Greetings, People!

Welcome to "Cheryl's Notes".   Or "Cheryl's Scribbles".   Or "Cheryl's Words".    Whichever, I like to think of it as my own blog-in-a-blog.

I guess I will start with a quick history lesson.

Last year around this time, Lynette and I were talking or doing something and one of us, can't remember who, came up with the idea of a blog. Maybe we came up with the idea at the same time. But as so often happens, we had different ideas of how a blog is written. Lynette said, "You will write the blog entries". I said "Okay".  So I did. I wrote and wrote and wrote all about the weddings and Bridal Shows and anything else I thought about, and I would check back to see how it looked in the actual McNeal Video blog, and my goodness! I didn't recognize what I saw! You see, Lynette is the Great Editor in the CyberSky, and she would have whittled down what I had written to a few choice sentences, add her touch to the entry, and then post it.

"Why did you cut everything out of my blog entry!"? I would say nicely to her. "It didn't fit" would be her reply. So finally after this went on for several entries, I just told her to take my name off the entry because it "wasn't what I had written". I didn't want to take credit for something I didn't write. And after all, I am a frustrated writer and it was my "art" she was messing around with. So Lynette took credit. And so that's how the blog existed last year. And don't get me wrong, we do have a GREAT blog. But between you and me, it's not really written like a true blog. So that's where I come back in.    

I think what happened this year about the blog came about after Lynette realized that a blog can be written in a way that is conversational and casual, yet informative and entertaining. So Lynette is turning me loose to actually write my blog. In a blog. Lynette likes to call it my "notes".   We'll go along with that to keep her happy,  K?

And now I will introduce myself. I am Cheryl. The sister of Lynette McNeal. Along with our niece Amanda, we are McNeal Video. If you are one of our past brides or future brides, you may not remember me. That's because you don't really see me until the photo shoot, if even then. That's because on the day of the wedding, I am not with the bride. That's Lynette's and Amanda's job. I'm with the groom. I video the groom and his guys getting ready and hanging out before the wedding, just as Lynette and Amanda are covering the bride. Then at the reception there is so much going on that most people don't remember even seeing me. Even though I am the only constant videographer at both the wedding and reception. Lynette and Amanda switch off with the receptions, but I am ALWAYS at the reception.  I'm there from when the day starts until the day ends. I don't switch off with Lynette or Amanda because I love shooting the entire day.   I love what I do.

I also always accompany Lynette to the rehearsals. Someone else needs to be there to keep Lynette grounded. :-)  Really, we attend the rehearsals so we can get an idea of how the ceremony will "go" and where our camera's need to be to get the best shots. Lynette is the Master Editor and she sees the ceremony through the eyes of an editor. So during the rehearsal she'll whisper over to me, "We could get a GREAT shot if we could only stand behind that flower arrangement next to the bride and groom". And I'll whisper back, "but we could get a BETTER shot if we lowered ourself from the ceiling from a cable". Lynette knows I'm being sarcastic. And I know that Lynette didn't really mean that we're going to stand behind the flowers next to the bride and groom. She's just merely "wishing" we could because she knows she could edit it to look absolutely amazing.

But as Lynette and I always say to each other.....We don't  "do"  that.   We are at the wedding to capture the ceremony and the day for the bride and groom. And we do it in such a way that we hopefully go as unnoticed as possible. And I'm proud that we make great videos without ruining the ceremony for the bride and groom and their family and guests. The day is not about us. I like the way that one of our 2007 Bride's put it. She said something along the lines that she appreciated that we were respectful of the bride and groom and that this was THEIR day,  not just another day for us to make a great video.   I like that.

Okay. I know I'm wordy. I'll end by saying that in 2008, I'll be writing weekly about our weddings, and what we do on weekends that we don't have weddings. And also throw in my opinion on cool bands, or gorgeous flowers, or great cakes (my favorite!), that we've come across in our travels. It will be just my opinion, but maybe you can check them out if you haven't already made arrangements for bands, flowers, and cakes. I may also tell a story or two about the inside workings of a videography studio. Who knows what I'll write. Oh, and Lynette will be adding frames grabbed from our videos to illustrate what I'm writing about. Pretty cool? And just so you'll know, I'll be writing these things from my home at 3:00 in the morning.

And I'll REALLY end by saying, we have our first wedding of 2008 this weekend!   So let the year begin!

Comments

[ashley]

Hi Cheryl - I cant wait!!! Love the graphic. Let me know when you do your first post so I can share with the brides on my site:) Ashley, www.ashleysbrideguide.com

[LoriM]

Hi Cheryl, I'm just now reading this. Your Notes have been so amazing I had to go back and look for more and loved reading this background, too.
Wish you could have done MY wedding. Tho' it was a pretty simple wedding. My BIL did some videoing but I don't even know where it ended up. Sigh.