One thing we have very little control over as filmmakers is the content of wedding toasts. The better they are, the better our feature films tend to be. Marco Louvitakis, father of bride Katie Mocciolo (Louvitakis), had to be coerced into making a speech at his daughter’s summer wedding at the Salem Cross Inn, but it was could have been one of the best decisions in the wedding planning process. Now, this Boston couple has a wedding film that incorporates an amazing speech reflecting on the past and providing guidance for the future.
Most people who deliver a 5-minute toast will have talked for 3-4 minutes too long. But, not this dad’s speech. Marco’s toast took 150 people on a roller coaster of laughs and tears, while doing the most important thing of all – telling the bride and groom’s story. Telling stories about the couple during the toasts is one of the top ten things that I recommend you try and suggest to improve your wedding film. His opening story of meeting his now son-in-law Shaun tells a lot about how these newlyweds didn’t appear to be the right match on paper. These types of stories help us as filmmakers create films that bring out the personality of a newly married couple. Parts of this speech were spread out over the complete cinematic wedding film, but this is the speech in its entirety…
Great vendors we worked with at this event were Jennifer Corridan Photography and Greg Bedard DJ Entertainment.
Should I get a wedding video? It is an a question that is often answered the wrong way? And when the wedding is over, it’s too late. A recent survey conducted by onewed found that not getting a wedding video (or wedding film as I like to call it) is the number one regret of newlyweds after the wedding. See the article here.
Wedding films have come so far in just the last 3-5 years ago. The ability of wedding filmmakers to tell couples’ stories using an unobtrusive style and a high quality picture is elevating wedding films higher and higher on brides and grooms’ wedding budget lists. The amount of quality filmmakers in the wedding industry is growing each year in every market. If a couple does their research and invests properly into a videographer or filmmaker, then they will receive a quality product that will be treasured for years and years to come. If you stumbled on this post from another area and want a local vendor, reach out to me and I will point you in the right direction. Those who invest in this industry, stick together.
Before I even started JPod Productions, I chose to have my wedding videotaped. Other than the obvious reasons of being able to relive a day which flew by like a blur, there are two more reasons why I am so thankful I made the choice to have my wedding documented. First, my children absolutely love to watch it. It is exciting, and extremely healthy for them to see that their mother and father at a younger age at such a happy occasion. Secondly, my mother passed away 16 months after the wedding. My Mom was 54 when I got married and her health appeared to be just fine on the day I said “I do”. Our Mother-Son dance was one of the most special moments for me with my Mom. I will always have it to cherish. I never would have guessed that it would be the way my children remember their Gram that they never met…
I am always trying to make my business better by attending conferences and seminars. As part of a recent educational initiative, several wedding filmmakers and I took part in a round table to make a list of the top ten things a bride and groom could do to make their wedding film better. Well, here’s my top 10 with a little help from my friends:
1. The Toasts. Tell your best man/maid of honor to not only talk about you as a person, but also as you both as a couple. Have them share their thoughts on you two finding one another and getting married.
2. Exchange gifts. Add a special moment to your day by giving each other gifts with a personally-written card. You can have a bridesmaid/groomsmen deliver it. It’s always fun to see how we can tie this sequence into your film. Plus, you can see their reaction when they open it.
3. Don’t chew gum. We know you’re nervous and feel the need to be busy, but please refrain from the Juicy Fruit. This goes for the wedding party too.
4. Turn down the radio/ipod during prep. It’s common for the girls to blast a wedding mix album while doing hair and make-up, but this can easily mask a power piece of dialog that can be used to tell your story. It also creates an awkward background noise when a cinematic soundtrack is applied later.
5. Have a first look. Just do it! Seeing each other before the ceremony helps you with your nerves and creates a wonderful opportunity for you two to say just say “hi”. Every bride we talk to says that it does not take away from the feelings you get walking down the aisle either. We also view this as a opportunity to capture you two alone together for an intimate, personable moment.
6. Consider your vows. When it comes time to state your vows to each other remember to relax. Take a deep breath and look into each other’s eyes and deliver your words from the heart. Slow down and think about what you are saying.
6. Talk. Have conversations with your family and friends. Chat about how you meet, how the proposal went, what has gone into planning this wedding, etc. Your wedding day is packed full of emotions, let everyone know how you’re feeling.
7. Stay together. It’s not uncommon for the bride and groom to split up once the reception is underway. Brides and grooms drive the dance floor! Grooms, get out there and dance with your new wife! Your wedding day is finally here, enjoy it together.
8. Natural Light. When your makeup artist comes to your location, set up the table where there is plenty of daylight instead of under artificial lights (tungsten, florescent). Try to avoid basement locations.
9. Tell your wedding party & parents that we’re coming. Make sure they understand that we desire that everyone behaves naturally and let them know that they need to try and ignore our presence as much as possible. We want your day to unfold the same whether we are there or not.
10. Allow free time with the cinematographer. When you schedule time with the photographer to do intimate photos of just the bride and groom, be sure to schedule in time for the cinematographer to work his magic. We usually need about 10-15 minutes and many times the photographer can take advantage of this time too.
I love what I do. So, I am always looking to help out my couples within the wedding planning process. As vendors, we have been through the wedding day so many times and we have seen a lot of different things, good and bad. I recently stumbled on some video of a conference I participated in a few years ago and my friend and colleague Eileen Breveglerei of Breveglerei Photography gave probably the most valuable advice to brides in attendance that I could ever offer.
It is so true! The best films are the ones where the bride and her bridesmaids are ahead of schedule, relaxed and having fun. Do yourself a favor and schedule your hair appointments at least one hour earlier than you originally planned. You will not regret it!