Creative Wedding Films - Edinburgh and Scotland Wedding Video and Videographer

Back to Work!

2012-01-06T01:35:00.000-08:00

‎2012 eh? Hope everyone had a great festive season and your sock drawer has been suitably replenished :) As a change of speed, I thought I would post up an introduction sequence as a change from the usual highlights. Here's the intro from Claire and Craig's film, filmed the day before my wife and I jetted off for our American road trip.

Working on Website Changes

2011-12-12T06:59:00.001-08:00

Hi Folks

Just getting through some design changes to the website. This includes some new video from recent times. Below is an example of our new style of highlights, the Movie Trailer Highlights. Be sure to check out the new site as well - www.wedding-videos-uk.com

2011-11-12T12:15:00.000-08:00

This is the first vid I've posted that features glidetrack shots. A 'camera thingy' I recently bought. This is our classic black and white highlights. Movie trailer style with the glidetrack should be coming up soon. It's quite a handy device but best when not used to excess.

Thanks to Judit and Eduardo for being great fun on the day and it's always lovely to meet people that are so positive about and thrilled to be in 'our wee country'.

VOWS Awards

2011-09-29T04:41:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks

Just signing in quickly to say a huge thanks to all those who nominated me for the VOWS awards this year. I've just heard that I have made the official shortlist for the videography section. I hugley appreciate your support and taking the time out to submit the nomination form. Fingers crossed.

Head on over to Facebook

2011-07-08T07:12:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks

Yet again the blog updates are running away from me as the wedding season gets into full swing. In case you didn't know, there is also a Facebook page for Creative and I've been posting up some highlights there recently with our new free option to share your video online.

If you've got some spare time head on over to - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Creative-Wedding-Films/155528391134608

See you there!

Jon

Silly busy

2011-05-27T13:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the complete lack of updates. I promise that I'll get up a few videos soon.....perhaps one featuring the new highlights style.

Being kept busy by both weddings and freelance camera operator jobs and it's not even the busy season yet! Off to Ayrshire tomorrow which I'm looking forward to as Paul Walker is on photo duty and we always work well together. Racking up the miles already this year.

And Now for Something Completely Different......

2011-03-04T00:04:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I took January off from filming weddings. This gives me a chance to catch up with some editing after the christmas break (although I filmed weddings on the 28th and 31st of December) and of course prepare the dreaded tax return. However, when a friend contacted me asking if I would do a bit of filming for him I was happy to oblige.

Gavin heads up the radio station at Glasgow Caledonian University and they had organised a last minute session from the US band, Funeral Party who were playing at King Tuts that same day. So here's the result. Thanks for looking.

I'm Still Here!

2011-02-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

Just a short post to wish everyone a hugely belated happy new year. Been very quiet here recently as I've been taking my usual annual January off filming (mostly). Still, have been working on the Christmas and New Year wedding edits and also a bit of live video for the US band Funeral Party but must admit to taking it rather easy recently.

I'll get some new vids up soon and hope everyone is having a great start to the year.

New Stuff!

2010-12-07T03:08:00.000-08:00

Hi Folks

I realise I've been very quiet on the update front recently. Apologies. Thought I would make up for it by posting up a few videos to take a look at. These are also up on the new Creative Wedding Films Facebook page as I've started offering couples the chance to share their highlights sequences with friends via Facebook or a direct link. All free of charge! Search us on Facebook and join the party :)

New Facebook Page for Creative Wedding Films

2010-10-05T00:23:00.000-07:00

Hello folks. Just to let you know that I now have a Facebook page up for the company. The idea is to offer people the opportunity to have their highlights posted up on my page which they can then share with friends who otherwise may not get the chance to see the DVD.

Many thanks to Laura and Barry for allowing me to kick things off with their highlights section. Laura and Barry were married at the fantastic Dundas Castle and booked me for the film after a friends recommendation. It was a fab day and the weather held out for us until about halfway through the speeches. Everyone was safe from the elements by that point so no worries there. Here is the video and if you want to keep up to date with the Facebook page, search creative wedding films or click the link on the creative homepage - www.wedding-videos-uk.com

Busy Busy

2010-09-29T01:47:00.001-07:00

Really can't believe how quickly this year has flown past as we find ourselves on the doorstep of October. I'm managing to get a few weeks holiday in October which is going to be fantastic but soooo much work to get done before that. Also have three weddings to film before I go. Three in the space of six days to be precise!

Looking out of the window and really hoping that the weather is going to be OK for the coming week. Been pretty lucky this year with the weather so far and hoping it's going to continue.

I'll be picking out a few bits of video to post up, hopefully before I'm off on hols. In the meantime, back to the editing.

Marryoke - Wedding Video Aberdeen

2010-09-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is my first ever go at a Marryoke. Clare had contacted me prior to the wedding to see if it would be possible to replace my usual post ceremony highlights with a marryoke piece. I'll admit I was a little hesitant as it was new to me but agreed in any case as I like these little challenges and trying something new.

Matthew wasn't entirely convinced by the idea but certainly got into the spirit of it on the day.

My helper was to be Clare's good friend, Alison. Alison was fantastic on the day and I doubt I could have pulled it off without her as she was amazing at rounding up all the necessary guests. She was also cueing up the line for everyone on the CD player.

Would I do anything differently......well yes, I have to admit. The CD player that was used wasn't the best as it had no counter reading to gauge minutes and seconds on the track so we spent a lot of time fast forwarding and rewinding. It also became apparent that the CD player quite enjoyed skipping back to the start of the track if a button was even vaguely pressed with the wrong force. It would have been far better to split every line into a separate track with the previous line as a count in.

The main problem with the track (the charity version of Perfect Day) is that every line is sung by a different artist and every artist has their own vocal style which makes every line quite unique. So, a guest would listen to their cue line and of course the next line is quite unexpected in tone....but we got there.

I've seen a few recently that have used Don't Stop Me Know by Queen. This would be a much easier track to do I think as everyone is familiar with Freddies style even if he isn't their cup of tea.

But, imperfections aside, I think it's a success. I think it portrays the great deal of fun everyone had on Clare and Matt's big day and it was a genuine pleasure to be involved and have such a great laugh with everyone during the marryoke filming. See what you think.....

New vid on the horizon!

2010-08-26T02:54:00.000-07:00

Just a short note to say I'll soon be putting up something a little bit different.....my first ever Marryoke. Watch this space.

Finally a new video!

2010-08-06T02:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time coming but I've finally had the chance to get a new video uploaded. This is the highlights sequence from the wedding of Lisa and Oliver, a Scottish/USA wedding. Lisa had chosen Ben Folds - The Luckiest for the soundtrack. This song holds particular memories for me as it's also the tune my wife and I had on our wedding video.

It was a great day and a particular pleasure to work alongside Paul Walker again who was on photo duty. Fabulous day and everyone had a great time. Thanks to Lisa an Oliver for allowing me the honour to capture their special day.

More vids coming soon

2010-07-28T04:10:00.001-07:00

Been very slow on the video update side of things and it's not for lack of material. In fact, that's been half the problem :) I've been so busy filing and editing it's been hard to devote time to the blog. I assure you, there will be some good stuff on the way.

Card Services

2010-07-28T04:06:00.000-07:00

That's us finally signed up to soon be taking card payments. As the cheque begins it's demise, it was time to drag ourselves into the 21st century payment wise. You'll either be able to pay giving details over the phone or via e-mail link which I will send onto your e-mail address. Hopefully this will add a new element of convenience to the business. I'l let you all know when this is finalised.

The Wedding of Elaine and Stewart

2010-06-04T01:08:00.000-07:00

Another fantastic bit of weather. An oasis in the downpours of the previous days of the week. Dundas Castle is a great venue and the Old Keep makes for a fantastic setting for a ceremony.....if only there weren't as many stairs involved :)

Elaine and Stewart are a lovely couple and the kids looked great in their wedding gear. This was a very relaxed day which I think is reflected in the final video. You can se ethe highlights below.

Sarah Elizabeth Photography were taking the pics that day and she was being helped out by Nadine Dunnigan. Lovely to work with two photographers who both recommend my services. Sarah started to recommend me after seeing the wedding vid I shot for her Brother and his wife. She in turn recommended me to Nadine as a videographer she could refer to her clients. I've said it before, but I am so grateful to those who recommend my services and I do my best to return the favour. Thank you one and all.

The Wedding of Iain and Claire

2010-05-05T04:21:00.000-07:00

Finally got round to encoding some new vids for everyone to see. This was my first wedding of the year back in January. The weather was great though, especially for the time of year, if a little chilly.

Linlithgow Palace is one of my favourite venues and looks even better now that all the scaffolding has been taken down. Excellent day all round and it was a pleasure to be a part of Iain and Claire's big day.

New Website

2010-02-25T06:07:00.001-08:00

Hi Folks

Spent the last week or so giving the website an overhaul. The last one was nice and simple but I just thought it looked a little bit too simple. Anyway, here it is - www.wedding-videos-uk.com

See what you think.

Jon

Back up and Running

2010-02-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

The new vids have been a bit delayed as I've been having a nightmare with my net connection which kept timing out before the files could upload. Finally got some joy today though. Check out the vids below this post.

The Wedding of James and Elly. St Andrew and St George Church and Mansfield Traquair Edinburgh.

2010-02-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

Well, this was my last wedding before Christmas day and, unlike the previous one, the weather struck. Just before the guests started arriving the snow came down in blankets. Rain is pretty annoying for camera work but the snow can be a real nightmare as even if you try and keep the lens pointed down between shots, the wind can blow the snow onto it. Saying that, people weren't hanging around outside so it was too much of a problem :)

I got some of the snow coming down though and it really adds to winter wedding feel. Take a look at the highlights.

The Wedding of Fiona and Andrew. Keavil House Hotel.

2010-02-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

Well, this was my first of my December weddings and, looking at recent times, the weather was pretty kind to us. A chilly day but no worse than that.

This was my first wedding at Keavil House and it makes for a very good wedding location. The ceremony took in a room with large windows that looked out to the garden. Quite often, large amounts of light coming through can be quite tricky to deal with in terms of exposure. However, for winter weddings I say the more light the better.

Fiona and Andrew had chosen an entirely instrumental set of tracks for the video. Piano versions of well know contemporary rock/pop track is probably the best description I can give. It did add a little something different for sure. Check out the highlights to see.

Happy New Year

2010-01-26T00:38:00.001-08:00

First resolution is...to update this blog on a regular basis :)

I'll be taking a look back at my December weddings this week and should have the video footage up as well. I'll also be doing a recap of the year at Creative, so watch this space.

Cheers

Jon

Luke and Lara Highlights

2009-11-20T05:53:00.001-08:00

OK, going back in time here. This was the first of my September weddings which took place on the 5th at Direlton Castle which is not far from North Berwick. Word of warning to any other Videographers who might cover a wedding here in the future, it's a proper hike from the car park to the actual castle. Had to cart two tripods and two cameras for what I would estimate was about 1/4 of a mile.....uphill :)

Fantastic venue though with the ceremony taking place in one of the underground rooms. Luke had arrived early and with the help of his ushers and best man set the scene with loads of candles. They had to be on their toes though as there was a fair breeze going throughout the room.

The reception was at Marine Hotel in North Berwick and everyone seemed to have a great time. The guest messages went well as plenty of people were willing to give it a go....with some interesting outcomes. Anyway, enjoy the highlights.

Been a while.....again

2009-11-20T05:21:00.000-08:00

Yet again, I have left the blog behind for the last month or so. Been so busy trying to catch up with work after a two week holiday that it only just crossed my mind today. Had an excellent time away but the downside of being a sole trader is that no one does the work whilst you are away. Damned inconsiderate if you ask me.

Once I was back, it was just a few days to go until the VOWS awards. I'm sorry to report that I cam away empty handed but had a rather good night anyway :) I must thank everyone again for their kind words and voting forms. I met the winner, Geoff from Watch the Birdie, before the dinner and he seemed a very nice fellow indeed. Glad to see it was him the got the award.

Anyway, I've posted a few pics below....unedited and raw :)

Pictures are as follows - Vows - With Jay and Christina from Elemental, with George of George Lammie photography fame, my wife Rachael...looking keen as always on getting a pic taken and lastly the awards room at The Hilton.

US - Me at Yosemite, Hamish and I with our hire car El Diablo and me on the way to Alcatraz (just visiting you understand).

VOWS Awards

2009-09-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

Just a short note to say that I have been nominated for a VOWS award for the second year running. A huge thank you to everyone that took the time to vote, it's greatly appreciated.

Jon

Paul and Fern. Highlights

2009-09-03T06:03:00.001-07:00

Neil and Alyson. Mid Highlights

2009-09-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

Zeina and Darren at Wedderburn. Highlights.

2009-09-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

New Vids......Promise.

2009-09-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

As I type this up, I'm in the process of uploading four new vids of recent weddings. I do apologise for the lateness of these but things are hectic, especially as I want to maintain my target turnaround before a week away in France.

Everything is going out on time though despite my busiest year ever for bookings. Hope you enjoy the new vids....which should be above this post :)

Crazy Busy

2009-08-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

Apologies for being very lax with this blog folks. Just so busy at the moment it's hard to get a day off let alone keep up to date with this blog.

However, I will be putting up some new video in the next few days so you can take a look at some recent weddings. Watch this space.

Thanks

Jon

Video sections now up.

2009-07-21T03:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time coming but I finally have my advanced Vimeo.com account so I can host loads more video. So as promised, I've started to add some to my blog entries. Have a scroll down the page to check them out. More to follow soon.

The Wedding of Donna and Gus Tannadice Church and Red House Hotel.

2009-07-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

The Wedding of Donna and Gus took place on the 23rd of May (I know, I'm getting a bit out of sync with my posts here).

Instead of writing about it, I thought I would share their highlights section with you. An excellent day.

A Trip to Aberdeen

2009-06-25T03:43:00.000-07:00

The weather just keeps holding up this year. So different to last year.

Quite an unusual few days for me. Two weddings back to back in Aberdeenshire. Morven and Ranald were married in Peterculter church, pronounced Peter-couter for for the central belters like myself :) Took a few good natured ribbings for my mispronunciation. Blazing sunshine all day which can be great but not always ideal when it comes to video or photography in terms of getting the correct exposure.

Both Morven and Ranald are superb folks with a constant smile and friendly nature and I was made to feel most welcome. Maryculter House is an excellent venue with everything you could hope for in terms of great video. Lovely areas outside with the river running past and a huge dining room making position for the speeches a lot less stressful.

After the wedding it was off back to my hotel for a few pints of (incredibly cheap) Guinness.

The next day, I was filming for Marie and Allan at Ardoe House Hotel. Again, fantastic setting with huge gardens. For the second day in a row the weather was fantastic all day.

Now this was a bit of a first for me. I do have the option for me to stay on after the first few dances or 9pm and, now and again, people do request this. Not usually more than an hour though. However, Marie had asked if I would be able to stay until the end of the evening which would be 1am. I must admit, at the time I had no idea what on earth I would film for four hours after 9pm. I didn't have to worry though as the entertainment for the night was The Big Show. They get alot of participation going throughout the night and the Grand March even turned in a conga which was fun to film.....even when it starting snaking its way out of the venue.

So it turned into an excellent evening to film and when was the last time you saw a wedding band with pyrotechnics?

The following morning, it was off back to Edinburgh for lunch with all my friends. An ace way to end an eventful weekend......although I don't recommend a full buffet cooked breakfast for three days on the trot. Unless, of course, you have some self restraint :)

Wedding of Louise and Matthew at Roman Camp Callender.

2009-06-25T03:34:00.000-07:00

First Saturday wedding in five weeks for me so back to normal service :) Louise and Matthew were married at St Mary's in Stirling which was one of the first churches I ever filmed in. Matthew is from Yorkshire but was well into the Scottish spirit of things when he turned up with the full kilt outfit.

After the ceremony it was off to Roman Camp and luckily, during the journey, it was the only rain I saw all day with the rest of the day bathed in brilliant sunshine. Every seemed to have a terrific time enjoying a glass or two in the sunshine beside the river and I got some really excellent footage as you can see from the video.

During the speeches, the Best Man had everyone out of their seats in song. A fantastic way to end things before the first dance. A real pleasure to part of such a lovely couples day.

Take a look at their middle highlights section below.

The Wedding of Leigh and Angus. Kirk of Calder and Harburn House

2009-06-25T03:20:00.000-07:00

The Friday weddings keep rolling in :) 4th in a row which is very unusual for me. Saying that, it's great to have a few weekends off to spend time with my wife and catch up with friends.

Leigh and Angus were married in the historic Kirk of Calder and I'll tell you, it was packed to bursting point. Well over 200 guests made their way into the church....somehow. I had been recommended to Leigh through a friend which is always a really nice way to get work.

We must have experienced all four seasons during the day, with the weather switching to from heavy rain to brilliant sunshine throughout the day. Thankfully, the brilliant sunshine came out when it was most needed and rain came on mostly while everyone was inside.

After the ceremony, were we treated to some excellent musical performances during the register signing, it was to Harburn House. The speeches were split between courses of the meal so I really had to be on my toes especially as there was a quite easy going and informal feel to the day. The main course was beef and one person from each table was chosen to don an apron and carve at each of the tables. A very nice idea.

The day ran pretty late and the first dance wasn't until well after ten. As I always say in my website and price list though, I wont just up sticks and leave at nine if things are running late.

The Wedding of Laura and Simon at the George Hotel, Edinburgh

2009-06-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

Well, this was Friday number three in a row for me at Laura and Simon's wedding on the 1st of May. First of all, I must say how spectacular the ceremony room at The George is. Quite something else.

Simon is from New Zealand and I did a bit of filming of him and his party getting ready at the start of the day. Lots of fun trying to figure out the kilts and laces on the shoes. I always try and help where I can but I'm probably not the ideal person to ask :)

The ceremony was great and afterwards Laura and Simon nipped off for some pics in Queen Street Gardens. I had already arranged with them to stay back at the hotel and grab footage of the guests enjoying themselves. It's always nice for the bride and groom to be able to see the bits that they miss on the day. I also took the opportunity to get the guest messages at this point. I was a little worried it may have been too early in the day and that folk might not be fully into the swing of things. I have to say everybody came up trumps and I got some great pieces to camera.

Laura and Simon looked so relaxed throughout the day and it's made for a great video. An excellent day.

The Wedding of Linda and Georges at Craiglockhart then the Apex International Hotel, Edinburgh.

2009-06-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

The wedding of Linda and Georges took place on the 24th of April. Georges is French and he was in the full kilt outfit for the day. It's always great to when non-Scots get the kilt on. Really creates a fun buzz to the day not to mention plenty of conversation on the topic of being a true Scotsman!

An hour before the ceremony, there was still no sign of the church organist and no one could reach him on the phone. At the last minute, the church official made a call and a friend of his was drafted into the role. It meant the ceremony started late but at least the hymns were able to get under way.

Nadine was the photographer for the day and she had come to meet me at home late last year as she was looking to add a videographer to her suppliers list. Sarah Elizabeth photography had put her my way after she had been so impressed with the video I did for her brother in law back in 2007. It really is nice to build up these realtionships and it's always a big compliment to be thought of so highly.

After the organist hitch, the day went smoothly and the speeches took place with with a full view of Edinburgh Castle in the background. I also did some guest interviews which were very entertaining. A great day all in all.

The Wedding of Ruby May and Derek at Shieldhill Castle

2009-06-10T07:46:00.001-07:00

The Wedding Ruby May and Derek took place on the the 17th of April which was to be the first of five Friday weddings in a row...most unusual.

Was was particulary noteworthy was that Ruby May had managed to organise the whole wedding from scratch in just three months. Quite an achievement.

Shieldhill is a great venue and even has it's own chapel on site. It was actually one of the first venues I ever filmed at when I started back in 2004. I remember it quite clearly as it was a winter wedding and there was a very picturesque covering of snow around the grounds.

The day itself was excellent and very relaxed. The photographer was a friend of Ruby May and had made the journey up from Manchester. We got on really well and everything went smoothly. I stayed on for an extra hour into the evening which is always quite fun as everyone is into full relaxation mode by that kind of time.

It was also the first time I was able to utilise my new laptop and actually start editing footage on the day.

Everybody had a great time and there were plenty of laughs during the speecehs as you can see from the picture.

Next Updates

2009-05-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

I'll be reporting on the April weddings just as soon as I get time. I 'll also be looking to update my previous posts with some video footage.

Cheers for now

Jon

Louise and Chris. Wedding Video at Dundas Castle, South Queensferry.

2009-05-12T10:51:00.001-07:00

First and only wedding video of March as I had decided to take a little time away due to editing commitments with The Scottish war Museum. Lou had contacted me before the new year asking if I could supply a video link in the Old Keep at Dundas. Not something I had done before but I always like to try new things. Lou was worried that her Gran wouldn't be able to make it up the stairs to the Old Keep but Dundas had a video link that flows down to both the armoury and the ground floor. I had made the trip out to Dundas to look at their link system and I must say I think it might be as old as the castle itself! I ended up having to back three times in all to make sure I had the right connections and that they were feeding back to the screen OK. Job done.......or not as the case may be.

Chris Phoned me two days before the wedding to tell me they had been for the ceremony rehearsal. I hadn't realised that it was to be a Humanist ceremony which usually means the Bride and Groom face toward the guests during the ceremony. Chris picked up on this and realised that due to the position of the video link, I would have a cracking shot of the back of thier heads. Not ideal.

A quick search on Google and I found a company in Leith that supplied long length video and sound leads. Due to the connections. there was much head scratching as myself and the two assistants tried to find a way to connect all the cables up. I wont go into details....it still makes my head hurt :)

But it was all good in the end and I got the link up and running on the day after arriving an hour earlier than scheduled just to make sure.

The day itself was fantastic. Helped along by having Dom from Duke Photography there on the day. Dom is excellent to work with and we really look out for each other to make sure we're not getting in the way of shots. It's fantastic that he recommends me exclusivley to all his clients who may be looking for a video. Very much appreciated.

Louise and Chris were so bright and cheery on the day that I could hardly fail to get lots of great shots and Chris e-mailed me recently to express his thanks for the great job on the video. I really can't put into words how much I appreciate this kind praise. I just love to know that I'm giving the couple a small momento of the day that they will watch for years to come. This job really is a priviledge.

Ross and Michelle. Wedding Video Abbotshall Parish Church and Dean Park Hotel Kirkcaldy.

2009-05-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

This takes the prize for late bookings without a doubt. Whilst at a friends place on February the 24th for dinner with my wife, I received a call from Ross asking if I was available for the 7th of March. I asked him, "for next year"?...."no this coming March". Wow, was caught off guard somewhat and said I would have to get back to him to see if I was free. Luckily I was and the date was booked up. A big thanks to Vicky and Barry for recommending me on the strength of their video.

I didn't realise that Barry was best man but I instantly recognised him as he walked up the path to the church with Ross. It's really is fantastic to be recommended and it was great to see Barry again. Ross was looking a tad nervous but I think that started to pass when all the guests started arriving.

Michelle looked fab when she arrived and her father was a picture of pride as they made their way up the path towards the church. The ceremony was excellent and Michelle threw her arms up in the air as they were declared man and wife which brought an uproar of laughter from all the family and friends present.

The staff at Deans Park could hardly be more helpful and I really appreciated all the detail they gave me especially considering how little time I had to get to grips with the schedule of that day. Those late bookings really do keep you on your toes :)

Another surprise was to come when I was packing up the kit at the end of the night. A chap came over and said "I think you filmed my mates wedding a few years back". Sure enough, Gus was there as an evening guest and we had nice chat about his wedding day and he told me how much he loves looking back at the DVD. Quite a day.

Joanne and Alan - Wedding Video at The Caves Edinburgh

2009-05-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

2nd video of the year for Creative Films took us not far from our doorstep to The Caves in Edinburgh for the first time. It's a great venue with quite a history behind as you would imagine....of course, behind part of the old town, not all of it's pleasant.

I had met with Jo a few weeks beforehand in Glasgow whilst through on a video job and was really looking forward to the day. I also attended the rehearsal to get a good idea of the venue. What struck me first was how dark it was. Not entirely surprising being called The Caves :) However, the on stage lighting where the ceremony was to take place really looked the part. Very atmospheric and ideal for an interesting look to the video. I must say The Caves manages to pull off an intimate feel whilst still having the feel of grandeur.

The day itself was excellent and I think the guests really appreciated the surroundings. Everyone was treated to Ghost Story by two actors post ceremony which really captured the essence of the location. Great fun was had by all I think.

2008 - A brief recap at Creative Wedding Films

2009-03-27T08:50:00.000-07:00

As the blog is a new part of the site, just thought I would give everyone a brief insight into 2008 here at Creative.

In terms of bookings it was a strong start to the year and within a few months the year was fully booked up until the start of September. I don’t believe in taking on as many weddings as I can fit in. I have a very definite number that I will take on as I don’t want quality to suffer and I certainly don’t want people having to wait months and months for the final product.

Filming took me all over Scotland (and beyond). Creative produced wedding videos in Ayr, Inverness, Stirling, Perth, Glasgow, Dumfries, The Borders, Fife, Bute, Aberdeen as well as back home in Edinburgh. I even covered a wedding in Skipton, Yorkshire. I had covered the brother of the brides wedding just outside Edinburgh and she was willing to pay for me to come all the way down to Yorkshire (Skipton) after seeing her brother’s DVD.

As luck would have it, I had received an e-mail from a bride to be the week before the wedding who was based in Bradford but getting married in Lanarkshire. Not being too far from Skipton, I arranged to meet her at home with her fiance which resulted in a booking for June this year.

As well as wedding videos, I also filmed my first Opera this year and also did some video work for National Museums Scotland. Although filming the opera was new and exciting, it was a bittersweet experience. My name had been passed on by Guy Kinder of GK Video (we are both members of the Institute of videography). He had covered the opera for the previous 2 years but couldn’t take it on last year as he had fallen ill with cancer. He also recommended me to film his sisters wedding later that year in September. Guy was looking in great health and seemed on top form as he delivered his speech before the meal. Unfortunately, his sister (Barbara) contacted me a few weeks ago to tell me his condition had become significantly worse and he was back in hospital. My best wishes and thoughts go out to Guy and his family and I’m sure these thoughts are shared by all those around him as well as his fellow professionals.

For the first time during my five years as a wedding videographer, I decided to have a crack at the VOWS awards this year. The awards are voted for by couples in terms of customer satisfaction. I had considered entering in the past but never got round to it. However, during 2008, so many brides contacted me to ask if I wanted them to put me forward I thought, why not. At that point, I contacted couples that I had produced DVDs for that year and asked if they would also be happy to put me forward. All of them were.

I was very happy to be informed that I had made the shortlist of four companies for the videography section and some couples even sent me copies of what they had said in their voting forms. It was very touching to be thought of that highly and some of the comments just blew me away. To be able to give people a memento of their day that they obviously cherish is such a privilege and honour. It really makes the last five years of hard work seem incredibly worthwhile.

Unfortunately, I didn’t win the award but to be in the top four in the country felt quite an achievement. Although, the award did serve me with the ultimate in terror. VOWS sent me out some forms including one where you had to ‘big yourself up’. It’s never been my strong point and I prefer to let the finished product do the talking. Perhaps next year I’ll lock my modesty away in a box somewhere and just go for it :)

2008 also saw a massive investment in new equipment. Two new cams were brought in (Sony Z7) to make Creative ready for High Definition. Of course that also meant a new editing computer as my Apple G5 was heading on for 5 years old. In came the new Mac Pro and it really handles the HD footage superbly. Hanging onto the G5 would certainly have slowed down my workflow. The software also needed updated.....typical.

Well, I said it would be brief and there you have it. I may take some time to add a little more if I get a chance.

The Wedding of Simon and Gillian at Melville Castle.

2009-03-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Decided to start the blog off with a quick recap of my first wedding of the year. It was back in January but as the blog is a new idea for me, I’ve decided to go back in time a bit.

The wedding of Simon and Gillian took place just outside Edinburgh at Melville Castle. Melville is a great place for the videographer. Plenty of room to work in and the ceremony room is bathed in natural sunlight, which is quite a rarity as I’ve learned over the last 5 years. The staff are also really helpful and do their best to help out on the day.

Simon had quite a start to week when he received a call informing him that Melville had gone into administration! Thankfully, it was the new owner giving him a call to say everything would proceed as planned. I can only imagine time stopped for a few moments there.

It was a fun filled day (as you can see from the video still of Gillian) and everyone managed to brave the January chill to head outside for a few drinks and some pics.....although I think there was more than a little relief when the photographer was finished and everyone was able to head back inside to the warmth of the Castle.

Why not take a look at the following video to see what happened at the start of the day.