From the Second Shooters Perspective: Danny + Liana

Liana and Danny's wedding was by far the most favorite wedding I've done with Black Olive Studios. What made it so enjoyable was how different it was compared to all of the other weddings I had shot. The gorgeous Liana came from a family where her mom was Filipino and her dad was Greek. Talk about a family filled to the BRIM with energy!

Another thing that made it one of my favorites were all the surprises included in the day - and let me tell ya, for a wedding day, there were ALLOT. The first surprise was for Danny - he loves to play the guitar and because music was a huge part of their relationship, Liana surprised him with a guitar cake. The second surprise (and most sweet) was for the bride's mom. Because her family lived in the Philippines not all of them were able to make it out to Liana and Danny's special day. So the couple surprised her by having her family from the Philippines up on a screen via Skype - the moment she turned and saw them was absolutely priceless. Last but not least, the third surprise was from Danny to Liana where he and his groomsmen choreographed a special dance, and wrote a rap.

Everything - from the moment she's getting into her dress, to the couple's first dance is captured in this montage. It's definitely a must see.

So watch! And enjoy. 

Amy + Ryan

"...give me one thing you love, girl, that makes you hurt and I'll be there ten days before you call. Give me one thing you know, girl, that makes you cry and I'll do everything in my power to make it subside. 

The song in this video was specifically chosen for this couple. While at first, things didn't seem to be going well with the rain forcing the ceremony indoors and the obvious complications that followed, Ryan was there to bring comfort and shower Amy with his love. The lyrics captured their love beautifully. So while everything didn't go exactly as planned, the day turned out to be more exquisite then anyone could have ever imagined. 

 Congratulations to this special couple! 

 

Rob + Tricia

On this crisp January day, Rob and Tricia celebrated one of the most special days of their lives, surrounded by friends and family. The lightheartedness of the bridal party, the elegance of the wedding ceremony, and the creativity throughout the reception, made this wedding unique and beautiful. 

Our biggest congratulations to this happy couple!

 

Season of Growth

Where do I begin? That's actually a question plaguing me for a while now as I pick up the pieces from an extremely busy, but good, 2012. While jobs were coming in and content was piling up, I have been getting increasingly more frantic just trying to keep my head above water. Add on top of it moving into a new office studio space, it has just been insane. I greatly appreciate my clients who have been patient with me during this hectic time. With all this new busy-ness I have been hiring an assistant on a regular basis and am now adding an office manager to the books. Hopefully between the three of us we'll be able to kick this studio into shape and maximize efficiency and get back on schedule. So without any further ado, let me introduce you to the new "crew."

As an aspiring photographer herself and a long-time friend, Sierra was an obvious choice as a second videographer. Add her lively personality and eye for detail made it  even more clear. She brings her own unique perspective to each wedding and helps keep the day light-hearted and on task. Weddings would definitely be a more dull experience without her presence.	It's kind of crazy that I'm putting Lenna in charge of my studio, but for some reason I'm convinced it is a good idea. As another close friend and one who "un-creepily" enjoys keeping tabs on my whereabouts [inside joke], she definitely met the pre-reqs. Considering the fact that she is organized just sweetens the deal! The majority of Facebook and blog content will be coming from her hand so make sure to stay tuned as projects roll through.	And... for those who don't know me. I am the wizard behind the curtain! My name is David and I stumbled my way into this whole wedding cinematography thing a couple years back. It has been a fun and exciting experience and I'm looking forward to many more exciting years before I throw in the towel.

I Survived 2012 - Whew!

Considering my last post was back in September of 2012 some may be wondering what happened to me. For curious souls I am alive and have been pumping out new videos steadily. Last fall was a little crazy and to say the least, I got behind. Anyway, 2013 is looking really good and I have a ton of wedding videos I need to share. Rather than posting them all in rapid succession I figure I'll space them out over a period of time.

Of course if you follow us on Facebook you've already been able to watch them.

Stay tuned!

Quinn + Amy

The style and creativity of this wedding makes it stand out and has grown to become one of my very favorites. Everything from the elegance of the wedding dress, to the rustic venue and theme of the reception, to how in love and adoring this couple is. The joy and glow that emanated forth from Quinn and Amy was just so pure and natural and it shows throughout this video. Enjoy!

Bradley + Bethany

This couple was so laid back throughout the entire day. Their easy-going personalities and the joy that radiated and shown across their faces was just a small evidence of their love and dedication for each other.

We hope you enjoy the video and our biggest congratulations to Bradley and Bethany!

 

Chad + Jami

Chad and Jami were such a wonderful couple to work with, their lighthearted spirits and the deep love they had for each other were so prominent and made the day enjoyable from beginning to end. The wedding was held at the beautiful Imago Dei Church here in Peoria Illinois, and what better weather to shoot in than sunny and blue skies. To help make the day easy and more fun was having Katelyn Turner as the photographer. She never ceases to make the environment comfortable and add a little pizazz to each wedding day.

So sit back and we hope you enjoy this glimpse into their special day. Congratulations, to the new Truelove couple!

Jason + Leslie

What a gorgeous wedding. Not only was it outdoors, or a beautiful rustic themed wedding, but there was an abundance of sweet love that grew even stronger as the day progressed. Our congratulations and best well-wishes go out to Jason and Leslie!

 

Cody + Jenny

There's something gorgeous and special about witnessing a couple's first look on their wedding day. It's even more special when you're able to capture that "once in a life time" moment, on video. On this beautiful summer day, overflowing with joy, Jenny walked down the aisle and said "I do" to the man of her dreams. No wedding party is more fun to work with than one which is relaxed, full of laughs, and who add their own crazy fun personalities to the day making it so much more special for the couple. That is exactly what Cody and Jenny's friends and family did for them.

Their love for one another radiated throughout the day, which made it so fun and easy to capture. A big congratulations to the happy couple!

Evan + Catherine

Evan and Catherine's wedding was a very unique and rare wedding. The style was very elegant, and usually when a theme is elegant one will automatically assume very serious, but not this day. This beautiful, but chilly day, was elegant but oh so, fun. The attendees, the bridal party and the happy couple, filled this special day with love, laughter and joy.

Congratulations to this special couple!


 

William & Tiffany

William and Tiffany chose the beautiful midwestern destination of Lake of the Ozarks to celebrate their special day. The gorgeous location and magnificent weather combine with both of their relaxed personalities made their day perfect. I had a load of fun creating their video.

Randy + Emily

On this beautiful fall day, Randy and Emily, surrounded by family and friends said "I do" to each other.  Throughout the entire day there was definitely not a lack of smiles and laughter. This couple had a love, a joy and a glow that shown forth from both of them. And as evidence in this video, just continued to grow stronger as the day progressed. We hope you enjoy the sneak peek into this couples special day!



 

5000+ video plays!

We have crested the 5000 video plays on YouTube. In addition we had our first video reach 1000+ views. We want to thank you for helping in making this happen!

Check out our channel!

Daniel & Monica

This couple was unique. Rather than going downtown to get those urban brick pix, we hit her family farm for some country scenery featuring cows and barbwire. Daniel and Monica both brought a lot of pizzaz to the day. What a hoot! I'm sure you'll love watching their video.

As so many of my videos are, This was shot alongside Katelyn Turner Design + Photography. She always masterfully captures her bride's special day. For those looking for a great wedding photographer she definitely should be in your top picks!

Brian + Heidi

You always come across some weddings where the bridal party is capable of keeping the entirety of the the day relaxed and full of smiles, and that right there is exactly what this bridal party was able to pull off for this happy couple. It also helped that Brian and Heidi made sure this day would be unforgettable, lively and merry- and that they did!  

Congratulations and best wishes!

Jason&Samantha - Wedding Video

One again, a simply beautiful wedding. The room just glowed when the both the bride and groom were together. Rather then trying to describe it though I'll just let you watch their film.

Photographer Plug: This was the second time working with the fantastic ladies of Imagine Artists. Their energy and creative perspective in which they approach their weddings is invigorating. It was a blast working alongside them and it was evident they know what they're doing. I'm looking forward to the next wedding I get to work with them again.

Glen&Mackenzie - Wedding Video

Glen and Mackenzie chose to keep it simple. A small wedding with family and friends. I have to say, it was beautiful. As I was driving out to the wedding I had my doubts. I was wondering if I would be able to get enough variety for the video. However, as you'll see below, that wasn't a problem at all. The energy and emotion generated between the two was absolutely amazing.

If you're looking for a wedding cinematographer check out our website. If you're wedding is taking place in a different region that where we're located we're available to travel.  Get in touch, our wedding videos are the best way to remember your special day for years to come.

Imagine Artists!

Worked this past weekend with the two enjoyable ladies from Imagine Artists. Taryn and Kristi are not only great conversationists during downtime, they're also very masterful at their craft. As you can see from Kristi's cell phone pic she caught me sitting down on the job.

If you're looking for a great photographer team for your special day make sure to check them out Imagine Artists.

Keepsake Packaging

Each DVD we deliver is packaged in a keepsake case that will look beautiful on any shelf or end-table. Our cases are designed custom for each bride and provide premium protection for your wedding DVD.