Our couples and wedding guests love the fact that we don’t intrude upon or orchestrate a wedding day in any way whatsoever.  And part of this service is our strict policy against using any additional lighting for the benefit of our films. It is very true to say that plenty of light will produce gorgeous, clean images but most people tell us that the videographer’s lights bouncing off the ceiling or tracing around the dancefloor like a searchlight on top of a camera are a major source of annoyance for camera shy people.

Velvetine Studios have always listened to feedback from our clients which is why we have never used anything but the ambient lighting available at any given event.  In fact, we spend hours grading your wedding film to make it look as good as possible.  Have a look at the images below: the ones on the left are straight out of the camera in a very dark hall (only a few years ago it would have been impossible to get images like this but today’s cameras can literally see in the dark) and the images on the right are treated to hours of grading and colouring.

In the next picture please note the overhead chandeliers are completely turned off.

More and more couples are asking us for facilities to share their wedding video films on social network sites like Facebook.  I’m trying real hard to log in to Facebook every day and get addicted but it’s just not working for me right now.  Maybe I’m getting old.  However, Google Buzz looks like an interesting alternative or complement to FB.  My first impressions are quite positive and I can see our couples using it to share details about their big day, schedules, our blog, and finally their wedding films.  Check out the video above.

“Hi, do you do wedding videos?” is one of the first questions I’m asked by enquiring customers over the phone.  For a moment or two they are always lost for words when I answer “No!”

And we don’t.

Wedding video in Ireland and around the world is all too often a predictable documentation of a couples day… We have all seen a wedding video at some stage or another and although technology has made things far easier for today’s producers, the content has more or less remained the same over the past twenty years.

What we do for our couples here at Velvetine Studios is completely different. First of all, and despite being at the forefront in terms of what technology we are using, we don’t worry about how many pixels our cameras have or what software we are editing on. Our number one concern is connecting with YOU! Every wedding and every couple is different – we have been saying that for years! – and we approach your big day with YOU in mind. Every creative decision we make is influenced by how we see your own unique Wedding Story develop over the course of a day(s).

We invest a huge amount of time, effort, and creativity into telling your story and the reward is making something meaningful and unique for our great couples. We want you to love your Wedding Story. We want you to see something different every time you watch it. We want you to discover new emotions. We want your grandchildren to love it. And, just as important, we want your friends and family to be blown away by it NOW… today!

So, no, we don’t do wedding video… We make films about great couples getting married.

And our next film could be about you!!!

We travelled up from Kerry to Limerick to film this wedding for Paddy and Aine. And what a day!

Like all our couples, Paddy and Aine didn’t want an ordinary wedding video; they are a fun, happy go lucky couple and they wanted something that reflected this… So we gave them their own Wedding Story.

When we arrived at their church it was literally freezing inside (it was the middle of  a verrry cold Dec) but as soon as Paddy and his guests arrived I could feel the place warming up.  There was an obvious sense of connection and community and I was so happy to be a part of it all.  And what I loved about this down-to-earth couple and their family and friends was that even though they knew how to have lots of fun there was also a wonderful sense of meaning and sincerity to the marriage ceremony.

The wedding reception took place at Woodlands House Hotel in Adare and I was in bits for the speeches.  They went on for about 40 minutes but it was one of those rare occasions when they could have carried on for another 40 and I don’t think anyone would have complained: they were hilarious.  Apparently, the best man, Roger, is still a local celebrity after his performance

Other key vendors who contributed to a fantastic day and were a joy to work with were Geraldine Foley (florist), the wedding photographer Rose Baker, church music by The Secret Chord, and the reception music was by the ever popular Limerick based wedding band The Deerhunters.

Check out the teaser below and thanks a million for having us Paddy and Áine!!!

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Fast broadband connection of at least 3mb is required to comfortably watch the following blog teaser.  Slow connections should press play and pause until the video stream fully downloads

Although Velvetine Studios is based in Tralee, Co. Kerry we take our Wedding Stories all over Ireland while we share our work with 30 amazing couples each year.  Our wedding films are redefining wedding video Ireland. Contact us today for more information about our 2010 calendar… Our next film could be about your wedding!

My good friend Roger Overall took this picture of me while I was telling him about my crusade to change the face of wedding video in Ireland.

Six months or so further down the road it looks like I’m finally making an impact with my wedding films for modern young couples.  Not only have I been lucky enough to film weddings throughout Ireland but I’ve also told Wedding Stories in the UK, Crete, and I’ve even filmed in the USA.

Now, it seems that Velvetine Studios has a huge fan base in Sweden!

To be honest, this TV campaign about our unique approach to wedding video has come as a huge surprise to us but the great thing about this international exposure is that people are finally waking up to the fact that there is a new breed of wedding film available to today’s young couples.

Contact us by phone on 00353667119980 or email us if you are looking for a meaningful wedding film to remember the biggest day of your life with!

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Please watch the video advert below. Enjoy!

http://en.tackfilm.se/?id=1265148579237RA32

Stay tuned here at the blog for a sneak peek at a beautiful wedding that we were lucky enough to cover in Killarney last October.  Filmed at Fossa Church and The Malton, this wedding had some fantastic musicians, suppliers, venue locations… and one of the nicest couples you could ever meet, Maurice and Orla.

Seems like only yesterday when I travelled down to Crosshaven for the baptism of little Finn and the wedding of his parents, Ger & Sinead.  It was a beautiful weekend and all the fond memories came flooding back when I started editing this Wedding Story.

Father Sean Conlon – Sinead’s uncle – officiated at both ceremonies and I enjoyed his company very much.  It’s a pity for me that he’s based in Derry because I’d happily film at a wedding every week if I had the chance.  An absolute gent and both his ceremonies were beautiful.  Sinead and Ger are the type of couple that one can’t help but take an immediate liking to… and the same can be said for all their families and friends; wonderful people!

Ger Mac was taking care of the photography and it was a welcome opportunity for me to catch up with him having worked together on a couple of occasions in the past.

Filming at Bunnyconnellan was a first for me but I have to give them a special mention for the first class service and stunning scenery; top marks!  I was also very impressed with Sinead’s cake – easily one of my favourites from 2009 – which was made by Ali@Milis Anyway, enough from me; let’s watch their wedding story teaser below. Enjoy!

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It’s only a matter of time before photographers and videographers have the technology to capture pictures & video from the one camera in the very same moment.  The lines are beginning to blur already and because Velvetine Studios always position ourselves at the forefront of wedding filmmaking, we hope to have an exciting new “stills & film” package for our clients in the near future.

Here’s an example of what one can expect: below is a wedding/baptism that we filmed for one of the nicest – and coolest! – families we met in 2009.  We are about to start working on their Wedding Story and all the “photographs” are simply candid frame grabs from the HD video footage of their event.

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Above: Little Finn in Sinead’s arms being baptised by Fr. Sean Conlon

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Posing for a picture:  Ger and his best men, Robin and Frank

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There’s always one straggler: Tom getting some last minute help with his tie

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Above:  Lara, Michael, Sinead and Fiona before they enter the church

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Here Comes The Bride: Sinead and her Dad walk the aisle at both the rehearsals and the wedding day

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Above: Ger and Sinead exchanging vows

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Above: Ger and Sinead lighting The Unity Candle

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Reception: London Boys having the craic at Bunnyconnellan

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Party Time:  Ger, Sinead and Finn arriving at Bunnyconnellan for their wedding reception

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Easily one of the best cakes for Velvetine Studios in 2009!!!

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Stay tuned here to see how Ger, Sinead & Finn’s Blog Teaser turns out (and you can see how the “stills” above translate into motion picture film) … it’s promising to be a real cracker!!!

Velvetine Studios want to wish a Happy Christmas to all our fantastic couples and blog readers who helped to make 2009 a great year… and it’s not even over yet!

This little clip isn’t even remotely related to wedding video but nevertheless, you’ve just got to love this YouTube video I came across. Check it out

Velvetine Studios is a boutique wedding film studio based in Kerry and our select amount of dates book out very quickly – in fact, our 2010 calendar is beginning to look pretty full already.   We find it very hard to say no to couples who are genuinely interested in having something more than just wedding video but unfortunately, we often find ourselves in this situation.  It is our policy to only take on a manageable amount of clients who we can devote the necessary time to so that their wedding film is of the highest standard available in Ireland… and beyond!

However, we are glad to announce that we can open up two more dates (possibly three depending on locations and package) on our 2009 schedule for some lucky couples.

Contact us from Mon -  Sat on 066 711 9980 or simply email info@velvetinestudios.com to see if we can fit your date into our calendar.  We want to tell your Wedding Story!

Here’s a blast from the past that I found an old hard drive from the days when High Definition seemed like a faraway dream. It’s a clip that I shot in 2007 single-handed in a Crete niteclub called The Matrix. I was out there filming a wedding video for Damien Greer who is the drummer for a well known Tralee band called Midnite Cafe. Cafe are a great wedding band but these guys have played with legends and I can name Jimmy Page off the top of my head and they have supported Rod Stewart in concert. To say that I was delighted to be asked out to Crete to film a wedding is an understatement and I had a fantastic week in the sun.

A few nights after the wedding Midnite Cafe played a gig in The Matrix and I grabbed the following live set with the very limited equipment that I had to hand at the time. Hope you enjoy the live music video and if you’re looking for a good wedding band who can appeal to all tastes then why not give the guys a call on 086 861 2528 or email midnitecafeband@hotmail.com Telephone: 086 8612528

Wedding video in Ireland just got better because Velvetine Studios have added a total of three cameras toward our nationwide films.

Roger's picture of me during Joe & Mary's reception

Making connections with the entire wedding party is a very important part of what I do… And these connections include all the other vendors like the hotel staff, the florist, the musicians, and the photographers.

In July, I had the opportunity to work with Roger Overall for the very first time and his documentary style of photography made an immediate impression on me… it also complements my wedding films because his lack of “orchestrating” events allows me to shoot fluid and real moments.

I must say that dinner time at Joe & Mary’s wedding was one of the most enjoyable for me in a long time as Roger and I discussed everything and anything about weddings!

Now, I regularly check into his website to catch up on all the news but I was quite surprised and flattered to discover that he featured a nice article about me on his blog!

At the moment I’m working on a couple of non-disclosure weddings (couples who prefer not to have any of their wedding displayed in the public arena) but I hope to get around to Joe & Mary’s fantastic July wedding as soon as possible… and who knows, I might even squeeze the talented Mr. Roger Overall in there somewhere.

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Aidan & Aoife received their Traditional Gift Box of DVDs last week and I’m so delighted with their feedback: they love them!!!

Elaine and I travelled all the way to Armagh/Monaghan to film this beautiful event (Traditional is normally reserved for Kerry, Cork, and Limerick brides but we can occasionally make exceptions) and we had a memorable weekend. We stayed at Mourne Drive B&B and I’ve got to say that it’s one of the best B&Bs I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit: such a beautiful home, lovely owners, great decor, and amazing attention to detail. If you’re ever in the Newry direction then contact 028 3026 1660 or stephencdowney@hotmail.co.uk – I can’t recommend this place highly enough!!

Aidan & Aoife made sure that we were looked after on the day and they are a fantastic couple: My Elaine was biting back tears during the speeches!!

Kimberly Madden of The Hillgrove Hotel also deserves a special mention: She made sure that Aidan & Aoife’s day ran to perfection and it was an absolute joy for us to work with her.

All in all, and thanks to everyone involved, especially Aidan & Aoife, this was a weekend we’ll never forget!!!

Weddings In Kerry is a new and exciting resource for couples who are interested in getting married in one of the most beautiful places on earth and I was simply thrilled when the group asked Velvetine Studios to produce their promotional video.

Weddings In Kerry is a collective of some of Kerry’s leading hotels and it is their goal to reach out to a worldwide audience and promote the Kingdom as a wedding destination: after all, we are blessed with natural, breathtaking scenery, stunning venues, glorious churches and cathedrals, friendly people, and award winning wedding suppliers.  The group more or less gave me a free hand to get this message across on their website and we all decided from the outset that we needed a video that captured the magic and feeling of a wedding in Kerry.  I’m delighted to say that after a lot of hard work we have done just that!  Yesterday, I screened the video to the group for the first time and the feedback from them was a resounding 10 out of 10… we even got 11 from one member.

Weddings In Kerry are busy putting the final touches to their website (designed by the impressive The Marketing Crowd ) so stay tuned for more details and launch dates.  Velvetine Studios will also be making an exciting announcement to coincide with the launch so for all you 2009 Kerry brides who thought you could live without a wedding video… Think again!!!

It’s here… Our all new package leans toward what people have come to expect from traditional wedding video.  However, our traditional package is filmed in glorious HD, it is signatured with the creative flair we are renowned for, and the super smooth music sequences will have you combing down the hairs on the back of your neck… traditional wedding video never looked better!!!

Starting at just €1,300 traditional is a fantastic option for young couples who want one of Ireland’s leading wedding specialists to cover their day and at a great price!

traditional includes

• friendly and discreet service
• cinematic music montages
• guest & groom arrivals to ceremony
• bridal party arrivals
• comprehensive ceremony coverage
• drinks reception
• full speeches
• no intrusion and no lights!
• all filmed in glorious HD
• gift box with 3 personalised and attractive dvds

You can further tailor this package to meet your needs and taste by adding options like bridal preparations which includes 1hr of filming for just 200 euro or/and choose first dance option for just 150 euro.

Call Maurice or Elaine today on 066 711 9980 to discuss this new and exciting option.  We look forward to talking to you!

My recent trip to the US seems like a lifetime ago – so much has happened since my return – but here’s a picture of the crew I worked with to film Glen & Violet’s fantastic wedding.  The photograph is by Capone Photography – a family studio – who were just brilliant to work with.  Everyone I met last Febuary made the USA an unforgetable experience; their hospitality is second to none!

Darrell, Glen and Violet, thanks a million!

Two years ago, I used to look up to all the world-class videographers on the EventDV Top 25 list (still do!) and now, in 2008, I find myself among them. I can’t tell you in words how happy I am!

The online video communities helped me to take a quantum leap forward with my own work – most notably WedFACT – and I want to thank everyone for their support and votes. Biggest thanks go to my brides whose amazing weddings and lives helped me to make entertaining videos.

2007 was a great, great year and 2008 is going to be just as good, if not better!

As a wedding videographer, I’ve always considered myself a documentary filmmaker but this year and with the help of a fine producer, Rory Kirby, I made my first short film.