ASHLEY & RUSS - A Beautiful Wedding

Hey! How is everyone? Seems like it’s been a long time since I last wrote in my notes. Have you missed me? Don’t answer that one. :-- ) Even though I haven’t written about wonderful weddings lately, we’ve been super busy with editing, logging, meeting with brides, montages, and shooting music video’s and photo shoots. We’ve got lots of great weddings on the calendar. And I mean they are all GREAT. I can’t wait to share them with you. So stayed tuned, so to speak…..

This past Saturday we had such a nice time with Ashley and Russ on their wedding day. Again, two nicer people you couldn’t meet. I keep on being amazed at the quality of couples we get at McNeal Video. And of course, we have the prettiest brides in Nashville! (and surrounding areas).  :-)

Ashley and Russ were married at Immanuel Baptist Church in Belle Meade. What a beautiful church!

We've never covered a wedding at Immanuel before, so when Lynette and I went to the rehearsal, as we always do, we didn’t really know what to expect. Since we got there before everyone else, again, as we always do thanks to Lynette who can NEVER be late even if she tried, we were met by the Church Lady (although I'm sure that's not her "official title"), Mrs. Martha Bomboy. 

I could write an amusing history of our encounters with Church Ladies over the years, but I won’t, but we had no such encounter with Mrs Bomboy.  We couldn’t have asked for a nicer person to give us instructions and answer our questions regarding the church's restrictions for the wedding ceremony. And that’s a bigger issue than you would think. Sometimes we aren’t even allowed in the auditorium during the ceremony! That makes shooting the wedding a little challenging. Anyway, we were VERY relieved that Mrs Bomboy had her rules, but they were ones we could easily live with.

We were also met by Ashley’s wedding planner, Haley Davidson, who ran one of the best rehearsals we’ve been to in a while. Haley gave us a timeline of events, which again, we don’t always get and is such a HUGE help for us, and she was very organized and didn’t waste any time during the rehearsal. That was great!  So with Mrs Bomboy and Haley in charge, we knew this was going to be a wedding that was organized and run very well. Plus, with Ashley and Russ, we knew this was going to be an awesome wedding. And it was!

The wedding day was beautiful, although it could have been a bit less humid for me and my hair, but we soldiered on. It was unusual, but Lynette, Amanda, and I all came in different cars. This was because we needed to arrive at different times. Oh, and the ever helpful Kelsey the Video Chick was there as well. And boy, was she helpful! All three of us sent her back and forth to our separate cars to get equipment that we forgot to bring in because we didn’t think we would need it, but did. If I had to run back out to my car to get a piece of equipment in that humidity, I would have been a puddle of Cheryl before the day was over. Luckily, tho, Kelsey (being the youngest of us 'chicks') seems to be weather proof.

Ashley and Russ chose not to see each other before the wedding, so once again I hung out with the guys most of the day, while Lynette and Amanda covered Ashley and the girls. I barely saw Ashley during part of a photo shoot, but she looked beautiful! Since I hang with the guys, it’s always so much fun for me to see the Bride after she is dressed and ready to go. Russ looked very handsome, of course, and he and his guys were very laid back before the wedding. All in all, a very nice group of people to spend a Saturday with.

The wedding ceremony was lovely. I don’t know who did the flowers, but the arrangements at the front of the church were gorgeous! The wedding party looked very handsome (guys) and lovely (girls) and of course Ashley and Russ looked awesome together. The ceremony itself was spiritual and holy reminding us all that marriage itself is spiritual and holy.

Afterward, Amanda and Kelsey the Video Chick stayed behind for the photo shoot while Lynette and I and all of the guests made a run for the reception which was held at Hillwood Country Club. I must say, I made excellent time, beating Lynette there by a hefty margin. Not that it’s a race or anything. Or not that I drive fast or anything. Or not that Lynette drives slow or anything…..

Of course, the first thing I do when I run, um, walk, into the reception venue is to……FIND THE CAKE. And this was no different. I have to get those detail shots before the guests arrive and eat the cake! Of course, I have plenty of time before that happens, but for some reason I just feel a pressure to see the cake. I loves my cakes! I think in a different life I must have been a wedding cake or something!

Anyway, the reception was decorated beautifully and the buffet looked delicious and the guests seemed to be enjoying themselves while waiting for Ashley and Russ to arrive. And when they did, the party began!

The band, Mo Sol, entertained their butts off! This was a band out of Atlanta, and I must say that Atlanta bands so far have been very impressive. (see my last entry on Reception Bands). Instead of one Singing Chick or five Singing Chicks, Mo Sol had TWO Singing Chicks who belted out every song like you would not believe! And they danced too. One of them even got down with the guests, and danced and sang. PLUS, there was a costume change during their break. Wow! Again, my camera was on the band almost as much as it was on the guests dancing! They were very entertaining and got the party swinging.

Too soon it was time to go and Ashley and Russ made a run to their vintage limo as guests tossed rose petals in the air. And I must say that they looked very happy as they left. I think they had a pretty perfect day. And I’m so glad that we were invited to be there to record their day for them.

Thank you

Ashley and Russ

and

All the Best to You!

And now it’s time for me to sign off (yawn) and go to bed…..

Comments

[Linda]

Hi Cheryl,
I missed you. I love reading your blog and I check it often. Glad you're back and as usual you have an interesting blog.
You need to be an author and write a book about weddings or something.

[Lynette]

Okay, just for the record (since other comments about my driving have been made before) . . . I don't drive slow. I drive the "speed limit"!