Southern Wedding Tradition

Rain on Your Wedding Day?

Wondering what Mother Nature has in store for your wedding day?  Want to hedge your bets?  Well, if you are getting married in the South, you may just want to try “burying the bourbon.” Yes, that’s right, “burying the bourbon.”

Southern folklore claims that burying a bottle of bourbon at your wedding venue exactly one month prior to the big day ensures a rain-free event!  Of course, there are a few details you don’t want to overlook: use a FULL bottle of bourbon; bury the bottle UPSIDE-DOWN; and be sure to MARK your burial site so you can enjoy the bourbon later on.

Effective?

Now, I’m sure you are all asking the same question – DOES IT WORK?

Speaking from personal experience, I’d have to answer, YES!

We recently buried a bottle of Maker’s Mark (our bride was from Kentucky) at the wedding venue exactly one month prior to her wedding day and though the forecast called for a 40 percent chance of rain, the weather for the outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour was absolutely beautiful.

At 7:45 pm  we moved the party inside to the ballroom for dinner and dancing.  Exactly two minutes after the last person walked through the ballroom doors, the skies opened up and the rain poured down.

Pure luck or a little Southern divine intervention?  I’d say a little of both.

Bury those bottles!

Nancy Paris, President
Sea Star Events
Hilton Head, SC
www.seastarevents.com

On this occasion I was there for the wedding of Jeff and Jennifer. It was set up on the poolside patio.

I love the way they included their sons, Aidan and Ben, in the ceremony. When it came tIme for the Unity Sand Ceremony, the boys were included. All four of them poured different colored sands into a common container.

The bonds of the family created in this marriage cannot be separated or broken.

Jennifer and Jeff had a very beautiful wedding.

Thank you, Mr and Mrs Jeff and Jennifer Scalzi, for letting me be a part of your special day. Congratulations and may God bless you now and always!

The staff at Windows is very attentive to all the details that make a wedding ceremony and reception beautiful.

For this particular wedding I loved all the attention to detail. The groomsmen had a quintessentially Southern bouitinerre, a sprig of cotton from a cotton plant. This was further coordinated with the centerpieces on the tables.

Thank you, Mr and Mrs Brandon and Paula Miles for letting me be a part of your special day!

Whenever I attend a rehearsal such as this one in South Carolina, I use the occasion to have the couple sign the license.

I then take the license with me and sign off on it after the ceremony. I find this to be a great way to take care of a very important matter.

Cecilia and John’s wedding took place at The Westin Resort in Hilton Head. I love this particular venue. The staff is very attentive and the beach views are phenomenal.

I enjoyed my time with the groomsmen before the ceremony. Their joy and excitement were palpable.

I have worked with this couple for nearly a year in preparing for this great occasion. I have enjoyed getting to know them and their beautiful family.

Thank you Cecilia and John! Congratulations to you both. May God grant you many years of happiness together.

On May 12, 2012 I officiated at a wedding at Wexford Plantation in Hilton Head. This is a beautiful venue for a wedding.

For this wedding they did a floral design down the aisle.

The first wedding I had on May 5, 2012 was an Palmetto Dunes on the beach in Hilton Head. This was a small, intimate wedding of just a few close friends. It was the wedding of Paul and Kim Osborne. I have known Paul now for a couple of years; he sold me my car!

Paul and Kim had known each other for years. He had a crush on her in junior high and was told he could never have this cheerleader who would be homecoming queen. This wedding proves that things which are meant to be will happen.

As shown, they were married within a heart shaped sand print lined with flower petals.

Thank you, Paul and Kim, for letting me share your special day! May God bless you.

On Saturday, February 25, 2012, I was able to officiate at the wedding of Brent and Dawn Cameron. This lovely couple was delightful. One great benefit of this wedding was that it allowed me to see Fabio and Jennifer, a couple I married in Savannah two years ago. It is always great to see couples I married who are still happy.

This wedding was also my first time to go to Mitchellville Beach in Hilton Head. This is a great beach on the secluded north end of the island. The township was founded in 1862 by occupying Union soldiers (named for their general) and settled by former slaves. This wedding put me in touch with my love of history.

Congratulations Dawn and Brent. I loved being a part of your wedding!

Elise and Jonathan shortly after their wedding

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Elise, Jonathan, and I had worked several months in preparation for this day. The day of their wedding was beautiful and festive. The ceremony itself had a very intimate feel, even though there were probably over a hundred people in attendance.
I wish you both well in your future. Your marriage got off to a wonderful start!

Blessings!

So you’ve said your vows and your I do’s, now it’s time to party like you have never partied before and celebrate with all your friends and family. Its hard to do this without music.

So do you want live music or a DJ? Both have their advantages which I will not discuss now but what I will mention is certain criteria to look for. Just because you can play an instrument or press play on tape deck, or those even used anymore, does not make you the right band or DJ.

A Band:

In a band you want professionalism, talent and a group who can really get your party hopping. I have been a several weddings where the band was playing their heart out and one or two couples were dancing most of the night. I did not know who to feel sorry for, the band or the couple getting married. Plus imagine what that part of the wedding video looked like. You can expect to pay no less than $5000 for a good band. I was at one wedding and the band was $15000 and that was a Friday wedding. (Many bands give discounts for weekday weddings.) But let me tell you what they did, they got involved with the couple, the guests, and the party never stopped. There are different bands for different weddings and different tastes so that is what you need to look for also, what type of music you like. The music will also set the mood for every stage of the event from the ceremony to the reception. And let me mention, if you get musicians to play at the ceremony, make sure they can play. I can’t fix horrible music in post production. Here are some bands I recommend: Deaz Guys – Hilton Head, Atlanta Beat – Atlanta, Bobby and the Aristocats – Atlanta, Liquid Pleasure – Rock Hill.

A DJ:

This is probably harder to find but well worth checking in too. You still want to party and many DJs think they are their just to spin records. Music is a vital part of almost anything. Think of church, movies, commercials, restaurants, etc. Can you imagine any of these things without music or with bad music? There are times where there is music and you don’t realize it but I will tell you this, if it’s bad you will know it. With DJs however its not just music you’re buying but the DJ. The DJ is the one that will keep the party going and interacting with your guests. I have scene great DJs and awful ones. I have a very good friend of mine who not only gets involved with the guests but he creates a love story as the bridal party enters. This is what I am talking about. The music and the entertainment will set the stage to your party. As I mentioned about DJs being hard to find, I have one I recommend. Jamies Porta Party – Hilton Head.

Now why is a wedding cinematographer writing about music. Well in my cinematic films I document everything that’s happening the day of your wedding. It will make for a much more fun, entertaining, memorable wedding film if your reception is fun and you and your guests are truly celebrating your wedding.

I hope this helps a little and gives you some great recommendations for your party.

I have to admit, when I first heard where the ceremony was going to take place I thought it was going to be in some hall or classroom room type setting.  But when I arrived to the entrance I told my brother, Darin Nelsen, (my A list camera operator) to stop the car and I jumped out, grabbed my camera and immediately started shooting.  Then later I found out, this is where Paula Dean got married.

Savannah Georgia

Well nevertheless I got a lot of great footage.  I will post the video in my next few posts so look out for it.

What I am writing about today is sort of an exciting benchmark that the wedding videography business as a whole can celebrate about.  Wedding videographers, cinematographers, or whatever we are calling ourselves in the business right now, have done a great job educating the masses because after this last wedding I have to say I was really treated special and appreciated more than I could ever imagine.  The mother of the bride said, and I quote, “Other than the ceremony itself, you are the most important thing to me with at this wedding.”

I had to ask her if she would be willing to be my PR person.  I am serious about that.

Us wedding videographers who love what we do really spend a lot of time producing a hollywood type of production and we have felt in times past that we were the only ones who really appreciate and understand to the fullest extent what we do.  I mean clients like our videos and refer us but never before Have I ever had clients like I have had this past year in 2008 and this past weekend.  I can now say that we are feeling appreciated and our hard work has paid off.  So I say Kudos to all us wedding videographers who really work hard at what we do.

What I have today is a reception highlight that I edited that tells the wonderful story of Lissa and Chris’s reception.  This video really sets the tone of the reception and by this video alone anyone can clearly see how exciting this reception was.

The band they had was phenomenal.  They had Bobby and the Aristocats from Atlanta, Georgia.  The way they interacted with the guests and Chris and Lissa.   They actually got Grandma on stage.  That was and incredible moment.   For that one moment alone was worth having video.

Let me set the stage for you.  The band is about to break and they notice grandma having a wonderful time so Bobby invites her on stage and continues the song, eloquently adding his own lyrics to meet the mood and the action on stage,  making grandma feel, for that moment, like she was the star.  Can you imagine missing a moment like that, not having that on video?

OK let me quit the preaching and mention this wedding was a lot of fun to document and their family and friends were all so wonderful.  I have a few more weddings booked on Saint Simons Island, Georgia for 2009 and I can’t wait.  Coastal Wedding Films is located in Bluffton, South Carolina and we shoot a lot of Hilton Head Wedding Videos but we love to travel and Saint Simons Island, Georgia is a favorite now.

OK so now for the video you have been waiting for.

Well here is part two. If you have not yet read part 1 feel free to read that first.

As I mentioned in part 1 you really want to plan early and there are several reasons why. Having a Hilton Head Wedding or any Destination wedding can be demanding on the bride and groom as well. There will be unforeseen things that must take place and only time is your friend in this area. Here are some examples:

· Hilton Head Legal Documents. In most places you get married you will need legal documents such as your marriage license. You may also find that it is a 45 minute drive or more from the actual wedding site, or vacation site, where you have to get those documents. Another reason to have a wedding planner, she/he will do this for you.

· Residency requirement. Some places actually require you to have a residency requirement where you have to live in a certain place for a period of time. This could be only a few days, several weeks or more but if you arrive the day before your wedding and think you will get your marriage license and be on your way, you may end up with a reception and no marriage ceremony.

· Medical Tests some places require certain medical tests before getting married and some destination weddings require shots to enter the country. It is your responsibility to inform your guests of these requirements.

· Book Early By booking early you get everything you desire in your dream Hilton Head Wedding and more importantly there will be fewer surprises.

I keep making reference to Hilton Head Island Destination weddings but these refer not only to Hilton Head Weddings but any Destination wedding. In fact, many tips and pointers I mentioned earlier do not even pertain to Hilton Head. Remember this is an etiquette guide for any Destination wedding.

I hope these last two posts have helped you in planning your Dream wedding. I know this can be overwhelming but I must say it will be most rewarding. Going to your Dream Place like Hilton Head Island, South Carolina or Sea Island, Georgia, or Jekyll Island, Georgia or even the Bahamas or Costa Rica will only add to the memories you’ll create during the Journey of your Wedding. Your guests will even thank you, not only for inviting them to the best party ever but in many cases you got them to a Dream Location that on their own, may never have come to. You have just opened their eyes to new things and more importantly you created a memory in one of the best chapters of your life.

So, to proceed with the first destination wedding etiquette.

1.      Consider who can attend the wedding location.

Out of town weddings are preferred by couples as a way to lessen the number of guests at the events. Sometimes, when the budget is of concern the destination wedding etiquette is to set aside money for accommodations and transportation for the immediate members of the family and entourage.  But it is not always necessary as destination weddings tend to be a vacation for guests. This brings me to #2

2.      Plan early

You can’t plan too early for a destination wedding.  If you choose not to hire a wedding planner/coordinator you will be doing most of it yourself over the phone and/or through email.  You will need to take into consideration time differences when dealing with vendors, availability, and simply familiarizing yourself with the area and its wedding vendors.  This is why I recommend a wedding planner/coordinator.  Not to sound redundant but the money you will pay for one, I can almost assure you they will save you in areas you are not expecting.

Also by planning early you will be able to better inform your guests of the best places to stay, places to eat, and other sites and things to do while they are at your destination place.

For the couple a destination wedding can be a fulfillment of their fantasy. When looking for the best place to celebrate, look for these qualities:

·        Accessibility – the hotel and church or wedding location should be near the reception area. This is a destination wedding etiquette in consideration for the family and guests who need to freshen up before the reception.

·        Package – there are hotels or resorts that offer wedding packages. These are discounted rates for group bookings. Others may include the transportation. It is a destination wedding etiquette to make sure everything is taken care of.

·        Cost – destination weddings can still be costly, especially if there is a theme involved. However, the destination wedding etiquette regarding the expenses are sorted out between the bride and groom.  We are now in the 21^st century and not all weddings are paid only by the bride’s parents any more.

3.      Put Videography and Photography first

Now you know I can leave this out.  But seriously, for any special event or Hilton Head Wedding, you invest thousands of dollars and thousands of hours creating the most special day of your life.  So why put them first?  Well for starters if you want the best they always book first.  Second, you need to develop a relationship with them because they will be around you and your guests the longest and you need to make sure you have hired the best so your guests will not be annoyed.  How to find the best? Now that is another post for another time.

Also you want to put them first because the vendors you put first you also budget for and the best are not the cheapest.

I know this is a lot of information so that is why I have broken this up in to two different posts.  Subscribe to our blog for Part two.

I hope this helps you get on the right track for planning your Hilton Head Destination Wedding or any Destination wedding.

This was a wedding I filmed on Sea Island, Georgia at the Cloister.  Let me tell you, it is beautiful there.  If you are considering a destination wedding this would be a perfect place.  Hilton Head Island, SC has some beautiful scenery also and I love producing Hilton Head Wedding Videos but the Cloister has one of the best reception halls.  Also the team they have at the Cloister is phenomenal.  I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.  Everyone was so nice and glad to be working with me.

Photography by Kristen Peelle

The photographers we worked with were from San Diego, CA.  They were a blast to work with as well.  I think we complimented each other.

The Band, Bobby and the Aristocats,  Oh brother the band was spectacular.  I will be posting two more videos from this wedding soon and wait till you see the band!

Anyway,  the Thomas’s and the Harrison’s were such a wonderful family to work with.  And they sure know how to throw a party.  You know they are well like when the Bride herself has about 15 or 16 bridesmaids.

This is a very elegant Bridal Prep video that really showcases the cloister and Lissa, the beautiful Bride.

I am proud to say what use to be the last thing on the vendor list is finally changing.  Hiring a professional wedding videographer use to be one of the last thinga bride chooses or even thinks about.  The trend that I am seeing with  professional wedding videography, is that many are consistantly creating videos that compare with Hollywood’s quality and standards, and being able to use the internet as a powerful tool,  more and more brides are now able to see that too. 

You see, brides work hard at making their wedding the most beautiful, elegant, memorable event, and “happening party” , that they do not want to forget a moment.  When it becomes evident that we professional wedding videographers can produce a story, your story, and tell it in a visually entertaining way it becomes their number one priority.  Its no more a question of picking the cheapest but finding the style that fits you best.

So as brides are wisening up, Don’t leave your memories behind in ’09.

This has been a very interesting year for Coastal Wedding Films. We have been extremely busy building the wedding films business and in the process has realized a need for commercial and corporate video production in the Hilton Head area and throughout all of the low country.  So a Corporate division has been born. Studio:43 Productions.  Studio:43 has kind of grown on its own through word of mouth and people seeing the type and quality of work we do for weddings that we have been asked to produce commercials, TV shows, promotion videos, education videos, and several other types of commercial video work.  The corporate website is still under construction so some of our commercial sample work can actually be scene at Coastal Wedding Films.

Because of the level of video production Studio:43 is taken on, we are also partnering with my good friend Todd Pringle with Pluffmud Media.  He handles a lot of the writing of scripts, graphic design, and marketing.  A great asset to Studio:43 trust me.

This will be very exciting to see how 2009 will play out.  My schedule for 2009 for Hilton Head Wedding Videos are quickly filling up so please if you are a new “bride to be” and you want a Coastal Wedding Films call soon.

In the meantime have a Merry Christmas and we look forward to serving you in the New Year whether we are producing a cinematic hilton head wedding video or a hilton head corporate video production of any kind.

The sunlight was immaculate!  The dress was perfect!  The couple was IN LOVE!

It was my pleasure to enjoy the company of the families; everyone was in such a celebratory mood!  And, as it turned out, Mark is kind of a ham!

The food, provided by Aqua Grille & Lounge, was simply delicious!  The guests were treated to a choice of the most tender, butter New York strip you could savor, a juicy herb marinated chicken caprese, or a delicate pecan encrusted sea bass!  In conjunction with the swanky, laid-back atmosphere-the perfect compliment to the relaxed and classy couple!-and friendly, generous bartenders, there couldn’t have been a more enjoyable end to an energetic and joyful day!

But, all in all, it was a family affair!

Mark’s brother is a pastry chef, and treated the couple to a delicious and beautiful wedding cake which matched her astonishing flowers in perfect harmony!  His mother is also an incredible addition of energy, and was so enthusiastic about helping the families and the couple make the absolute most of their time together, which I have no doubt they absolutely did!

Laura and Mark and everyone who shared in that day, Thank you so much for allowing me to witness and be a part of your memory-making!

TO A BRIGHT AND LONG FUTURE!

Come see their full gallery here:  http://www.pictage.com/539523

And come visit me here: www.hsgsphoto.com

I apologize if this post is a little redundant to my last post but I feel it is important for me to write about because it just happened to me on the phone so it is about someone’s real feelings.

This is about a bride whose name I will keep anonymous but trust me, this just happened.  I do not usually write similar posts back to back.

I call a bride from a lead source I received and the conversation went like this: She first asks about packages to produce a Hilton head wedding video and I told her I have some estimated packages but What we do at Coastal Wedding Films is fully customize everything even our packages and that our packages start at $1799.  She said, oh that’s fine I can do that. (Maybe I should raise my prices again) She said, I just like to be able to look at something to make my decision.  I said I would be happy to send her an email with a description of some packages and their prices.

She then says sorry, but I am going to be blunt with you.  I said that’s fine I like honesty.  She said, I am just not going to pay that much money for a video I will watch once or twice.  I will pay for a photographer because I know I can easily pick up a picture when I want or send them out to people when I want.  I just don’t think I would want to send my wedding video to anyone.  I want to spend the majority of my money on the wedding itself so I can enjoy it.

I started to think about what she was saying and that quick I had forgetting why I do what I do.  I started to think like the masses.  I begin to say to myself, she’s right.  So that’s why people don’t put value on video.  But then I remembered last weeks post and said to myself wait a minute; this is not about paying for something that will only be watched once.

So I said to her, politely, I appreciate your honest.  Now I would like to be blunt with you.  We create a production that you will want to watch over and over.  What we do at Coastal Wedding Films is completely different than a regular wedding videographer.  We document your story.  I asked her, who are you?  What are you about?  This is your story.  Everyone has a story, whether you are getting married, having a birthday, or graduating from kindergarten.  Our Story is what defines who we are as human beings.  Every moment in our lives that we don’t document, whether it’s on paper, in a photograph, or on a video, is a little piece of us, a little memory, that fades away.  So then I began to tell her things that we would do different that would really tell and document her story.  When I was finished she said wow, that’s exciting.  I would watch that over and over.

This experience this morning on the phone could have easily had me defeated and feeling myself that video is not important.  But instead I not only reinspired myself but I now have a client who realizes the importance and the value of a wedding video, and not just any wedding video, a Hilton head wedding video from Coastal Wedding Films.

I apologize if this post is a little redundant to my last post but I feel it is important for me to write about because it just happened to me on the phone so it is about someone’s real feelings.

This is about a bride whose name I will keep anonymous but trust me, this just happened.  I do not usually write similar posts back to back.

I call a bride from a lead source I received and the conversation went like this: She first asks about packages to produce a Hilton head wedding video and I told her I have some estimated packages but What we do at Coastal Wedding Films is fully customize everything even our packages and that our packages start at $1799.  She said, oh that’s fine I can do that. (Maybe I should raise my prices again) She said, I just like to be able to look at something to make my decision.  I said I would be happy to send her an email with a description of some packages and their prices.

She then says sorry, but I am going to be blunt with you.  I said that’s fine I like honesty.  She said, I am just not going to pay that much money for a video I will watch once or twice.  I will pay for a photographer because I know I can easily pick up a picture when I want or send them out to people when I want.  I just don’t think I would want to send my wedding video to anyone.  I want to spend the majority of my money on the wedding itself so I can enjoy it.

I started to think about what she was saying and that quick I had forgetting why I do what I do.  I started to think like the masses.  I begin to say to myself, she’s right.  So that’s why people don’t put value on video.  But then I remembered last weeks post and said to myself wait a minute; this is not about paying for something that will only be watched once.

So I said to her, politely, I appreciate your honest.  Now I would like to be blunt with you.  We create a production that you will want to watch over and over.  What we do at Coastal Wedding Films is completely different than a regular wedding videographer.  We document your story.  I asked her, who are you?  What are you about?  This is your story.  Everyone has a story, whether you are getting married, having a birthday, or graduating from kindergarten.  Our Story is what defines who we are as human beings.  Every moment in our lives that we don’t document, whether it’s on paper, in a photograph, or on a video, is a little piece of us, a little memory, that fades away.  So then I began to tell her things that we would do different that would really tell and document her story.  When I was finished she said wow, that’s exciting.  I would watch that over and over.

This experience this morning on the phone could have easily had me defeated and feeling myself that video is not important.  But instead I not only reinspired myself but I now have a client who realizes the importance and the value of a wedding video, and not just any wedding video, a Hilton head wedding video from Coastal Wedding Films.

Jennine & Ryan chose be wed on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, where they incorporated some spectacular locations into their wedding day! We started out by capturing some great images of the wedding party and family at the Main Street Inn, which featured beautiful architecture and exquisite landscaping. Then off we went to Islander’s Beach where the ceremony was held, and ended the evening at an exclusive waterfront venue, Windows On the Waterway. Everyone who attended was so nice and really enjoyed being a part of the marriage celebration of Jennine and Ryan. I felt privileged to be a part of their big day!

CLICK HERE to see all of the images.
CLICK HERE to purchase prints.

Thanks,

Ron Anderson
Southern Wedding Photography
864.706.7700

Duke & Carri were married at the beach on Hilton Head Island on October 6th. What a beautiful day it turned out to be considering the forecast was calling for thunderstorms all day long. I must say that I have NEVER seen a more laid back bride! Carri had told me over the phone that she was indeed “very laid back”, but I just did not know to what extent until I got to meet her. I guess at the end of the day, all that really mattered to Duke & Carri was that they were husband and wife, and that no mishaps in plans were going to change that!

CLICK HERE to see the Image Gallery

CLICK HERE to go to the gallery with options to purchase prints.

Enjoy!

Ron Anderson

www.SouthernWeddingPhotography.com