highlights

Cheers, my dear! Advice for the perfect wedding toast.

A MOB (Mother of the Bride) was asking lots of questions about wedding toasts on a phone consult recently. “Who gives the speeches? How long should they be? Where should they be in the timeline?” We chatted about all things wedding toast-y and then she said “You should blog about this! It would be so helpful.” Well, I love to help, and for my own, somewhat selfish wedding filmmaker needs, here goes. Wedding Speech tips and tricks!

We begin with a recent wedding highlight. Danielle and Neel had a gorgeous wedding at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain last fall. Each one of the speeches helped to tell the story of D+N, and you can tell they were thought out, well written and sincerely given. Danielle and Neel met in a Hip-hop dance class, and between their EPIC first dance and celebratory fireworks, this wedding film had A LOT going for it. I still think the toasts (and the vows) are the stars.

Here are a few ideas on choosing “toasters”, writing and giving a great wedding speech.

-To the Happy Couple: ASK who in your wedding party wants to give a speech. It doesn’t have to be the Best Man and the Maid of Honor. Some people are great writers AND public speakers, some are neither…you know these people well, they have been there through ALL the times. Reach out and you will find someone ready, willing and able to create and deliver that funny, kind, poignant toast. 

-To the “Toasters”– Keep it tight. Your speech should be five minutes or less. People only listen to the first two minutes and the last two minutes, so make those count. You have a minute in the middle to tell us how drunk you all used to get in college, which is fine because no one is listening at that point. Open with something funny and close with something sweet. 

Try to memorize as much of the speech as you can, but please use NOTECARDS!!! No iPhones, no iPads, no shaky pieces of white paper that get out of order and then fall to the floor. If I had my way, we would have a podium with a microphone so that all ‘toasters’ had to stay in one place. You know, where I have set up good lighting, a great background, everyone can see and hear you? That’s what they do in the UK, and I have to say “Rule Brittania!”

-Stay in one place. Remember my podium idea? This is why! Women never pace, they stay still, probably because of high heels and the risk of falling. But you guys, wow, do some of you like to move! I get it, those rented tux shoes hurt and you’re nervous. Practicing your speech, notecards, and maybe drinking just enough to get you through it are keys to quelling the anxiety. 

-“For those of you who don’t know me” Please do not say this. Introduce yourself, and tell us your relationship to the newlyweds. “Hi everyone, I’m Stepheny, and I have been the light of Dennis’s life since he was born, or maybe just a source of tween embarrassment when I told him that performing “The Robot” at his first middle school dance would make him incredibly popular-it did not.”

Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain Cocktail

-Inside jokes:Not today, Satan! They are ‘inside’ jokes for a reason. Only a select few will understand, and find it funny. Everyone is listening, so make sure to include them.

-Be original! Don’t google wedding speeches, and use them verbatim. There are a few cringe-worthy toasts that make the rounds, and I die a little inside every time I am witness to them. “Groom, place your hand on top of the Bride’s hand. There you have it folks, that’s the last time he will ever have the upper hand.” No, just please no. I’m not giving more examples, but please, be sincere, be succinct and be YOU.

-You might get choked up, and that’s okay. Take a breath, clench your butt cheeks (seriously, this will dry up the tears, it gives your body something else to focus on for a second, so you can pull it together) and keep going. You’ve got this!

-This is for the Dads/Parents out there. Please don’t mention where everyone is from. Thank them for coming, and if you have a particularly exotic location, like the Space Station, go ahead and give a shout-out. Don’t list all of your child’s accomplishments, unless it figures in directly with how the happy couple met, or fell in love. That university soccer championship, or that JD from Yale is not why everyone is celebrating. Tell them something they don’t know, and resist the slide show with commentary.

-Toasts and Speeches should happen pre and post the wedding meal. Have a welcome toast just before eating (parents and/or newlyweds) and the rest after. We try to get reaction shots during the toasts, and obviously we cannot when people are putting food into their faces. Yikes.

-Hold the microphone just under your chin. They are not meant to work from your waist, and definitely not from below there. Enough said. On and speaking of microphones, NO OPEN MICS!!!!!!! People who shouldn’t be speaking will, and vice-versa. It also eats up valuable dancing, drinking and mingling time.

-Every speech should have a beginning, a middle and an end. Take us on a journey. Open with a laugh and end with a few joyful tears. The happy couple will thank you, as will a very happy filmmaker.

Listen to this wedding highlight for some of the best speeches ever, and great vows too! I might be a bit biased, as this is my younger brother Chad’s wedding to his ahhmazing husband Michael, but the bar was set HIGH for these “toasters”. Chad’s niece (my daughter Alexa, who is a great writer, performer, and may have heard a toast or two from the time she was In Utero) starts us off strong, and Lori bookends the finish as they both speak about these amazing souls who, even when the table, or the chapel in this case, is full, there is always room for more good, kind-hearted people.

We laughed, we cried, we danced the night away, and we captured it all, in sight and sound. This is what I do, lucky me!!

 

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Wedding Video? Yes, you need one!

 

Wedding videos…more often than not, the “low man on the totem pole” of wedding planning and budgeting. But why?! After spending a good chunk of my life working as a filmmaker, and a lot of those films being wedding related, it seems fitting that I explore (explain?) the dark underbelly of wedding lore that is “Myths of the Wedding Video”. Let’s dive right in…oh, and I am using the words “videographer” and “filmmaker” interchangeably 😉

“Wedding videos are cheesy.”

Yes, they can be…especially those videos from the infancy of wedding video, let’s say 1990. But really, haven’t you been on the world wide web lately? Wedding videos, or wedding films as I like to call them are ahhhmazing! These films are story driven, time-shifted, chock full of beautifully recorded images (at 24 frames a second!) and crisp, clean audio. Yes, it’s like a movie, but it’s your movie of your best day ever. And, I bet, that those who had the fore site in 1990 to have their weddings videotaped, still LOVE their wedding video. I have 16mm footage of my mom playing with some puppies as a little girl, and it puts tears in my eyes…can you imagine if I had my parent’s wedding footage? I would cherish it because of it’s cheesiness, and because it’s MY PARENTS..on their wedding day, all dressed up, with their family members! So telling of a different era, so nostalgic… Anyway, go grab some popcorn, some kleenex, and watch a few current highlight films by some of the best in the business…I guarantee you will be laughing, crying and wanting to grab a drink with the newlyweds…and you don’t even know these people!

Loews Ventana Canyon wedding

“You only watch your wedding video once.”

My brides and groom’s say they watch their videos on repeat, and find something new every time. I’ve received texts from clients, years later, that they are sitting in an airport, missing their better half, and watching their highlight film…and sharing it with a few lucky others at the gate;)  I’ve read Facebook messages that Lily was watching Mommy and Daddy’s wedding film, and is obsessed with her parent’s first dance. The wedding film will become more important after many years. Friends move, loved ones pass away, and there is nothing more sentimental than seeing and hearing those that meant so much, enjoying your best day. So yes, if you hire a really good filmmaker, you will watch it many, many times.

Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain Recessional

“We have a really good photographer, so we don’t need a videographer.”

Okay, I don’t get this logic…photographs are one moment, they are evocative, can be absolutely gorgeous, and still. Very still. They do not move. Would you watch the Superbowl in a book? Would your favorite Broadway musical be just as fab in paperback? NO! So why in the world this rationalization for ONLY hiring a photographer got started, IDK. First looks, cheers-ing with your bridal party, VOWS, TOASTS, FIRST DANCES–these are all intensely AUDIO/VISUAL moments. Yes, you need a good photographer and a good/great filmmaker for this once-in-a-lifetime event. I sometimes feel like a genie, capturing all this wedding goodness, all these moments that move, and bottling them up…and then I carefully open the bottle, and go through every piece, listen to every word and create a priceless memory in sight and sound…I have the best job!

 

“Video is really obtrusive.”

If you hire someone who is inexperienced and/or “only about the video”, yes, they really can be obtrusive. But, I have also seen DJs, photographers, catering staff and even Aunt Peggy with an iPad, being obtrusive at weddings. You need to hire a great team. Find people who work well together, have creative chemistry and are in it for you, and your day. The technology involved in making a wedding film has become significantly smaller, we are more often than not we are mistaken for photographers. I love having great, compact tools (and yes, we filmmakers have A LOT of gear!) and leaving a minimal footprint…wedding filmmaking ninjas is what we are. My favorite compliment? “I didn’t even know you were there, but you got everything!”.

“Your wedding video should cost less than your wedding photos.”

IDK where this idea came from either, but no, really, your wedding video should cost as much or more than your photographs. Why? Between fast lenses, great audio recorders and mics, dreamy off camera lighting, monopods, gimbals…oh my, we usually have more gear and that equals a lot more $$$. Along those lines, finding and training assistant videographers is a job within itself. Video is tough, with a very broad skill set, and most videographers find live events like weddings to be very challenging. It’s “run and gun” shooting, while remaining calm, cool, collected and smiling, and making sure you get beautiful footage. And get your audio. And stay out of the photographer’s shot, and jockey for yours, all while wearing a black tie appropriate outfit that you can crawl into the flora and remain presentable. Did I mention, it’s a very broad skill set? 😉 That being said, second shooters for video are usually paid more than seconds for photography. Reason #3: Remember the “beautifully recorded images (at 24 frames per second!) and crisp, clean audio!” from Myth#1? Yes, 24 frames per second, and we edit each of those 24 frames. Our editing time is extraordinary, especially when we are telling a story, color -grading, audio-sweetening, using segue’s and time-shifting your wedding film. We are laser focused when we edit. I cannot binge watch the latest season of Succession, or catch up on “Smartless” podcasts while I edit, unlike my photographer friends. #imnotjealousatall #whoneedstobecurrentonnetflixanyway? #lovemyphotogfriends

“The camera adds 10 lbs.”

Some people are camera shy, some people don’t like the way they look in photos or video, but there are many ways around this myth. First of all, the camera does not add 10 lbs. When you hire an experienced filmmaker, they know the best angles and they know lighting. I also know that when I am editing, I am VERY aware of the most flattering moments, I am there to make you look and sound great. I’m also really good at making people comfortable in front of the camera, even true camera-phobes. I think it’s really important to get to know your filmmaker before your wedding. At least FaceTime, Skype, or chat on the phone…if you are in town, let’s go have coffee or a cocktail. Get to know the people who are capturing your memories, and make sure you like them…do they make you smile? Do they want to know your story? Do they know/care that you or your betrothed might be camera shy? Tell us…we want to know!   Back to those 10 lbs…my honest opinion is: YOU NEED TO BE IN THE PICTURE! What I mean is, please don’t let this most amazing day go undocumented because of your insecurities. The adage to brides is “This day is all about you!”, but honestly, it’s not. It’s about commitment, love, honest emotions, and families coming together to celebrate all of the above. On this one day, everyone assembles for you and your beloved, they dress up, they show up, and they toast, dance, mingle and have a great time…and when it’s over, all you have left are your photos and your video. Nothing will bring you back to your wedding day like a wedding film. So, get over the myth of the 10 lbs. and book your filmmaker.

“Your photos will suffer if you hire a videographer.”

No, not if you hire a good one, and by that I mean a good videographer and a good photographer!  I LOVE photography and I LOVE my photographer friends. We hang out, we have fun at weddings, enjoy creating beautiful things together…we are professional and respect each other’s art form. Get referrals from your videographer and your photographer, hire a team with great creative energy. If I have not filmed with a photographer, I will reach out a couple of weeks before the wedding so that we can discuss how we work. If they pose a lot of shots during photo session, I ask that I am given a spot in the timeline for a short video session. If they are more candid, and motion driven, we work right alongside and direct when needed, like “Hey you two, look at each other….You’re Married!” I love these moments in video, because it’s a new, honest emotion that I have captured; it resonates because it’s real.  Please remember, this day is about the two of you, making the biggest promises of you life, not about photos, flowers, signature cocktails, or even wedding films. If you have the slightest inkling that any of the wedding pros that you are leaning towards do not work well with others, consider this a big red flag. We should all be there to capture this gorgeous day for you, not to build our portfolio, get that sick (and most likely, woefully unsafe) drone shot, or get on the preferred vendor’s list at your venue. We work with each other, protect each others shots and have your best interests at heart.  And, if you love candid photos, you will love your wedding film…it’s full of genuine moments, in sight and sound.

 

“Video is so easy. Just hit ‘record’!”

I guess if you want your wedding to look like security footage, you could “just hit record”. A good wedding film is art. It takes a talented cinematographer to capture the video, to compose those 24 frames per second. You need a sound engineer to place the microphones discreetly, get a feed from the band, make sure the levels are correct, and have redundancy for them, just in case. You need a lighting designer to make sure everything is glowy and gorgeous, and that the details “pop”. A grip is necessary to carry the bags loaded with cameras, mics, cards, cables, filters, batteries, tripods, monopods, light stands, lights-you get it, this is some heavy stuff. Muscles required. An editor will take everything that has been captured so lovingly, and carefully piece it together, like the best puzzle of your best day. This will take them a long time, because they will agonize over choices-soundbites, music, order, best detail shots, pairing the groom’s reaction shot with the perfect crescendo in the song..which then changes the timing for another shot, so the editor begins again. All of these artists, come together as one person, in your wedding filmmaker. It is not easy. It can take years to learn and become and expert at the tech, the emotions, anticipating moments and nailing the shot. But it is so worth it.

“We aren’t the ‘wedding video’ type”

So, you don’t like beautifully captured moments, full of the people that you love the most, in a gorgeous setting? You don’t want to have this day, when you both had great hair and killer clothes, surrounded by your best friends, partying your a**es off, to relive? You don’t want a record of the time you dropped a chunk of change to say “I do” in the presence of your dearly beloved, and the great things they said about you while toasting the night away? You don’t want to hear your vows again? Yes, you do. Every wedding deserves a great wedding film. You are the type.

“Our biggest regret is not having a wedding film.”

Truth.

Wondering what a wedding highlight film looks, sounds and and feels like? Here’s Nikki & Sam’s, filmed at Tanque Verde Ranch. In the spirit of these two, go hire that fab wedding filmmaker, LFG!!

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Be fearlessly authentic.Bravely be you.

When you see a good wedding film, you will feel connected to the couple, even though you don’t know them. The reason? Because it is real…a video is actual moments.  A good wedding filmmaker knows how to anticipate those times, during your vows, first dance, even during the photo session. Some of the best real moments happen just after a photo is taken. I will tell you to “look at each other, hang out…hey, you’re married!” You pause, look into the eyes of your beloved, maybe even get a little teary…real smiles, reveling in the moment.

As a filmmaker, especially as a wedding filmmaker, capturing authentic moments is my life’s work. It makes me giddy, and I am lucky to have filmed some of people’s “real real” moments. But it’s not luck, it’s being present, and having the experience to anticipate emotions. And being open to feeling all the feels while engaged in the very technical art of filmmaking. It’s a dance, it’s a slippery slope, but when I get those seconds that will never happen again, those words, those glances…oh my, I have the best job ever! The best description of authenticity I have read is “Never perfect. Always genuine.” This resonates with me, because it shows the beauty, the bittersweet reality of how little of our lives we truly live in the vain pursuit of perfection.

The wedding world is full of blogs and insta stories touting the “perfection” of a couple’s wedding day. I NEVER promise perfection, because frankly, I find it boring and contrived. I am the black sheep after all, and I kind of want a story…not that I want things to go awry, but if it rains, and we have to dash out of it, and we are all laughing, and covering each other not to get too wet, that’s a fun story that happened on YOUR wedding day. In order to capture those sincere moments, you must relinquish the pursuit of perfection, and just go with it. Hire the best, plan to your heart’s content, but when the day arrives, relax and have a great time. Even if it rains, even if people arrive late, if the cake never shows up…have a plan B, cut that big chocolate chip cookie that the venue just made for you and hit the dance floor.

I often hear my couples discussing wedding photography, and the love of the “candid” photo. You know, the one where everyone is not mugging to the camera, but where they look fabulous, the foreground is clear of unnecessary clutter and the background has just enough bokeh and none of the wait staff clearing plates. Phew…that’s a lot of things to accomplish in one photo.  The “candid” is where video excels. As a videographer, I film 24 frames per second, and I have no loud shutter, red focus beams or flash. I am like the ninja of the candid. BUT, I have seen a lot of videographers recently who seem to be more concerned with adding epic shots to their show reel than filming honest, beautiful moments. Be careful who you hire on your wedding day. I can’t imagine having anyone directing every moment, being in so many of the photographer’s shots because they are more concerned with getting an “epic” shot than working together to create some cinematic magic. It’s a wedding, not a production…many in this industry have forgotten why you are there, why this is important. I see so many highly acclaimed videos of usually just the couple, oh, lolling on a sand dune, like you do on your wedding day, or taking off on a Chris-Craft on Lake Como, also, like we all have done. So many over the top, posed, almost cringingly fake scenes…I would feel so uncomfortable being those two, and certainly, that filmmaker. If you look back at that video in 10 years, with all of it’s slo-mo, over the top PDA, no family and friends reactions, very few ‘real’ moments, I can’t help to think how poorly it would date. I’ve had videographers tell me that they don’t tape the entire ceremony or all the toasts, because they just need those “beauty shots”, and editing an entire ceremony is boring…who would watch that anyway? I think many are out of touch with why people want video in the first place, which is to document the day-in all it’s glam and glory.  If you do that, beautifully, and create a film that is chock full of REAL moments, it will bring tears and cheers from the day it is first viewed until the grandkids are downloading it from the cloud in 50 years. It’s about love, family and friends that have all come together to celebrate, and the time is limited. Respect it, capture it unobtrusively, and make a gorgeous film that will stand the test of time.

J&M wedding

I walk a fine line between emotions and technology. In order to capture those moments, you can’t have giant cameras, blinding lights or fussy camera gear (drones, gimbals, jibs and sliders, OH MY!). Now, I love really good tools and new technology…if a cool time lapse is really going to tell your story better, let’s do it! But time is finite on a wedding day, and I truly feel that creating real memories, taking time to have a first look with your Dad, dancing with your favorite Aunt, taking 10 seconds to look around at your friends and family during your ceremony, those are so much more important than having a drone fly over your wedding party during the recessional. I don’t want to create a false reality, I want to capture the essence of you and yours.

When you look at a wedding video, you should see and hear emotion, and feel the vibe from that day. Nothing will bring you back to this “best day” better than sight, sound and 24 frames per second. I love beauty shots of the two of you, but if you look at one of my films, you will only see those used when there is connection. If I see any “pose-y” moments, they don’t make the cut. I want your film to capture that day, your story, that only happens in this small window of time.  Candid photos transport you because they feel honest and precious…like you could have missed that moment, when a shutter snapped, but there, by the grace of God, you have it. It is the same for the wedding film, but x10. All those moments, toasts, glances, vows, dance moves…there, in a beautiful film. Watch, listen and feel Jacqueline and Matt’s ahhmazing wedding held at the El Conquistador in Tucson. It will make you laugh, cry and feel; it resonates because it’s real 🙂

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Love in the time of COVID-19: Postponements, tiny weddings & HOPE

While the daily Coronavirus task force briefing plays in the background, my emotions run the gamut. They range from sadness (for my ahhmazing bride and groom this Saturday, who had to postpone their wedding until April of 2021), to guilt (my family and I are hunkered down together, and we are all well while many are not), to panic (will my husband lose his job? will my son return to university in the fall? are we ill now and don’t even know it? will my business of 28 years survive this?). These are really hard times, but I remain cautiously optimistic.

Wait…hold up…did you say “my business of 28 years”?! Yes, I started Black Sheep Filmworks 28 years ago this April (when I was a baby, for those of you who want to do the math :).  You could say we have ‘staying power’.  We have been through a lot; recessions, 9/11, family losses, natural disasters, and every time, we have landed on our feet and continued to tell our clients’ stories, and love every minute of it. This “great pause” that we are in now will not be the end of your wedding dreams, as it is not the end of HOPE. Hope is what makes you keep going, knowing that with every difficult step, every hard decision, every sacrifice, you will come out the other side. Things may look different on that side, changed, but change can be incredible. I recently had a couple contract me for their wedding in late September of 2020. The bride works in health care in New York state. To say she and her beloved were overwhelmed is an understatement. After a few questions about postponing or rescheduling if we were still in this pattern in the fall, they came back asking to leave a full retainer to secure their date. I almost cried, as it was such an act of hope. They said they just had to look forward, to plan, and if things need to be changed, made smaller etc…they were okay with that…they needed a date, in beautiful Tucson, to get married.

Speaking of Tucson, oh my, we have SO many ahhmazing places to elope/tiny wedding it up! Want to get married in the towering, cool pines with a boho vibe?…Mt. Lemmon it is! Desert chic with a great view of the Catalinas? We have lots of resorts that would be happy to treat you like royalty, and make your wedding dreams come true! Balmy days and blue skies and dinner for two at a sweetheart table under the stars…ummm…Yes, yes, yessss!!! An intimate ceremony and reception alfresco with your closest family and friends, while you socially distance…we can do this!!!

So, if your wedding needs to be postponed, it will be more than okay, it will happen and it will be perfect. If you don’t want to wait, have a micro wedding, or an elopement, and have a larger reception later. Tiny weddings are gorgeous, so romantic, as it’s just the two of you, an officiant, a few friends and family, and your wedding rockstars (hair and makeup, filmmaker, planner, photog, musician and florist, for a start) who are all in the background. We will be unobtrusive, putting small lovely details where they need to be, setting the tone, and letting the two of you have your wedding, just the way you want it. When I film elopements, it’s just me, no teams, no second camera shooter (unless you really want it, and then, let’s do it!). We keep it low key, easy and fun, while still capturing your story. Zoom lenses, tiny microphones, appropriate PPE and social distance and we are all set!  And if you do have a larger wedding and/or reception later, you will have an amazing wedding film and fantastic photos of your tiny wedding to share.

Feeling hopeful? Want to Tiny Wedding it up? I’m happy to help! Contact me at stepheny@blacksheepfilmworks.com and I will get you all the details.

Need help designing and coordinating your Tiny/Micro wedding? My friend and incredible event planner Meagan Crain recently founded Arizona Elopements. She’s fab and at the helm of this great idea, in less than ideal times.

Please be well, stay safe, keep up the social distancing and I will see you, and your beloved at the end of the aisle, wherever that might be. Let’s capture this adventure!

Here is some pretty for you to watch. We will do our best to keep that wedding inspo coming at you, one film at a time. xoxo

p.s. That gorgeous couple, that’s Brittany and Conner. She’s a nurse and he’s in the military. They are my heroes, like all of the nurses, doctors, military and first responders who are out there working to keep us safe.  This is their beautiful wedding, that was postponed once, due to Conner’s deployment. One year later, this magic happened. So, even with delays or changes, dreams do come true 🙂

 

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Tucson:Say”Yes”to the Destination Wedding!

Okay, so maybe I’m a little biased. I was born and raised in Tucson. I grew up swimming in our backyard pool from March through November. Flip flops, shorts and a sweatshirt (which I normally ditched by noon) were my cold weather outfit. Hiking to Seven Falls with a backpack full of my Humanities homework was my weekend hangout as I attended Salpointe Catholic High School(GO LANCERS!) Many days were spent in the glorious sunshine on the U of A mall, writing scripts and honing my camera skills…and possibly checking out the Rugby team (BEAR DOWN ARIZONA!). Tucson is a very special place to me…it’s my hometown.

After graduation, I left Tucson. I couldn’t wait to leave. Bright lights, big city…LA, San Francisco, cable tv shows, studio services, feature films…it was fun. But it was hard. Feast or famine. So I came back. I couldn’t wait to get back. The mountains, the monsoons, the Mexican food, oh, and my family that I missed terribly. I met my hunky English hubby, started Black Sheep Filmworks, rescued an Australian Shepherd, a brown tabby cat and an Australian Cattle Dog. I also gave birth to two of the finest human beings you will ever meet, Alexa and Aidan. Okay, so maybe I’m a little biased.  Tucson is the place that chose me from the get-go. And the place I chose to call home when I had a choice.

YOU have a choice as well, where to hold your wedding. That most ahhhmazing day with your dearly beloved(s)….why choose Tucson for a Destination wedding?  Here are my top five reasons:

1. The Scenery. Search  “Tucson, Arizona”  in google images and you get choices: Mountains, Skyline, Sunset, Downtown and University of Arizona, all of which are spectacular, especially the mountains and the sunsets. All sunsets with high wispy clouds are pretty, but when you have a sunset with gorgeous color AND a huge saguaro in the background, that’s ICONIC.

ritz-carlton wedding

Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain-Destination wedding perfection!!!

2. The Venues. From The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain to the Westin La Paloma to Hacienda del Sol to Tanque Verde Guest Ranch, Tucson is full of  world class resorts, spas and inns that want to pamper you and your guests with loads of Tucson hospitality. The views, the food, the pools, the golf…just basking in the warm Tucson sun, it’s AHHHmazing!

3. Margaritas. From prickly pear to mango habañero, you won’t find a better specialty cocktail. Enough said.

4. The Wedding Professionals. Or the Wedding Vendors, or “Friendors” as my friend Brie Dumais of Brie Dumais Designs likes to call us;) Hands down, some of the most talented, creative, fun, hard working, kick a** individuals you will ever have the pleasure of being around. From florists to photographers, event planners to filmmakers (!) Tucson’s talent is extraordinary. And we all like each other. We will scramble up a hill loaded with cacti and maybe a gopher snake or two (don’t worry, they’re non-venomous ;)) to get that dream shot of you and your beloved. We are used to this 100+ degree “dry” heat. We don’t over direct and under produce. Golf carts, Quarter horses and dirt bikes were probably our first mode of transportation, or our most recent, so we’ve got you covered. We know Tucson, we love it, and we want to share it with you and your besties.

5. The Feel. No place in the world feels like Tucson. It’s a sprawling city (over 227 square miles!) in the middle of four mountain ranges under a huge sunny sky 350 days a year, but it still feels like a small town. When I meet a new client, somewhere in my portfolio, you will know someone. 6 degrees of separation with Kevin Bacon? It’s about 2 to 3 degrees of separation in Tucson. From The Arizona Sonora Desert Museum to the Mission San Xavier del Bac, Tucson is full of natural beauty, wildlife, and history. And really nice people. Come to Tucson for your Big day, home of the best sunsets, warm sunshine, spas, saguaros…oh, I could go on and on. Okay, maybe I’m a little biased…

Destination weddings are one of my favorite things to capture…we film a lot of them. We get to know everyone beforehand with FaceTime, a pretty detailed wedding questionnaire, text conversations and even chats on the phone..if you’re into that. Come to Tucson, cheers with me over a prickly pear margarita, marry your beloved and live happily ever after. Make those “once in a lifetime” memories and invite a few black sheep to make sure you can re-live it all, over and over. Yes, I am biased, but I won’t steer you wrong; Tucson is destination wedding perfection!!!! Just watch 😉

 

 

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The holidays are here! and/or Why I am thankful for wedding videos!

 

I hear it all the time “Getting a wedding video was the best decision we made.” Really…couples say that to me after they receive their wedding films. It may not be as enticing as a “Multi-tier wedding cake with chocolate ganache filling and Swarovski crystal embellished fondant icing” (but, is anything?) or  “Locally harvested, sustainably grown, organically sourced ‘Surf and Turf”‘ (sign me up!) or even “A silent disco hosted by international DJ…” (so cool, you’ll be the first of your friends to do this at your reception!), but honestly, your wedding video is one of the sexiest, most enduring and truly personal keepsakes from your big day. It is the only way to truly get back to those moments, in sight and sound. I know it’s kind of a delayed gratification, as you have to wait a bit for the finished product, but, good things come to those who wait!!

Black Sheep filmworks is blessed to have amazing clients who trust us to capture some of the most important moments in their lives. From weddings, to births, to corporate extravaganzas and everything in between, we are thankful and humbled that you have chosen to take a black sheep, or two, along with you. I leave you with one of my latest weddings, from Tanque Verde Ranch, here in Tucson. Frances and Carson go way back with the ranch, so for them to have their wedding there, was like a homecoming. I hope you can feel the joy, love, laughter and commitment from these two that I tried to share in the highlight. I get to do this a lot. I am so lucky and I love what I do.

Bravo, Frances and Carson! Cheers to many, many more. #thankful #weddingfilmsrock #getone

 

 

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Black Sheep Filmworks as featured on Style Me Pretty!

Captured by Black Sheep Filmworks, this Tucson, Arizona wedding celebrated a couple who went to high school and college together – but didn’t actually meet and fall in love until years later
They attended the same high school and college, but never met until post graduation, when both were in Chicago. With the groom’s brother playing matchmaker, it all came together and before they knew it, they were saying “I do” back where it all could have started, in Tucson, Arizona. And back at their hometown, they celebrated in a BIG way – with Black Sheep Filmworks capturing the chic style, the sweet kisses and even the fireworks! See it all right this way!

 From Black Sheep FilmworksOh, Annie and Sean…so swoon-worthy! From that incredible Monique Lhuillier wedding gown, to those red-soled Christian Louboutin’s for BOTH bride and groom, to suspended floral rings to FIREWORKS, Annie and Sean had one of the most chock full of “eye candy” weddings ever.

Annie and Sean both grew up in Tucson, attended Sabino High School, and the University of Arizona… and NEVER met each other! They both moved to Chicago after graduating from the U of A and it was Sean’s brother that introduced them. Sean stated that he was “Going to marry that girl” after their first date, so obviously, fate finally stepped in and these two gorgeous Tucson lovebirds finally found each other!Love letters that Annie and Sean had written to each other were opened on the day, and read aloud, privately. This was incorporated into their highlight film, as per Annie’s request, and it really connects you to their love story. Not only are they beautiful, with great style, but they are “Oh-SO” in love. Their family and friends (close to 250 of them!) came from all across the globe to take part in this soirée.

Special touches filled Annie and Sean’s wedding. From red soled Christian Louboutin’s for both bride and groom, to the placement of a Mexican lasso during the ceremony, to a wishing tree instead of a guest book, no detail was overlooked. Sean even surprised Annie with fireworks during the reception. This was truly a gorgeous, spicy, “beaming smile” wedding… Bravo, Annie and Sean!!!

STYLES

LITTLE BLACK BOOK VENDORS
VENDORS
Hair + Makeup
I Do Hair & Makeup Artistry
Photography
Willo Art Photography
Event Design
Frostings Event Design & Rental
Floral Design
In Full Bloom Floral Studio
Wedding Dress
Monique Lhuillier
Shoes
Christian Louboutin
Rentals
Frostings Event Design & Rental
Musicians
Tesoro
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Your wedding is not “too cool” for a wedding video

After filming and editing weddings for just under 25 years, I have to say something. I’ve stayed quiet, kept my head down, created fab films for ahhmazing couples, but I must call you out. Yes, you. The newly engaged, or the engaged-about-to-walk-down-the-aisle, who are “not having video.” I hear it often, when I ask  the engaged “Who is your videographer?”, they look slightly annoyed, and even puzzled by the question. “Oh, we aren’t having video…but we have a great photographer!”, as if the photographer is going to fill this motion picture void with their wonderful photos. FYI: they won’t, because they can’t. Photos cannot tell the same story as a visual medium that walks and talks, and the biggest regret of newlyweds, according to a recent TheKnot.com poll, is the lack of a professional wedding video. Video is no longer cheesy, and it’s no longer a luxury. It’s like a documentary film, but better, because it features you and your family and friends. In your best clothes. You won’t realize the power of it until the day after your “big day”. That’s when you will thank your lucky stars that you found your creative filmmaking genius, paid them a chunk of change and now have more memories, in sight and sound, than you realized was possible.

Here are a few misconceptions about wedding videos, and my thoughts.

Video is obtrusive.                          

It used to be, with big lights and even bigger cameras. But thanks to the DSLR revolution, video cameras are the same size or smaller than a standard still camera, and sometimes they are the same camera. Their          low light capabilities and beautiful imagery make them the perfect choice for stealthy filmmaking. So many times I hear “I didn’t even notice you guys and you got everything.” Modern wedding filmmakers are like ninjas, with cameras.

Video is cheesy.

It used to be, with heart wipes, selective color and slow motion (oh, wait, slow-mo is back in, but I digress). The wedding video is now the wedding film, and it truly is like a movie. Most wedding videographers are really documentarians, who want to show the events of your day as they happened, but in the most emotional, timeless and entertaining way possible. I have a very detailed questionnaire that I send to my clients before their wedding, and it really shows me what is important to them. Who the key family members and friends are, the fonts used on invitations and signage, what music you love and hate, anything special to you two, and your wedding day. The knowledge of your personal stories and the details of  this “best day” make it easier for us to get involved and pull the most honest, emotional moments from hours of footage. I also love to meet before the wedding, over coffee or a cocktail, and get to know you…if not, a chat via skype or facetime can make us all friends.

Video is a luxury we can’t afford.

When all is said and done, all you will have left from this most ahhmazing day is your wedding video and photos. Make room in the budget! Forgo the wedding favors, over-the-top decor, have one less dinner course and get a REALLY GREAT WEDDING FILM.  Find a filmmaker in your area (I’m happy to help as I know the most incredibly talented people all over the world), look at their work, read their reviews, and email or call them. Get comfortable, see if they make you smile, and if their work makes you laugh, cry and feel connected to these people that you don’t even know. If it does, hire them. You will be so happy that you did.

I’m/My beloved is camera shy.

Most people are, but the good news is, it isn’t all about you, or your beloved. Well, it kind of is, as the betrothed, but it’s really about how people react to you. It’s how everyone gets misty during your vows and cheers during your pronouncement and recessional. It’s about your favorite great Aunt in a dance-off with your best man. It’s about the toasts. It really is about the toasts, because without a professional videographer, with really good audio knowledge and equipment, those toasts are going out into the ether, never to be heard again. This is one of the many reasons you cannot leave the wedding filmmaking to your cousin and his iphone (bless them). The video may be passable to good, but the sound will not be, and the audio is at least one half of what makes a great wedding film. So, don’t worry about being camera shy. SO many of my clients say the same thing, and are put totally at ease on the wedding day. We are fun, we want you to have fun, and we want to record the fun. No stress, only good times.

Photographers and Videographers don’t get along.

Not true. I love my photographer friends, and they refer me A LOT. We work well together, have innovative energy, and make sure everything is documented in all its glory. We are artists, and enjoy the creative process.

So you, you the “oh, we aren’t having video” types, I beg you to reconsider. Check out a few of the highlight films here, from couples just like you, who didn’t want video at first. Thankfully, a smart wedding planner, a lovingly controlling Mother-in-law-to-be, a Dad who likes to record every moment, someone who knows the power of the wedding video, intervened. You, and your most wonderful day are not “too cool” for video, in fact, it’s just the opposite. Your wedding will be so heartfelt, beautiful and timeless, it will make an ahhmazing film.  Call or email your best local wedding filmmaker. You will be so happy you did.

 

 

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Skyline Country Club: WOW for this Wedding Video!

Shimmery, sparkly, and golden….with liberal dashes of laughs, epic dance moves and FIREWORKS made Christy and Clark’s gorgeous wedding fête at Skyline Country Club AHHHMAZING! Oh, that dress, those flowers, the way Clark looked at Christy when she first ascended the staircase…WOW! We even had a little rain (see if you can spot the lightening in those awesome storm clouds 😉 but the weather held and gave us gorgeous light. This entire day was perfect, and I don’t often say that. Many thanks to Christy and Clark, to their family and friends…you were charming, welcoming and not shy on the dance floor. Great night, great light, great love…the black sheep thanks you for sharing this beautiful day…BRAVO!!!

Many thanks to the following dream team of wedding rockstars…xoxo to all!
Venue: Skyline Country Club-Michelle Schuyler
Officiant: Jack Garbo (Clark’s godfather)
Event Coordinator: Victoria with Meagan Crain Events
Photographer: Amanda Rockafellow
Make-up/Hair Stylist: Raemi with I DO Hair and Makeup Artistry
Wedding gown: Pronovias/Gigi Bridal
Florist: Urban Stems
Guitarist and Band: Dr. Eduardo Costa and TreJa Vu Band
Photo booth: Amanda Rockafellow

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“I DO” at Tanque Verde Ranch:Let the Wedding Adventure begin!!

What I really love about Tanque Verde Ranch, besides the horses, mountain views and towering cottonwood trees with juvenile great horned owls nesting in them (yes, watch the video, second shot) is that you can make it your own. You can have a rustic, western themed wedding, or you can have an sleek, stylish affair with tons of glam. Or, you can aim for the middle of the two, and in true Annie Oakley style–Bull’s-eye!! This is exactly what Erica and Carson achieved this May at the ranch.

“Let the Adventure begin” proclaimed the card banner draped over the great fireplace in the Saguaro room, and that motto worked well for the whole weekend. This was a destination wedding, and family and friends were treated to horseback rides, hiking, golf outings and a few mandatory massages after all of the fabulous outdoor fun. The wedding day was sunny, then cloudy, and then…rainy! Which is really odd for mid May. Erica looked at the rain on the window, and became teary. I thought she was upset that their outdoor ceremony could be rained-out. Not the case. Erica’s Mom had passed away last year, and she LOVED the rain. Erica was sure that her Mom was there, in spirit and in rain drop form. We had a very sweet first look, a romantic, drizzly photo session and then a gorgeous outdoor ceremony at the Cactus View. The travel theme continued, as Carson and Erica had a sign post at the end of the aisle with exotic locales from Tongariro Park, New Zealand to Lake Como, Italy. My favorite part? THE VOWS…holy crow, these two went all out writing their own vows and their was not a dry eye in the house! My other favorite part? The fans that became paper airplanes that were flown above Erica and Carson as they recessed down the aisle–they even made sure the tips of the planes were blunt, so that no one lost an eye. #safetyfirst

The cocktail hour was full of signature cocktails, a giant postcard to take selfies in, and lots of yummy appetizers. The reception began with the introduction of the happy couple, lots of toasting, and then it was time for the first dance. It began slow and romantic, and then went into a salsa number with twirls and a great lift…everyone oohhhed and aaahhhed. The dance floor was packed, as was the cigar and bourbon bar out on the back patio. This #carsica #lovesnotcomplincated wedding at Tanque Verde ranch had this black sheep never wanting to leave this old homestead. No worries, we will be back. #fallweddings #styledshoots #tanqueverderanch #weloveithere

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