Mason Jar Films is a premier wedding, special event, and commercial videography company located in Austin, Texas.
This is my nephew Oliver. I've been documenting his existence before he made his first appearance. He just turned 1, and his party was the talk of the town (among 1 year olds) a few weeks back.
Bask in his goodness, bathe in his glow.
uncle jones
It was such a laid back day at Kristen's house for her backyard ceremony that I had NO idea how energetic her guests would be at the reception.
There was one man who did a jumping split during this dance - I got the tail end of it - see if you can spot it. My jaw hit the floor shortly after he did.
We loved shooting their wedding video both to combine video and super 8 wedding film. It blends together nicely.
Another great couple, and another great event. Thanks Kristen, Nathan, and family for having me along, and thanks to Shelly and Clay for the referral! We are honored to have been chosen as your Dallas wedding videographer.
jones
Event Designer: Holly Tripp
Photographer: Paul Dyer, VIM Studio
Gown: LuLu's
Tuxedos: Mister Tuxedo
Reception: Belo Mansion
Floral: Freesia
Cakes: Frosted Art
Linens: BBJ
Rentals: M&M Special Events
Cocktail Music: Duo Renard and Mark Miller
DJ: Robbie Hazelbaker
Reception Lighting: Absolute Lighting
Valet: Gold Crown
Makeup: Shannon McCall/Kristin Colaneri
I'm high - once again - all natural - don't worry. This is getting to be quite a habit.
After traveling across 2 timezones to shoot a 2 events last week, I had the rare opportunity of only having to venture 2 miles to document this weekend's celebration.
It would've been worth traveling for 2 full days to work on behalf of this couple and their families!
Sarah and Adam and their families, the Lundeens and Gardners, took us in like we were a part of the family. Aunts, uncles, and cousins flew in from Maryland, Minnesota, and Washington D.C. for the rehearsal reunion, one should call it, at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Saturday was about as peaceful as it gets - Dallas Wedding Coordinator Kay Watson kept everything running on time (as usual), and Gary Donihoo from f8studio snapped away all day long. Keep an eye on his blog for a slideshow in the near future.
The reception was held at the Waco Art Center, quite a hidden gem of a location, and Bestyett Catering provided a luscious spread of delectable treats. Love me an avocado bar anytime I can get one.
The Project Band out of Dallas rocked the crowd for about 3 hours. It was hot outside, but that did not keep the guests from dancing until time ran out.
Thank you Lundeens and Gardners for allowing us to partake in such a wonderful occasion. More to come in the months to follow
jones
Wedding Coordination: Kay Watson
Photographer: Gary Donihoo, f8 Studio
Rehearsal Dinner: Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Ceremony: St. Paul Episcopal
Reception: Waco Art Center
Reception Entertainment: Project Band
Project Band Lighting: Absolute Lighting
Catering: Bestyett Catering
It is with great sadness that I leave this town and all it’s splendor. But in order to ease my pain, I stopped by the Swan Oyster Depot for a late seafood breakfast.
Swan is a legendary establishment in the city, one of those slices of life that seem preserved from a time long gone. Just walk in and sit down at the counter and the friendly staff will strike up a conversation and send a bowl of fresh clam chowder your way.
The salmon plate is $17.50 and half a dozen oysters will run you $12.00, but if you want to sample a variety of the mouth watering delicacies displayed in the window, they’re happy to give you half orders of each.
You can never arrive too early (before 11 unless you like multi-hour waits), and it’s never to early to have a fresh Anchor Steam. They only take cash, so load up your wallet beforehand. You can park outside and feed the meter ($0.25 = 10 minutes), or if you are cheap (like me) and need a little cardio, the neighborhoods two blocks to the west have free curbside parking IF you can find a spot.
jones
I love this town. I could spend the summers here if not move here entirely. It's that wonderful. I wake up and it's 50 degrees out and I feel no need to hit the snooze. I'm ready to go.
Had to get moving this morning because the street sweeper was scheduled to scrub the curb where I was parked from 9-11 a.m., so I headed on over to the Haight with a bagful of dirty clothes hoping to do some laundry before my morning appointment. Fortune found me, as a laundry was three doors down from the Reverie coffee shop, and a parking spot opened for me like a drop of sunshine through the fog.
I had breakfast with San Francisco based destination photographer Ben Chrisman. Ben was voted as the Wedding Photojournalist of the Year in 2007, and I had the pleasure of meeting him at Huy Nguyen's Foundation Workshop in February of this year. If you are a San Francisco bride (or beyond) and need one of the world's most creative photographers, contact Ben - he'll take care of you.
The Bay Area offers a plethora of outdoor activities, so I ventured on over to the Golden Gate Bridge to take a little walk and soak up some sea.
If you're looking for the zenith of views of the city, continue past the overlook to the next exit and head to the Marin Headlands. You'll drive up winding roads and have your choice of lookout points, but I recommend that you wait until you get to the last respite where the tunnel is just ahead. The view is spectacular, and the fog practically rolls over you as you gaze upon the city below.
After winding my way back down to the 101, I decided to continue north to the Muir Woods.
For $5, you can hike all you want on trails that wind through one of the largest (if not the largest) Redwood preserves in the United States. It is truly a breathtaking display of nature...no wonder the Ewoks guarded it so vigorously.
Redwoods are approximately 2" across and 250' high
walking among giants
tree hugging - a rite of passage in California
Heading back into the city over the Golden Gate Bridge, you'll have to pay a $5 toll, not required when leaving the city. Always keep a pocketful of bills on ya when driving around the Bay Area.
Tonight I was blessed to be served dinner by a couple of past clients, Marianne and Ryan Esposto, who hired me to produce this documentary on Marianne's mother for her mother's extravagant birthday party last year:
Marianne is a certified French chef and owner of L'Atelier, trained at the Cordon Bleu Academy in Paris, and she always serves up a magnificent feast. Even little Lucas wanted a piece of the fellowship:
My point is this - The lady Margarita, featured at 18:02 in the film, passed away last month. Her expressions of her friendship and congratulations to Maly are made all the more poignant by the inability to hear such words from her in person anymore.
So for the videojournalists reading this, take great pride in what you do, for the value is eternal. And for those who hire videojournalists to document their lives - the value of the work produced is an inherent investment, so take care of the souls that do such an act of service for you.
It's been an amazing day - it hurts to leave tomorrow! But I'll not go without some fresh oysters, so stay tuned for that recommendation once I land back in Texas.
jones
Mason Jar is a film production studio based in Austin, Texas. Our compact team of dedicated filmmakers travels internationally to capture stories of a lifetime, including weddings, documentaries, and commercial projects for video marketing.
