If I could start every wedding I cover off with filming the rehearsal, I would. It's always so nice to meet everyone in a more casual setting, tour the venue, and capture all of the additional speeches that take place. When Matti asked if I was available the day before the wedding to cover the rehearsal, I jumped on the opportunity. I arrived at the Tygret family home. A few hours before the speeches were set to take place. In addition to the speeches, I wanted to capture detail shots of Matti, our bride's dress, and jewelry, freeing me up on the actual wedding day to focus on the other planned events. When I arrived, Matti and Brian were in the middle of taking photos with the photographer, Laurel. I introduced myself and then went to unpack my gear. Once they wrapped up with photos, Laurel and I got started capturing the details. We both share the mindset of being more candid camera people, and staged detail shots aren't our specialty. Back on the other side of the house, guests were fixing their plates and taking their seats for the main reason why I was here, the speeches. Though there were only four speeches in total, having the additional content for the couples feature film was vital. The next day my coverage started at Lost Dutchman State Park with a bit of a panic. Arriving early, I made my way to the gate of the park to find out the lot was full. I explained to the ranger that I was there to capture a wedding, to which I was informed that the permit only allows them to have a wedding; it doesn't necessarily give the couple access to the parking lot. The only problem was there was no parking within a mile of the venue. I made my way out to the road and called Matti... No answer. Panic began to set in. I called Brian, and thankfully he picked up. Through some negotiation, I was granted access to the property. I made my way to the assigned space and parked in one of the many open spaces available, not sure what that was all about. This was my first time at this stunning park and hopefully not my last. It was incredible. We guided Brian to a spot off the trail so the couple could share their first look and vows privately. Between the lighting, the words exchanged, and the iconic rocky face of Lost Dutchman as our backdrop, this would be a first look to remember. We spent the next hour taking some breathtaking photos before I parted ways to beat the couple back to the Tygret house. When I arrived, the backyard had been completely transformed from the night before. I grabbed my camera and began shooting details. Back at the house, it was time for the couples "getting ready" footage. Even though I was not a part of the real getting-ready moments, this is still very important footage for the progression of the film. Stories take time to develop, and starting the film off at the ceremony or first look doesn't allow the viewer to see the couple as individuals or hear the speeches of their guests talking about them as individuals. Fun fact: most weddings I film involve some level of recreation of the getting-ready moments. Guests began to arrive, and I made my way to the lawn to capture the moment. This too is important segue content to move the story from pre-ceremony to ceremony. Guests took their seats, and the ceremony was underway. The couple's friend Jordan officiated the wedding and mixed in some funny with some sappy notes. The couple then shared their public vows and a kiss and made their way back down the aisle as a married couple. Cocktail hour kicked off as the couple had a few more pictures to take with their families before joining in. I always highly recommend that the couple join cocktail hour. Guests took their seats as the couple was officially announced into the reception. They gave a quick thank-you speech before sharing their first dance together. The sun set and the party officially kicked off. This group was SO much fun on the dance floor. After some goodbyes, my night officially came to an end.

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The Plaza Resort, in Scottsdale, Arizona. The destination for our wedding today. As I make my way to the bridal suite, the other vendors are beginning to arrive. The Plaza has a beautiful outdoor ceremony site situated perfectly between the bride and groom's getting-ready suits. These kinds of details make our job as vendors so much easier. While some venues offer an on-premise getting-ready, ceremony, and reception option, most of the time these venues are spread out. Having the ability to film or photograph the ceremony site when there is a lull in getting ready is so nice. When I arrived, Emily was just starting her makeup process. I introduce myself and ask for her detail box for flat-lay shots. She points to the double doors, where the photographer duo was already underway, shooting the details. Brooke, the photographer, was super kind and allowed me to capture the details she had already laid out. After wrapping up the details, we grabbed the dress and made our way outside. The archway to the ceremony site made a perfect location for our dress. A familiar face was also setting up in the ceremony site. Damone, with We Got You Covered Entertainment, was setting up his audio equipment for the ceremony. I had the pleasure of meeting and working with Damone at another wedding a few weeks ago. As a videographer, you rely on the DJ to deliver clear audio during the reception, so it's always nice to see not only a familiar face but someone you know who is a reliable audio professional. While we chatted, Brooke finished up her shots with the dress. We made our way over to the groom's suite to start Jarod's getting-ready process. It didn't take long to realize this would be a super fun group to work with. We moved Jarod outside as his dad, Rod, and brother, JB, helped him into his suite. Once ready, his mom Kate pinned his boutonniere on. This is always a great way to get the mother of the bride on camera early on. After some portraits with the groomsmen, we made our way across the courtyard to the bridal suite. The room was a bit dark for this process, but just outside there was a beautiful shaded grass area perfect for these shots. Once Emily had stepped into her dress in private, she and her mom Laura made their way out of the bridal suite to finish the process. Once ready, she hid around the corner in anticipation for my favorite wedding moment, the father-daughter first look. The two took some time to soak up the moment before it was time for Emily to see her groom. Across the property, at the cactus garden, Jarod and Emily shared their first look. We grabbed some portraits before making our way back to the ceremony site for some bridal party and family photos. Guests began to arrive, and before too long, the ceremony was underway. The couple chose to have Emily's grandpa act as the flower girl, such a fun shakeup to the tradition. Emily and David then made their way down the aisle, and the exchange with Jarod was made. The wedding was officiated by their friend Nathan, who ran the couple through some of the typical Jewish wedding traditions. The ceremony ended with a kiss and the breaking of the glass, and the two made their way back up the aisle. From here, it was a bit of a race against the sun to get through the sunset portraits. Even though the Plaza doesn't offer traditional sunset locations on property, the epic sunset we had made the actual locations irrelevant. After wrapping up the portraits, we had just a few minutes to capture the stunning reception Jaclyn and her team at Laki Events had been tirelessly working on all day. While some extra time would have been appreciated to do it justice, it was time for the reception to start. The grand entrance went on without a glitch, and after a quick prayer, dinner was served. The typical traditions of speeches and formal dances took place, and the real party was officially underway. Another Jewish tradition called the Hora dance kicked off the dancing portion of the evening. In pairs, the parents, grandparents, and couple were hoisted into the air on chairs for this super-fun Jewish wedding tradition. The dancing didn't stop there; this group definitely knew how to party! The night came to a close, and so did my time at the Plaza. Until next time! 

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