Super 8 Vintage Wedding | "You Add to His Life" - Mara & James, the full film

Filmed by Chris P. Jones

Edited by Kourtney Amelia Schopper

Being hired by a family more than once is truly an honor.  We filmed the groom's brother a few years ago when he got married, and so we were so pleased to come out and celebrate with this family again as James married Mara. 

In college, Mara's sister was friends with James; that was how Mara met and fell in love with him.  Mara's sister was also the maid of honor, and all of the bridesmaids wore grecian inspired pink gowns.  The best man, James' youngest brother, played guitar and sang for their first dance at the wedding, and the father of the groom, James' dad, prayed over the couple at the ceremony.  It was truly intimate:  an event that celebrated family and love.

Super8 Vintage 8mm Film Wedding Video Pic 12

Super8 Vintage 8mm Film Wedding Video Pic 11

Vintage Wedding Dress Ruffled skirt

Thoughts on film from the editor:

My goodness! No matter how long we have been filming on Super 8 film, I am always amazed at the beauty of the images we get back from the developers.   This video is beautiful! (I can get away with bragging about the footage because I didn't film it, Jones did.) 

If you're not familiar with super 8,  the process is simple, but different than digital filmmaking: with digital, we have all the footage that instant--which is what allows us to do fun things like same-day-edit films on site at a wedding.  But film takes time.  After we come and film with you on your day, the film has to be processed at a developer (just like the old days!), who then digitizes it at the highest quality so that we can put together a video that has the true look and feel of film, but doesn't require you to own a projector. Win-win. 

Another bonus that you'll have over your parents 1960s film is that we can record audio during your day and sync it up--so you still get to hear your vows, toasts, and other moments that matter to you.  Win-win-win.  So, if what you like is the vintage look and the feel of film,  this is for you!

-kourtney amelia

Super8 Vintage 8mm Film Wedding Video Pic 02 ring set

Vintage Wedding Dress Ruffled skirt

The afternoon light is gorgeous reflecting on all those ruffles in the skirt!

Vintage Groom boutonniere

James in white bow tie and boutonniere before the ceremony.

Blue ribbon Gold seal

The tiered wedding cake had a very 1920s glamour with the blue ribbon on every tier and gold seal accent. Almost a little Great Gatsby!

Super8 Vintage 8mm Film Wedding Video Pic 04

This is the other side of the sign that was carried down the aisle during the ceremony. On the way into the ceremony, we saw the side of the sign that says "here comes the bride" and on the way out of the ceremony, it was carried by the ring bearer with the "introducing Mr & Mrs." side facing out.  Mara did a great job making sure the sign fit with her gold & elegant decor.

Engagement Ring

Mara's engagement ring.

The couple left in a sparkler exit.  Make sure to watch this moment in the video---sparklers produce a really cool effect on film.

Sparkler Exit

Houston Wedding Video at Montesito Ranch | Sarah + Colby, the full film

Houston, TX -     It's been two and half months since we began creating the wedding video for Sarah and Colby, and we've been chomping at the bit to weave it all together.  One of the biggest priorities for every documentary videographer anywhere in the world is coming away from an event with content and finding moments to weave together a cohesive, emotive documentary.  After leaving Sarah and Colby's rehearsal dinner, Kourtney and I had no doubt that the Benjamin/Smith crowd was going to deliver the goods.

Heavens, we could've made an entire feature film out of the rehearsal dinner toasts alone - they were the perfect blend of compliments, zingers, and epic adventures recounted, and they set the stage for what we were to observe the following day.

Usually, when structuring together the framework of the story with toasts, we deliver the emotional pinnacle from either the groom or the father of the bride, but that was not the case in this instance.  Who delivered the lines that best drew out the story and the emotion of the event?  Watch and see!

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/34081345[/vimeo]

The groomsmen, all active military, huddle around the groom before the ceremony.

Sarah and her gorgeous bridesmaids in cowboy boots and yellow sundresses.

The cake was natural with white buttercream and real roses with sprigs of berry.

Wheat lined the aisle leading up to a wooden cross.

With a military groom, a camo garter is perfect for the bride to wear on their big day.  The dogtag reads, "sarah & colby" with their wedding date beneath.

When you're done watching their wedding video, you'll be certain to want more from the Benjamin family. We can take care of you in that regard--There's another adventure to be had.

Sarah's sister Liz will be getting hitched on the ranch March 24th.  Mark your calendar for their wedding video preview which will land at 1 p.m., March 28th, 2012, and the feature film, which will premiere June 24th, 2012.

Thanks again, Sarah and Colby, for choosing Mason Jar Films as your wedding videography team!

Invitations: Bella Figura Events
Cakes: Kathy Warnecke
Photographer: Christianne Taylor
Dress: Priscilla of Boston
Houston Wedding Videographer: Mason Jar Films

Tuscan Destination Wedding at Escondido | Dancing Groom wows Guests

Austin, TX - Escondido

When it comes to planning a wedding, there are no shortage of seemingly infinite details to consider.  From paring down the guest list to building up a song list, the process is never truly over until the bride and groom wake up on a beach somewhere in a different time zone in a daze from all that just transpired.  I can only imagine that on wedding day + 1, the bride and the groom begin to discover and focus on the details of their lives that they have postponed during the engagement process, and begin to imagine the new details of how their lives will look together.

Around the time Whitney contacted me to shoot their wedding video, Gina Whittington from CLINK Events assured me that this wedding would be "epic," and that the details would be so exquisite that there was a good chance that the wedding would be featured in Grace Ormonde Wedding Style or Martha Stewart Weddings.

I kept Gina's input in mind and instructed the team to get as many eye-candy detail shots as possible.  Establish the rustic wedding location decor, film Whitney's unique wedding dress in the sunlight,  create smooth tracking shots across the wedding rings and the table settings, etc.

  

Kourtney and Chad got plenty of that which I requested, but also documented this wedding paying particular attention to the fleeting emotional details that come without plan or procedure - the moments that cannot be purchased and aren't carried within the pages of a magazine.

I could hint at some of those details, but I'd rather you enjoy the film and find them for yourselves.  Here's a segment where Geoff wowed the guests by dancing to one of his favorite childhood songs.

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/32538779[/vimeo]

Whitney and Geoff, when it came time to pick the detail of who would be your wedding videography team, thank you for choosing Mason Jar Films.  Enjoy!

Rustic Sonoma wedding | Michelle & Jens, the full film

The heart has its reasons, that reason ignores completely - Blaise Pascal via Marianna Esposto

Believe it or not, I've spent years waiting for Michelle to get married so I could be the one to shoot her wedding video. Ever since I created the tribute film for her mother, Maly, back in 2007, I have had it in the back of my mind that this was not my last film project for the Depres family.

Michelle's sister, Marianne, kept me posted in subsequent months on Michelle's relational status.  When Marianne would contact me regarding her latest ideas for developing a cooking show (Trained at the Cordon Bleu, Marianne once operated L'Atelier catering - now she has an Empanada truck), she would remark that Michelle's relational status was still cooking.

In the years that followed, Michelle recommended me to create wedding videos for many of her friends, but I was never able to serve any of them. Besides, I kept pining away for Michelle...to get married that is, so that I could return the to Bay Area (preferably during our summer) to get to work with her amazing family, and, ironically enough, to get to meet her legendary mother, the subject of the tribute film I created so many years before.

I had almost given up hope, but then earlier this year, I heard it through the wine-country grape vine that the time had come.

Why rush a good thing?  As Marianne presents in her matron of honor toast - Michelle "is a romantic, but she takes her time.  She is methodical in everything she does."

The timing was right for Jens as well.  After conducting a thorough "international search," he finally found his lady.

Michelle and Jens, thanks for flying me out to Sonoma to be your wedding videographer.  

Spicewood Vineyards | "Like Fine Wine" - Jessica & Ron, the full film

[vimeo]https://vimeo.com/36292490[/vimeo]

It took me a little while to finally meet Jessica and Ron after our first contact this past summer.  Jessica has a busy, thriving career, and Ron was actively picking grapes from his vineyards before the record summer heat would swallow them up.

Over some ceviche and guacamole at La Condesa, I heard of their travels to Greece, their love of music, and their appreciation for fine comestibles.  Jessica, having lived in most time zones in the U.S., had spent some time in an ashram in India as well.  Ron, with a law degree pedigree, had successfully operated his own record label.  Between the two of them, they were planning a vintage wedding that combined all their favorite things:

music - Barton Strings was set for the ceremony, The Darin Layne Jazz Trio at Cocktail hour, and Robert Earl Keen and Dysfunkshun Junkshun (separately :->) for the reception.

food - Primizie was planning an elaborate feast to be enhanced with bottles of wine from Ron's Vineyard

travel - Spicewood Vineyards is a hop and a skip out of town, but having a wedding and reception in one location away from the city gives it that destination wedding feel.

super 8 film - Ron & Jessica thought it was best to have a good portion of their day preserved in actual super 8mm film, to give their wedding movie the authentic "wonder years" style nostalgia that they were looking for in their vintage wedding.

But most of all, it was evident that Ron and Jessica valued their family and friends, and while they wanted their union to represent their story, they wanted more to serve the people who have brought them to this place in their story.

There are those who can pick out a fine wine.  There are few others who can turn water into wine.  And when you're in the middle of a drought and there's no water to be found, there are those whose lives are like wine to others.  Jessica and Ron, your relationship is a fantastic vintage, the perfect blend, aged to perfection, and poured out to their family and friends in just the right measure.

Thank you for having us along to document the fellowship that transpires from a bottle of y'all.

<<click here to see some of the amazing official photos by Diana M. Lott>>

<<<screengrabs below are from the wedding video>>>

Event Planning and Design: CLINK Photographers: FOUR Ceremony/Reception: Spicewood Vineyards 1419 County Road 409, Spicewood, TX 78669 (830) 693-5328 Catering: Primizie Bakery: Michelle's Patisserie Tents/Rentals/Linens: Marquee Rents Lighting: ILIOS Stylists: Niki Hayes and Marie Malone Calderon Ceremony Music: Barton Strings Entertainment Booking: Emerald Entertainment Cocktail Music: Darin Layne Jazz Trio Reception Entertainment #1: Robert Earl Keen Reception Entertainment #2: Dysfunkshun Junkshun DJ/Ceremony Sound: Penguin Entertainment Florist: PRIVE Austin Wedding Videographer: Mason Jar Films Guest Transportation: Transconsultants