wedding
Motivational Monday For The Bride
Hello folks. Today’s world is moving so fast, it puts a lot of pressure on brides that are planning their own wedding. Schedules, time-lines, deadlines…it can amount to incredible stress. But here is a quote by Abraham Lincoln that is sure to help you relax about the pressure of time:
“The best thing about the future is that it only comes one day at a time.”
And boy, how true that is. So ladies (and gentlemen), relax and take the planning one day at a time!
Igor
Preserving The Toast From Your Wedding Reception
There are parts of your wedding that can ONLY be captured by video. For example, the toasts at your reception.
Usually the best man and the maid of honor write their toasts and practice them ahead of time. They are meaningful. They are memorable. These memories are seldom preserved in any form and are usually lost with fading memories. But imagine hearing these endearing messages many years after the wedding reception. And not just hearing them, but hearing them with quality unavailable with home videos.
Sometimes toasts are serious and emotional, but other times they are just plain funny. Here is what one best man said:
“Apparently, it’s my duty to offer a small piece of advice to the groom and Kevin will be pleased to know that a successful marriage can be compared to football: be fully committed every week and make sure you score every Saturday. However, Jenna assures me that playing away from home could result in a serious groin injury and is definitely the quickest way onto the transfer list!”
Another aspect of your wedding that can ONLY be captured by video are your wedding vows. Without video, those vows will only survive through the power of your memory (and a few pictures, frozen in time).
Those are just two more reasons to seriously consider videography a top priority for your wedding.
Again, thanks for reading,
Anna
Valentin & Angela Wedding Photo Shoot// Atlanta, GA
Hello everybody! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. I know I did…we had family come down from Washington state.
This was a wedding we filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. This video is only a small excerpt from the whole wedding- it’s the photo shoot. While the photographers were doing their work we were behind the scenes, capturing all the beautiful smiles. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer couple to work with.
You can see their official music video and more at the TouchDream blog.
Hope you liked it. Comments are welcome, as always.
Anna
Exchanging Rings On Your Wedding Day
Ah..First day of school. My six year old just went to the first day of first grade (sigh). It’s much quieter at home now. All you mom’s and dad’s know what I’m talking about.
OK, tip for today..
Most likely zero percent of couples practice exchanging rings prior to their ceremony, but it’s actually not a bad idea. Sometimes we see the bride and groom struggle at the altar trying to wiggle the ring on the others’ finger. Once (and I’m totally serious) we had a bride who after much effort still could not fit the ring on her grooms finger and so he took the ring and squeezed it on his own hand! The congregation sure had a good laugh. 
Rarely does this happen completely effortlessly, but if you practice before your ceremony (there is no unspoken rule against this, right?) you have more chance of it going smoothly….hence, a better flowing wedding video.
Hope this helps,
Anna
10 Tips for Looking Great on Camera on your Wedding Day
Happy Saturday to you. 
OK, Let’s say your your wedding day is around the corner. You want to make sure you do everything you can to look stunning on camera, right? Here are some easy to follow tips from the pros. Since it’s not really our place to advise you during your wedding, we still want you to be well prepared for the camera.
- DO Look At Each Other. Many brides and grooms can go the whole ceremony with eyes glued on the officiant. While it is courteous to look at the person who is speaking to you, don’t forget- you are marrying each other. If possible, turn your bodies to face each other. That way you can respectfully listen to your officiant, but spend most of the ceremony gazing at your soon-to-be-spouse. Trust me, you’ll be much happier with a video that shows you exchanging meaningful looks with your partner rather than your officiant.
- DON’T Chew Gum. Nothing ruins an otherwise beautiful video faster than a bridal party full of gum chewers. Picture this: A row of impeccably dressed bridesmaids or groomsmen, softy and earnestly chomping through your wedding ceremony. Or worse yet, a beautiful bride and dashing groom gnashing through their vows. While a skilled videographer will edit unflattering moments out of your video, a pack of gum just means less footage to choose from. If you have to- use mints or breath strips. Just make sure your wedding is a gum free zone!
- DO Stay Sober. Yes, you’re nervous. Yes, you’re celebrating. And yes, you are likely to say or do something less than elegant on camera. If you insist on taking a few sips- keep the indulgence to a minimum. You’ve hired a videographer to capture every spontaneous moment, make sure they see you at your best.
- DON’T Chat With Bridemaids/Groomsmen On Stage. This may seem common sense, but you may be surprised at how much of this we see. It looks childish- take our word for it.
- DON”T Slouch. Don’t even think about slouching. If you think this may be a problem for you, work out some sort of silent code with your maid of honor so she can help you stay slouch-free.
- DON’T Be Left In The Dark. Here is how it looks in your imagination: You and your groom holding hands as you say your vows in the twilight, the sun a small speck on the horizon. Here is how it looks on video: A white dress floats alone in a sea of darkness. I know it’s harsh, but a camera needs light- so if you want to capture an outdoor ceremony on video, make sure it takes place while the sun is still shining or else illuminated by plenty of extra lighting. As you finalize details with your videographer, be candid about what the wedding environment will be like and listen to their lighting recommendations.
- DO Remember That You’re On Camera At All Times. Another one that seems common sense, but sometimes a bride forgets about the camera and the videographer captures a very unhappy, angry or inappropriate scene. Keep it in the back of your mind at all times. This is not to say that you need be some sort of a doll- always smiling, but so you don’t get embarrassed watching yourself later on camera. Again, trust us- it’s for the best.
- DON’T Get Too Lazy And Tired For Pics/Video. Being beautiful is hard work. Hard work is tiring, we know this. But no matter how tired you are- you already paid your photographer and videographer, so don’t get lazy for the camera! If you get careless, you will seriously regret doing so.
- DO Make Sure Your Dress Dosen’t Offer Sneak Peaks. I might of mentioned this one before, but it’s pretty important. Why would you want to watch (not to mention show others) an embarrassing wedding video of yourself? Just avoid it altogether and make sure your dress is well fit. Practice sitting, walking, dancing, bending over and hugging in it.
- DO Mic Your Soloists And Readers. Your BFF is thrilled to be singing at your wedding and your brother has been practicing your favorite poem for weeks. They both have strong, clear voices, so there is no need for a microphone, right? Wrong. By using a mic, not only will your guests better enjoy the poems and songs, but your video will clearly record it. Without one, everything seems extremely distant or are lost completely- especially outdoors.
I hope these have helped you see things from our point of view and maybe even helped you see things a little differently about your video.
Maybe you have something to add to the list for other brides reading this. Go ahead and leave a comment with your tip for others.
Thanks for stopping by, Anna
Understanding Our Equipment: The Glidecam 4000 Pro
We have been using the Glidecam system for some time now, but not everyone understands exactly what it is and why it’s important. I will explain.
The glidecam is a stabalizing system which can be used as hand held or with a vest(like in the video). It allows us to film traveling shots smoothly and gracefully without all the jerking you would normally get. The system is very versitile and allows us to move it up and down or side to side enabling the camera to glide in the air and capture steady and professional footage for your wedding video. The vest is an extra support system used for longer periods of filming. The screen that you will see in the video is an extra peice and is not always used.
This video (not done by TouchDream) aims to show you exactly how it works and demonstrates the kind of super smooth shots we are able to get. Notice towards the end how the camera glides smoothly while the camera man is running. Can you imagine how this would look with just a hand held camera?
With this technology we are able to take our wedding videos to the next level of professionalism. This is definately NOT your uncle Bobs vidoegraphy.
I will be back with more on the Glidecam soon…
Anna
Vendor Hunting: Communication is Key
Hello there. Today, I want to share an essential tip about looking for vendors. If you are on the hunt for a videographer, photographer, wedding consultant or any other vendor that does a lot of their communication via email or phone- I urge you to test them. That’s right. Communication is the key so go ahead- email them, call them.
Then, ask yourself:
- “Were they easy to contact?”
- “How long did it take for them to respond to my email/phone call?”
- “Did they hesitate in letting me contact their previous clients?”
Liene Stevens in her Lessons Learned post said, “Take people at their actions, not at their word. Hopefully the two will align; often they do not.” She is absolutely right! Whether you have one question or many, you have every right to be choosy- so don’t be afraid. A lot of times the vendors’ communication reflect their priorities. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want a team of videographers that I can’t get in touch with in a reasonable time frame.
I, personally, have my own goals about communicating with my clients. I give myself one business day to respond to any email or a phone call. Dosen’t matter- urgent or not. If you have any questions or inquiries for us you can contact TouchDream or email me directly at anna@touchdream.com (Test Me) 
Anna
Audio Distinctions in a Wedding Video// part 1
Hey there! Before I start the post I just wanted to apologize for temporarily disappearing on you. We went on a little trip to the wilderness and were promised wi-fi. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. It was a real disappointment. Thanks for understanding! :]
OK… One of the best reasons why uncle Bob should not be your wedding videographer is audio. Your uncle’s home camera will catch any and all sounds from everywhere and while viewing it later, you will not be able to hear a distinction between your voices at the alter and the guests seated next to your uncle.
The audio that accompanies a professionally procuced video is a critical component in developing the overall quality of a wedding video. A viewer can easily ignore a slight color irregularity in the video but they will not be able to tune out the sound of an overhead ventilation or some other distractions that you cannot help.
One of the things a bride and groom should consider (but few acually ask) in audio as it applies to wedding videography is the question of microphones. Consider the typical wedding video showing the couple exchanging vows. Whenever possible, we tap into the sound mixer to capture any audio going into the public address system. This would certainly include the couple the couple as they exchange their vows. However, the microphones usually used by churches are designed for clarity in public address and will not deliver the richness of the human voice.
Red arrow points to the microphone
For this reason we place a wireless microphone on the groom and sometimes the officiant also. The wireless microphones we use are designed to capture the richness of the human voice which in turn adds new depth to the viewing experience. Even whispers can be heard as if the viewer were at the alter with the couple!
This is definately a component you cannot afford to overlook.
Stay tuned for more in part 2 of audio distinctions in a wedding video…
Igor
Jill and Kevin’s Wedding Entrance Dance
Happy Friday to you. You may or may not have seen this video yet, but I have to show you just in case you haven’t. This couple, Jill and Kevin, put a fun, new twist on walking down the aisle. I love it, even though I don’t think I would be gutsy enough to do it myself! Think of the shock that rang through the audience. They got tons of positive feedback on YouTube.
Also, Read Write Web had an interesting post on how Sony took advantage of this video instead of having it removed due to copyright issues. Kudos to Sony for being a good sport.
What do you think? Would you ever do something like this on your wedding day? Let us know…
Anna
Julia and Garry at the Park// North Port, FL
How about a fun video today? This wedding was in North Port, FL. The whole bridal party was just hanging out at the park. It was a very hot day- hence the squinting.
Everyone was so laid back and easy going, despite the heat. Enjoy!
Signing off,
Igor