For my wife and I, our first pregnancy is very exciting and I wanted to capture this moment in time on video.

So we recently took a day trip up to Mt Tamborine to relax and catch some sun and enjoy the views.

Here’s the resulting video clip. Please enjoy!

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My day started at the Broadway Chapel where I gathered some preparation footage and met Jared and his groomsmen.

It wasn’t long before the Chapel was packed full with friends and family. Cristina and her bridesmaids soon arrived and we held a very quick photo/video session outside before the ceremony began.

The weather was perfect for a great photo shoot which was held at New Farm Park and the Brisbane Powerhouse.

The day was completed with a lavish reception at East Leagues Club.

Cristina & Jared’s Wedding Video in Brisbane is a post from: Video My Wedding. Subscribe to our newsletter

Melissa & Nick

It all started with a lovely beach ceremony at Kingscliffe for Melissa & Nick.

Blessed with perfect weather and warm sunshine, friends and family gathered together to share and enjoy the happy couple’s wedding ceremony.

After the ceremony there was plenty of smiles and hugs as friends and family gave their congratulations.

Mel & Nick held a photo shoot overlooking the beach before moving on for photos at various locations before returning to party with their guests at the reception.

It was a fun night with some emotional speeches and plenty of laughter.

A good time was had by all but it wasn’t long before I had to pack up my equipment and head home to prepare for my next wedding video shoot the very next day!

Sunday April 1 was the day Cristina married Jared. I met Jared and his groomsmen at the Broadway Chapel and filmed some prep footage as their many guests arrived.

I had attended Cristina’s wedding ceremony rehearsal a few days earlier so I knew what to expect during the ceremony. I also shot some footage during the rehearsal which will be included in their highlights package.

Cristina arrived with her girls and before too long the ceremony was underway.

It was standing room only in the Chapel which made for a lovely intimate ceremony, albeit a little warm and perhaps a little uncomfortable for the guy holding a video camera

Cristina and her girls show their red shoes

After the ceremony we held photos and video shoots at New Farm park, which was super busy!

People everywhere, but we were able to get some fantastic shots and I’m particularly looking forward to editing the footage shot at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Then we packed up the gear and headed to Easts Leagues at Coorparoo for a gala reception, during which Cristina impressed with her musical talents by performing with her band!

At this point I will mention that during Cristina’s wedding day, I had the pleasure of working with Mary-Jane from Mary-Jane Photography and Design.

Mary-Jane (‘MJ’) is a professional wedding photographer from Brisbane whom I highly recommend!

So it was 2 wedding videos down with 2 to go!

It was almost the Easter weekend when I had a last minute booking to film Kylie & Daniel’s wedding ceremony at Hillstone St Lucia on Easter Saturday.

What a fantastic day, beautiful weather and lovely friends and family.

I brought a good friend and talented camera operator along with me to assist with the day’s shooting.

We had a total of 4 cameras between us and were able to cover the ceremony and photo shoot from all angles.

This was also the first wedding that I have used my new Panasonic AG-AF100 HD video camera – a camera that I had only just purchased the day before!

Daniel & Kylie enjoying their photo shoot at Hillstone St Lucia

Kylie and Daniel chose the ‘Our Ceremony‘ package which includes up 4 hours on location. This package is great value for people who are celebrating both their ceremony and photo shoot at the same location.

Another benefit of having your ceremony, photo shoot and reception all at one location is everything can be more relaxed. You and your guests don’t have to travel from place to place and they can spend more time being together and enjoying your special day.

After the ceremony we had a short video and photo shoot in and around some golfing greens and among the awesome big old trees that line the fairways.

We finished up our shoot with some shots of the reception area.

Next up on my marathon wedding video shoot was Scott & Estelle, who were married at Tamborine Gardens.

Scott & Estelle selected the ‘Our Wedding Day’ video package which includes up to 9 hours on location and incorporate all of the day’s events, starting of course with the bride & groom preparations.

I began the shoot with Scott and his boys. They were already suited and booted upon my arrival and I was very happy to see that Scott and his entourage were more than happy to play up for the cameras. All of the guys left quick video messages for the bride-to-be and even acted our their own scene from a popular television show.

Scott & Estelle share a sunset moment at Mt Tamborine

Then I moved on to meet Estelle and her girls and gathered some more great preparation footage.

Time for a quick photo shoot, some final touches to her hair and make-up and then I was off again, this time to get to the Chapel to setup my cameras and wait for her arrival along with friends and family.

The ceremony was held at the Tamborine Chapel and the surrounding gardens provided a beautiful backdrop for the photo shoot which followed.

So there you have it, four weddings in two consecutive week-ends!

Now, it’s time to get editing!

Happy weddings

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It’s one thing to book a wedding videographer to capture the events of your wedding day, but it’s another to be aware of certain things which will make your wedding video look even better. A few small considerations made during the planning stages will make all the difference.

The first thing to think about is the layout and of your wedding ceremony. Where will you and your fiance stand? Which way will you be facing? Where will your guests be seated? When it comes to video, where do you think the best location would be for the videographer to setup his camera and tripod?

Often I use two cameras during a ceremony. I like to keep one camera on a tripod, focused on the bride and groom. The second camera is usually positioned on the opposite side to provide an alternative perspective. This camera also captures friends and family as they watch the ceremony. Take a moment to consider where the cameras might be best placed when you are attending your ceremony rehearsal.

It’s also a very good idea to notify your Priest or Celebrant that you plan on having your wedding ceremony filmed and ask if they would be agreeable to wearing a lapel mic for the video camera. This will ensure the spoken words are recorded clearly. If a lapel mic is not suitable, the next best thing is to take note of where the PA speaker will be located and we can then attach a mic to the speaker.

If you are planning on getting married outdoors, visit the location during the exact time that you plan on having your wedding ceremony and note where the sun is. Will you have direct sunlight on your face? Will you be in shade? Sunlight can greatly affect the video, especially when you have a very bright background.

Melissa and Craig celebrate their wedding

Beach weddings are particularly challenging because not only might you have the sunlight in your eyes, but you will also have the glare from the ocean in the background.

The next and final thing to consider is the lighting at your reception. Basically the more light, the better. Low light can result in video images becoming grainy or noisy. This doesn’t mean you have to have all the house lights turned on, but if you are able to plan with the venue to have some lighting in the area in which you plan to have the speeches for example, it would make a big difference. This light can be dimmed again after the speeches of course.

As with the ceremony, take a moment to think about where a tripod mounted camera would best be positioned for the speeches too. Usually I set my camera alongside the tables and providing the speaker is facing towards me, this is fine. But in larger receptions with more tables and more guests, it might be a good idea to reserve a small area for the videographer which is centrally located with a great view to the lectern.

So there you have it. Just a couple small things you may like to think about if you decide to have a wedding video. Of course I have filmed in many different environments and with that experience you can be assured that no matter what, I will capture the best shots possible. But a little planning can make a world of difference and ensure that watching your video in the years to come will always be a most enjoyable experience!

Happy Weddings!

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It was a very special day for both families and the ceremony was also beamed live to family in the states via Skype. We had a great day with everyone and it’s been a lot of fun producing their wedding video.

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I started the shoot with Celina in the hotel just across from the park where she would shortly marry Cesar. It was a fun prep session which included some great shots with Celina and her girls as well as Mum and Dad.

Then it was time to head down to the park to meet Cesar and his boys as they prepared the location and greeted all the guests. It wasn’t long before everyone (including the pet dog who was ring bearer) was ready for the ceremony to begin.

(I will make a special mention and a very big thank you to my wife at this point whom saved the day for me by running to the nearest shop in her high heels to buy a pack of batteries! I had accidentally flattened the batteries in my lapel mic by leaving it on all through the night before. A great lesson learned and now I carry a carton of spare batteries!)

Editing Celina & Cesar's Wedding Video

Celina & Cesar’s wedding ceremony was short and very sweet and was followed by a photo shoot at the Roma St Parklands before heading to the Powerhouse at New Farm.

I mentioned recently on my Facebook page that fantastic smiles like Celina and Cesar’s make producing wedding videos such a joy.

Smiles and real passion are always great qualities to capture and they make editing these real life love stories so rewarding.

A big thanks to Celina and Cesar for choosing me to film and produce their wedding video.

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Gemma & Jayden

Last weekend I traveled to Tangalooma Island to video Gemma & Jayden’s beach wedding. My wife and I boarded Tangalooma Flyer and departed Brisbane mainland at 10am.

On the way over we met Josh from White Pearl Photography who was also on his way to shoot the wedding.

It wasn’t long before we arrived on the island and made our way to meet with Jayden at the Kookaburra Lodge for some preparation photos and video.

Then we relocated to Gemma’s apartment where she was having her make-up and hair done. After shooting some preparation footage with her I moved on to setup on location for the ceremony.

Gemma and Jayden’s wedding ceremony was relaxed and intimate, held in the gardens overlooking the white sandy beach. It was followed with a photo/video shoot along the beach at sunset.

This was my 3rd wedding shoot at Tangalooma and although it can be challenging with the bright sunlit sky and water as background, it also provides some stunning scenery at sunset.

A wild dolphin swims by the jetty at Tangalooma

It was also my 2nd wedding working with celebrant Marie Pentland, whom I highly recommend! Marie provides a very friendly and personal service and is always a pleasure to work with.

It was a great day for me as far as wedding shoots go. Nice surroundings, lovely families, exceptional work colleagues and we even got to see a few wild dolphins feeding by the jetty.

My equipment for the day consisted of my trusty old Sony Z1 MiniDV camcorder and my Canon 60D DSLR.

I also took my newly purchased Sturdycam camera stabilizer to try out but alas, I accidentally left the balancing rods at home!

Special thanks to Gemma & Jayden, Josh, Marie, Henk and of course my wife, Grace x.

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Kate & Steve

Kate & Steve were married in August at the Our Lady of Victories Church, Bowen Hills and their reception was held at Brisbane’s Greek Club.

I began the shoot with Kate and her bridesmaids at her house as they finalized their hair and make-up and of course the wedding dress and accessories. Then there was time for a quick photo session before I headed to the church to meet Steve and his groomsmen.

A traditional catholic ceremony was soon underway and it wasn’t long before Steve & Kate were pronounced husband and wife. After the ceremony there was time for celebration and photos with friends and family outside the church before heading to a couple of places for the photo shoots.

One of those places was near Hamilton and featured an old decommissioned train which provided a spectacular and very different landscape. The bridal party arrived in their limo with an entourage of 3 muscle cars, the sound of the V8 engines dominating the airwaves.

As the sun set we arrived at the Greek Club and settled in for a night of celebrations. The reception covered off on all the traditional events including speeches, cake cutting, bridal waltz and of course the bouquet and garter.

Kate & Steve's V8 Entourage

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I arrived around midday and began filming groom preparations with Santi. I captured scenes with Santi and his best man as they readied themselves for the ceremony before heading outside for some photography in the gardens. Santi recorded a pre-wedding video message to his bride.

I then headed back to meet Nadine and her bridesmaid as they completed their final preparations at the retreat. Nadine was happy and relaxed and looked radiant. I captured various scenes here of Nadine having her make-up done, the bouquets and jewelry and of course the final adjustments being made whilst in her wedding gown shortly before leaving for the ceremony.

The ceremony was held on the balcony at the retreat. The weather was perfect for this small, intimate gathering of family and friends. For me, a most relaxing ceremony shoot and one in which I could place the camera on the tripod and enjoy with the guests. I captured shots of the crowd and various other scenes with my Canon 60D and so I’m looking forward to editing up the footage from both my cameras. It was a lovely ceremony which ended in smiles and some tears of joy.

After the wedding we all headed to various places in Mt Tamborine for photos. It was a fun photoshoot which ended just on sunset at the Mt Tamborine look-out, just beautiful.

Probably one of the most relaxing wedding videos I have shot in a long time. Special thanks to Nadine and Santi for choosing me to video their wedding and a big thank you also to the staff at Pethers for making me feel welcome.

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Matt & Christina

Matt and Christina were married on September 24 2011 in a lovely ceremony at St Brigid’s Church and followed it up with a lavish reception at the Tattersalls Club in Brisbane city.

It was a big day for me, starting with Christina and her bridesmaids getting ready at her house before travelling to meet with Matt and his groomsmen at the church.

St Brigid’s Church is beautiful and with plenty of room, I was able to easily move around during the ceremony to capture the best shots. I mounted my main camera on a tripod and hand held my newly purchased Canon 60D with me to capture some candid moments of the guests in the crowd.

I have worked with numerous photographers over the years during wedding video shoots. At Matt & Christina’s wedding, I met Normy B from Divine Studios in Albion. I really enjoyed working with Normy B. He’s creative and artistic with a real passion for what he does. If you’re yet to choose a photographer, I highly recommend you check out Divine Studios.

The reception was held at the stunning Tattersalls Club. A live band, great food and beautiful surrounds made for an exceptionally enjoyable evening. The atmosphere was fun, as were the speeches. The night was a real celebration and it was a real joy to be there to capture all the moments on video.

Matt & Christina's Reception

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Working closely with photographer, Mark Duffus, I was able to get some great prep footage before heading over to meet Craig. Craig was over at New Farm chilling out with his best man. He undoubtedly had a few nerves starting to brew, but he kept cool and managed to deliver a sweet pre-wedding message to his bride-to-be on camera which was nice.

Some great shots of Craig saddling up on his motorbike were followed by his arrival at New Farm park for the ceremony. The guests had all arrived and everyone was in position when Kim arrived. The ceremony was fantastic and it wasn’t long before they were declared husband and wife. The certificates were signed and then the happy couple were introduced as Mr & Mrs. The guests cheered and teared.

After a short time has passed for hugs and congratulations, photographer Mark Duffus got to work and set up a series of great compositions for the obligatory photo session before finally we all headed to the reception. It was a very relaxed and fun evening spent at Harvey’s in Fortitude Valley.

Some great speeches, the cutting of the cake and of course the bridal waltz were all captured on film. Kim and Craig also booked my Guest Messages video extra which created a great final chapter for the DVD, in which all of their guests spoke on camera and gave their best wishes and personal messages to the happy couple.

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Claire walks down the aisle

Ben & Claire were married in May at the Broadway Chapel at Woolloongabba.

Choosing to have just their ceremony filmed, I met Ben for the first time on location after he arrived with his groomsmen.

Ben gave a quick message to his Bride on film before he and the guests made their way into the church in preparation for Claire’s arrival.

Claire looked lovely as she walked down the aisle with her proud father. Ben’s nerves seemed to settle once Claire had finally joined him at the altar.

Once the ceremony was completed and the certificates were signed, the guests welcomed the newly weds with a hearty round of applause. I stayed with Ben and Claire and captured some great footage as they celebrated with friends and family immediately afterwards in the gardens.

A very special thanks to photographer Sophie Greensill for supplying me with some great photos to include in the video. Be sure to check out Sophie’s website - http://www.silveredge.com.au/

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