Lumbering down the street, moaning and only half alive and after one thing. Chocolate! For years I've always had the greatest of respect for Brides who, with a desire to look their best on their big day, choose to go on a diet or weight loss plan in the months leading up to the big day.

But I have never, and I mean NEVER had more respect for you all until now! I am trying to lose weight you see. The first few days were actually not too painful. Bit more exercise and started following the plan laid out by the good people at Operation Transformation.

Then something strange began to happen. Stomach pains kicked in as if my tummy was giving out that its food intake had been cut dramatically. I began to feel more tired and grumpy as the sugar cravings and withdrawal kicked in. And finally like an undead zombie, seeking only one thing I wandered into the streets of Mullingar with one thing on my mind.....Chocolate! 

But.....I resisted. Thanks to the Op Trans system I am down 11lbs in a week! Its not easy. Especially for those around me (I can be a bit of a moan!) but I'm getting there. So I'll say it again, to all you Brides who are adding the stress of weight loss to an already stressful wedding planning, I salute you! 

......now where did I leave that emergency Dairy Milk!

So its the new year! And suddenly your wedding day doesn't seem so far away anymore. With mere months to go the planning goes into 5th gear. Florists, Venues, Bands, DJs, Church Music, Photographers and Videographers all get shortlisted and contacted. With the first 6 on that list your on your own! But I can offer some advice (I would say independent but lets not kid ourselves!) on booking your Videographer for your day.

1. Why such a wide range in prices? Is the cheapest the worst and the most expensive the best?

OK, like most things this is not cut and dry. There are very good videographers operating at different ends of the market. For over €2000 you would get radio mics, multiple camera operators and a fast turnaround time on your DVD. You would get interviews with your guests and maybe even a website set up for you with clips from the day. For €700-1000 which is my price bracket, you will get a discreet professional service from a man who will capture your day without intruding, a documentary styled and romantic film capturing the best of the day. I will shoot over 5 hours of footage to give you a film of between 90 and 120 minutes long as well as a highlights video of about 6 minutes long uploaded to the internet. 

The choice is yours. But I always advise looking at several samples videos before you decide. You will get a feel for the videographer and a chat on the phone or in person can give you the confidence you need to book someone you know you can trust. Wedding Forum websites such as Mrs2Be.ie or WeddingsOnline.ie give you the opportunity to ask other Brides their experiences and choices.

2.  Why can't my friend film it. His camcorder is small and records in HD?

OK, sidestepping the obvious innuendo for a second that size matters, Camcorders have taken quantum leaps forward in recent years. A small handheld device can offer full HD recording and be lightweight. But the truth is the most important part is the lens. Smaller camcorders always have a small lens. Professional Camcorders do tend to be bigger to accommodate the bigger lens. Focusing, Exposure, White Balancing and Zooming. All things a small camcorder does automatically and usually badly. Professional Camcorders offer manual controls for all these and add an experienced and professional camera operator and you have yourself a film no handheld will ever be able to film. Ever.

To put it in perspective, cameras have been getting smaller and about to handle a higher pixel count for years with most personal camera taking up to 14MP at this point. But you would never even entertain the idea of having your wedding day (your one time only, cannot be repeated wedding day) photographed on a small pocket camera. You pay for the professional camera with the professional man (or woman!) behind it. Why? Because you know it will be worth it years from now when you are looking back. The same is true of your wedding film.

Its now the 27th of December and after several weddings this month I can only say what I say every year. I love Christmas Weddings!

Merry people, feelings of goodwill, drinks with family and friends and kissing under the mistletoe...or eh....the Priest's nose! Christmas and Weddings have so much in common that it makes sense to double the emotion and feelings and warmth of both and wrap them together with a red ribbon and a white bow!

Every year I learn something new such as:

1. Christmas Trees look amazing in a wedding film
2. Its troublesome for cars, its wet and its cold but Snow is also magical for a wedding film
3. White and gold or white and red crackers make a great table decoration for weddings
4. Mulled wine receptions grab you by the nostrils and don't let go as you enter the warmth of the hotel
5. It is literally Christmas dinner with your family and friends on the happiest day of your life
6. Nothing and I mean nothing, gets a crowd going like Slade!

Weddings are magical and so is Christmas and as 2011 comes to an end and 2012 starts I want to wish you and yours a truly wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tony Malone
Irish Wedding Videographer
www.tonymalonemedia.com

In the past few years and more so in the past year or so, I've noticed a move towards themed weddings. Yes, the traditional white dress, church and reception are still 95% of my work but that 5% is becoming more interesting! 

I've seen themes such as Rock weddings where the Bride and Groom and guests dressed as rock stars! I've also seen a beautiful beach wedding where the groom dressed in white as well as the Bride. I'm still waiting on a groom dressed in a loin cloth to grunt "me man, you wife" before swinging off through the trees in the Phoenix Park!

A theme can be subtle or obvious, from flowers and dresses co-ordinated to match right up to period costumes. Its your wedding, you only do it once, so why not get the day you want. A day that reflects your personalities. 

Now that may very well be the white dress and church and handsome man waiting in his finest evening suit at the alter but.....you could also have dreamed of having a star trek themed wedding or a rock wedding complete with electric guitar solo of "Every Rose has its Thorn" as you walk up the aisle!

Your wedding film is the ideal way to express yourself and still keep a more traditional wedding day. Why? Because your wedding film is unique to you! It already uses the music your choose which in itself moulds the film to match in the music. Slow romantic song? Slow romantic edit with slow fades, softening effects and slow motion. Faster uptempo song? Upbeat film with quick cuts, people laughing and joking and a more party feel!

Its up to you! All you need to do is ask as its all included in the price!

In case I don't get a chance to blog again before the Christmas I will take this opportunity to wish you (my one and only reader!) a very merry holiday season!


Tony

I had the pleasure recently of talking to a woman who got married two years ago. Given my job, the small talk usually at some point turns to weddings and I took the opportunity  to ask what she liked about her videographer and photographer and what she didn’t like.

I have worked with many photographers whom I admire and respect and many more I didn’t and I’m sure the same is true of some videographers.

She told me that her videographer shot in a documentary style. Stayed out of the way but captured everything she wanted and was very happy with the finished DVD and his attitude on the day which was always accommodating.

As an example, she mentioned that they decided on the day at the last minute to go to a local pub to visit the landlord whom they had both worked for years ago. The pub was 10 minutes from the church and 20 minutes from the reception.  She said it to the videographer and not a problem, off he went.

However her photographer was a different matter. Charging more than three times what the videographer was charging she expected at the very least the same positive and willing attitude however he refused point blank to go to the pub as it wasn’t told to him beforehand. The Bride ended up having a stand up row with him outside the church before he left and went to the reception venue for establishing shots!

Now first off before the emails come in, I am not bashing photographers! As I said, I have worked with many who are always courteous and accommodating on the day. My point is this. We may be self employed. We may work for ourselves as far as the revenue is concerned. However, once we arrive to film a wedding, WE ARE STAFF!

If the Bride says jump, we say how high. Barring something insane like being asking to climb the outside of a building like Spiderman to get a shot, we are obliged as de facto employees of the Bride and Groom to do anything and everything they ask that is reasonable on the day.

Going 10 minutes out of the way is not unreasonable. To top it all off, he insisted that the group shots be taken outdoors. The Bride asked that they be taken indoors and he said no. Now you could argue that as an experienced photographer, he knew a good location and wanted to use it but there are three things to take into account here. It was winter and there was a foot of snow on the ground. Three of the wedding party were in Wheelchairs and THE BRIDE WANTED THEM INDOORS!

Wow this is really coming across as photographer bashing and again its not. It could as easily have been the videographer insisting on this. So again my point is this. If you have someone on the day who you feel is not giving you the service you expect and deserve, let them know. You are paying enough for their services and they are not doing you a favour by being there. You are doing them one by hiring them and trusting them.

In the current climate (hate that phrase!) customer service is as important as product. And on your wedding day, you deserve the best service always.

OK, my first blog back after my wedding was going to be about my wedding! But I was listening to Matt Cooper today and he was talking about how hard it is for some people to speak in public and how there are actually several therapists in and around Ireland who get fathers of the bride and best men on a regular basis with their sole aim of giving their speech without passing out!

I began thinking of the many many many (I could keep going here but you get the idea!) speeches I've heard over the years. Some good, some bad, some short, some long. I have to agree nerves played a part in the them all.

Longest Best Man speech I've filmed was a yawn inducing 1 hour and 13 minutes and the shortest was a blink and you miss it  26 seconds! 

But the best part of any speech is the one liners! The ones which have the room in fits of laughter and add to the atmosphere of the night. 

OK, first lets list the common ones. The ones EVERY best man uses. And just like an old joke your uncle tells you, you know the joke, you've heard it 100 times but you still laugh. I have to say, I would advise against using theses ones as they are sooooo old and done often

> "There are two people here who we will get to talk to a lot tonight, who mean a lot to us and who will be there for us when we need them. Lets raise our glasses to...................the barstaff!"

> "They say a best mans speech should be as long as it takes the groom to make love......so thank you and goodnight!"

> "Marriage isn’t a word… it’s a sentence!"

The above lines are funny but overdone. The below are ones I've heard at weddings and are brilliant, original and funny!

> "The one phrase I remember from the service was For Better Or Worse. Well, Dave you couldn't have done any better. And Jenny, you couldn't have done any worse!"

> "Hi, I'm Patrick and I'm the Best Man. As you can see I'm quite nervous. In fact I'll be honest. This is the 7th or 8th time today I've stood up from a seated position with white paper in my hand covered in shit!"

> (Speaking to the Groom) "I've really enjoyed being your Best Man and would really like to think you'd consider me for your next one too!"   - (WARNING - Might get you slapped by the Bride!)

> (Holding several pieces of paper) "Hello! I'm Robert the Best Man and.....(leans in to Groom)...."oh ok. The Groom has asked me not to say anything that might embarrass him so....eh...(looks through the pages and laughs then shakes head and throws one page on the floor.....does it again and another page....looks to groom smiling then frowns and throws another on the floor....eventually one page left) "OK, I think that's all the embarrassing stuff gone! So...Hello I'm Robert the Best Man. Thank you and Goodnight!"   - (Long I know but was so funny!)

> "Some men marry for love. Other for companionship. Shane here has had his new Father in laws back 20 acres in his sights  for some time now!"

Feel free to add your favourites to the comments section here or on my facebook page! 

www.facebook.com/tonymalonemedia