October 19, 2013

Natalie + Adam, the full film

October 19, 2013/ Kourtney Amelia

Some people want to entertain you. Some will encourage you. Others want to go on adventures.

Adam will do all of these things, and the person who he loves to do these things for (more than anyone else in the world) is Natalie.

One thing we learned about Adam during their rehearsal dinner (gorgeously planned and executed by his parents) was that he is known for many things: goofy feats with his buddies, planning elaborate birthday adventures for others, and using adjectives like they're free. But one thing that he's most known for is the way he dotes on Natalie. He tells anyone in earshot how gorgeous she is at every second that he can. You can read about how the wedding weekend began with a private rehearsal dinner banquet at The Corinthian (one of Houston's finest locations in historic downtown) and how the wedding day began at the Omni Hotel in our first blog post about Natalie and Adam.

On the day of the wedding, the bustle and flurry of the morning's activities was just calming down as Natalie put the final touches on her outfit and Adam handed out gifts to his groomsmen in the Omni Hotel. Just before they left for the church, Adam received an envelope from Natalie. The letterpress card that he opened read "for my groom" in bold cursive on the front, and as his groomsmen realized what was happening, they gathered around him. "You're makeup's going to come off!" some teased as they watched Adam, the groom, begin to tear up. Watch here to see the story unfold:

Memorial Drive United Methodist Church is a towering grey brick church in Houston, TX. Its modern, expressionist stained-glass windows line the sanctuary, and they cast a golden glow over everyone when the sun is just right in the late afternoon and early evening. Natalie and her mother arrived from the hotel by limousine to this sunny view of the church steeple.

Natalie and Adam broke tradition and kept it at the same time---they chose not to have a first look, but they did want to have a brief second to meet for a quiet moment alone before the ceremony began. The church has a prayer garden with gorgeous stained-glass sculptures that form a privacy wall. Natalie waited there for Adam while he was blindfolded for their meeting.

A wedding day can often be filled with a flurry of activity, and it is important to us to allow our clients to feel they have room to breathe in any moment where they have an opportunity to be quiet. We love to film these kind of moments from a little ways back to give the couple a sense of privacy while they speak to each other for the first time. Our microphones and long-range lenses pick up those sweet words that are said and close up images perfectly for the edited film, and this allows us to keep the more quiet and intimate experiences of the day feeling very precious for the couple.

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"Dry all your tears now," Natalie smiled as she said, "I can't wait to see you up at the altar." "I'm the luckiest man alive," Adam replied to his bride. Before we arrived for the weekend, Lynn (their wedding coordinator) told us how much we would love Adam, Natalie, and both sides of their families-- and she was right. We can't get enough of how Natalie's dad kept mentioning how much he not only approved of but also very much loved his son-in-law, and Adam's parents just beamed with smiles all weekend as they looked at their son. Natalie's mom had the

Omni Hotel

ballroom decked out in truly elegant decor, and when Adam and Natalie walked into the ballroom before the guests were allowed in, they walked around in amazement. Natalie teared up with gratefulness as she thanked her mom for how beautiful the flowers and candles looked. Landry's florist in Houston designed the stunning floral arrangements:

Adam's cake featured a rope lasso border and the logo of

University of Houston

, plus it had a cowboy hat on top! They also had a photobooth provided by Image Cinema to grab some fun and quirky images of their guests, too.

At the wedding reception, Natalie's maid of honor spoke of how she had traveled the world with Natalie on many adventures. She congratulated her on having a new partner for adventures, and we join her in that sentiment!

-kourtney amelia

Rehearsal Dinner Venue:

The Corinthian

Rehearsal Dinner Catering & Fine Dining Service:

Jackson and Company

202 Fannin Street, Houston, Texas

Wedding Ceremony Venue:

Memorial Drive United Methodist Church

12955 Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77079

Wedding Reception Venue:

The Omni Hotel

Four Riverway, Houston, Texas 77056

Phone: (713) 871-8181, Fax: (713) 871-0719

Event Planner & Design: Lynn Lary McLean

Florals:

Lary's Florist

Videographers: Mason Jar Films

Photographers:

Photobooth:

Wedding Dress:

Jewelry:

September 07, 2013

Boot Ranch in Fredericksburg, TX || Arrows in the Sky || Erin + Andrew, the full film

September 07, 2013/ Kourtney Amelia

We are so thrilled to share this wedding film with you. Their wedding was both a touching experience and imaginatively designed to create a delightful soiree for all of their friends and family. Not only do Erin and Andrew have a delightful sense of style that is both tailored, preppy, and bohemian all at once, but their joyful spirits are extremely infectious. In fact, while I was editing their film, my face was sore from smiling so much. And now that we're sharing the film, your face can be sore because of extended amounts of smiling, too!

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Erin's dress was stunning--mermaid cut with a fluted skirt that extravagantly trained behind her. Not only did she wear a dress made of the most luxuriously draped gauzy tulle that we've ever seen, but her accessories were stunning-- something bleu shoes accented by white feathers.

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The hill-top Christian ceremony was breath-taking, and Erin descended through a stair-case linked arms with her father. The modern, romantic music selections for the wedding ceremony included songs by The Arcade Fire. Listening to the songs they chose for their wedding day heavily influenced the music we selected for the film--the opening song is a lilting, hopeful song by siren singer-songwriter Holly Maher filled with soaring tones of violin and cello with lilting melody created by a light piano.

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Erin's mother is doting, and her father is hilarious--which created that same combination in her siblings, who totally ham it up with Erin throughout the photography sessions.

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Matchmaker Band kept the party hopping through the night! They have several 'front singers' to cover a variety of musical styles, and their growling vocals and energy is always top notch! Watch it here.

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As we mentioned in a previous post, we were thrilled to work alongside noted fashion photographer Christianne Taylor at this wedding. She's based in California, but she often returns to her native state of Texas to document special projects. We've worked with her before at Sarah & Colby's ranch estate wedding, and it was delightful to work with her again.

In our first post about Erin & Andrew's wedding, we told you the story of how they almost didn't have a wedding cake, which is a precious story, but now, I want to tell you about what Andrew's dad said.

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As guests sipped from glass soda bottles with these adorable DIY soda straw flags, Andrew's dad gave a heartfelt speech thanking the people who brought Erin and Andrew together, and how he felt that Erin and Andrew were like arrows shooting through the sky. Psalm 127 speaks of how children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands, and how they will return to bless their parents.

"we also feel excitement at watching these two young people start their flight together," he said.

We could tell that Andrew's dad was already so thankful for the blessing of his son, and of his new daughter-in-law. Congratulations to you both, Erin and Andrew. We hope you are always able to reflect back to the joy of this celebration and how it was just the beginning of new laughter and adventures in your life.

Ceremony and Reception Venue:

Boot Ranch

77 Boot Ranch Cir, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 (830) 997-6200

Photographer: Christianne Taylor Videographer: Mason Jar Films Band: Matchmaker Band Music by Holly Maher & Amy Stroup licensed through The Music Bed

July 25, 2013

Bullock Texas State History Museum | "Proposal Delivered by Dog" - Kathleen + Joe, the full film

July 25, 2013/ Kourtney Amelia

"that video is exactly what I would have expected from your wedding. It is a perfect match between fun stories and faithful love."

--from a friend of Kathleen

Fun stories and faithful love, indeed. Those two things perfectly describe Kathleen and Joe, and it makes us happy that the film we made for them reflects just that. When Jones called me before the wedding to tell me about what Kathleen and Joe were like, I became really excited to film this project. "Joe had one of the dogs that he trains deliver the proposal poem to Kathleen on a weekend their families were in town" he told me. I immediately knew that 1. Joe is going to be a creative and sentimental groom, and that 2. he must be an amazingly excellent trainer, because my dog is still a mystery to me, and could never be trusted with such an important task!

To celebrate the canine's role in bringing the two into this happy union, the groom's cake was created by Coco Paloma Desserts to fit the occasion.

The day began for us at Riverbend Church here in Austin. When we arrived, Kathleen's mom (in a stunning dress that looked like something out of The Great Gatsby) pulled me aside and gave me the scoop for the day: be sure to watch those flower girls and ring bearers--one of them is sure to run down the aisle and jump into the Grooms' arms during the ceremony. It had happened during the ceremony rehearsal the previous day, and she said that all the adults were hoping it would happen again, because it was just that adorable. And, just as she said, they did! If you think you can handle the cuteness, you can see it in the video at 2:04.

Austin architecture is famous for stunning rock exteriors, and although Riverbend is a huge church, they also have a gorgeous natural stone cathedral called Smith Chapel, and this is where the wedding ceremony took place. Smith Chapel has rustic red oak beams and clean cream-walled interior that emphasizes the intricate stained-glass windows.

The on-site coordinator at Riverbend's Smith Chapel mentioned to me that lots of Baylor alumni love to get married there because it resembles Truett Seminary's Chapel on Baylor Campus. (see for yourself)

The subtle, vintage, and sweet florals were provided by Rosehip Flora, an Austin based floral company. Their designs are absolutely luscious, unconventional, and filled to the brim with personality.

Kathleen is an Ole Miss graduate (Jones would expect me to insert a Hotty toddy! in here), and she's an Austin native. I love that she and Joey also chose the Bullock State Museum for their reception, which was pretty amazing. With its stunning ceiling and descending spiral staircase, the rotunda is a perfect spot for cocktails, and the opening foyer makes for a great dining hall and dance floor, complete with local maps carved into the marble floor.

The wedding cake by Coco Paloma Desserts was topped with peonies and novel greenery, including ivy. Its "white on white" theme of lace, damask, scrollwork and dotted swiss was both charming and elegant.

I snagged this video shot of Kathleen's bridal ring set atop some of the mossy table decor, which also included some towering fig tree branches. Pretty cool! The Argyles played lots of classic Sinatra and Latin music that kept guests dancing late into the night.

Some of my favorite moments from this event include the toasts by Kathleen's maid of honor (Chandler) and Joey's best man (his younger brother). They gave such hilarious speeches, the room was filled with lots of riotous laughter and happy tears. I also loved how Kathleen's entire family rounded up to do a dance they created when Kathleen was a child. Kathleen's smile lit up the room as she led every guest in dancing along to "Friends in Low Places," a popular country song.

Kathleen was a cheerleader at Ole Miss, and so their family and friends cheered traditional Ole Miss chants for their departure--and as you can see, it was the kind of rowdy fun that everyone finds agreeable. :)

Congrats to Kathleen and Joe--may your lives continue to be filled with "fun stories and faithful love."

-kourtney amelia

p.s. I also want to mention that this was our first time getting to work alongside Shannon Cunningham, who is an extremely talented, creative, and kind photographer. We always do our best to stay out of a photographer's way so that we don't ruin a shot by being in the background, and she was just as thoughtful towards us. We love teamwork!

Wedding Ceremony Venue:

Smith Chapel at Riverbend Church

4214 Capital of Texas Hwy N. | Austin, TX 78746

Wedding Reception Venue:

Bullock State History Museum

1800 Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78701

Event Planner & Design: Aimee Villa from

Lizze Belle Events

and Robyn Chovanetz from

Buttoned Up Events

Photographer:

Shannon Cunningham Photography

Cakes:

Coco Paloma Desserts

Florals:

Rosehip Flora

Catering:

The RK Group

Reception Entertainment:

The Argyles

Videographers: Mason Jar Films

July 01, 2013

The Argyle | Luckiest Man Alive- Annlyn + D.A., the full film

July 01, 2013/ Kourtney Amelia

Hearing a groom say "I'm the luckiest man alive" when he sees his bride for the first time seems like it would be something out of a movie--but it isn't. Those were the very words that D.A. uttered when he saw Annlyn for the first time underneath the canopy of a wandering wild oak tree on their wedding day.

Annlyn's dad was just as sweet and doting, too--his comments during the Father of the Bride toast were just precious, and when he walks out on the dance floor to shake hands with D.A., his son-in-law, his smile is as big as Texas. We hope you enjoy their wedding film--we certainly enjoyed making it!

Annlyn & D.A. love to spend time boating and out on the water. They love to travel, and they brought this sense of adventure to their wedding reception. During cocktail hour, guests enjoyed perfect Texas weather as they mingled on the lawn; also, they were treated to performances by one of New York City's favorite party bands--Area Code. Annlyn & D.A. descended the grand staircase of the building onto the lawn to cheers and whistles, and they showed off their new monograms on their leather cowboy boots to friends and family who gathered around them.

D.A.'s groom's cake was a german chocolate cake with an oil rig tower made entirely of chocolate on top of it, decorated with their monogram initial and chocolate scrollwork. That's not the only treat--Annlyn's cake was covered in white chocolate sculpted to look like coral. Their table centerpieces captured both a traditional and eclectic look simultaneousely--classic bundles of white hydrangea, lilies, and roses were accented with white-kissed sea fans, and blue light floated over-head as the night faded over the lawn. This lagoon of blue light was made even more romantic as guests danced the night away under the stars--the canopy top of the tent was clear! So lovely!

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Guests could take a break from dancing to wander about the colonial porches of the Argyle, tasting shrimp and sushi from buffet lines lined with aquatic muses--including ice sculptures of swordfish and mermaids.

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By the end of the wedding reception, several cute kiddos had already called it a night on some of the lounge furniture that was scattered around the dance floor: a sure sign that these kids had been having such a good time, they just couldn't have a good time for one second longer!

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P.s. if you're loving this ocean decor, you should check out some other sweet ocean-side video footage from destination weddings we've filmed. It's like a little mini-vacation to Maui, Hawaii while at your desk!

Ceremony: St. Mark's Episcopal Church 315 E. Pecan St. San Antonio, TX 78205

Reception: The Argyle Club 934 Patterson Ave San Antonio, TX 78209

Event Planner: The French Connection with Tracy French

Ceremony Coordinator: Jody Kelly

Photographer: JeanAnn Wilkinson

Florist: Steven Pizzini with Pizzini Designs

Caterer: The Argyle

Reception Band: Area Code Simply Irresistible and Julian Mercado

Hair & Makeup: Amar Cosmetics artists: Valerie Perez and Johanna Woodfin

Late Night Snacks: Cheesy Jane's

Bridal Shoes: Jimmy Choo

June 27, 2013

Omni Hotel & The Corinthian |"Love at First Sight" Natalie + Adam, the highlights

June 27, 2013/ Kourtney Amelia

The wedding weekend began with a private rehearsal dinner banquet at one of Houston's finest locations in historic downtown--The Corinthian. Within its roman colonnade, the tables were laid in gold and crystal with orchid centerpieces of varying height. Each place setting was set with a petite bomboniere bag of chocolate covered almonds (five for luck!). At traditional Italian weddings, five almonds signify five wishes for the bride and groom: health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity. As the guests dined on a fantastic feast, they were treated to a surprise serenade of roaming violinists.

The toasts were perfectly timed, witty, and doting, as friends and family gathered around Natalie and Adam to recognize and honor the love that the two of them shared. A recurring theme through the weekend began to emerge as we watched this couple celebrate, and it has made me re-think the truest meaning of the term "love at first sight."

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Often, "love at first sight" means that a person knows he/she is in love as soon as they see the other person for the first time. But what we began to notice was that Adam's love for Natalie grows stronger and stronger every time he lays eyes on her--their friends often referred to his continual, daily, moment-by-moment praise of her beauty, her kindness, and her character. For Adam, it is love at first sight and every sight of Natalie.

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Natalie's something blue: a Judith Ripka bracelet with beautiful pale aqua blue jewels.

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Natalie's wedding gown (JLM Couture) had sheer back panels blocked out in sparkles. She hand selected the stunning belt with its gauzy bow to be added to the dress.

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We can't wait to share more details from their story and their wedding with you-- One of my favorite moments that already sticks out in my mind happened just after Natalie and Adam exited the wedding ceremony. As Natalie happily exclaimed that she was now Adam's wife, he couldn't contain his joy either--and they shared high-fives and hugs with everyone. And, as you can see from this highlight clip of their wedding video, Adam's got some stellar dance moves, and Natalie's mom had the

Omni Hotel

ballroom decked out in truly elegant decor. You'll love Adam's

University of Houston

groom's cake (complete with a cowboy hat on top!) and their amazing reception band.

Natalie and Adam, thank you for trusting us with your precious memories and allowing us to share in your day. Here's to love at first sight, forever and ever more!

-kourtney amelia