Amanda and Jake tied the knot on July 30th at the Strock Farm in Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania. The farm is just south of the town of Mechanicsburg surrounded by fields. It features a special building where the couple and the bridal party got ready in separate spaces. The Ceremony was held in a rustic barn which featured air conditioning which is great for Pennsylvania summers. The couple had their first look in front of a vintage muscle car and in the flower gardens around the farm. Before the ceremony started I was able to make a few drone flights to record some aerial videography. The drone flights went over the fields and the farm lane entrance. The drone was able to capture some stunning video of the Appalachian mountains in the distance and rolling hills and farms around the area. Amanda and Jake were surrounded by their very supportive friends and family. The speeches by the bridal party during the reception were especially touching. The guests had a catered barbecue buffet in the barn and an open bar. The dancing really started a bit later with everyone getting involved.
Matt & Alli were married on Saturday at the Moondancer Vineyard and Winery in Wrightsville Pennsylvania. The couple got ready in the winery and were planning on having the ceremony on the lawn near the vines facing the Susquehanna River but the cloudy weather started to turn into a heavy rain. The guests quickly moved the round archway and folding chairs under the big tent where the reception was going to be held later. It all worked out well and the couple had a beautiful wedding ceremony with sound of the rain landing on the tent in the background. One amazing highlight was the flower man doing a full on performance. The winery served wood fired pizzas for appetizers and a full buffet for dinner. The rain finally stopped around the time the reception dancing started. It turned out to be a beautiful wedding, the couple and family had a lot of laughs. Wedding photography was by Katie McDonald Photography.
I love look of film grain so in every wedding video I use Super 35 film stock effects to give it a subtle texture that has a more real analogue feel to it. I thought this wedding video could use an extra edit to push it even further with a faster paced edit, film grain, and high energy vintage sounding music. I used 16mm film mattes and grain for this and some film burn transitions.
Dancing in the tentWedding Rainbow is the upside of rain your wedding dayWedding at a VineyardA real rainbow in this wedding
This is the first wedding to include footage from a drone. I used the DJI Mini 2, a pretty small aerial camera to get the shots. I was initially frustrated by the weather and the low clouds but after the wedding reception was underway the weather cleared up a bit. I used the DJI quick shot helix which worked out great, the couple stood on the lawn and the drone spirals upwards and is able to get theme and the hills going down to the Susquehanna River. I was also able to get some shots of the winery before sunset. I was super excited to be able to use the drone in this wedding video after passing the FAA Part 107 test.
One thing I really enjoyed using in this wedding video was the Panasonic Nocticron 42.5mm f1.2 lens. I use two primary Panasonic Lumix cameras to shoot most of the video and this was the perfect lens to use for a wedding. The wedding reception, and ceremony were held in a tent and the wide aperture setting really helped to get footage in an otherwise difficult spot. The lighting would have been too dark for the camera sensors otherwise. The Panasonic Nocticron also has image stabilization which is perfect for filming weddings because it is easier and more natural to use the camera handheld.
I found that for this wedding I didn’t use the DJI Ronin SC as much as with all outdoor wedding videos. I liked the tighter lens handheld because it was easier to get the close in shots. I used my usual sound recording methods which mostly worked well despite the rain beating on the side of the tent.
This wedding was held at the Waynesboro Country Club. The weather did not cooperate, but the wedding party still had a lovely time. The ceremony was indoors with large panoramic windows overlooking the dramatic weather on the golf course and the bridge over the creek. The reception was held in the banquet hall of the country club.
A beautiful fall wedding in Hershey Pennsylvania at Purcell Friendship Hall on the grounds of the Milton Hershey School. The groom and friends prepped in the farmhouse, the bridal party got ready at a salon in Hummelstown before taking a limo to the hall to finish up. The ceremony was held outside in the pavilion. The reception was held in the large renovated barn. Pictures were taken by the massive haystacks and in the nearby fields.
This ceremony was beautiful, and the reception was incredible and very fun. Alex and Nicole held their ceremony at the 1908 Cameron-Masland Mansion in Kings Gaps State Park. Guests were seated on the patio facing an expansive view of the Cumberland Valley. The bridal party and groomsmen got ready inside the mansion’s bedrooms and dining areas. The weather was a perfect September day and the air was cool on top of the mountain. The reception was held in the couple’s backyard, and was absolutely incredible considering the couple had created the entire venue themselves. They had a large tent with a dance floor and seating for the guests, a building with a bar and stage for the band. Dinner was provided by a mobile wood fired pizza oven. There was just so much detail and personal touches to their homemade venue, it really was amazing and their guests certainly enjoyed it.
A beautiful wedding at the Lodges at Gettysburg on a hill overlooking the valley. They included so many great Mexican touches and traditions. The weather did not cooperate but they were able to hold the ceremony in the reception hall. It didn’t dampen the mood at all. They included Las Arras Matrimoniales and a Lasso.
A beautiful wedding held in Lancaster County Pennsylvania. The groom and family got ready at Bent Creek Country Club. The bridal party prepped at the Drumore Estates where the reception was to be held that evening. The couple and family used a trolley to get them into historic downtown Lancaster for the ceremony. The ceremony was held at St Marys Church on Prince and Vine. Music was provided by a real pipe organ and cantor. The incredible detail, which was later revealed by the father of the bride was that the brides parents were married in the same church, AND the brides grandparents were also married in the same church! The couple took some quick photos in Penn Square in downtown Lancaster and rode the trolley with their party back to Drumore Estates for pictures. The guests had cocktails on the front patio off the bar next to the garden. Dinner was served on the back patio. Dancing was in the Orangery. The couple also included a cigar lounge off the Orangery
Gorgeous wedding at Pond View Farm in Whitehall Maryland. The bridal party and families got ready in the stone farmhouse. The couple had their first look by the pond and took pictures and enjoyed their time as their guests arrived. The ceremony was held facing the pond and the reception dinner and dancing was held in the rustic wood framed barn.
Springside Barn in East Earl Township, Lancaster County Pennsylvania
A fun Lancaster County Wedding at Spring Side Barn, surrounded by farmland near Shady Maple. The ceremony was outside in the garden facing the open fields. There was plenty of emotion and tears, the couples did a beautiful job at writing their own vows. The reception was held in the barn with a buffett dinner. The couple had a small cake and trays of various cupcakes. The father of the bride gave a great toast before dinner. Having the parents give speeches doesn’t work for everyone, but from the video side of things it is wonderful because it always gives me great extra material to work with. This is a longer highlight. From a marketing perspective I like the idea of cutting them shorter with only the absolute best shots but couples and their families and friends love seeing the full moments. I also think it helps to have the highlight a bit longer to tell the full story. I’ll post a short version soon. Thank you Paul and Ashley, it was great working with you and being a part of your day.
This couple was married on Saturday September 20, 2020 in Forest Hills Maryland. The wedding and reception were held at the farm at Stone Ridge Hollow. The couple got ready in the farmhouse with the bridal party, including drinks and mimosas. After a sweltering and humid summer, the couple and guests were fortunate to have an absolutely perfect day, with few clouds, no humidity and a cool breeze.
You turn the good times into great times.”
Stone Ridge Hollow features an original farmhouse, a large newly renovated barn with a barn and hangout area downstairs, and another bar in the back. Stone Ridge Hollow’s reception area is surrounded by old grain silos, two large ponds with a fountain, and spacious fields that go up the hill and are protected by woods. The area is very rural, quiet, and private despite being near to Baltimore, Washington D.C. and other cities, I spotted a herd of deer walking across the field while I was there. As the couple and bridal party got dressed and ready in the farmhouse, the guests gathered on the barns back patio. The couple were surrounded by family and close friends and large bridal party were happy to join in the celebration. The ceremony was held by the pond with a large and incredible trellis behind them. The guests were spaced out in chairs on the lawn as is normal now with covid weddings. The emotion of the moment was obvious on their faces as Allison walked down the aisle. They wrote their own vows which reflected their friendship and their common love of The Office with some excellent references to that amazing show.
“You are the Pam to my Jim, the Angela to my Dwight, and the Stanley to my Soft Pretzel.”
After the ceremony while the bridal party took photos by the pond the guests mingled with international hors d’oeuvres served by staff and drinks from an open bar on the patio. The party and family had a blast taking photos and then made their entrance to the large main room of the barn. They had their first dance and the bride danced with her father followed by speeches.
I love you more than words could ever say.
The dinner was a classy buffet with extra precautions for the coronavirus. The bridal party had a good crowd on the dance floor. As the night went on the party mostly moved to the bar downstairs where guests had drinks and took selfies and photos with an instant analog camera for the guestbook. Outside under the extra bright crescent moon next to an old grain silo there was a open camp fire with smores.
