The IMPOSSIBLE Task
Can you film a wedding and have the final video ready for the bride and groom the by next day? I was asked this question by a couple inquiring about a wedding videographer a month before they were to be wed. As an experienced and professional Lake Tahoe wedding videographer, my knee jerk reaction was to kindly say, “No, I’m sorry. In order to ensure that you get the best video possible, I would need more time to devote the meticulous attention to detail that your video edit deserves” but instead, I asked if there was a particular reason for the expeditious turnaround.
Ross, the groom to be, told me that the reason they wanted a next day wedding video was because they were having an extremely intimate wedding ceremony at the exclusive Thunderbird Lodge in Lake Tahoe and that they’d be getting married on the historic Thunderbird Yacht. He proceeded to tell me that they would be having a large reception the following day and that they wanted to show the wedding video during the reception.
This intrigued me because I never want to turn down a couple and I always want to have a solution for them. In order for me to pull off a feat such as this, I needed a couple of things.
I would need to be done filming by 3pm to account for the commute back to Reno, NV and to allow myself the necessary time to edit. This wouldn’t be a problem because the ceremony would be finished by 3pm and all of the other shots I would need would be filmed before the ceremony.
I would need to show up at least an hour before Ross and his bride to be, Gail, to fly my drone around the historic mansion and the surrounding areas as well as set up my camera gear.
And finally, and probably THE MOST IMPORTANT detail, I needed to establish multiple lines of communication with Ross and Gail to ensure that once I submitted the edited Lake Tahoe wedding video for their approval, they could reach me at any time of day or night to give the final approval or to tell me about anything they’d like to change or add.
Ross understood the need for these conditions and was relieved to book a wedding videographer who was up for the challenge. I would be remiss if I didn’t also express my confidence knowing that one of my favorite Lake Tahoe wedding planners, Keely of Key Events, was Ross and Gail’s wedding planner. Having worked with Keely many times, I’ve witnessed her great attention to detail as well as poise under stressful situations. I knew that we were all in good hands.
The Wedding Day
September 22, 2023 arrived and I was prepared to do the impossible and drive up to Lake Tahoe, film Ross and Gail’s wedding, drive back to Reno, NV and edit into the night.
Mornings in Lake Tahoe, no matter the season, are normally very chilly and the day of their wedding was no exception. The juxtaposition of being dressed for the arctic in the morning to then getting sunburnt on the Thunderbird Yacht just hours later is quite amusing.
The wedding day went off without a hitch but in the wedding videography business, that isn’t to say there wasn’t a fair share of struggles. For one, a yacht doesn’t feel so big when it’s packed to the brim with crew, guests, a photographer, and myself. As you can imagine, the photographer and I were playing musical chairs on the boat to take turns getting different angles of Ross and Gail and the family on the boat. But if filming on a crowded yacht in one of the most beautiful destinations in the world is the biggest struggle then I’ll take it.
Ross and Gail couldn’t have been a sweeter couple and as expected, Keely had everything running like a well oiled machine. After filming the ceremony, it was time to drive back to Reno.
The Edit
Don’t get me wrong, I love filming a wedding but the editing process is even more fun for me because I get to put together the pieces of the puzzle, the laughter and the love, so that the newlyweds will be able to relive that day forever. In my wedding video business, there’s not a better feeling than hearing how the bride watched the video three times in a row and cried every time or how the groom sent the video to his family members that weren’t able to attend the wedding and then hearing that those absent felt like they were actually there.
The Day of the Reception
After a night of light sleep I awoke at 5am to an email from Ross and Gail expressing that they loved the video and that they had a couple of things that they would like me to change. I was also delighted to hear that they were excited to show their friends the video at the reception. I made the proposed changes and had the video back to them by 7am. I had successfully done the impossible. I created an elevated and cinematic wedding video in only one day. Check it out for yourself!