Marco Island Marriott Wedding | Lauren + Chris

Lauren and Chris had the perfect destination wedding on Marco Island at the Marco Island Marriott.

No Worries Weddings

Set Free Photography

Salon Tease -hair and make-up

Lyfe Of The Party - Florals

Ella's Cakes

Rod Tuffcurls and The Bench Press - Band

Music License from Song Freedom

Rhythm of The Night By the Plain White T's

80's Icon Band

Okay so if you want to have the most funnest band ever at your party, look no more.  Travel back to the Future with The 80's Icon Band.  We had so much fun filming this video! 


Clint Wiley and his awesome 80's ICON BAND.

Ritz Carlton Wedding, Naples | Lindsey + Jordan

These two are just adorable.

Ritz Carlton Beach Resort, Naples

Tonya Malay Photography (image courtesy of Tonya Malay)

Music License from the Music Bed

"Best Day of My Life"

Ritz Carlton Naples Wedding | Christina + Andrew

A sweet wedding for this very sweet couple.

The Ritz Carlton Resort, Naples

Kelly McWilliams Celebrations

Hunter Ryan Photography (image courtesy of Hunter Ryan)

None Other Band

Vanderbilt Strings

Reverend Bruce Modhal

Music License from Song Freedom

"I can't help Myself"  by The Four Tops

RIngling Museum Wedding, Sarasota | Melanie + Alex

We love Melanie and Alex.  These two are just so madly in love and Melanie's attention to detail is amazing.  And, they said I do just in time!

The Ringling Museum, Sarasota Florida

Bee Ridge Florist

Kimberly Dyer Photography

Cakes By Sweet Boutique

Michael Dearruda - Officiant

Music License from The Music Bed

The Time To Run by Dexter Britain

Naples Ritz Carlton Wedding | Blake + Paige

Blake and Paige really know how to throw a party. What do you think?

The Ritz Carlton Resort of Naples

Luminaire Foto (image courtesy of Luminaire)

Headliners Band

Music License From The Music Bed

With Out You By Ben Rector

Studio RK is a brides dream come true

Brides!  Are you looking for an amazing space for you and your girls to get hair and make up done?  Well look no further.  Studio RK has a private space just for you.  We loved working with the girls at Studio RK to put this film together.  Check it out!

Thanks to all who contributed:

Set Free Photography

Show Me Love Cakepops

dm Paper Designs

Isn't She Lovely Florals

Diamond District

Kelly Chase Couture

Soma Intimates

Confessions Of A Videographer | Do you need a wedding planner

"Is there really a difference in a wedding with a wedding planner then one without one"?  The answer is yes.  A big difference.  "Is it worth it to hire a planner"?  Yes it is.  "Do venue coordinators replace a planner"?  No.  "If I already hired all my vendors, I don't need a planner since I have done all the work all ready".   Nope.

Okay that being out of the way, we are big believers in hiring a wedding planner if you couldn't already tell.  Not only do these weddings look nicer, but they run so much smoother.  For both the bride and groom and all of your vendors.  We are thrilled to have a planner with us on wedding day.  Someone to coordinate the day so we can focus on doing our job's.

Lets start with the looks better part first.  Well, go though my blog and pick out the prettiest weddings and most likely there was a planner.  Planners have a way of making everything look better, it is what they do.  They pull it all together for you.  Now, if you are a bride sitting there thinking,  I can do it all myself.  Well, maybe, maybe not.  On your wedding day, do you really want you or your mom running around setting up all your  details?  Or better yet, your bridesmaids out in the heat setting up your ceremony site and tables?  Venue coordinators are not the same as wedding planners. 

Lets talk about timing.  Who is in charge of the flow of the night?  This is a common scenario - We go to the DJ and ask what's happening next.  They have no idea.  Then you ask the photographer, they don't know.  There is no time line, and even if there is, there is no one there to make sure that everyone is following it. Or that it even makes sense.  What door are the introductions happening?  Where are the toasts taking place?  No one knows.  This makes for bad photo and video.  We like to be prepared.

Is cost a factor?  I say it shouldn't be.  And here is why.  Having a planner can actually save you money.  That's right.  Besides the hours of overtime for your photographer and videographer since nothing is on time, they can also work magic for you in lots of other areas.  I can not count the number of times we had 1 -2 hours of overtime because time was wasted and nothing was on time through out an evening.  A good wedding planner is worth every penny!

Scary fact for me, but I have been shooting weddings since 1999.  Where does the time go?  I have been to over 1000 weddings.  How many times have I heard a bride say they didn't need a planner and they really did?  Too many.  Have I seen my share of wedding day mess ups that a good planner would of turned around?  Unfortunately.   In the past few months let me tell you all the things we saw that a planner might of (most likely) saved the day on....

• A cake table with sugar ants all over the cake. 
• An entire chuppah blown down from wind as the bride is coming down the aisle.  One we saw happen mid ceremony too. 
• Guests passing around a mic during the reception doing unplanned toasts for 1 hour and 10 minutes causing photography and videography to run over and require overtime.  A planner does the dirty work and takes the mic away from drunk guests for you.
• Guests, bride and groom at a outdoor ceremony site as a storm comes in with no where to run for cover from a serious down pouring of rain.  A planner has back up plans and monitors the weather closely.
• A photographer unable to make it to the ceremony (they were from Miami trying to make it to Marco Island) so the first half the wedding had no photography.  A planner probably could of found someone to cover it with a few hours notice.
• An outside wedding and as soon as it turns dark it is pitch black where the toasts are taking place and no one can see a thing.  Hey, how about a lighting plan? 
• Many times we have seen photo booths at receptions not being used the entire night because they were placed in locations where guests had no idea where they were.   
• An officiant wanting to skip cocktail hour so they can do a  dinner blessing and leave quicker.  The officiant actually had almost had the resort ready to do so.  Who is in charge of your wedding? 
• Photo and Video sitting down for 5 minutes for a break - out of the view of the wedding, and the band decided to do parent dances without telling anyone.  Planners make sure all vendors are ready for all events. 
• Flowers not set up yet as guests are standing at ceremony site waiting to sit down and ceremony was suppose to happen 10 minutes ago.  
• Parents NOT in the room when toasts, cake cutting or parent dances are announced. 

We have seen planners work magic too.  For instance,

• A outdoor ceremony and a reception site changed an hour before the wedding due to 40- 50 mile per hour winds.  A planner handled it all.   If you are outdoors you really need a planner.
• A wedding cake falling apart prior to the reception, and no one from the venue wants to touch it - as it slants to one side and is slowly falling down.  A planner quickly took care of that. 
• Out of a certain liquor in the open bar that you must have?  No problem, the planner handled that. 
• Your DJ has had too much to drink and needs to be fired, mid reception.  Yup, I have seen that. 

Sure, most weddings are wonderful and most of the vendors we work with are awesome and extremely professional.  We love all of the venue coordinators we work with week after week.  However, things happen....and that's why we love working with wedding planners. 

 When my own daughter Anna gets married some day, will I hire a planner?  Oh heck yea! We work with some amazing wedding planners here in SW Florida.  We would be happy to recommend you to some of the very best.  Please check them out and learn what they can do for you.

A Baby Story - Meet Keanu

On July 27, 2012 Malia and Erik welcomed into the world their first born child, Keanu.  Filming their baby story was an emotional, amazing experience that Steven and I were privileged to be part of and we will never forget.  It was a definite change up from the weddings we shoot all the time. But, still a love story.  A powerful love story at that.  Malia told us she regretted not having a wedding video, and decided she wanted a birth video now more then ever.  We were very very honored to share this special time in their lives with them.
When we edit a wedding video, we look at it over and over, every day for weeks, and you just can't help but bond with your couples. We love our brides and grooms. After all, we are sharing with them one of the most happiest days of their lives.  Well, this experience was all that times a million.

Welcome to the world baby Keanu.  You were loved dearly before you ever took your first breath of air.  Congratulations Malia and Erik.   You are such an amazing couple and Keanu is so lucky to have you both as his parents.  Thank you for letting us be part of Keanu's journey.  xoxoxox

A Birth Story - Baby Keanu from iheART Films on Vimeo.

Tyler + Ashley Fort Myers Wedding Video

We really have the best couples ever.  Ashely and Tyler are a sweet couple who's wedding we are looking forward to shooting next month.  Ashley and Tyler met in high school when Tyler used to throw paper airplanes at Ashley to get her attention.  Here is their story.  

Ashely and Tyler are going to play this trailer at their wedding on a big screen TV.  What a great idea. We would love to know your story too :)

AnnMarie Says....

I LOVE many things.  One thing in particular is shoes.  I just adore a cute pair of shoes.  These are some pictures that Steven and I took one day while we were hanging around downtown Fort Myers.  What is so interesting about these sparkly shoes is that since I purchased them last November, we have had 2 of our brides get married in them.  I got so excited when I saw my favorite Kate Spade's on our brides.  Totally made my day.  And yes, they are very comfortable...even better!!