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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Lisa Marie and Rob were married during the summer at Saint Mary the Blessed Virgin church in Brabourne, Kent. It was a brilliant and sunny day, the happy couple were blessed with the perfect weather. You couldn’t ask for more!

I arrived bright and early before anyone and proceeded to drop my camera on the stone floor. Luck was smiling down on me. The camera landed on the external battery which smashed but fortunately, the camera was good and I had plenty of spare batteries. Not a big drama as I always have three spare cameras but it could have been an expensive little accident.

Everyone duly arrived and the wedding ceremony ran very smoothly. Church services tend to always last longer than civil ceremonies so I always ensure I have plenty of batteries at hand. It was a hot day and everyone was feeling the heat.

On to the farm!

After the ceremony was over, we proceeded on to the wedding reception under a huge marquee which was held at Lisa Marie’s uncle’s Water Farm not too far away in Smeeth. Jodie Donovan and Selena were the photographers for the day, very nice ladies who made our working day very enjoyable. I always make a beeline when I see the photographer at the start of the wedding day. I introduce myself and have a quick friendly chat so they know they have me on their side. It makes all the difference. We all want to do our very best for the couple.

Lisa Marie and Rob were full of personality and that made my job a breeze. The farm was a big one so we had lots of space and beautiful views. I thoroughly enjoyed this wedding and I never saw a cloud in the sky. Perfect!

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 Lisa Marie and Rob appeared first on East Kent Wedding Video, wedding videographer in Kent and the SE.

The wedding

We at East Kent Wedding Video recently had the pleasure of filming Rebecca and David’s wedding at Hayne House in Hythe, Kent.

I don’t usually comment on the weddings I film but this one was different. We were recommended to Rebecca and David by Charlotte and Tom, who’s wedding we filmed last summer. As always, it’s great to catch up with past couples, especially when they think so highly of us as to recommend us.

Aeroplanes and metal

David, the groom, had spent many years training to become a commercial airline pilot here in England for one of the big airlines. Despite many setbacks, he had achieved that goal and was now in the process of realising that dream. I thought it would be a nice idea to somehow incorporate that into the wedding highlight video. You can see that in the opening twenty seconds of the above video. My dad was an airline pilot flying all over the world. As a result, my family went wherever he worked.

My brother and I grew up in Beirut, Lebanon, then England, Brunei and Australia. That gave us a unique outlook on life experiencing and embracing many diverse cultures along the way. Naturally, traveling became an important part of my life as an adult because of that and aviation became more than just a passing interest.

Music

Rebecca and David’s wedding was also different because of the music played throughout the day. Normally, the music for a typical wedding is as you’d expect, songs that tend to be Top 40. This wedding had none of that. Indeed, the DJ, Harry Klib, one of the best DJs I’ve come across for weddings was presented with a list of songs that were banned for the day. Rebecca and David’s choice was shared by all of their guests and friends and ranged from AC/DC to Led Zeppelin, Bryan Adams to the Beastie Boys. Because everyone was so into the music, the dance floor was heaving by the evening. That is always good for a wedding videographer, lots of action rather than guests sitting around a deserted dance area.

Every wedding is different. I truly love filming them all. It’s such a great feeling when you meet a couple like Rebecca and David and even more so, a privilege to film their wedding. It was a fabulous day that everyone enjoyed and luckily, we were there to film it for posterity for them. A new wedding photographer on the rise is India Bonnett who took the stills on the day and a pleasure to work alongside.

Read more about wedding highlight videos.

You can view our wedding highlight videos here.

Stay well,

Chris
East Kent Wedding Video

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

It’s a good question. Why go for wedding video?

How many times I’ve had a guest at a wedding watch what I am doing and then tell me that they desperately wished they had had their own wedding filmed. They have the photographs and every wedding should have a photographer but those same photographs, good as they are,  lack two vital elements….sound and movement.

I should just say that the role of a photographer and a videographer are different. Photographers tend to organize the bride and groom, family and guests into groups for the pose that they require. They know what works for them and that is what they do. A videographer like myself has a slightly different goal, to capture the fluidity as the wedding day unfolds, the heightened emotions as the couple become one, the laughter and tears, the cheers and the speeches, the music as the couple take to the floor for their first dance, the best wishes from everyone, the vows and everything that isn’t a single moment in time.

These are the elements that an experienced wedding videographer is looking for, who knows to anticipate and recognize certain signs, to be at the right place at the right time, to absolutely not miss crucial moments as they happen. This is why I don’t have ‘packages’ on my website. I like to film the whole day from beginning to end because that’s where the story is, the complete story which isn’t there if we were to only film the ceremony or the the speeches.

So many grooms tell me how wedding’s tend to organize themselves. Yes, it’s a joke, often told with a chuckle, but generally, the bride herself has lived this wedding day for months going over every single detail, balancing the budget, choosing the flowers, the wedding dress, the bridesmaids outfits, the stationary, the photographer, the rings, even the table decorations down to the last detail and hopefully, if there’s any budget spare, maybe even a videographer.

Think about this…imagine yourselves thirty years down the track. Your grandchildren have come to visit and they see your wedding photo on the mantelpiece. They ask you what the day was like and you show them the photos. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you could show them a film of your day with all the sounds and action that goes with a wedding day? It would be like your grandchildren were there themselves.

Nowadays, everyone seems to have a mobile phone and those same phones have the ability to record video. I see it all the time at every wedding but…here’s the thing. Phones record video the way the phone chooses to; if that big spotlight gets in the shot, the phone will darken the rest of the picture to compensate, it’s 100% automatic. It will focus on what it chooses to, it’s just never, ever  going to record the sound of the bride and groom’s vows but it will pick up the person next to you, the baby crying in the seat behind, and so on because that is where the microphone is and it’s going to be loud. And it’s shaky….always.

That’s why I spend so much on professional equipment, to have cameras that I control because I have all those years of experience and know instinctively how to get the best shot, to know that it’s all about light and to have that tiny microphone on the groom’s lapel so even if the bride were to whisper “I do”, that microphone will sound exactly as if your ear was right next to the bride’s mouth and that’s how it will sound on the finished film. Audio is just as important as the video itself. I’ll say it again, audio is just as important as the video itself. Anyone can tolerate grainy or shaky video but we are all far less tolerant of bad audio. “What did he say, what was that loud bang, why is the sound distorting?”

Professional microphones avoid all that and really, you won’t even see them on the day. During the speeches, I want to hear every word by any of the speakers as crystal clear as I can and I won’t be relying on the house system. Inevitably, the venue’s supplied microphones and speaker leave a lot to be desired so again, that’s me preparing for the day and knowing how to eliminate or minimize any unwanted situations where bad possibilities can occur…. before they occur!

A good videographer will know what to do, how to do it and when to do it because the last thing he or she ever wants is to have an unhappy client and that’s never happened to me.

The last thing I want you to feel on your wedding day is that you’re on a film set. The wedding is all about yourselves and I make it my duty to be unobtrusive and not get in the way of you, your guests and family. That is ultra important to me. I don’t have loads of equipment, no cables, lights or any of that stuff that people might trip over

There are always two of us and are never in your face with a camera. If you were to tell me at the end of the day that you hardly noticed us, then that would be a comment I hear all the time. I don’t call any shots, I leave that for the photographer. I’m there to film the day as it unfolds in as natural a way as I can, the way it happened.

One thing I can promise you, the wedding day will whizz by in a blur, everyone wanting to congratulate you both because naturally, you two are the very center of attention and the reason why we are all there. You’re going to be exhausted by the end of the day, but in a good way, and next morning, you’ll probably be unable to remember much of the day before in detail.

But if you had hired us to film the whole day, then that won’t be a problem.

Please do have a look at the testimonials and highlights videos on this East Kent Wedding Video website and hopefully, I’ll be able to add yours soon.

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