Monica and Jonathan’s Fayetteville Town Center Wedding was a pretty special one! We got to work with some pretty cool vendors, tried out some new gear, and saw some really unique things. It was definitely one to remember.

Fayetteville Town Center Wedding: Monica and Jonathan

I initially met Monica at a bridal show, and she was pretty interested in using us for her wedding film. She also had some amazing luck because she won a drawing and was able to get our biggest package. I think we were about as excited as she was.

We’ve shot other Fayetteville Town Center Weddings, and it always amazes me how they can make that place look amazing. It’s really just a plain room, but it looked amazing for Monica’s ceremony and reception.

There were some really cool details and things I’ve never seen before. There were these trees everywhere with crystals hanging off of them. There were these bottles with candles and it looked like the bottles had been covered in wax. It’s kind of hard to explain, but they had a really cool texture. At each table there were little presents for the guests and there were more gifts on another table. The bags had the cutest bride and groom stick figures. Besides the decorations, Monica did something really special and cool at the reception. She had recorded a video of her seeing and playing a piano just for him. This wasn’t a home video either. It looked professional.

The reception was a really big party with a lot of dancing, and we got some cool shots using our new piece of equipment, the Glidecam. We used it for some other walking shots earlier in the day, but I really love what I was able to get during the dances.

Monica and Jonathan’sFayetteville Town Center Wedding was a big one. There were a ton of people in the wedding party and a ton of guests. Monica wanted it to be a unique and special day, and she definitely pulled that off!

I just shared Kevin and Suke’s Eureka Springs Wedding Film, so I thought I might as well continue the streak and share Alexis and Erich’s Eureka Springs Elopement wedding. 

Eureka Springs Elopement wedding: Alexis and Erich

I really love being in the wedding world. What other jobs let you meet random people from a different state and hang out with them? That’s basically what happened with Alexis and Erich. They decided to have an elopement wedding, and decided on Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs. Then, they found us through a Google search, and I’m so glad they did!

Like most elopements, there weren’t a ton of people there, but this was perfect for what they wanted. They wanted something small and personal. I think there might have been a total of 12 people there, but each person was super special.

Eureka Springs is a tourist town and has some cool features. Alexis rented out this little cottage, and that’s where we did all the getting ready shots. They had some really cool details. They had owls incorporated into a lot of their stuff. Later, I also saw this old watch that Erich had. From there, we went to the Crescent Hotel for a first look and some couple portraits.

The ceremony at Thorncrown was next. Like I said, there weren’t a bunch of people here, but I could tell it was still a special moment for the two of them. We did some quick portraits outside. The night ended with a dinner at a local restaurant, and they were kind enough to invite us! It was special way to end the night, getting to hang out with them and see them all relaxing.

Alexis and Erich’s Eureka Springs Elopement wedding was different than most of my weddings, but I still loved being involved. It just goes to show that not all weddings have to be the same and follow a pattern. This was what they wanted to do and it was a perfect day!

Well, I finally finished all of the 2014 Wedding films and now I can move on to 2015. I thought I would start off these blogs with something a little special. The majority of our weddings are in Northwest Arkansas, but for this wedding, we got to travel to Eureka Springs! Not only that, I actually knew the groom pretty well. I played football with Kevin in junior high and high school! Check out their Eureka Springs Wedding Film!

Eureka Springs Wedding Film: Kevin and Suke

The day started off with a bang. The girls were getting ready in the famous Crescent Hotel! This is such a cool looking, old building, but it’s also supposed to be haunted. So cool!

After that, we met up with everyone else at another amazing location: the Thorncrown Chapel. It’s a beautiful glass chapel, nestled in the woods. It’s very similar to the Mildred B. Cooper Chapel in Bella Vista. The weather was perfect so that made the lighting inside and outside the chapel amazing for photos. Kevin and the guys wore these really nice tan suits, which was nice to see something different, and Suke wore a light, simple dress with a lace, cage veil. Everyone was looking stylish!

We went back to the Crescent Hotel and that’s where the real fun began. The reception room was so classy. It has dark stained wood, wood floors, chandeliers, and big windows. They also made their own centerpieces, which were so unique. They were a combo of different colored balls sticking in this green holder. It’s hard to explain, but they were interesting. Then, they had photos at each spot as well, which I always love.

This was a lively group. There was plenty of laughing, partying, and dancing. We had a great time watching it all, so I’m pretty sure they were having a blast.

Kevin and Suke’s Eureka Springs Wedding Film is a great reminder of a great day. I love watching it and remembering the fun we had. I hope they love it just as much!

There are a ton of churches and wedding venues all over Northwest Arkansas, and I do love going to them. Each one is unique and has pluses and minuses. Most of them I’ve shot at them more than once, so it’s not really a new experience anymore. Occasionally I get to shoot in a special location, one that I know I won’t be at again. That was the case with Danielle and Chad’s backyard wedding video.

Danielle and Chad’s Backyard Wedding Video

There were so many special things about this wedding! First, of course, it was at Danielle’s house. This meant they were getting ready in her old bathroom, the ceremony was in her driveway, and the reception in her backyard. I know for me my childhood home is very special to me, and every spot has memories, so I’m sure connecting her wedding to her home was special. Two, the wedding was on a Tuesday! I was still teaching at the time, so I got to take the day off to hang out with these two. It did kind of confuse me for the rest of the week, but it was worth it. Three, Danielle’s sister was the officiant at the ceremony. Normally the officiant has some connection to the couple, but I can’t imagine it being any more personal than a sister. Four, there was a surprise appearance by the family dog. This wasn’t just any dog, though. This dog actually helped save her father’s life in the past.

That’s a ton of special things, but the rest of the day was awesome as well. They had a tent set up in the backyard and people danced all night and had fun. Toward the end of the night, Danielle’s sister even sang a special song (she’s an opera singer)!

It’s been over two years, but I can still remember Danielle and Chad’s Backyard Wedding Video. I’ve run into them since then and I see their Facebook posts, and they are still in as much love as they were back then. It’s great to see that in a couple, and I know they have a great future ahead.

It’s such a small world! The more weddings I do the more I realize how true that is. I’m constantly seeing people I know or finding I have connections to my couples. It’s very rare that I don’t have something in common with them. Megan and Aaron’s Wedding Film at Stables on the Hill wasn’t any different. I actual found the connection before the wedding. We went in to have our second child, and after some time, I realized that Megan was one of the nurses! How crazy is that! That first connection made her wedding even more personal!

Megan and Aaron’s Wedding Film at Stables on the Hill

The Stables on the Hill is a lovely rustic wedding venue, and it fit perfectly with Megan and Aaron’s theme. There were bright blue skies, lots of fields, and the horses even came to see us a few times.

The ceremony was outside right in front of the stables. They had this burlap covered structure as a backdrop, and it was a nice touch. They also did a tree planting ceremony, which I’ve only seen a few times. It’s such an interesting idea because that tree will be around for years and years, and it will always be connected to their wedding day.

The reception was inside the stables, so we didn’t have to go very far. We did some portraits while everything got in place. Then, there were some emotional dances, a really great speech from her sister, and some really cool details. Megan had her cake, but she also had cupcakes underneath. Then, Aaron’s cake was more of a country style with horns on it. They also had mason jars for everyone, but they had a special twist: each one had a spot to write a name. I thought that was a neat idea. They ended the night with an exit to everyone ringing bells, which is very different than the normal sparkler exit.

Megan and Aaron’s Wedding Film at Stables on the Hill was beautiful and I loved being a part of it after she was a part of my big day (daughter’s birth). I thought her film turned out awesome, and I guess she did as well because we eventually filmed her sister’s wedding as well! Love those connections!

One really fun thing about revisiting all of these weddings from the past few years is seeing how things have changed. We videoed John and Christi’s Pinnacle Country Club Wedding Video back in June of 2014, but there’s been a major change in their lives recently.

Pinnacle Country Club Wedding Video: John & Christi

I’ve run into John a few times over the years, and he is also been very outgoing and kind. I learned the big news though through a Facebook post. They were looking to adopt a baby! This was so cool to hear. John and Christi are really kind people that are solid Christians. I know that when they do get a baby they will be amazing parents. Anyway, that’s not really related to their wedding video, but I thought I’d share it.

This was a really high class wedding full of emotion. Both John and Christi had been waiting awhile to find the perfect person, and they finally found each other. We were on the golf course for the first look and portraits, so we had a great background. The first look was awesome. They were both just so happy. I also remember Christi was barely able to make it through her vows. She was so emotional. It’s so great to see that kind of emotion and happiness. Everything at the reception was beautiful: the lighting, the table arrangements, and the cakes. Her cake was one of the best ones I’ve seen, but I think I liked John’s better: it was a superhero cake.

I’m so excited to see what the future holds for these two. I’ve only been around them a short time, but I know they are going to be great parents and raise a wonderful child. I’m so glad that I got to be there for their Pinnacle Country Club Wedding Video. It’s a great reminder of where they started.