beautiful church - we had actually never filmed a ceremony there so it was great to meet the wonderful people at that church.  They were so helpful!  

John and I spent our honeymoon night at the Marriott 8 1/2 loooonnngg (just kidding) years ago, so we are partial to the hotel.  And just like they were many years ago, the staff at the Marriott was absolutely wonderful!  They even raised the lighting a little for us, the light-greedy videographers, when it came time to cut the cake!  

It was a great way to end our March Madness!  It really did come in like a lion and out like a lamb!  But wait, April is just as busy - what is the saying for it?

The term "throw down" is not a term that I use lightly.  But this wedding reception was just that!  Wow!  I have never seen a grandmother dance like Stephanie's grandmother!  Talk about shaking your tail feathers!!!!

Earlier in the evening, Stephanie and Teddy got married upstairs in Our Lady of Sorrows.  But their reception was unlike any reception held in the church that we have filmed!  There was a great DJ, a well-stocked bar, and plenty of food for the guests.  We have hours of great dance footage that we can't wait to share with the bride and groom.  Here is just a tiny bit of dancing just so that you can see how much fun everyone had!  

Shemika & LeBarron exchanged their wedding vows by the pool at Mt. View Gardens & Ballroom in Springville.   I have never met a bride that loved sparkles so much - anything that sparkled.  The details that she put into her wedding day did not go unnoticed.  The first thing that caught my eye was her tiera; the sun hit it just right and she was sparkling!  She even had tons of crystal swans all over the reception!  We might have to add in some additional sparkles during the editing!

Congrats to Natalie & Scott!  After a rehearsal dinner at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the couple was married in a beautiful ceremony at Canterbury, and partied the night away at the Botanical Gardens.  The rehearsal dinner was filled with friends and family toasting the new couple and making a few wise cracks at Natalie and Scott! Enjoy the attached footage of their cake cutting piece that we uploaded for them on their honeymoon.  Now on to edit the real thing! 

So this post is for our family and friends that are always asking about Will updates. Well, it is happening right before our very eyes - he is growing into a big boy! (Whether we are ready or not)! Every day, wait, every minute, he is saying something new. Today for instance, he said "Hold you" when he wanted me to pick him up. This is a phrase common for babies, but as they grow older they begin to understand that it should be "Hold me." But after he said "Hold you", he paused and corrected himself by saying "Hold Me."  I think this is a great illustration on how big he is getting.

Enjoy a few pictures of Will from the past few months!

So while John was riding with the bulls, Chris (our Senior Producer) and I went off to shoot a wedding.  Heather and Josh got married at Trinity UMC, with the reception at The Club.  Cute, cute bride!  Everyone had a great time dancing and celebrating.  I even got to see some moms of former brides!  Below is a short clip of dance footage taken at the reception.  BTW, the band Nationwide Coverage ROCKS (Nothing against my DJ friends)!

So I would really like to be able to write a personalized section for every wedding & event we do, but this time of year it is not going to happen. I am trying to be ok with that!

Earlier this month we filmed a cute piano recital, Seafari. These kids did an amazing job performing for their parents at the North Shelby Baptist Church. They colored a picture and wrote a poem to go along with their piano piece. Of course all related to the Sea. Get it, Seafari.

The next day, the Exceptional Foundation did their annual Chili Cook-Off. Wow, the amount of people that attended! Beautiful day for it too! Saw all of the wonderful attendants that we had just seen at Prom - although they were not near as dressy!

I did update about the Mikkel wedding - perfect day for an outside wedding. If you haven't already, check out the short clip that we did for the couple. Editing a wedding takes time, so we just threw together a few clips so that could see what great footage we got. Now, we never give away are best stuff! So more to come!

In this business, unusual jobs pop up here and there. John got a call that they needed crew for the Bull Riding Rodeo that was coming to the BJCC. Having never been to a Rodeo, he gladly accepted the 2-day job. It was tape delayed on Vs. network. These guys are crazy! John had a great time, worked very hard, but had a great time. We had Tivo'd the event and watched it the next day with Will. John really got a lot of air time for just being a crew member. And Will thought it was neat that "daddies" was on TV.

Feeling a little tired just thinking about this month.

What an amazing Saturday for an outside wedding! Congrats to Kandace and Michael on their nuptials and to mom Renee (owner of Rosewood in Pinson) for making it through the day! After the months of endless planning, I hope all three are taking a little time off to enjoy life.

Everything was just beautiful - the chandeliers in the trees, the flower centerpieces, and of course, the bride! If you haven't seen the new ballroom, you are not going to believe it! Amazing!

Not only is it great place to have your wedding, but you won't find better people than Renee and Bill! They made me feel like family and I was just a vendor!

Be looking for this wedding in an upcoming edition of Alabama Weddings Magazine!

It is the season for romance! Maybe you got a ring for Valentine's Day!!! Whatever your situation, mark your calendar for this Sunday to come to a FREE bridal event hosted by Belk's Department Store. Main Street Productions will be at the Alabaster store (Kerri), as well as the Summit (Angela). Please stop by and see our amazing video!

And if you are wondering about John, he is on dad-duty that day!