Guest Post: MPA Weddings

In the short time that I've been blogging and growing my wedding planning business, I've had the opportunity to network with and "meet" so many talented faces of the wedding industry, from all over the country. Thanks to the social-networking abilities of Twitter, I have been introduced to some of my new favorite wedding blogs and vendors. So today, I would like to introduce you to one of them, the award-winning photography/ videography duo of MPA Weddings, Mandy & Adam.

Mandy so cleverly apporoached me about discussing the importance of videography and I'm so thankful that she did. Because if there's one thing that I want my brides to know, it's the importance of the two things you're left with after the celebration is over: photo & video.

      "A wedding video is the most valuable part of a wedding that too many brides overlook.  I can’t even begin to recount how many times people say to me, “I wish I would have had a wedding videographer.”  Shortly after our clients receive their wedding video, we get notes from older siblings and parents letting us know just how much they feel they missed out at their own weddings.  Maybe it’s the way new technology has enabled us to capture such beautiful, cinematic footage of weddings without having to charge and arm and a leg, or maybe it’s that the moments of a wedding (though they take forever to plan) pass by in the blink of an eye.  Whatever it is, the value of a wedding video has never been higher. 

It’s true that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is a thousand words and a thousand pictures.  For anyone that is on the fence about hiring a professional wedding videographer or anyone that wants reassurance that they are making one of the best decisions of their lives, there are 5 essential reasons why deciding against capturing your day on video is a big mistake.

      1.     Memories Fade.   With each passing year, the stories get shorter and names change.  The original speech your brother gave that made everyone laugh slowly morphs into what you argue may have been a zinger from dad or a wise crack from a cousin.  When your 25^th anniversary arrives, you have an easier time recalling what you ate, than what anybody said or did.  Fortunately, you have your wedding movie to help you remember.

      2.     Blink Of An Eye.  You spend months (or even years) planning an event that comes and goes in a matter of hours.  As the bride and groom, you start your day getting dressed and moving from one place to the next.  The ceremony comes and goes in a matter of minutes.  After your photo shoot, you are eating dinner and listening to speeches, still trying to comprehend that you just got married!  Next thing you know, your friends and family are seeing you off and you wake up the next morning feeling like you had just been through a whirlwind.  At that point, there is no better feeling than knowing that in a few weeks, you’ll be receiving your wedding video and will have the chance to figure out exactly where the day went.

      3.     What You May Have Missed.  As the bride is the last one to walk down the isle, she clearly wont be able to see the bridal party walk before her or her niece throwing the flowers that took months to arrange.  She will miss her dog trotting the ring down the isle and the laughter of the crowd when they see the adorable arrival sign her nephew carried.  Fleeting moments like these are forever gone and will never be seen by the bride…unless of course you have a wedding video.

  

      4.     Words Are Worth A Thousand Pictures.  Your maid of honor “googled” every brides maid speech ever written and the best man spent weeks combing through draft after draft trying to figure out the best balance of heart felt and funny.   Your father contemplated for years what he would say when the day would come when he would have to give his little girl away.  You spent lifetimes dreaming of your vowels and shed love filled tears trying to deliver them.  Some moments deserve more than just a picture.  They deserve a wedding video.

      5.     You’re The Star.  Let’s face it, for most of us there will only be a few moments in our lives when all eyes are on us and only one time when we spend months and years planning and preparing to have a celebration of our own personal love.  For one night only, you and your lover are the stars of a beautiful love story that you got to design and direct.  Your wedding is your own personal piece of time, an art piece that should be treasured forever.  To not capture the event as completely as possible would be a disservice to all the beauty the moment has to offer.  

It breaks my heart every time I hear “I wish I would have gotten a wedding video.”  I know that there is no way to go back in time and film those moments that have come and gone.  As a wedding photographer, I know the power of capturing a single moment.  As a wedding videographer, I know the power of capturing time itself."

Ready to see this talented team in action? Check out the photos and video from the gorgeous October 2012 wedding of Megan & Rad:

"Adam Chase and his partner, Mandy Philips, co-founded MPA Productions and MPA Weddings.  With a strong passion for wedding photography and wedding videography, Adam brings a unique new style to the wedding industry. Adam has a knack for creating comfortable settings for his clients. His studies from University of Colorado and University of Maryland enable Adam to combine audio and visual skills into epic wedding experiences. Contact adam@mpaweddings.com and visit www.mpaweddings.com for more information."

Thank you so much, Mandy and Adam for sharing such an informative article, that I think is a must-read for every bride & groom! Please make sure to check out MPA Weddings on Facebook and Twitter to see more!