Ruthie and Ian’s wedding weekend was held in Napa Valley. The rehearsal dinner was at the always gorgeous Tra Vigne and their wedding ceremony and celebration were held at Z Modern. What a place! And you couldn’t have asked for better weather!

This film was a special one for Sandbox Love. Because of Ruthie and Ian’s loving attitude, and their fun style, I felt like we were able to make a film that really focused on the joy of their wedding. The music, editing style, and soundbites were all picked to join the feeling of nostalgia with a little bit of quirkiness. I’d say that this style of wedding film isn’t something you see everyday, and neither are Ruthie and Ian. The two of them are truly unlike any other, and I believe this film honors that.

Finally, it was once again a huge pleasure and joy to work with Laurie Arons and her super-star crew. We also got to shoot alongside Jose Villa for the third time this year. What a treat to hang out with such an expert group of vendors! Oh, and one last thing. To whoever made that lemonade/tea before the ceremony: that was the most refreshing drink I’ve ever had. Srsly.

Sandbox Love was lucky enough to be picked by Amy and Rob to capture their multi-day wedding event in Hana, Hawaii. Amy and Rob rented out the whole Travaasa resort for 5 days to create a feeling of intimacy for their wedding guests. The first day Vitalie and I arrived in Hawaii, we couldn’t help but start shooting immediately. On the drive to Hana, we decided to take the long way around, to get a bunch of scenic island footage. We checked in at Travaasa and met up with the wedding party at their Thursday night Luau which was an event I’ll never forget. Hula dancers, fire dancing, and a dance party right on the ocean. It was a rager.

The next day was a beachside chill sesh. Amy, Rob, and their friends got together to enjoy the sun and relax. Equipped with boogie boards, shaved ice, and frisbees…there was plenty to do. Definitely a day activity done right. That evening was the Rehearsal Dinner back at the resort where the main hall was decked out in candle light. Our cameras really couldn’t get enough of the beauty. And of course, all the other events were blown out of the water by the Wedding Day. You can tell from the film that every single detail was perfect.

It was said at the Rehearsal Dinner that Amy and Rob have surrounded themselves with loyal, wonderful, caring people. And we could really feel it while we were there. Everybody we met welcomed us into the experience of the wedding, which allowed us to get moments we wouldn’t have got otherwise.

We also got to work with an ALLSTAR wedding staff for this. The event was put together by Marianna Weiman-Nelson who owns Special Occasions in Beverley Hills. I’m incredibly impressed by the staff there (Tabitha and Bill). We also got to work along side one of the world’s best photographers, Jose Villa, which was an absolute pleasure. Lastly, we have to thank the people of Hana who must be some of the sweetest, most accommodating people I’ve ever met. You really don’t find people like that anywhere else.

Unfortunately, I won’t be posting the video to the blog.  The last thing a celebrity wants is to have one of the most important days of his or her life put on display for the world to see.  Gotta respect that.  But I will tell you a few general things about the wedding.  First, the weather was stunning.  Golden sunshine, not a cloud in the sky, with a beautiful view of Mount Tam in the background.  Second, Amber and Barry were beaming the entire day.  Their happiness filled the house, and everybody could feel their love.  Third, it was packed with touching moments.

Barry and Amber picked our Signature Film for their wedding, which means I got to sit down and interview each of them.  I was totally impressed by how charismatic and thoughtful they were.  Sitting across from Barry and having an intimate conversation about his relationship was an honor I’ll never forget.  To think… this guy is used to being surrounded by fifty thousand fans chanting his name… and here I am on his porch, talking about the most meaningful part of his life.

Shannon Leahy and her team did a wonderful job planning the wedding.  It was a huge success.  And I have to say, the wedding film is amazing.  Almost as amazing as Zito’s curveball.  A huge congratulations to Barry and Amber.  Thank you for choosing us to tell your wedding story.

Priya and Veeral are like the coolest couple. They mention it in the video, but Priya has this great energy about her. Being on West Coast time and having an 8AM shoot on the East Coast can be rough. But the second we met up with Priya, it was all good. Her enthusiasm and excitement are contagious and woke us right up. Veeral, by contrast, is a really chill guy. I guess the best way to say it is “collected.” He’s extremely well spoken and is probably one of the most charismatic folks I’ve ever met. When you see the two of them together, you really get how right they are for each other.

Also, gotta mention how stylish they both looked. Veeral, being the President of J. Hilburn, one of my favorite men’s fashion brands, knows what it means to look sharp. And there isn’t any disagreement, Priya definitely looked like a princess in her various dresses, bangles, and jewels.

My favorite moment was at their Sangeet. It’s the party where the families rejoice and spend time together before the wedding. One of the most impressive parts is how the families actually perform choreographed dances for each other. I loved how when all the families were done, Priya got up in front of everyone alone and started a beautiful dance solo. Then, to everybody’s surprise, Veeral hopped on the dance floor and the two of them went into a choreographed dance. The whole room went wild.

I can’t believe how lucky we were to be a part of this multiple day event. By spending all this time with Priya, Veeral, and their families, we really got to know each other. In fact, there’s some footage of me getting Indian dance lessons from some folks in the wedding party. Another awesome experience I won’t forget, and neither will they.

EDIT: Kristin and Zander requested that their video be kept private. So unfortunately I’ve decided to take their video off of our public site. As we have started to take on a lot of weddings with celebs and high level executives, we’ll be releasing info about our new policy soon. Enjoy the screen captures from the video below!

Vitalie and I were in Tahoe for two days with Kristin and Zander. We spent the first day filming their interviews at the Martis Camp Lodge, searching for cinematic view points, and capturing their rehearsal dinner. One thing I love about their interview is how much thought they would put into their answers. They really took their time to compile their thoughts and then would answer while looking straight into each other’s eyes. Maybe it’s because they’re used to being around cameras with Zander working at CBS and Kristin’s career in acting. Their rehearsal dinner was at the Lake Tahoe Ritz Carlton. What a beautiful place! A bunch of people got up and spoke and I wish I could include more of what was said because there were lots of beautiful moments, all of which will be on their DVD.

The second day was the big one. We spent the day moving around Martis Camp which is where Kristin and Z built a home. The lodge, as you can see from the video, is absolutely off the wall beautiful. I can only imagine how beautiful it would be covered in snow. I find architecture designed for winter super impressive. With the massive wooden beams, giant granite terraces, and cozy fire pits; it just feels like a place you’d want to call home. In the morning, Kristin’s dressing room was crazy busy while Zander and his groomsmen were just chillin’ watching college football. It was funny to see such a contrast when the locker rooms were only separated by a flight of stairs.

We met some wonderful vendors while shooting. First, gotta say a big thank you to Andy and Kwon from AndySeo Photography. Check out Kristin and Zander’s Wedding Photos. It was also a pleasure to work with Mary Litzsinger from VP Events.

Spending time with Kritsin and Zander was fun, natural, and inspiring. We were so happy to be a part of their wedding experience and wish them the best for their future as a married couple.

We had the pleasure of meeting Megan and Nathan through one of our fav photographers, Ashley Maxwell. The bonus footage that you see was at a location that Ashley had found, and it was perfect for their wedding film. Cute houses, lots of color, and those beautiful boats. What a gorgeous setting.

Their wedding was held at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, CA and the weather couldn’t have been better. Gotta love the rolling California hills. In the morning, it was so fun seeing how excited Megan was. Her and her friends were joking around the whole morning and spontaneously busting out moves from their umbrella dance. So much good energy. Talkin’ about the umbrella dance… How cool was that? So cinematic! Nathan had know idea they were choreographing this dance, and the result was fantastic. He was completely blown away by the performance, and it was written all over his face.

To Mr. and Mrs. Primrose: Congratulations on a beautiful relationship and a gorgeous wedding. I love how you guys talk about “the little things” being the best things. It was an absolute joy being with you at your wedding and a pleasure to edit your film. We wish you the best and cannot wait to hear about your lives as you move forward as an amazing couple.

With Love,
Jesse

There are so many things I loved about their wedding. First, I loved that it was a multiple day event. Like they say in the film, they wanted to spend time with all of their family and friends. With multiple events, they had a chance to spend quality time with everyone.

The second thing I loved was how “custom” their experience was. They considered every little detail and thought about how to make everything relevant to their relationship. The result was a wedding experience that was filled with meaning, charm, and personality. One such detail was how they both decided to wear a certain scent for the week leading up to the wedding and during the wedding, so that they would have a smell associated with the wedding experience. What a cool way to bring back memories.

I was also incredibly impressed by Alia and Josh themselves. Their deep love for each other seemed like something that would have taken years and years to develop. In reality, they had been dating for a bit more than a year! Both of them have an incredible sense of what life is all about. And let’s not forget to mention their bold sense of style. Love it!

Check out some of the amazing coverage of this wonderful wedding!!!
The New York Times Amazing Story about Alia and Josh.
The Wedding Chicks Part I Photos of their first wedding.
The Wedding Chicks Part II Photos of their main wedding day.
Alia and Josh were also featured on TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress! I’ll get that link for you when I can!

Many thanks to Andrew Weeks Photography, Brittani and Adrianna from Dream A Little Dream Events, and Kathy from Well Rehearsed.

Pretty cool way to end a wedding film eh? To explain the film a little bit… Amber and Jero had two ceremonies. The first day was a civil ceremony and a beach side party and the second was a Catholic ceremony with the epic reception.

Some things that I loved about their wedding. First, the beach. They had their wedding at sunset and it was perfect outside. The sea breeze blowing in on the hot sand. I just loved it, and the look of it. Second, that reception was off the hook. They had dudes on stilts, guys in full on masked costumes, and a huge live band that performed everything from old town country to top 40. Third, we got to hanging out with Amber and Jero in Mexico, driving around to all of the cool spots we could find. We definitely had a good time .

Oh, and that last sequence on the beach with the horses. That was at sunrise, not sunset. Yup… we don’t mess around when it comes to making these films. We’ll be posting a “Making Of” on Facebook soon!

Kathryn and Ryan’s wedding was one of those weddings where you’re just smiling the whole time. From the beautiful moments on the front porch to the candlelit ceremony to the paper hats at the end of the night. I just remember thinking, “Yes, that’s a moment.  There’s another one. And another!” A perfect wedding. And the thing was, the wedding was SO them.

If you don’t know, Kathryn runs the popular wedding blog, Snippet and Ink.  As someone who is as involved in the wedding world as she is, you can bet she and Ryan tailored everything about their wedding day to fit their story, style, and love.  So we tailored their film to fit them as well.  We drew our inspiration from the locations of Cavallo Point and the Presidio.  From where they’re from and where they’ve been.  From the style of the the vintage taxi they hop into.    And from the underlying theme of their love; that no matter where they are… they are at home with each other.

I’m sure you can tell that we went with a homey/folky kind of feel with their film.  When Kathryn gave me a CD of music that inspired her, it clicked.  First, almost all of her songs were about traveling with a loved one, or because of a loved one.  As Ryan says, it’s a journey that they’re on together.  It’s that open road of potential for any life they choose to make.  And as long as they’re together, it’s everything they’ll ever need.

Oh, and my favorite moment is when Kathryn looks out through the window and sees Ryan smoking the cigars and catches his eye.  I mean, are you kidding me?  To catch a moment like that in the middle of a wedding reception.  You couldn’t stage that.  Make sure you catch it

To find out more about Kathryn’s wedding, make sure to check out her blog post: Snippet and Ink. Also, check out our film on Martha Stewart Weddings!

Photography: Elizabeth Messina | Planning: Laurie Arons Special Events

I’d like to share some of the thoughts behind the filmmaking.  I wanted to frame the film in the emotion of nostalgia and to do this I did a couple things.  First, I opened the film with the familiar sound of the wind chimes that hang near Lisa and Nigel’s bedroom.  This way, every time Lisa and Nigel watch the film, they will be greeted by the sound they hear in the mornings as they wake up to another wonderful day with each other.

Second, I purposefully left in Lisa and Nigel’s natural speaking patterns.  It’s become extremely common of editors to clean up people’s natural dialogue; getting rid of the stutters and “umm’s.”  But those are the part of who Lisa and Nigel are, and their love for each includes hearing them pause in the middle of a sentence.

And third, I used a lot of old film footage of Lisa and Nigel, to keep the vibe of the film from being too contemporary.  I wanted this to be timeless, which would lead to nostalgia in the future.

All of these choices were made for one reason; to tailor this film for them.  We’re very proud of this epic result.  Major props to my team, Robby and Nick, for helping to create this masterpiece.