KATE & NATHAN

Hello Everyone! Did everyone have a nice Thanksgiving? I can't believe how fast time is passing. November flew into December so fast that I could barely keep up with it. And now we're staring Christmas and the holidays in the face . . . and we're not ready! It's not that we're not ready for the holidays, but rather not ready for another year to roll into our past. At least not so fast. Sometimes I just want to slow the days down a bit so we can actually experience them instead of looking back on them trying to remember . . . what happened?

Maybe that's why I enjoy wedding videography so much. While not actually able to stop and hold time, we are able to help in reliving a moment in time that is in our memory only a blur. I'm glad that we can give time back to our brides and grooms, so to speak. Time to look back and relive a wedding day that came and went too fast.

Which brings me to last weekend's wedding. Kate and Nathan were married on Saturday, December 6, 2008 at Central Church of Christ in McMinnville. Another beautiful wedding. Another very fast day . . .

. . . and another road trip!

McMinnville is probably the furthest we've traveled to cover a wedding. And since none of us were familiar with McMinnville, Lynette decreed that we three, she, Amanda, and I, would ride down in the same car for the wedding. So that's exactly what we did. Of course, Lynette and I also made the journey on Friday for the rehearsal. You know how I mentioned how fast time passes? Well, other times it seems  to crawl -- like in a long car ride with your sister and niece! Okay, just teasing. I enjoyed the "vehicle quality time" we three shared! And once we arrived at the church on Saturday, we all were so busy that we barely saw each other. The day was a whirlwind of activity!

Lynette and Amanda spent their day with Kate pre-ceremony, and I was with Nathan and his guys.  Everyone got ready at the church, so it was easy to keep track of each other.  Kate and Nathan and their family and friends were all so nice and friendly and obviously enjoying the day. 

   

 

Kate and Nathan chose to see each other before the ceremony, and we were able to capture that special moment on film.  Kate looked absolutely gorgeous in her dress.  This is one of my favorite dresses of the year, and Kate wore it beautifully.  Nathan looked pretty handsome too!

Time was really flying before the ceremony with everyone getting ready, followed by the photoshoot.  But even tho we were all very busy, it was a fun time!  Kate and Nathan set the mood by being at ease and stress free.  Well, maybe there was a little pre-wedding jitters, but nothing that ruined the mood of the day.  Kate and Nathan were so easy and fun to work with, so our time with them flew!

We were also fortunate enough to not only have a comfortable and easy bride and groom, but we found ourselves part of a wedding vendor "dream team"!  Time goes by quickly and easily when surrounded by professionals who know their jobs and do them well.  And such was the case with this wedding.

It was our first time to work with wedding planner Mary Alice of A Delightful Day, and she was a delight to work with.  In a nutshell, she kept the day running smoothly.  She kept all of us informed of everything we needed to know so we were able to be where we were suppose to be, when we were suppose to be there.  We were able to capture on video every important moment as it happened.  You don't know how important and sometimes so difficult this is!  So we appreciate very much when the wedding planner is working with us . . . and for the bride . . . to insure that she has her perfect wedding day.

It was also our first time to work with photographer Dawn Winton of Life As Art Photography.   It was a treat to find such a jewel of a photographer hiding in a small town, but there she was!  I think she needs to come to Nashville!  I can't say enough about how easy and enjoyable it was to work with her and her husband/assistant, Tim.  Dawn and Tim were both very professional, pleasant, and moved the photo shoot along at a good pace without it feeling frantic.  Dawn was also a rare find in that she realized that we, as videographers, had a job to do as well, and she worked with us . . . and for the bride . . . to insure that Kate would get the best in wedding photos as well as the best in a wedding video.

Anyway, working with such a nice couple as Kate and Nathan, and with Mary Alice and Dawn, the day was very enjoyable and time rolled along, and before we knew it, it was time to get married!  It was breezy and cold outside, but inside all was lovely and warm.  I love December weddings because of this juxtaposition, and also because there is just something in the air . . . it's a special time of the year. . .

The flowers and candles that decorated the church were perfect for a December wedding.  Everything was just beautiful.

After the ceremony, which was beautiful in itself, everyone made their way to the reception at McMinnville Country Club.  Since Lynette, Amanda and I were all riding together, I couldn't try to beat the guests to the reception, as I usually enjoy doing.  I just knew that we were doomed to arrive as Kate and Nathan were leaving!  Okay, not that late, but I was concerned . . . However, I was pleasantly surprised at just how fast we all got ourselves together and hooked up at the car for the ride over to the reception.  And it was a good thing that we did make good time because the country club was filled to capacity with guests enjoying the buffet by the time we arrived.

 Amanda and I made it into the reception first as Lynette parked her car.  Amanda and I have covered so many receptions together that we don't have to ask each other anymore who is going to get what.  Amanda knows that my first thought is of the wedding cake, so she lets me have at it!  So as I was shooting the cake, Amanda disappeared into the crowd and I didn't see her again until it was almost time for Kate and Nathan to make their entrance.

The reception area was so full of guests enjoying themselves that I didn't even know that there was a groom's cake in the back,  but Amanda did!  (And, I might add, a very creative groom's cake it was!  Smokey The Dog was not a prop -- it was the cake!)  Anyway, between both of us we were able to get the cakes as well as the yummy buffet and beautiful table centerpieces.

Normally, only two of us stay to cover a reception, but since we were in McMinnville in the same vehicle, there were three of us at Kate and Nathan's reception.  We had already agreed that Amanda and I would cover most of the reception events, such as special dances, cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc., and Lynette would be our back-up and take extra footage of the details that Amanda and I may not have had time to fully cover.  Anyway, Lynette works so hard at the ceremony with camera work as well as audio, Amanda and I thought that she should be the one to take it a little easier at the reception.  :-)

Again,  I can't stress how "easy" it was to work a busy wedding reception with wedding planner Mary Alice and photographer Dawn Winton.  It just makes such a pleasant difference in the "flow" of the evening when all the vendors work together FOR THE BRIDE.

After Kate and Nathan made their entrance and danced, cut the cake, greeted guests, the band started playing and got the party started.  Again, another pleasant surprise.  The band was HOT!

The Joe Harvey Band must be another McMinnville treasure because we had never had them play at any of our Nashville weddings, but would certainly like to!  This band was a band that didn't waste time on frills, but were there to perform good, solid, rock music.  I thoroughly enjoyed them.  They played songs from the '70's and 80's that got everyone, and I mean everyone, out on the dance floor!  Songs that generally aren't played at receptions, but yet great songs!  Very refreshing!

Getting back to the party  . . . After the band took a break and started playing again, the dance floor stayed full to capacity until past time for Kate and Nathan to make their exit.  Kate, Nathan and everyone was having such a great time dancing that the band played a few extra songs to everyone's enjoyment.  I think everyone would have danced all night if the band had continued to play!  And I think the band would have played all night if the circumstance had permitted!  But Kate and Nathan DID have a honeymoon to start after all!

So the evening came to an end, Kate and Nathan made their exit into the brrrr cold night as guests tossed rose petals into the cold winter's air.  A perfect ending to a perfect day . . .

And since the day flew by for us, I know it flew by all too fast for Kate and Nathan!  I'm so glad that we were able to capture 'time' for Kate and Nathan.  Time that they may not remember because of the busy-ness of the day, but time that they can re-live through their video . . .

 Thank you, Kate and Nathan, for inviting us to spend this very special day with you!  And we wish you both a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful life together.

And I see to my dismay that the sun is starting to lighten the room, so it's time for this girl to go to bed!