Posted on November 25, 2012
We were able to collaborate with a bunch of new wedding vendors from Vermont and New Hampshire last week at Alyson’s Orchards and their Simply Elegant Bridal Show in Walpole, NH. So this month, we decided to feature three Vermont and New Hampshire-based wedding vendors that may be worth a second look when planning your wedding.
First up was our neighbor at the wedding show, Vera Flora Farm. What makes them a unique and different wedding is their completely natural approach. All of the flowers are grown on site and then picked fresh for the wedding day. Vera Flora Farm is owned and operated by Sarah Barkhouse who named the company after her grandmother. Vera Flora Farm cultivates over 70 varieties of annual and perennial cut flowers from late June through late September. They are a seasonal company, therefore, only brides from June to early October can take advantage of the beautiful organic fresh flowers.
As a Boston Wedding Videographer, we are always connecting with new photographers in the New England area. Last Sunday, we connected with RomaDee Photography who is a southern New Hampshire-based photographer who finds herself shooting many of her of weddings in the Boston area. When you look at her work, it’s easy to see that she has a great eye to capture moments – a smile, a look – while still maintaining the professional qualities of composure and lighting.
Many wedding sites in Vermont and New Hampshire require brides and grooms to secure their own caterer for the wedding day. One wedding caterer that is highly regarded in the Southern new Hampshire area is Luca’s Culinary Journey Catering. Not only did Luca’s have some delicious food at the wedding show, but numerous vendors raved about their food and service. Whether it’s a luxury, formal sit-down dinner, or more casual affair, reach out to catering manager Karlie Zurmuhulen to begin planning your wedding day.
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Posted on October 11, 2012
We continue to film at new wedding venues every year across New England, but one group of venues has really made an impression on us. Longwood Events out of Boston, Cape Cod, Newport and Nantucket has six top-notch wedding sites and they are our Vendor of the Month for October.
We last worked in the heart of Boston at the State Room this past summer, as we teamed with Bob Manning, who owns Robert Charles Films out of Savannah, GA and Pittsburgh, PA. The former New Englander contacted us to shoot with him as he created a Boston wedding video which I have shared below. The State Room sits on the top of 60 State Street and provides tremendous views of the Boston Harbor and other sights in Downtown Boston. In June, we were lucky enough to enjoy a ceremony and reception in the State Room. I have shared a few photos from the State Room below.
The other venues that are part of the Longwood group are the incredible Belle Mer which is an oceanfront property in Newport, Rhode Island. A second waterside location is the Wychmere Beach Club in Harwich, Massachusetts on the south side of Cape Cod. Both of these locations have incredible ceremony and reception options for a Newport or Cape Cod Wedding video. A fourth location is Alden Castle which is a modern vintage venue in the center of Boston. The last two sites are the laid back Nantucket Beach Club on Jetties Beach in Nantucket and the intimate Longwood Bateau which can accommodate up to 8 people for an event on the water.
I love the professionalism that is displayed at these venues, as they are tops in New England for service, attention to detail and overall delivery to their couples. Below is a Boston wedding video from the State Room that I was part of in June. As mentioned earlier, I teamed with an out of town company to bring the Boston highlight video to the couple. So, if you’re looking for a top-notch wedding reception venue with elegance and modern style, check out Longwood Events.
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Posted on September 6, 2012
I have always said that the deepest field of quality vendors belongs to the category of photography. Last month we crossed paths with another one of those quality vendors in Cronin Hill Photography and they are September’s Vendor of the Month.
Cronin Hill Photography is built around the dynamic husband and wife team of Paula and Rick Labrecque. Even though they are based in Hatfield, Massachusetts, the Lebreques are commonly found traveling up I-91 covering Vermont Weddings. We met the pair at the Killington Resort in Killington, Vermont for the wedding of Amy and Justin. When the photographer and cinematographer work together as a team on the wedding day, great things happen for the bride and groom. And, that is exactly what happened in Killington. After a brief mid-week conversation, Paula and I took five minutes at the start of the bride prep to talk about our plans, needs and desires for the day. It made everything throughout the day flow smoothly.
In addition to the communication factor, Paula and Rick brought creativity, organization and a genuine caring attitude to the table. The creative session brought out some great images as they let the couple be who they are around a covered bridge, their first meeting point, and several other shooting locations. Secondly, we were shooting at multiple locations with a decent sized bridal party and family, but the schedule never fell off track throughout the day. That’s organization at its best! Finally, as we do, you could tell that Cronin Hill was invested in their couple, as they knew their background, personality and desires for the day. I posted a one picture from the wedding day below. If you like what you see, click on this link to more from the wedding day. We look forward to be working on the same team as Cronin Hill Photography again real soon.
Posted on August 10, 2012
It seems that one of the consistent vendors in the wedding industry is the disc jockey. The premier DJs tend to remain as the premier DJs. So, when a new disc jockey moves into that premier group, it is rare. This month’s Vendor of the Month is one those DJs that has risen into the premier DJ category over the past few years.
Brian Nicks Productions has burst onto the scene in multiple ways, but Brian’s bread and butter is being a great disc jockey. Brian has the main elements of a great DJ, which is threefold. First, he really is a great communicator, as he invests into his couples learning all about them and their wedding day. He is also is a great communicator on the wedding day keeping vendors up to date on all the formalities of the reception, so they can capture it the best way possible. Secondly, he is very good emcee. Brian has the perfect voice for the microphone and he really knows how to get the crowd going during introductions. Finally, Brian can read a crowd. That means he knows the right music to play to keep different crowds dancing all the time. The right music choices and mixing of songs will tremendously affect the reception experience and Nicks just has that knack of reading the crowd.
In addition to his role as disc jockey, Brian and his Project Manager Sam Moniz are busy as bees working on the Brides Tell All events, which allow future brides to hear from three former brides about their experiences on their wedding day. Brian gets the nod for being one of those vendors who is passionate about the business and that’s why he is August’s Vendor of the Month.
Posted on July 10, 2012
I have been blessed to cross paths with some tremendous photography talent over the past six months. Right at the top of my list is Kristin Spencer Photography out of Newport, RI and they are my vendor of the month for July.
Kristin Spencer Photography is made up of the husband and wife team of Jared and Kristin Spencer. I met up with the talented duo just a few weeks ago while filming a wedding at the State Room in Boston. One of the things I appreciate the most about Kristin is that fact that she communicates well. The day went seamlessly, as we worked together to get all the necessary shots to make each of our respective products as great as they could be for our bride and groom. From the first look at the InterContinental in Boston, to the photo shoot at the Boston Public Gardens, to the ceremony and reception at the State Room, the night could not have gone more seamlessly.
And, that is the side of Kristin and Jared you don’t get to see on their website. What you do get to see is then unbelievable work. The words that come to mind when I see their photography is clean, elegant, well-composed, fun, stylish, and filled with personality (<– I like that ). On their website, Kristin Spencer Photography is described as: edgy-chic, elegant, observant & spontaneous imagery captured as your unique signature of style and personality. Their work speaks for itself. Therefore, whether your in Newport RI, Boston or the New York City, keep Kristin and Jared on the top of your vendor list when searching for a wedding photographer.
Posted on June 4, 2012
For June, I had to highlight a wedding band that I had the pleasure of working with recently, as they just stood out from the crowd. My June wedding Vendor of the Month is the Boston band, Men in Black.
Men in Black caught my eye right away as we both set-up for the reception. It was clear to see that this wedding band wanted to perfect each of the special moments that evening, as every instrument had to be precisely tuned for every formal dance. Before the reception started, the band’s leader, Jeff, coordinated with the facility, the photographers and the cinematographers to make sure everyone was on the same page and that doesn’t happen all that often. Jeff emceed the introductions and did a fantastic job getting the crowd rocking early on, as the family, bridal party, and bride and groom entered the tent at Gore Place in Waltham, MA. The dance floor was packed from start to finish with a little band-crowd interaction mixed into the evening to keep the energy at its highest.
The band comes with plenty of credentials, as they have earned three straight the Knot – Best of Wedding awards and two straight Wedding Wire Bride’s Choice Awards in the Boston wedding market. Men in Black was chosen by Dropkick Murphy’s Tim Brennan to play at his wedding and the band was also chosen to be the wedding band in the movie “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock.
Posted on May 10, 2012
For the month of May, it was time to feature a jeweler in our Vendor of the Month series. There are bigger jewelry stores and chains in the area, but I love supporting the family owned stores with fantastic personal service like you find Stevens Jewelers. Owner Eric Stevens is a third generation jeweler who has vast experience in both wholesale and retail jewelry. This experience has made his Riverdale St. store in West Springfield, Massachusetts a success for over 10 years now.
The staff at Stevens Jewelers is always very knowledgeable and extremely helpful in purchasing that perfect engagement ring, wedding band, or special wedding day gift for your soon to be husband or wife. They combine an honest approach with a vast selection of jewelry that has customers coming back year after year. Before I began filming weddings, I chose Stevens Jewelers for my wedding rings. And now, after seeing their work first hand each year, I still recommend Eric and his company time and time again. Every bride and groom that I cross paths with that uses Stevens Jewelers is thrilled with their experience. You can reach Steven Jewelers at their new and expanding website: stevensjewelers.com.
Posted on April 3, 2012
At a recent wedding at the Four Seasons in Boston, I worked alongside my vendor of the month, who is also one of the top makeup artists in the city. Although you would never know it from her down to earth personality, Dani Wagener is making a significant impact on women all over the world through her talent. And, now brides in Boston are reaping the benefits.
The goal of any bride is to look her absolute best on her wedding day and Dani can provide that for Massachusetts and New England-based brides. What makes her different? Her mastery of airbrush makeup, skincare, and false eyelashes is what separates her from others. In February, I watched Dani take our beautiful bride Emily and make her look simply stunning. You can see the end result of Emily’s makeup in the movie trailer that we created for her, or on Boston photographer Lisa Rigby’s blog. The thing I love about Dani is that she believes in not only making women beautiful, but also giving them the knowledge and know-how so they can make themselves beautiful. This “effect and empowerment” philosophy was what makes Dani unique.
Dani’s work speaks for itself and it has been trusted by numerous high-end clients. Her impressive list of celebrity clients include Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, Niki Taylor, Jenny McCarthy, Anita Baker, Daisy Fuentes, Oscar-winning director Katherine Bigelow, and Steven Tyler. Her work has also been featured in numerous magazines including InStyle, Allure and Boston Weddings.
Posted on March 7, 2012
The vendor of the month for March is not only one of the top DJs in the Boston area, but in all of Massachusetts. Greg Hodges of 5 Star Events is a vendor that has the three must haves of a good disc jockey – great Master of Ceremony abilities, the ability to read a room, and a commitment to his clients.
I got the opportunity to work alongside Greg just a few weeks ago at the Four Seasons in Boston. He set the mood right away as he introduced the wedding party with an energy-building pace that got the reception rocking with the entrance of the bride and groom. Early in the evening, we had a conversation of what type of crowd was in the ballroom that night. His music choices got people right out of their seats after dinner, and now I have a great dance section for my wedding film. Finally, it was easy to see the care he put into the couple and their wedding reception as his 4-page information sheet was extremely detailed and organized.
Greg has also earned the respect of a few of my cinematography colleagues as well. We have had conversations about who the top vendors are to work with at weddings and Greg’s 5 Star Events is right at the top of the list. Greg was also voted Boston’s #1 Disc Jockey by Boston’s A-List in 2011. In addition to their DJ services, Five Star Events offers uplighting services.
Posted on February 5, 2012
February’s vendor of the month can take an average looking venue and turn it into something magnificent. Who needs Hollywood when you have Jim Powers right here in Massachusetts. CJC Event Lighting has been in the wedding business since 1984 and their business specializes in lighting for events, especially weddings. Their experience has taken them all around New England in venues big, small and everything in between. Although weddings are their specialty, the experience of lighting trade shows, fashion shows and concerts only makes Jim Powers and his company more prepared for every situation.
When it comes to lighting, there are so many ways to improve the look of your venue. If you have watched shows like Platinum Weddings or My Fair Wedding, the mood lighting or color wash that changes the look of a room is accomplished through uplighting. CJC Event Lighting is providing brides and grooms the opportunity to include uplighting in the New England area and making reception rooms look spectacular. Simpler methods to enhance your venue are to use pin spot lighting or gobo projections. Pin spot lighting is a simple way to highlight one element of your reception like the cake or centerpiece on a table. Gobo projections are used to project a couple’s initials or an abstract texture pattern on a wall, ceiling or dance floor.
CJC Event Lighting can design a room that meets your needs and desires for your one and only big day. When designing this type of lighting at your wedding, you want a professional and Jim Powers is exactly that. In all the experiences I have had with Jim, he is cordial, personable, creative and professional. He’s one vendor I never worry about coming through with what is promised. Check out some of Jim’s lighting samples in the pictures below (click on the picture to see a larger version).
