We met Tori and Casey through their wedding planner Luba Gankin from Primavera Dreams and we hit it off right away. With both of our dogs hanging out in our first zoom call, the three of us (six if you are including the dogs) just had that feeling that this was a great match. Tori and Casey seemed to have an equal role in the wedding planning process and their communication with each other really struck me as such a positive attribute of their relationship.
Tori and Casey’s Boston Wedding Film primarily took place at the beautiful Winchester Country Club. The boys got ready at the Country Club, while the girls hung out at the Archer Hotel for their wedding day preparations with one of my favorite hairstylists in Maricruz Polito from Maricruz Hairstyles. The letter exchange between the couple was so heartfelt and the personality of this couple continues to shine right into the ceremony. Tori and Casey had two great readings, a rock ceremony representing the couple’s path, and personally written vows that were good enough to make you laugh and cry all in one. It was clear that so much thought and effort was put into the ceremony to really exemplify the personalities and connection between these two.
The highlight for us was the couple’s brief reunion with their two dogs after the wedding. The excitement of Nama and Mindy during their “first look” was priceless, followed by a quick photo session with the now family of four. The reception continued in the beautifully decorated and uplit Winchester Country Club. DesignLight did such a beautiful job transforming the room into an elegant space. We shared the evening with Jason Kan Photography and the Hub Band which also made the day a lot of fun.
Laura and Adam ended our spring rush of weddings this year and it could not have been a better way to end the month of June. We met the new Mr. and Mrs. Ruchim through Tasha Bracken at Tasha Bracken Events, and it could not have been a better match. I love when a groom puts an equal amount of positive energy, input and personality into the wedding day. From the moment we met Laura and Adam right through the process of creating a pre-wedding video for their rehearsal dinner video, we just connected on all wave lengths. We knew this was going to be an awesome Boston wedding film.
It was a mix of the big cities, as Chicago and Boston came together for this wedding. Laura grew up in the Boston area, while Adam’s family is from the Chicago area. The two came together while they were both working in New York City. This meeting was an instant connection that carried right through to the wedding day. These two just have an electricity around them that shows you that they are meant to be together.
This classic and elegant wedding took place at the Four Seasons on Boylston Street in Boston. With the perfect touches from Suzanne B Lowell Lighting and Design, the ceremony took on the most romantic feel. During the ceremony, the couple’s vows were captivating and hilarious in the same breath. The reception had such a great energy from the first dance to the tremendous series of toasts to a dance party that never slowed down throughout the night.
The couple chose to have multiple videos to remember their wedding day. Below is the couple’s wedding trailer film, as well as their final Short Film which is the most popular choice out of all of our Boston wedding films. Get ready to laugh, cry and feel all the feels of Laura and Adam’s wedding day.
We met Heather and Chris organically as they found our wedding films online and reached out to us. Once we met for our first consultation, I knew these two were an ideal JPod Films’ couple. They each had fun, easy going personalities and it was easy to tell that they saw the value in a quality wedding film. Once their parents saw our work, Heather said “booking us was a must”. So they did and I was really excited about sharing in their wedding day.
Heather and Chris started their day by getting ready at the Lenox Hotel and the vibe was so energetic and fun. The girls were telling great stories about when Heather and Chris first met, while the boys were yelling and screaming over last-minute World Cup goals. As the preparations continued, the couple each gave sentimental gifts to their parents and each other which really brought a great warmth to their Boston wedding film. The couple transitioned to the Boston Public Library for the rest of their wedding day which started with a great first look at the top of the library staircase. After a pre-ceremony photo session, the couple were married in the library’s courtyard and the ceremony featured heart-felt and extremely well-written vows. The night continued with lots of high fives, elegant decor and high energy dance party. We loved how the couple incorporated their favorite old-school music into the ceremony and reception, as Africa by Toto was used in the ceremony and You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall and Oates was used for their first dance song.
We were lucky to work alongside the uber-talented Kate McElwee and the band Beantown from Wilson Stevens. True professionals like that always make the day flow so seamlessly. Enjoy Heather and Chris’ Boston wedding film from the BPL!
Bri + John found us through one of our favorite couples in Becky and Matt Hall. Their Vermont wedding pulled us out of Boston for a picturesque weekend in the quaint town of Dorset. With a northern location in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the leaves were just starting to turn on this September weekend which provided a great landscape for the photo session, as well as during other parts on the day.
The entire wedding took place within walking distance, as the preparations, the ceremony and the reception were almost all on the same street. The preps were filled with laughter and included a sentimental gift exchange between the couple. After a first look in the mountains, the couple were married in the United Church of Dorset. It was one of those small, adorable churches with lots of character.
The reception brought us directly across the street to the Dorset Field Club for an elongated cocktail hour on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Bri and John’s reception took place under a beautiful tent at the Dorset Field Club. The Field Club is actually the oldest continuously operated gold course in the United States. We enjoyed sharing the day with Alexandra Roberts and the super friendlyTara Pollio from Tara Pollio Floral Event Design. Enjoy our latest Boston wedding film from the Green Mountains of Vermont.
We met Maggie and Matt through a mutual friend of ours and Maggie and I hit it off right away when we first talked. We were excited as this Boston wedding film was going to be the first one ever at the JFK Library and Museum. Although the Library and Museum has been in existence since 1979, 2017 was the first year that this beautiful space began hosting weddings. And, what a space it is! Between the towering windows and ocean views from the cocktail hour space to the 10 acre property outside, to the reception space with endless possibilities, this venue has quickly established itself as one of the elite wedding venues in Boston.
Maggie and Matt’s wedding fit the space perfectly, as elegant was the perfect word to explain every part of their wedding. As I say that, I kind of laugh. Because, even though Maggie and Matt carry that elegance, they have a cute, quirky side that makes them such a great couple. Throughout the day, you could see how connected they were with their inside jokes and continued laughter.
The wedding preps took place at another iconic space, the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. It had such a great, relaxed feel all morning. You knew the bride was relaxed when she started steaming bridesmaids dresses. The day really got going as Maggie and Matt did a first look in the light rain outside the Boston Park Plaza Hotel. In the wedding film, the couple’s great connection really comes through during this first meeting. The rain stuck around for much of the day, but we were still able to sneak in an outdoor photo session under the trees in the Boston Public Gardens. The night continued into the JFK Library and Museum, which was transformed into an amazing space between the work of New Leaf Flores, DesignLight, and the JFK coordinator Jeannie Spence. We also have to add that we loved the post dinner treats and snacks – Blackbird Donuts and Fenway Franks. Thats a win-win! Enjoy our latest Boston wedding film from the city’s newest sophisticated venue.
Courtney and James were married on familiar turf for us, as their church and reception venue in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts matched that of Kate and Bryan’s wedding from a few years earlier. Beyond the wedding locations, Courtney, James and I bonded quite quickly during our first Skype conversation. Then, when Courtney and I found out that we shared an alma mater in UMASS, Amherst, it was like we were long time friends. I even got invited to take part in the UMASS group photo at the reception! The only bummer in this wedding was that Courtney and James’ dog, Race, was not going to be part of the wedding festivities.
This nautical-themed wedding started with a first look and photo session on the beach at the Hyannisport Yacht Club, which also neighbors the famous Kennedy Estate. The scenic photo session is featured throughout the couple’s wedding film, but it didn’t compare to the amazing sunset photos that were captured later at the Hyannisport Club. The ceremony took place in the quaint Union Chapel, which was standing room only to see Courtney and James exchange amazing, heart-felt vows. The reception moved over to the scenic Hyannisport Club for three great speeches, an amazing sunset and a party that did not stop all evening on the outdoor deck.
We got to work with some great wedding professionals as we filmed along side Molly and Erika from Molly Anne Photography. And, we couldn’t say enough about the band The Sugarbabies out of Boston. Their energy was electric and they kept the dance floor packed all night long. Enjoy our latest Boston Wedding Film.
We met Stephanie and James through our good friends, Katie and Casey, at Katie O. Weddings & Events. With Stephanie’s roots in Boston and the couple having lived in New York City for a while, Stephanie and James chose the Berkshires as a middle ground for their wedding day. They found Gedney Farm to be the perfect location. It provided the natural outdoor setting combined with a rustic feel that they were looking for and it was a beautiful backdrop for our latest Boston wedding film.
The couple had a picture perfect summer day in the Berkshires, as the two got ready in opposite ends of the lodging barn. After a first look and pre-ceremony photo session, the couple was married up on the property’s most picturesque piece of land in front a vast and iconic oak tree. The couple wrote short declarations to each other, which they both read providing an amazing personal touch to the wedding ceremony. The reception moved into the rustic barn on Gedney Farm and included a heartfelt speeches from Stephanie’s sister, Kimberly, and James’ Best Man, Omar. The First Class Band took it from there with the party only stopping one time during the night, and that was for a surprise fireworks show in the neighboring skyline.
With the help of Casey from Katie O, the couple surrounded us with great vendors for this event including the ultra-talented Trisha McCormack Photography. The couple chose greenery and a soft pallet of flowers for their reception decor, which was executed to perfection by Kris Ann Elario and her team from Fleurtatcious Designs. This latest Boston wedding film displays what a wedding outside of the city can look like when planned perfectly.
There are certain couples that just compliment each other so well. With Zach and Chris, you have an outgoing personality and a quiet personality. A doctor and a banker. A runner and a weight lifter. But when you see them together, it is so obvious how well they balance each other out. They bring out the best in each other and I absolutely love that about these two in our latest Boston Wedding Film.
Zach and Chris were married on a beautiful November evening at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. The romantic night time setting was one that was as sweet as these two are when they are together. The couple got ready at the Boston Fairmont Copley Plaza and did photos prior to the ceremony in and around the city at locations that were special to the couple. One of those spots was the Trophy Room where the couple first met. At that location, we were also able to meet their lovable yellow Labrador Ezra, as Zach and Chris took some photos with him. It also let us tie in one of the readings from the ceremony, which was entitled, “How Falling in Love is Like Owning a Dog”.
The reception included some heartfelt speeches that truly showed the family’s support for this same-sex couple. Zach and Chris were married during the Mannequin Challenge-phase of 2016 and they included one in their reception as everyone in their wedding party struck a pose. We also worked with some of our favorite wedding professionals including Jill for Person and Killian Photography and the Eye 2 Eye Band from Wilson Stevens Productions. Enjoy out latest Boston Wedding Film!
When two musically talented individuals come together like Christina and Steve, a harmonious melody is created and developed until we have a fantastic Boston wedding film. That is just the beginning of the musical references on this wedding day, as this Basoonist and her musically talented husband came together for an amazing wedding. Christina and Steve found us through one of our former brides, Tiffany Renfro (Tiffany + Matt). At our initial meeting at Starbucks in Newton, Christina and I hit it off immediately, and their fall wedding in the city sounded like it was going to be an amazing event.
Christina and Steve were married at St. Cecilia Church in Boston, with the reception taking place on the 33rd floor of the scenic State Room at 60 State Street. This couple, who met at the New England Conservatory of Music, planned a wedding with lots of musical touches including a string quartet at the ceremony, the amazing band Night Shift at the reception, and we even filmed Steve serenading Christina with a little Frank Sinatra number to end the reception formalities. You would never know it from the decor, but the wedding was a flower-free event. Christina took her vision to Table and Tulip who designed a beautiful array of ferns, branches and greens to create classic and elegant tablescapes. The other thing I will always remember about the day was the photo session. It ended during rush hour on a Friday night with a street shot of Christina and Steve in a cross walk without a car driving on the road. How this happened on a Friday night in Boston, I will never know. Nonetheless, it was an amazing way to end that part of the wedding day.
Much of that photo session was amazing because we were working with not only a gorgeous couple, but a talented photographer in Emily Tebbetts. From the preparations at the Fairmont Copley to the dancing at the State Room, working with Emily and her sidekick Lexi was seamless and amazing as always. Emily and Christina were a good match too, because of their love of cats. Christina’s cats make cameo appearances on the cake topper, while the bride’s shoes also reflected her love of felines. Cats would probably be listed as the sub-theme of this wedding. Enjoy our latest Boston wedding film from some of our favorite spots in the city.
As wedding filmmakers who like to tell a couple’s story, the wedding toasts at the reception play a vital role in our filmmaking process. When we reach out to our photographer friends to talk about an upcoming wedding together, the toasts are the one item we highlight as important to us. We take pride in filming them with good lighting and great sound quality, as we know that it makes our Boston wedding films stand out. Making them look and sound good is our job, but saying the right things is traditionally up to the Father of the Bride, Best Man and Maid/Matron of Honor. So here are some tips to sounding good and making the best of your time in the wedding spotlight.
Length Matters
The best length for speeches tends to be about 2-3 minutes. I honestly believe a well-spoken father of the bride can extend their speech to 3-5 minutes in an engaging manner. But, at the end of the day, the reception is about eating, drinking and dancing. Therefore, speeches that carry on for too long (especially multiple speeches) only cut into the fun part of the evening. On the flip side, 30-second speeches add little the night’s festivities. If you have been selected to speak on behalf of the bride or groom, you have enough knowledge and background to talk for at least 90 seconds.
It’s Not About You
One of the biggest reasons speeches carry on too long is that speakers talk too much about their relationship with the bride and groom. Opening up a speech with your connection to them is a great way to start, but telling multiple stories about every part of your relationship is a way to lose the audience’s interest. Telling one story that exposes the great character traits of the bride or groom has to offer is a great way to show your connection with them. Remember, it’s a toast, not a roast. Save the long stories and razzing of your friend for the bachelor/bachelorette party or rehearsal dinner where the audience is smaller and more connected to the couple.
Courtesy Person + Killian Photography
The Most Important Part of the Speech
All great speeches turn the focus onto the couple. That is what the wedding day is all about! We all have a story about the couple. Most often it was when they first met, or the first time you heard about their new boyfriend or girlfriend. There is always that ah-ha moment. Tell the audience about it. And, then talk about why you think the couple works so well together. It’s the feel-good moment of the night. Own it!
Opening and Closing
How do you start and how do you end your toast? That is the easy part. To start, simply introduce yourself. Secondly, it is a respectful gesture to thanks the parents of the couple for the wedding itself and rehearsal dinner, as most often, parents pay for much of the wedding.
To end a good speech, simply toasts the couple. It could be as simple as asking everyone to raise their glass (don’t forget this part) and wishing them a happy, healthy life together. To take it up a notch, connect your ending to the couple. For example, for an Irish Bride, end with an Irish Blessing. For a brother or sister, quote a respected family member.
Write Down Your Plan
There are two ways to approach the speech. The first is to write it out your speech completely, so that each thought is well thought out and delivered to your satisfaction. For others, reading word for word will cramp their style. If you are this type of person, do not wing it! Simply, just make an index card with a list of topics for each part of the toast. Each part of the speech can be delivered off the cuff, but have a plan in place. Then, you won’t forget to thank the parents when you get a touch nervous.
That’s the basics. Two to three solid minutes of content and you’ll be getting congratulations throughout the night. Do you need a template? I love the DIY wedding toast template Malcolm Fraser gives in his article for Huffington Post. And, one last tip, take a deep breathe as you get to the microphone. It will pay big dividends. Cheers!
