For many people, there is typically a moment when one asks one of life’s most potent questions: Will I ever truly love somebody? There’s a lot that gets wrapped up into that question, but for our purposes here we’ll assume this pertains to the idea of marriage. Will I ever truly love somebody and enter into a binding agreement to spend the rest of my life with them? What does it mean to be married? Some people may spend the entirety of their life attempting (or desperately) trying to find a satisfactory answer. Then there are those who simply shine when standing next to their significant other.

Our job as videographers transcends, in many ways, the category of wedding vendor and instead enters a realm of empathy and observation. We get the luxury of investigating an answer to this question by watching some of the coolest people on Earth get married and attempt to forge their own path through the journey of life. While the question may remain unsolved, there’s no doubt that Alex & Kyle have ignited a fiery spark that will no doubt burn for many years to come. Their love, like so many other couples that we work with, keep us coming back for more. There’s a little more to the mystery revealed with each and every love story we have the pleasure of telling.

Alex and Kyle are the ideal couple; not just because their love has already lasted for multiple years, but because they were so open to ideas when it came to their wedding film. It’s such a pleasure to work with a couple who encourages you to be creative and think outside of the box. Their wedding highlight is a testament to their desire to let us tell their story in a tasteful, yet artistic way. The two tied the knot at the beautiful Powel Crosley Estate in Sarasota, FL. This was our first opportunity to film at this venue and I certainly hope it will not be the last.

 

The day nearly started off on the wrong foot. The bride was doing as most brides do in the early part of the day; getting make up and hair done. Her bridesmaids, friends and family members respectively, looked on and eagerly spoke of fond memories of watching Alex and Kyle grow in their relationship. The only thing missing was the wedding coordinator. While it may seem like missing just one person from the vendor list shouldn’t be a huge blow at this early stage in the wedding day, but any slight mishap can really turn a bride in a raging hulk the likes of which most call “bridezilla.” Fortunately, those surrounding Alex were spared any such moment. Alex is an extremely down to Earth and very easy going bride (I say bride here because there’s no telling what she may be as a wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc.) The worry of the missing wedding coordinator quickly dissolved into endless humor and laughter over the absurdness of it all.

It wasn’t long before the coordinator arrived and things were back under control. Alex continued to finish her hair preparation; a whole ordeal that had begun in the wee hours of the morning prior to even arriving at the venue. I don’t often spotlight hair vendors on the blog (not because I refuse to, but I hardly get a chance to speak to them) but I just so happened to personally know this particular hair stylist (she cuts mine and my wife’s hair). The extremely talented Edith Miller of Spa Ezenzia graced us all with her presence and her A-List skill set. She has easily earned my high recommendation for any potential bride reading this!

The completion of the bride’s make up and hair was coupled with the arrival of Kyle, the soon to be husband. Kyle was an all around genuine groom. Not a look of doubt or distraction in his eyes. It’s funny that as vendors we get to know these people in such a unique atmosphere; a setting that really only happens once in a lifetime. Somehow, we are tasked with the job of capturing lightning in a bottle. We have to tell a genuine story. We can only do so much, at some point in time the couple has to take over and play a major role in the direction of their love story. Kyle and Alex may have not consciously known this, but they did an amazing job of staying true to their love. Neither the groom nor the bride took complete control of the day. They had performed their due diligence and left the logistics in the hands of a very capable cast of folks at the Powel Crosley.

The groom and his groomsmen meandered down the second floor hall and filed into a minuscule room where they attempted to all get changed at once. The size of the room portended a lot of elbow rubbing and close quarter combat between the gentlemen. For some reason, small rooms are always the case for most grooms and their groomsmen. It seems fitting; that the bride get the palace and the hopeful groom receive the first floor living quarters. Nonetheless the men make the terrible logistics work and somehow all transform out of their everyday garb into very sharp and strikingly slick suits. As his preparation continues, Kyle receives a gift from the far corner of the Estate. It is a brand new watch from his soon to be wife. There was no better time for him to have received such a thoughtful gift.

Through the laughter and the mischievous conversation between men, the time flew. It was now time for the groom to see his bride for the very first time. One of the greatest moments of any wedding day can be the moment the couple shares their First Look. The trend is continuing to grow and the object always seems to be in what way can the couple make it their very own. Fortunately for Kyle and Alex, they had a gorgeous Ship Room in one corner of the Estate’s house.

It was here that Kyle anxiously awaiting the footsteps of his bride. She approaches slowly, building the tension of the moment. For some, this moment can be too overwhelming, dissolving even to the point of laughter. When Alex readies Kyle and he turns to see his bride for the first time, his exclamation is quite possibly the quintessential reaction of this groom: “Oh wow!” Now, reading this and experiencing it first hand are very different things, but make no mistake: Even with a massive word bank in his head he would still fail to express what he saw in his soon to be wife at that very moment. This, a moment that will never, ever happen again. It takes some a while to absorb the moment; for Kyle it may take the rest of their lives before he can utter words that were worthy of his bride’s arrival in that moment in time.

The ceremony and cocktail hour took place just outside the house with a gorgeous view of the lawn and water a few hundred yards away. The two shared personally written vows. Of all the things that happen during a ceremony, it’s typically the vows that draw the most attention. Some couples take on the challenge of speaking openly in front of a crowd, while others (for a variety of reasons) shy away. Kyle and Alex totally embraced the idea of having the opportunity to say something special to one another in front of their friends and family. Thanks to the advances of audio and video technology, they’ll preserve this moment for the years to come.

Special speeches were not restricted only to the ceremony, as there were a few great ones given during the reception. Kyle and Alex relaxed in front of the audience while Alex’s father gave an extremely heartfelt speech. One gets the feeling that as the father of a daughter, the moment where you hand her off to a man in marriage is a moment that is always on the father’s mind. It’s likely a driving force to reach out and check in every so often. When the day finally comes, the father is likely to be fully prepared and he cherishes the opportunity to say anything he wants during his speech. Alex’s father grasped the audience’s attention at the very beginning and never let go. He had everyone eagerly awaiting his every word. His words of wisdom filled the air and his delivery was impeccable. It quite possibly was the most emotional moment of the night.

For anyone out there who is getting married and is looking for ways to blend tradition with modern, unconventional elements, I would suggest to look no further than this wedding. To the venue, the first look, the vows, the first dance, and the vendors; this was one of the best weddings we’ve been a part of. To Kyle and Alex: We thank you for being so awesome. Enjoy your wedding video!

Very special thanks to Carrie Wildes Photography for providing the beautiful photographs!

Thanks to the Powel Crosley Estate for being very easy to work with!

Thanks to Edith Miller from Salon Ezenzia!

Song licensed from Song Freedom: Kathryn Ostenberg “Light Me Up”

DP

 

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