Love to Shoot a Love Story!
We love a good love story! It’s the essence of our films and the meaning behind the wedding day. So, we always love the opportunity to capture the special stories of our couples.
Swathi and Vikram wanted to do a casual shoot to tell their story. Their only stipulation was that they wanted to shoot near water. So, we found this great location and despite being rained out of our original shoot, we were able to shoot their wonderful story.
We had a great time laughing with Swathi and Vikram. What better way to prepare for the wedding day than by spending a couple of hours with our couples! It gives us great insight for the actual wedding day and allows a certain ease on the wedding day that is so important to creating a natural environment.
Stay tuned for their highlight film- an Indian wedding celebration that was just incredible!!
The Gift that Keeps Giving
As a former bride, I know how easy it is to get caught up in all of the things that make up a perfect wedding day. Creating a fabulous wedding celebration is so important and something that all girls dream of, but now as a bride whose day has come and gone, I understand the importance of the things you take away from your day. Alex and I recently celebrated our six year anniversary and as we always do, we sat and watched our wedding film. I laughed, I cried, I relived the magical day that I married my soul mate. I watched my nervous laughter. I saw my husband cry (something I never see) and I listened to the words our friends and family delivered to us that day. I sat and dreamed of the day when our son Enzo would watch this film and laugh as he saw his parents so young and in love. Nothing could replace this film for me. It is one of the most important “things” I own and one of the first things I would salvage if I could only take a few things with me.
Over the years we have heard so many stories of regret over not having a wedding film. We also hear back from so many brides who have enjoyed their films years after the wedding. Take a look at a recent email we received from a past couple. Do yourself a favor and make the investment in a quality wedding film.
Dear Jocelyn and Alex,
As our one year anniversary is approaching, I have been thinking of all the people who helped make our wedding day so magical.
Words cannot express how much I love our wedding film. You captured every moment beautifully and I get chills each time I watch it. I love the music that was selected and felt it went perfectly with each moment of the film.
Your team is incredibly talented and I was so lucky to have you there on our special day. I love the thought that we will have this video forever and that our children will be able to watch it over the years.
Thank you again for helping us make our wedding day memorable and creating something that will be close to our hearts forever.
Tips for a Fabulous Film
Wedding films have the opportunity to go from “good” to “amazing” by following a few insider tips. First, consider the time you have allotted for the filmmaker to be a part of the day. If the team is booked for 8 hours and the day is going to last 10 hours, it is often a better use of time to have the shooters come early and leave before the festivities are over. We feel that a large part of the “wedding story” happens prior to the ceremony. The emotions during the getting ready time are often at their most vulnerable and are such an important part of the day. The family seeing the bride for the first time, the groom toasting with his guys, the girls getting their make-up done are all such fun moments to capture on film. These moments are certainly more important than two hours of dancing at the end of the night.
Also, talk to the filmmaker about special moments and stories that are important to the family. Are the bride and groom exchanging gifts? Is their a family member having a birthday or anniversary that is going to be acknowledged? Have friends come from across the world to be a part of the event? Is the ring the bride is wearing a family heirloom? These are all great pieces of information for the shooters to know so that they can capture the things that are most important to the couple.
Identify who you are as a couple to the filmmaker. Having a conversation in which the bride and groom talk about their interests, their hobbies, the key players in the day allows the filmmaker to know who he/she is working with on the day. If the bride and groom are a casual couple who love sports, they may be more comfortable getting shots on the beach that are organic and fun rather than formal posed shots in a church. All of these details help make a film that is unique to the couple rather than a cookie cutter product.
Lastly, if a “first look” is happening, be sure that the first look will be uninterrupted by anyone. For example, the bride and groom should not be told to stop for a shot as they are walking towards one another. This is one of the most special moments of the day and the bride and groom should be able to enjoy it without feeling like there is a camera interrupting the moment. (Check out an uninterrupted first look below.)
Follow these tips and the wedding film will be sure to dazzle!
Tips for a Fabulous Film
Wedding films have the opportunity to go from “good” to “amazing” by following a few insider tips. First, consider the time you have allotted for the filmmaker to be a part of the day. If the team is booked for 8 hours and the day is going to last 10 hours, it is often a better use of time to have the shooters come early and leave before the festivities are over. We feel that a large part of the “wedding story” happens prior to the ceremony. The emotions during the getting ready time are often at their most vulnerable and are such an important part of the day. The family seeing the bride for the first time, the groom toasting with his guys, the girls getting their make-up done are all such fun moments to capture on film. These moments are certainly more important than two hours of dancing at the end of the night.
Also, talk to the filmmaker about special moments and stories that are important to the family. Are the bride and groom exchanging gifts? Is their a family member having a birthday or anniversary that is going to be acknowledged? Have friends come from across the world to be a part of the event? Is the ring the bride is wearing a family heirloom? These are all great pieces of information for the shooters to know so that they can capture the things that are most important to the couple.
Identify who you are as a couple to the filmmaker. Having a conversation in which the bride and groom talk about their interests, their hobbies, the key players in the day allows the filmmaker to know who he/she is working with on the day. If the bride and groom are a casual couple who love sports, they may be more comfortable getting shots on the beach that are organic and fun rather than formal posed shots in a church. All of these details help make a film that is unique to the couple rather than a cookie cutter product.
Lastly, if a “first look” is happening, be sure that the first look will be uninterrupted by anyone. For example, the bride and groom should not be told to stop for a shot as they are walking towards one another. This is one of the most special moments of the day and the bride and groom should be able to enjoy it without feeling like there is a camera interrupting the moment. (Check out an uninterrupted first look below.)
Follow these tips and the wedding film will be sure to dazzle!
Winter Park Bridal Stroll 2012
We are so thrilled to once again be a part of the Winter Park Bridal Stroll. This year’s stroll will feature some amazing wedding professionals including Weddings Unique, Michele Butler Events, Dragonfly Custom Designs, Lee James Floral and countless others. We hope that you can make it out to the event! What could be better than strolling the streets of beautiful Winter Park while taking in the sights, sounds, and tastes of some of the most innovative wedding vendors in town. Ticket and show information can be found at : http://www.winterparkbridalstroll.com/. Check out our film below from last year’s event. Hope to see you there!
Crossing Paths
Lauren and Jonathan are an extraordinary couple and their wedding was one of the highlights of 2011! We learned a lot about the couple as we were preparing for their day and as we chatted, a common theme emerged from their story- crossing paths. Lauren and Jonathan had known each other for several years before deciding to start dating and throughout those years, their paths continued to cross. We used this idea as the theme for their film and kept that in our minds as we were shooting, editing, choosing tones, and producing the film. It seems their love was inevitable and we are so glad that their story turned out the way that it did!
We received some great feedback from both the couple (who had a premier with their friends before the Superbowl) and their coordinator. Check it out:
“I have done maybe 500 weddings in my career and very rarely do I shed a tear especially watching a video…but folks you had me weeping!! Absolutely stunning..stunning…stunning! You guys genuinely have a gift of capturing every last ounce of thoughtfulness and love from a wedding. You truly encompassed the feeling of the bride and groom and showcased exactly what their wedding was!! Every bit of the love, excitement, and character of that day was highlighted! Simply amazing!” – Lori, Table 6 Productions
“We are in LOVE with it (the film) and can’t wait to watch it over and over again!!! It really helped us relive out wedding day. Alex is an incredible talent, we can’t sing his praises enough. You are both two of the most genuine and nice people we have met.” – Bride Lauren
TSE 2012 Opening Night Celebration
This year The Special Event was held in Tampa! TSE is an international events convention for event industry professionals. The week long event featured everything from educational opportunities and training to event set-ups and some of the most chic events ever held in Tampa Bay. We were honored to shoot the Opening Night Celebration at A La Carte Event Pavilion which featured the design of Showorks. Check out the film of this cutting edge event properly themed “Temptation.’ Featuring the work of the following vendors:
ALS
A1 Foliage
A La Carte Event Pavilion
Metropolis
OAI
AFR
Amici’s
Olympia
PKS
Atomic
AVI
Bay Stage Lighting
Verterra
Key Artist Group
Acolyte
Shop Wild Things
Showorks
Three20H
Bravo!
Catering by the Family
Connie Duglin
TSquare
Udream Events
Delectables Fine Catering
Flowerbuyer.com
Voila Cinematic
Beachside Elegance
We love working with Barb Oehlerking and Artistry Designs Group and this wedding was no exception! A gorgeous beachside wedding at the Sandpearl Resort and a beautiful couple made the day great to shoot. Amy and Chris are such an elegant, classy couple and they brought a sophistication to both their day and their film. Enjoy Amy and Christopher’s film!
Bride’s Choice 2012
So proud to announce that we won the Bride’s Choice for 2012 by Wedding Wire. This prestigious award is determined by reviews from our past clients and recognizes the top 5 percent of local Wedding Professionals from the WeddingWire Network. Thank you very much! It is an honor!
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Voila in Technicolor
Alex was so honored to have been a featured speaker at PMA in CES in Las Vegas this week. CES is the world’s largest technology conference and as part of that PMA brought in talents from all over the country to speak on their respective skills. Alex spoke on his specialty, Creating Cinematic Films. As part of the event, he was approached by Technicolor to provide footage to exhibit their new product CineLights. CineLights is their newest coloring tool and is really amazing! Technicolor is the colorist company for every major motion picture in Hollywood probably best known for being the first company to add color to a film- a little film called “The Wizard of Oz.” Check out the credits of every film you see, and you will see the logo for Technicolor. Check out the pics below and take note of the wedding footage on the screens! Pretty cool!!
Renaissance Vinoy/ Showorks
We recently had the honor of creating a spotlight film of the gorgeous Renaissance Vinoy in St. Petersburg featuring the floral and decor of Showorks. The purpose of a spotlight film is not to create a story as we do in our wedding films, but to showcase the talents and beauty of the people and places involved in the shoot. This shoot featured three unique settings including The Glamorous Lobby, The Romantic Tea Garden, and the Nautical Marina. A great team of professionals was involved in making the day a brilliant success! Check out the film and this beautiful venue, a landmark of St. Pete.
Floral/Decor – Showorks
Stationary – Seaside Invitations
Attire – The Dressing Room & Sacino’s
Jewelry – The International Diamond Center
Makeup/Hair – Jess Waldrop & Collective Creations
Sweets – Cakes by Nomeda
Photography – Limelight Photography
Planning- Confetti Events, Jamie Billig
Trio- Busted Blues/ Inspire Entertainment
Videography – Voila Cinematic
Venue – The Renaissance Vinoy
Vintage Packard – Ambassador Limo
Preview: Photovision 2012 Wedding Shoot Out!
We recently blogged about our involvement with Photovision. In case you didn’t read our earlier post, here’s a recap. Check out the preview film of Photovision 2012 Wedding Shoot Out!
What an amazing honor to be the only filmmaker EVER to be invited to participate in PhotoVision! With the new age of DSLR cameras and the crossing over between photographers and filmmaking, PhotoVision invited Alex and the Voila team to be a part of this year’s educational videos focusing on training up and coming filmmakers and photographers.
These tutorial dvds featuring Alex and some of the top photographers in the world will reach up to 50,000 photographers!!
This year’s featured speakers included some of the best photographers in the world who we truly respect! What an amazing opportunity to work along side of these artists in some of the most challenging circumstances and amazing
locations (ie. The Biltmore).
If you haven’t checked out PhotoVision, visit the site at photovisionvideo.com/store/CTGY/PVM-WHO/
A description of the training DVDs from the PhotoVision website, “You’ll see live sessions, follow along on actual weddings, observe lighting and posing, workflow and image enhancement techniques, hear innovative marketing and sales strategies, enjoy studio walk throughs and much, much more. You’ll go into the studios and see photographers during real sessions, working with real clients and go on location to experience entire weddings.”
The wedding shoot-out put this team of amazing artists to the test. They were challenged with timed scenarios in which they were given outlandish circumstances to create fabulous images and film. They had to make on the spot decisions and make the best of the situations they were in, regardless of backdrop, lighting, and other limitations. The pressure was on… but they sure did make it look like fun! Check it out!!
Special feature: The Knot Magazine
We are so proud to have been involved in a gorgeous wedding that was recently featured in the Knot magazine! With an amazing team of vendors, Bill and Darcy’s wedding was full of glitter and glamour. If you haven’t seen their film yet, please check it out below AND pick up the latest copy of The Knot on newsstands now!
Family Ties
Emily and Sam had a gorgeous celebration that began early in the day at the Marriott Waterside where both parties started getting ready for the big day. From there, they married at the Academy of Holy Names Chapel and then partied at the always classy Palma Ceia Country Club. Being particularly close to their families, there are some great moments between family members captured in their highlight. This amazing celebration was meticulously coordinated by Sarah Fairbairn with One Fine Day, inc. A great couple and a great wedding all in one!
PhotoVision 2012
What an amazing honor to be the only filmmaker EVER to be invited to participate in PhotoVision! With the new age of DSLR cameras and the crossing over between photographers and filmmaking, PhotoVision invited Alex and the Voila team to be a part of this year’s educational videos focusing on training up and coming filmmakers and photographers.
These tutorial dvds featuring Alex and some of the top photographers in the world will reach up to 50,000 photographers!!
This year’s featured speakers included some of the best photographers in the world who we truly respect! What an amazing opportunity to work along side of these artists in some of the most challenging circumstances and amazing
locations (ie. The Biltmore).
If you haven’t checked out PhotoVision, visit the site at photovisionvideo.com/store/CTGY/PVM-WHO/
A description of the training DVDs from the PhotoVision website, “You’ll see live sessions, follow along on actual weddings, observe lighting and posing, workflow and image enhancement techniques, hear innovative marketing and sales strategies, enjoy studio walk throughs and much, much more. You’ll go into the studios and see photographers during real sessions, working with real clients and go on location to experience entire weddings.”
Fireworks and Champagne
We are incredibly blessed to work with some of the nicest couples on their wedding day. Never was this more true than our encounter with Stefanie and Barton! Upon our first meeting, we knew that this couple was very special. Their love for all things romantic and an incredible craving for champagne helped us to create a basic outline for their film. Stefanie’s passion for animals and Barton’s career as a naval officer gave us great footage for the film that really captured the essence of the couple. Above all else, this couples’ undying love for each other is something you generally only see in the movies- but let me tell you- it’s the real thing!! Here’s a champagne toast to our new friends Stefanie and Barton who truly glow with love for each other.
Weddings Unique
The Ritz-Carlton
Beautiful Music
Lee James Florist
Shutterbooth
Damon Tucci
Chair Affair
Over the Top
Kaleidoscope
Headliners
Letz Dance on it
Santore
About Face
Voila Associate Film Featured on Grace Ormonde!
We are so excited to have had one of our Associate wedding films featured as part of the Grace Ormonde Real Wedding Blog. Colin and Kristen had a gorgeous wedding day and we are so proud of the beautiful film our associates shot on their wedding day! Check out the great blog article for some beautiful images shot by Aaron Lockwood and overall great wedding inspiration!
http://graceormonde.com/real-weddings/don-cesar-weddings/
Ceremony Location: Saint Raphael Catholic Church, St. Petersburg, FL; Reception Location and Caterer: Don CeSar Hotel, A Loews Hotel, St. Pete Beach, FL; Cake: Cakes by Tara Bishop at Don CeSar Hotel; Event Planner: Cheers! Events, Tampa, FL; Florist: Seaside Florals at Don CeSar Hotel; Entertainment: DJ Rob Vollmar, Grant Hemond and Associates, Inc., Palm Harbor, FL; Invitations: C&D Printing, St. Petersburg, FL; Lighting: Swank Audio Visuals, Tampa, FL; Videographer: Associates of Voila Cinematic, Tampa, FL; Photography: Aaron Lockwood Studios, Largo, FL
Fusion
Elise and Ian’s gorgeous wedding found inspiration from the Asian culture. From Elise’s dress to the sushi chef to the dragon dancers and plate spinners, this wedding set the stage for a dramatic film. The beautiful landscape of Avila Golf and Country Club allowed for some gorgeous sweeping shots and the music chosen further enhanced the drama of the film. It was an amazing wedding with some really unique touches that gave the day a flair perfect for this artistic and lovely couple!
Coordination: Monica Varner, Elan Events
Photography: Jeff Kathrein, K and K Photography
Floral Design: La Vie en Rose
DJ: Inspire Entertainment
Cake: Chocolate Pi
Venue: Avila Golf and Country Club
Church: Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
It’s a Nice Day… (Bill and Darcy, Waldorf-Astoria)
As Billy Idol says, “it’s a nice day for a white wedding” and Bill and Darcy’s gorgeous all white inspired wedding and reception were no exception! An amazing team was brought together to make the event extraordinary and it certainly did not disappoint. To top of a beautiful day, Bill and Darcy were a lovely couple who truly knew how to have a great time (just check out the dance floor that was packed all night!). Enjoy Bill and Darcy’s Waldorf Astoria wedding.
Coordination: Weddings Unique
Photography: Damon Tucci
Venue: Holy Family/ Waldorf Astoria
Floral/Linens: Greenery Productions
Lighting: Kaleidoscope
Transportation: A1 Limo
Band: T. Skorman
DJ: Messina Productions
Hair/ Makeup: About Face
Same Day Excitement!
We are so excited to announce that we have started offering same day edits to our clients. A same day edit is the newest trend in wedding films in which footage is shot all day and then edited into a short film that is viewed that very evening at the reception. Kyleen and Toby had a gorgeous wedding at the Avila Golf and Country Club. Their same day edit was a complete surprise to the couple. They thought they were sitting down to watch their engagement shoot. You can imagine their surprise when they saw that the film included their wedding from earlier that day! Their reactions really exceeded our expectations. Kyleen and Toby are a very special couple whose faith plays the utmost importance in their relationship and now their marriage. We were able to use voiceover from the engagement shoot we shot with them to really capture the essence of this couple. Enjoy our same day edit of Kyleen and Toby AND their reactions upon viewing it with their guests at the reception!
It’s a Waterfall (Danielle & Greg)
Earlier this month we posted the trailer for Danielle and Greg’s gorgeous Casa Feliz wedding. No amount of rain could ruin the joyous celebration shared by this couple and their friends and family!
In making wedding highlight films, we really try to focus on the little nuances that might not be visible upon first watching, but are evident to the couple. In Danielle and Greg’s film we were able to capture the text messages being sent back and forth between the two as the day went on and use them as transitions throughout the highlight. As Danielle was texting Greg, her phone said “Boyfriend.” We revisit that at the end when we show her phone in the ring shot, only this time is says “Husband.” Our choice of songs, Waterfall and Rain reflect the water theme that was brought about by the weather. Even the shot of the antique Bible at the reception was opened to a specific page that discussed the subject of love. It’s these little things that make a wedding film personal and we strive to make this happen in every film we capture.
Danielle’s comment on watching her film, ”
We just received our wedding video yesterday and we love it! We’ve watched it four times already. It’s more than we could imagine and it really brings us back to that day. Thank you so much!”
It’s our pleasure!!
Spotlight on the Voila Team: Jessica Ricketson
Having a great filmmaking team is key to a fantastic film and a seamless event. Alex and I are so blessed to have talented artists that work alongside us to bring our creative vision to light. These associates are not only co-workers but very close friends who over the years have become our extended family. They are as much a part of Voila Cinematic as we are and we are so thankful to have them. In our current blog series, we are spotlighting the people who help us do what we do. This week’s blog focuses on a woman working behind the scenes. Many of you may not have met her, but she is instrumental to the workings of our business and integral to our team. Most importantly, she is one of our former brides and a Voila client!! Meet Jessica Ricketson!
What does your job with Voila entail?
JR: As the Office Assistant, I get to do lots of fun projects. I get to invoice all payments to clients and do the payroll for all employees. I use the computer and printer to send emails, scan contracts, type up game plans and print the labels on the DVDs. I also get to package all the shipping and run them up to the post office. I help where I can with either running errands for the company, filing folders, or organizing the office.
What do you enjoy about it?
JR: I enjoy that I have learned how to use a Mac computer. I also love that I am a part of something that is so special to someone’s big day. I love when I get to package up the DVDs. As I wrap them up, I always picture the couple unwrapping them and what a special moment it is to them.
What do you do in your spare time?
JR: I love cooking and watching old movies with my husband, Chad. I love playing with my kitty cat and spending time with my family. I am also a performer at Busch Gardens, I sing and dance in shows there.
Why do you think a wedding film is important?
JR: A wedding film is so important! Voila doesn’t just sit there and film your wedding, they shoot your special day with such an artistic eye and turn it into a movie. When you receive your film from Voila, you can remember the little things about your day that could have just passed you by because there was so much going on. You then have something so special to show family and friends or you can just watch it yourselves on your anniversary. I also love the idea of showing it in the future to your children and grand children.
Favorite artist/ music:
JR: I love 80’s music, anything from that decade. I love the crooners, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, and Michael Buble. I also enjoy not just the music but the lyrics of Bonnie Raitt, Vienna Teng and Sara Bareilles.
What do you like about being part of the Voila team?
JR: It’s not just about being on a team, it’s more like being a part of a family. It doesn’t feel like work, it’s just so much fun. I look forward to my days here.
Something interesting we don’t know about you…
JR: I honesty believe that I was either born in the wrong time or that I have had a previous life. I really belong living through the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. And, I have been a Girl Scout my entire life and I am actually still one today!
URBANcoast presents: An Evening with Bryan Rafanelli
We were so excited when Soosie from Urban Coast asked us to take part in An Evening with Bryan Rafanelli. Bryan is the spearhead for Rafanelli Events, a premier event planning and design company that is known for their spectacular events ranging from Presidential state dinners to Chelsea Clinton’s wedding.
An amazing evening was had by all! Thank you to Urban Coast and Bryan Rafanelli!
Host/ Invitations: URBANcoast
Photographer: Michael Schumann Photography
Coordinator: Brooke Palmer, RSBP Events
Lighting design: Bay Stage Lighting
Design: Showorks Events
Catering: Puff ‘n Stuff
Floral Design: Botanica International Design Studio
Furniture: Chic Event Furniture
Linens: Panache
Spotlight on the Voila Team: Alex Voltz
Alex Karas and Alex Voltz at Tampa Bay Videography Association
Voila Cinematic 