I’ve been photographing weddings for a long time and take many wedding services for granted. I know there will be a gown, a cake, make-up, flowers and decorations. Every wedding has all of these. I see them every week.
Sure, I check with my brides which supplier they have for what and often recommend businesses that I am 100% sure will deliver when requested. Suppliers and professionals that will go above and beyond.
It was after a chat with Lee Hanly, the incredible make-up artist and the creative Kel-Leigh from Kel-Leigh Couture that I realised just how much goes into everything I see and photograph each weekend.
Lee was telling me about mineral based make-up and how it won’t go shiny and reflect, how she works with colour and skin to create a look. Kel-Leigh blew me away with her processes and how much fabric actually goes into a wedding gown. The steps from concept to design to drawing to patterns then fittings.
The right make-up will make a BIG difference in the way your photos look – do you know what to look out for?
Those conversations got me thinking. There is probably so much more that goes into EVERY wedding business that I don’t understand or know about. So how could a bride and groom possibly understand how or why some things cost what they do? I experience so many of these amazing days, yet a bride and groom will only ever experience it once. It’s all new to them.
How can you possibly expect to make the right decisions every time if you only get to do it once? The only way possible is with research and information. Wedding magazines try to do this but often, their content is written once and rehashed for the next however many years. Their information stagnates and doesn’t move with the times like a business has to – with trends and developments.
With that in mind, I started a project to go and find out!
Armed with my new video camera, tripod and some lighting I set off for my first “interview” with Tanya from Angel Bloom florist to get the rundown on everything you need to know about flowers for your wedding and reception.
I loved the interview process and found out way more than I expected. I definitely have a bit to learn when it comes to videos though!
I wasn’t aware that florists may have to make separate visits to the markets on the same week to have the different flowers of the bouquet opening on the day of the wedding!
Shooting was one thing but the editing! Oh man, how do those guys do it. After having a go, I’ve since added Ben to our team, a media university student, to help with the editing and post production work.
Never fear, you won’t see me as a wedding videographer, advertising to shoot your Central Coast wedding video anytime soon – I’ll leave that to the pros!
Once over the shock of the post production work it was off for interview number two with Julie from the Sweetest Thing in Terrigal. Julie was an easy and obvious choice as I know very little about cooking – apart from my forays into the world of Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals and my speciality – pancakes.
Julie’s cakes are seen at more Central Coast weddings than any other. Her creations are amazing and her shop at Crowne Plaza Terrigal is a delight.
The interview and photos ran like a dream, the questions were flying, the lighting was great and we were on a roll – look out 60 Minutes!
Back in post (the technical term for post production, now that I’m starting to see myself as a cinematographer) I realised that I had neglected one important aspect of the video shoot: THE SOUND.
Being a busy working cake shop with customers, fridges, background music, chatter form the girls cooking out the back it was impossible to watch the video without being constantly distracted. It was going to be a re-shoot.
Like I said – no wedding videos for me.
With the re-shoot in the bag (another technical piece of jargon I picked up, being part of ‘the scene’ now) it was back to the editing studio to be pieced together.
Unfortunately or fortunately, depending from which angle you take, I’ll be on a short holiday when this post goes “live” which means the editing wasn’t completed before I left.
The good news is the interview with Tanya from Angel Bloom will be up and live next week. It’s full of all sorts of advice, tips and warnings for anyone considering flowers of any type for their wedding.
I also have some tips from other leading Central Coast Florists for you to consider.
I’ll have Julie and her cake story up on this blog shortly afterwards. Following wedding cakes, I have a series of interviews lined up to help make your wedding choices a little easier and a little smarter.
I learned there is much more to the inside of a wedding cake than… just cake
If you are interested in having videography for a Newcastle, Hunter Valley or Central Coast wedding, you can’t go past the work of Joel from Afterglow Visual. I have worked with Joel and his guys a number of times now and have actually seen their finished work – it’s amazing stuff!
Want to read more about wedding make-up, what to avoid and how to find the right make-up artist for you – check this blog post here, featuring the lovely Lee Hanly.
If you are considering a couture gown and you live anywhere near the Central Coast you must speak to Kel-Leigh from Kel-Leigh Couture. You can read all about what she does here but to really understand Kel and what she can create, you have to meet her – her laugh, enthusiasm and gorgeous nature are matched by none. Her Boutique Studio is located on The Central Coast Highway at East Gosford.
