Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Quick Tip: Freezing Your Wedding Cake

If you are planning on freezing the top tier of your wedding cake for your first wedding anniversary, there are some easy steps you can take so that the cake will still be tasty one year down the road. 

After the wedding, immediately remove the cake from the cake box and place it in a large 2-gallon Ziploc bag.  Squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag.  Put the sealed cake inside a second Ziploc bag, so that it is double-bagged.  Be sure to remove as much air as possible from the second bag, as well.  You can then put the sealed cake back inside the cake box.  Next, wrap the cake box in plastic wrap, so it is sealed.  Place the cake box in the freezer.  

When your anniversary rolls around, and you are ready to indulge in your walk down memory lane.  Remove the cake box from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw for about 24 to 48 hours.  Free the cake from its wrappings and allow it to thaw for another hour or two at room temperature.  Then serve it up and reminisce!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Quick Tip: Share your Shots with your Photog

Even if you've hired a photographer known for his photojournalistic style, you'll probably still want some formal posed shots of family and the bridal party.  It's best to give your photog a list of all the shots you want, including each grouping of different family members and bridal party members,  at least two weeks before the wedding.  Ask him how much time he will need for all of the formal shots and then factor enough time for all of the desired shots into the wedding day timeline.  It's ideal to do all of the formal groupings of family members and the bridal party photos before the ceremony and during the cocktail hour, so once the band starts playing during the reception, you can enjoy the party and dance the night away!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Stop Before You Shoot! Tips for Capturing Good Video Footage of Your Wedding

Welcome back Mike Fisher from Storymix Media, who will be guest blogging about tips for shooting good DIY video footage at your wedding.

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In our last guest post, we explored the reasons for capturing video of your wedding. If you have opted for getting the video shot by a non-professional, we have advice for making sure your cameraperson gets the scenes you want and the best results possible.

The key to getting the important shots and scenes for your movie is planning beforehand.  If you have a game plan, you are much more likely to be ready when those great moments present themselves. Here are some tips:

General
1.    Know thy equipment.  Be sure to understand the functionality and features on the camera.  A Flip cam will have very different capabilities than an expensive camcorder.

2.    What extras will you need?  Extra batteries, tapes, and flash memory cards aren't sold at the bar.  Prepare the night before.

3.    Key shots list.  Make a list of the important moments you want to capture. Here are some shots you'll want:
  • Walking down the aisle
  • Vows
  • First kiss
  • Leaving church or venue
  • Entrance into reception
  • Best Man's toast and Maid of Honor's toast
  • First dance, father-daughter dance, mother-son dance
  • Bouquet toss
  • Guests - don't focus just on the couple, but go easy on the guests' toasts
  • More than ceremony and reception - your wedding experience also includes the rehearsal, bridal shower, honeymoon, etc.  Try to include those moments too if possible.
4.   Don't forget the "b-roll."  Take shots of buildings, scenery, banners, signs, invitation, food, shoes, etc.   

Shooting Video
1.    Two cameras are better than one.  Multiple angles and more coverage will result in a better final edited movie.

2.    Nice and easy.  Be conscious of how quickly or slowly you pan and zoom.  A nice smooth movement will prevent your viewers from getting seasick due to the jerky to and fro common in home movies.

3.    Have tripod, will travel.  Using a tripod will make it much easier to get great video shots.  If you know you'll be shooting from one spot for a while, your legs and arms will thank you.  There are also great table top tripods available on the market that are easy to travel with and do a fine job keeping your footage still and smooth.

4.    Film near a stereo speaker at the ceremony.  If you have more than one camera, position one camera near a stereo speaker.  Even if you can't get good video, the audio can be added later with the appropriate footage.

5.    Get a lot of closeups of the couple and guests.  Catching facial expressions and emotions makes for great video.

For more detailed tips and explanations for producing good quality video footage, check out our blog: www.My-Photo-Video.com.

In our next guest post, we'll discuss the questions to ask if you decide to hire a professional videographer.

November Giveaway!

As part of these great tips, Storymix Media is offering their Custom Wedding Video Wedding Mix package to one lucky reader.  This $200 value product is great for turning your DIY raw video into a great 20-30 minute highlight movie that will be a treasured keepsake.

To enter, simply leave a comment to this post by November 21st with an e-mail address to contact if you win.  You will receive an additional entry if you follow us on twitter and send us a tweet. We will randomly select a winner on November 22nd.  If we don't hear back from the winner within one week, we will randomly select a new winner.  No purchase is necessary to enter.