Ruby and David wedding video highlights.

Ruby and David were recently married and I was there to film their big day for them. Having met them a few days before the wedding day, we all knew that the weather forecast was not going to be kind to them. And that’s exactly how it turned out to be.

I arrived bright and early at St Ethelbert’s church in Ramsgate. As usual, I was the first on the scene for the day. Thankfully, I had a big umbrella, not for the first time this year at a wedding. The rain was coming down in buckets and the church was locked. Back to the car to wait. It wasn’t long before I was setting up inside, thankfully, and ready to do my very best for Ruby and David, despite the lousy weather.

Sue Farnsworth was the photographer for the day, we hadn’t met before but a lovely lady who was a pleasure to work with. Once all of the guests were safely inside, Ruby arrived in a vintage Rolls-Royce and the ceremony was underway. Church weddings are still popular though a dark and gloomy day like today means I have to really know my cameras and how to get the maximum light through the lens. I’ve been a videographer for a long time and that experience often comes into play. It serves me well.

After the ceremony, we headed off the short distance to Piermont Hall in Broadstairs for the reception. It was still raining so hopes were fading that Sue and myself would have the chance to take Ruby and David down to the beach for some video and photo opportunities. But I say…never give in to doubt.

Sunshine!

All of a sudden, the skies cleared and sunshine was all around. We grabbed the happy couple and within minutes, we were walking on sand. It was all I needed to ensure I had some good vision for the highlight video.

Ruby and David are a delightful couple, full of beans. Nothing was too serious and we made the most of it. Within an hour, the sunshine was gone for the day but we had what we wanted and marched back up the high street to the reception while locals congratulated the new Mr and Mrs.

What a wonderful day!

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

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On a rainy day in late May, I was looking forward to filming their wedding. Measha and Jack are two lively characters which guaranteed a day full of emotional energy. This is the kind of wedding I love to film.

I had attended their rehearsal at the church a few days earlier and filmed that too. It’s important to attend a rehearsal, I believe, because it also allows the vicar to meet me. Reverand Alice was brilliant. I was using six cameras and she told me to go for it. Had I only met her the morning of the wedding, that might not have been the case. My presence at the rehearsal also eliminates any surprises on the wedding day as I now know how the service will unfold. Like studying for an examination, in a way.

The Wedding

Yes, it was raining but what can you do? I’ll tell you. You use the weather as a plus rather than a negative. It might be a colourful umbrella or guests running in from the rain. I take it as it comes and always look for a clue in whatever is happening in the sky. Thunderstorms are fantastic, rainbows too, but it is what it is on the day.

The photographer was Benjamin Toms who I had the pleasure of working with just last year. A delightful man, we looked out for each other, as I always do with whoever I’m working with. We are both there on the day to do our very best for the bride and groom, no second chances.

The ceremony was an absolute joy. Lots of singing and waving of arms. Everyone joined in. We headed outside for a photo opportunity and the rain vanished. Measha and Jack literally stopped the traffic to cross the road with eighty guests.

On to The Yarrow in Broadstairs for their reception, a venue I was only recently acquainted with. Measha and Jack arrived in a green VW Camper. Their wedding reception was unusual because they didn’t have a traditional first dance or evening music so I filmed as many video messages from the family and guests as I could. All in all, a brilliant day. I’m glad I was there.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

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Looking back recently at a few older wedding videos I’ve produced over the years, I remembered the wedding of Rebecca and Guy I filmed in 2019. The venue was the Boughton Golf Club at Boughton-under-Blean but has since changed names to The Cave Hotel and Golf Resort.

I filmed a wedding there last week and despite the name change, I was certain I had worked there before. Everything seemed different until I recalled a little hill nearby that I had used to capture a fantastic rainbow arcing over the venue. You can see that in the video. Yes, I was soaked to the skin afterwards but the opportunity was too good to ignore. It was one of those days….sunny one moment, pouring with rain the next. I felt that shot of the rainbow and the light in the sky said it all.

Direction

It’s a good thing looking back at my past work. I can see that my shooting and editing style continues to evolve. That tells me that I’m constantly looking to improve. Sometimes, I notice that I’ve moved in a direction that could benefit from one or two styles from the past and I’ll revisit that period to understand why and how to incorporate it into a whole.

Looking back at this video, I’m pretty well pleased with it five years later. I would make a couple of changes though. The couple’s voices during the vows need to be a little more prominent which means the background music has to drop so it becomes exactly that. Background.

Bruce Middlemiss was the photographer on that day and he is still out there creating wonderful work. Watching this highlight video confirms how magic is created when you work with a good photographer as a team even if you’ve only just met. It’s something I strive for at every wedding I attend as a videographer.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Looking back… appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Magdi and Andy were recently married at Chilham Village Hall in Kent. This is a beautiful venue in the countryside and one I love to film at. It’s been a while since I was last there and I always enjoy knowing I have a wedding at Chilham, one of the prettiest villages in Kent.

I’d first met Magdi and Andy at their home on a wild and stormy evening a few months before their big day. It’s always a very good idea to meet up to discuss what they want from the video and it also gives me an opportunity on a one to one basis to meet the couple in a relaxed surrounding.

Thankfully, their wedding day was blue sky and plenty of sunshine. Occasionally, I do have to face the worst of British weather when filming. Even then, I will use those conditions to my advantage.

That was not a factor to be concerned with on this day. I arrived, as usual, bright and early, two hours before the ceremony. A quick hello to Camilla Harney, the photographer for the day and I was ready to begin the day. I’d like to say that Camilla is an absolute joy to work with. I’ve met her a few times now. She is the absolute professional and one thing I know is when Camilla is around, everything will run like clockwork. We look out for each other and her name will be the one I recommend every time if asked.

Smashing of plates

Magdi is from Slovakia originally so the wedding incorporated quite a few Slovakian customs. Knowing what is happening in advance is so important. In this case, plate smashing was involved so that was always forefront in my mind once the ceremony was complete.

Magdi’s family had come over from Slovakia for the wedding. I made sure that I filmed a few video messages from them and later used Google Translate to fine tune the editing so I knew when their message actually began and ended. A very handy tool.

All in all, a fantastic day and Magdi and Andy made the perfect couple.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Magdi and Andy appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Andrea and Andrew travelled to Belfast in Northern Ireland for their wedding. I drove up to Liverpool with Andrew, the groom to catch the overnight ferry from Birkenhead.

Their wedding was to take place three days later at a small church, St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s in Glenariff near the picturesque village of Cushendall on the coast. It was my first visit to Ireland and I have to say, the landscape exceeded all my expectations.

I don’t often travel for destination weddings but made an exception in this case as I had time and it was a great opportunity to spend a week with the couple. That allows me to create a wedding video that involves more than one day. It also lets me tell a story about the couple. That is what I did.

There were 150 guests invited for their wedding and they came from near and far including Australia and America. I do like to film video messages from the guests as it adds a little something special for the couple when they watch the finished video. It’s never easy to get everyone in front of my camera but I came close. Andrea and Andrew loved that surprise and it’s something I don’t charge for.

The singing waiter

The reception was held at the Tullyglass Hotel in Ballymena. It was the first time I had encountered a singing waiter. I hadn’t been told this was about to happen so when he fell hard onto the floor at my feet, unconscious and drinks flying everywhere, I was as gullible as the next guest. Regardless, I rushed to his aid. I had the camera rolling within five seconds after realising what was going on. It had all been an act. This is why it’s so important to advise your videographer about any surprises.

I’m so pleased to have filmed their wedding video. They are a lovely couple who made my job delightful for the week. They could just have easily hired someone local to film the wedding but having seen my work, they asked me to do so. It’s a sad aspect of my chosen profession that I don’t get to have repeat clients due to weddings being a one-off occasion. However, when I’m recommended, it’s always nice to see previous couples again and their new families.

Thanks Andrea and Andrew for a perfect week. I needed a holiday afterwards, it was a blast!

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Andrea and Andrew appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Chloe and Callum were recently married at Northbourne church near Deal in Kent. A lovely couple, I had been waiting all year to film their wedding video for them.

I arrived at the church bright and early to check out the church interior to ensure the light was good. It was perfect so I set up the cameras and waited for everyone to arrive. It’s important for me to film guests as they arrive, especially the groom and his best man.

Although this wedding was fairly local for me, I had attended the rehearsal the day before as I hadn’t met the couple until then. It’s always a good idea to attend the rehearsal as it allows me to meet the vicar. In this case, he had been concerned that the photographer and myself might decide to walk around during the ceremony. I assured him that wouldn’t happen and he allowed me to film from the front.

The ceremony was perfect, the light was ideal and audio was spot on. Sometimes it’s challenging to get perfect audio in a church as echo can often be annoying but I miced the groom on his lapel. No problem at all.

The reception.

Once the church ceremony was over, we all headed to the reception at Chloe’s nearby farm in Deal. A special mention should go to Lucy Faulkner from Lulu’s Photography who provided the stills for the day.

I hadn’t met Lucy before but she was a delight to work with. I always try to work well with the photographer and she made that easy.

The weather was fantastic so filming the outside activities gave me plenty of exciting shots and I made the most of it. The guests were lively and that’s a bonus for me when that happens. When they play for the camera, I will always encourage that and they did. Fabulous!

I certainly enjoyed Chloe and Callum’s wedding, it’s a shame that every wedding is basically a one-off.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Chloe and Callum appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Demi and David were recently married at Stonelees Golf Club near Ramsgate in Kent. I had booked this lovely couple a year ago and met them at the venue. I hadn’t filmed there before and there was a slight cause for concern on my part.

The pergola, where they were to be married, backed onto water. This was an issue for me as it meant I couldn’t have my main camera outside the periphery of the structure. I would have fallen in to the small lake!

Why I always arrive early.

Returning to the venue a week before the wedding day, I had to have another look. Some test video shots and audio recordings were taken. I don’t like to be inside the pergola as space is usually tight and I also don’t want to appear in the other shots.

Using clamps on the upper rails for two remote cameras solved the problem so I set them up an hour before the ceremony which fixed the problem.

There was one other issue. A noisy fountain in the middle of the lake about ten yards behind the pergola would have sounded dreadful in the audio recording. Thankfully, after raising that fact, the venue manager turned it off for the ceremony. All was good to go.

Sam Jones was the photographer for the day. Our paths had not crossed before but wow…she was an absolute delight to work with. There are many fabulous wedding photographers in Kent and Sam made my day an absolute breeze. We worked so well together, recommending shots to each other when needed. We looked out for each other which is as it should be.

Demi and David had the very best of an English summer’s day. This couple were made for each other. Everything went like clockwork throughout the day and before I knew it, the sun was beginning to set.

Sunset

Being a golf course, Sam and I were allowed to use two golf buggies to take Demi and David to a few scenic spots for photos and video. With the setting sun, it was a perfect scenario.

Demi and David are the type of couple who make my job so easy and it was an absolute delight and a privilige to film their wedding for them.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Demi and David appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Jade and Chris were recently married at the Three Rivers Golf and Country Club in Cold Norton, Essex. On what was a beautiful English summer’s day, the happy couple enjoyed the perfect wedding and we were there to capture it for them.

I don’t normally travel across the Thames but this wedding was an exception. Jade and Chris had tried to book me three times, however I was unavailable on each occasion. Then the pandemic began and that changed everything for everyone.

Dates were cancelled and rearranged and on her fourth attempt, I was free to film their wedding day. How could I not do so when she had tried so many times to book me?

I decided to travel up the day before and booked into a small hotel so I would be fresh for the big day. Avoiding any potential traffic on the motorways also played a big part in that decision.

Arriving bright and early on a typical but hot summer day, I set up the cameras and we were good to go.

The wedding day!

Marcus Howlett was the photographer for the day, a nicer guy you couldn’t meet and we worked like a dream together. That is always a massive pleasure for me.

The wedding took place outside in a pergola. This is always a test for any videographer as it is a confined space with a shady interior and a very bright exterior. You need to know your cameras and you definitely need to know your craft. How do you ensure the subjects remain well lit in this situation? That is indeed where knowledge plays a big part and is also a definite no to auto settings on any camera. It won’t do at all.

I can say that the ceremony came out the way I wanted it to as did the rest of this fantastic day. Jade and Chris were the perfect hosts. After all this time, I am so pleased to have said yes to her request.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Jade and Chris appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Tash and Dan were married in December at The Orchard Suite, Bearsted in Kent. It was a fabulous wedding for the start of winter and the rain wasn’t invited.

I do tend to get a lot of recommendations to film weddings and this was no different. Having previously filmed the wedding of Megan and Dafydd a couple of years ago, they had told Tash and Dan about the video they received and how they loved it. That brings us to today. It is always wonderful to catch up with past clients. No matter who I have filmed in the past, I always remember them very well.

Mark Grey was the photographer for the wedding. I meet a lot of wedding photographers and always get along well which is so important to me. Mark was an amazing guy and we got on like a house on fire. I’m back at this venue later this year and sincerely hope Mark is again the photographer for the wedding. An absolute pleasure to work with. We hadn’t met before but we worked as a team throughout the day. Thank you Mark!

The wedding day proceeded very smoothly but I never take my foot off the pedal. I’m always looking around for something a little different. I look at faces that show emotion because a wedding is exactly that. A day filled with happiness, tears, laughter and joy and that’s what I’m looking for. I’m not there to simply record the ceremony, the speeches and the first dance. You could hire a CCTV for that. Filming guest messages allows me to convey those emotions for posterity.

It was my pleasure to film Tash and Dan’s wedding and look forward to catching up with them and their guests at a future wedding hopefully.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Tash and Dan appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

Emma and Tom hired me to film their wedding video last year on a beautiful but hot August day. The venue was the Oak Barn near Cranbrook in Kent. I hadn’t been here before but quickly realised on my early arrival just how magnificent the Oak Barn is. For a videographer, the place is superb. Surrounded by typical picturesque Kent countryside and an abundance of quality natural light, it was an absolute joy to film.

I hadn’t met Emma and Tom before the wedding day due to Covid-19. Not a situation that’s desirable for me as I prefer to meet up before the day. That allows me to discuss the wedding day before hand. However, most importantly, it also presents an opportunity for me to get a glimpse into their personalities. That usually opens the door to lots of ideas regarding video.

Rachel from Blackout Media was our friendly photographer for the day. The ceremony took place high on a stage within the barn. That was a novel situation for me and it gave me good views of the proceedings but the available light was challenging with a big bright window behind the couple. I needed to call on all of my lighting experience to control the situation and turn it to my advantage which I duly did.

This is one reason I like to arrive at least two hours before the ceremony. It gives me a chance to assess the environment I’ll be working in, test the light and acoustics and also avoid any traffic delays getting there. I would much rather be bright and early with time up my sleeve than stressing on a busy motorway while the clock ticks. Whenever I arrive at a venue in my own time, I always feel good and ready for the wedding day ahead.

The hidden choir

The ceremony itself had a surprise in hand. All of a sudden, one of the guests stood and began to sing. Over the next few minutes, others stood and joined him and no one knew anything about it except for the bride herself…and me. You should always tell your videographer before hand about any surprises you may have planned. Knowing it was going to happen, I had placed a microphone near them before everyone came in. Result…great audio which is so important.

It really was a perfect day. I don’t necessarily need the sun to shine to create the best wedding video. It helps though. I do have a different approach to any type of weather and instead of looking at rain as a negative, I try to turn it into a positive.

Any questions you might have regarding your upcoming wedding, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

The post Emma and Tom appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.