A Wedding Videographer's Wardrobe

Who doesn't stand in front of the closet, trying on clothes, only to throw them in a giant heap on the closet floor? I spent many a wedding Saturday doing just that. I came up with the following "uniform" so I have more time to sip my coffee while packing my camera bags.

I have to be very strategic about what to wear all the way from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. A few fun caveats are thrown in there as well including summertime heat and the fact that I'm a nursing mother (TMI?).

Let me walk you down the list:

Glasses. So I can see road signs as I'm driving across the city with my hazard lights on, parking in no-parking zones and hastily throwing camera bags in and out of the car during portrait time.

Hair. Pinned up and out of the way in case of wind, sweat, or rain. The last thing I need is a flock of hair blocking my view as I'm trying to focus.

Shirt. It's sleeveless and dark-colored so you don't see me sweat as I'm running across the field with bags and gear strapped to my back. (For nursing moms: it also has easy access for whenever I can find time to squat in the bathroom and pump - usually during dinner).

Skirt. So my legs can breathe. It's also lined so again, you don't see me sweat. The only problem is, filming requires unique angles and not-so-ladylike positions to get those angles (i.e. squatting). Then comes...

Shorts. It's a two-fold bonus really. I can crouch, squat and lay on the ground as much as I like without flashing anyone AND it provides an extra layer for, you guessed it, the result of those HOT summer days.

Shoes. I wear flats because I can run faster in them. They're also very quiet so I can sneak around like a little church mouse.

So, never fear. I will show up to your wedding looking cool, calm, collected and classy.

Happy Mother's Day

What's your earliest memory of your mom? Strangely, I don't recall seeing mom's face in my memories. I remember going to bed with the summer sun still not set and the morning doves still cooing. Wandering through our neighbor's flower beds because she had strawberries hidden in there somewhere. Getting into trouble because I think I picked a fight with the preschool teacher's daughter.

What I do remember about mom is her presence. I feel her in the the memory of laying in bed that summer evening, watching me hunt for strawberries and standing up for me to the preschool teacher. I remember the feeling of cuddling with mom, of her playing with my hair, of car rides and jazzercise classes. All times where I don't recall seeing her, I can just feel her there.

It's a mother's presence. You can feel it in this video too.

I visited with Jeni and we talked a bit about her own mom. What I enjoy most about this story is the influence Jeni's mom had over one of the biggest decisions Jeni has made yet. Having a "bun in the oven" for 9+ months sure does change our minds about things. It's probably also why I still tear up when I watch this, even after seeing it a hundred times.

Without further ado, thanks so much to everyone who submitted stories for my Mother's Day project! It was one of those ideas that just popped into mind, and with your help I was able to do it. Here is our final piece. I hope it moves you like it does me.

Ode to Your Mother

It's going to be my very first Mother's Day this year. So, "Happy early Mother's Day!" to all you mothers out there.

You are to be admired. Really. The patience you have is outstanding, and the wisdom to know when that patience has reached its limit is a kind of wisdom reserved for Solomon himself.

I've been distracted thinking about my own mom as May 12th gets ready to make its appearance. Mom is exactly who I want to be when I grow up: independent, hard-working, street smart, numbers smart, lioness. I became very grateful, even for the strict curfews and making me speak for myself. All this retrospective thinking about my own mom hatched a fresh idea last night.

I want to sit down with one of you young mothers to talk about your own mom. We'll create a short video message you can share with her for Mother's Day. There's a twist in the plot, sure to pull at her heartstrings, but that's a secret kept between you and me for now. I'll let you know what it is when we talk more about your short film.



Interested? Here's all you have to do:
1. Comment below about the most important thing you've learned from your mom now that you're a mother yourself
2. Be willing to visit with me to film for an hour (I'll travel up to 3.5 hours outside of Columbus, Ohio).
3. Be a mom of a child 3-years old or younger (if you have more than one child, the others can be older but the youngest must be 3 or younger)
4. Be available to have me visit sometime during the dates of May 3rd-May 9th
5. Be willing to let me share your touching ode online

Submissions will be accepted until 11:59pm EDT Sunday, April 28th, 2013.
Only one entry per person. Email address will not be shared and must be included in order to contact you if you win. Winner will be selected and contacted April 29th.


I'd appreciate you sharing/recommending this "contest" with and to as many mothers you know and hopping on over to "Like" me on Facebook so you can see the final story when it's released. Here's a cute family story to prime the pump for sharing your mother memories.

Unity Ceremony: A Guest Experience

Your wedding day is here! Like my friend Todd tells his couples, it's like a train ride at this point. All you have to do is hop on and go for the ride. Here's a quick tip to help you enjoy that ride even more.

It's time for you both to go up and light your candle, pour your sand, plant your tree, box your bottle of wine...in other words, to declare that the two of you are one, now and forever. What you may not think about is whether or not you want everyone else to view this unity ceremony.

Damian, of United Marriage Services, has a great suggestion for couples in sharing this moment with your guests, your photographer and your videographer. Watch the clip above to hear his thoughts.

I listed a few different unity ceremony ideas I've seen in my day. What kinds of things have you seen or are you considering? What do you think of Damian's advice; would you rather that moment be public or private?

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