I'm always surprised when I ask a couple who their videographer is and they say, "We're not having one." Tsk. Tsk. And one more, tsk.

I've seen good videos and I've seen bad videos. And just like, um...well, even bad videos are good. We had a 50th anniversary party for my parents 10 years ago. It was at The Sterling Hotel in The Drawing Room. It was lovely. Beautiful apricot rose centerpieces, a 3-tier Village Cake Shoppe cake (white with lemon filling...I STILL think about that cake!), Music A Due'/Harp & Flute, and all my brothers and sisters (eight of us) in one place at the same time. We hadn't even considered a videographer, but my Dad's cousin, Jess, showed up with a camcorder. I could have guessed he didn't have much experience with it, because he was having a hard time finding us in his viewfinder. At that point, I still hadn't seen a need for a professional videographer.

I forgot all about it, and then weeks later while visiting my folks, they asked if I'd like to see the video. Well, sure!  And WHAT A HOOT! It was SO much fun to see all those old family friends, some who are no longer with us, and the beautiful flowers and that cake, and look! the musicians (isn't the flute player handsome?!), oh! and Dennis and Dorothy, and the Prados...hey, there's Karen Buckmaster! If we had hired a professional videographer, it could have been a priceless family keepsake.

I've only been to two weddings in 18 years where there was no photographer and they happened on the same day. And one of them was mine (you know why if you read my May, '07, entry on Choosing Your Wedding Date). A photographer has always pretty much been de rigueur for a wedding.  Yes, your wedding photo album is a bonafide heirloom, but once the kids get big enough to flip pages? All bets are off. I've seen what kids can do to that family heirloom.  So up on the shelf it goes. 

You GOTS to have that album, but, how much fun would it be to sit with your kids (grandkids, even) pull out the DVD, and "...watch mommy and daddy get married!" Things you forgot are right there in living, moving, color, and all the people you love, speaking to you, sharing your joy. And the two of you, remembering how you could just burst you were so in love that day. Video. Oh, man, you gotta do it.

When Whitebird Ceremonial Dove Releases hatched in 1992 (it was actually the year before that I got my first birds), I was flying by the seat of my pants. I did my first wedding show, I think, in 1993. That's where I met Mike Jensen. He was Best Man Wedding Video back then. I asked him to do my first demo video. Oh! I just thought of de-VHSizing it and posting it here, too. For posterity. Stay tuned.

Anyway, Mike was great. We had several straight weeks of rain and gloom. And the day it cleared, Mike was ready to go. We tracked down a wedding and did some set up shots, too. I didn't know nuttin' 'bout no videos, so Mike did his thing. When I saw it for the first time with the harp & flute music, oh! I just burst into tears!! It was SO beautiful!

Now, as Jensen Wedding Films, we work together pretty frequently--lucky me. And since it was about time I got a new demo, and since Mike had quite a bit of footage (do they still call it "footage"?) of my birds AND was willing to squeeze me into his already busy-ness, I got lucky, again. Click on this happy face to see it.

From The  Extremely Cool Things I've Done Department--On February 15, 2006, over 70 videographers and approximately 100 photographers attempted setting a new world record for the number of video cameras to professionally videotape a wedding at the Library Galleria in Sacramento. Jensen Wedding Films produced the World Record Wedding Video Event. It was SO much fun! Since it was an indoor wedding, we did the Matrix-style shoot (first ever of it's kind with doves!) with the birds from the South Steps of the State Capitol as part of the pre-wedding photo op.

The Matrix Shot--There were 70 cameras lined up in a half circle around us. Fortunately, we had a practice session a few days before, so everyone knew what to expect. And under the expert direction of another very talented videographer and my pal, Eric Leas with Acti-Video, (don't forget the "-"!) they got the shot. You saw it in the demo (the happy face link above).  And Eric's montage of my birds is in production.  Stay tuned for that, too. 

For most weddings, "same day edit" (SDE) means they take ALL the footage from the bride and groom getting ready and all the ceremony footage and edit it for viewing at the reception. I've seen several of these and man-oh-man, not a dry eye. And it was somebody's brilliant idea to shoot Alysia and Faria WATCHING and reacting to their video, split screen style! Very sweet! (snif, dab) I think it may have been Trisha and Mark Von Lanken with Von Wedding Films.com because I finally tracked down this clip from Trisha. 

Sacramento has fabulous talent behind video cameras, and if you think you don't have the budget, that may not be true. There's a videographer for everyone. Call a few and see whose work tugs your heart, without yanking on your check book too much. Sit down with the naysayers (those are usually The Guardians of The Budget), and let them watch some videos. You can get a demo from just about every videographer in town or watch their work on line.

Some of my other faves include Joann and Darren from Diamond Video, a lovely, fun couple that I've know for absolutely YEARS!!  Phil from Sheffield Multimedia, and there's Heritage Video, and Horizon Pro Video.  I know there's more...did I forget you?  Give me an elbow in the ribs next time you see me!

Stay tuned for " 'Ographers--Part II: Photo" 

The Dove Lady wants to know if you watched her new demo?  No?  Okay, go back, please, and watch it.  The happy face, remember?  She'll wait..............  okay, did you hear that applause at the end?   That's for Mike Jensen!! 

And please give fair warning before you elbow The Dove Lady.  She's been watching alot of pigeon boxing and she has some moves of her own!