Author: Matt

In the years after graduating from Texas A&M, I still found myself returning to College Station every few months to film a wedding, film for the University, or to pass through and see friends (and often film something with them). As time has passed though, that list of friends that call College Station their home has gradually dwindled. That’s the nature of a college town, over half the residents are transitory and will only live their for four or five – or in my case EIGHT years, before moving on to bigger cities.

This doesn’t make my visits back to College Station necessarily lonely, but it does make my time spent with friends that still live there more special. One of the people that has made those visits great has been my friend Josh. For the past few years he has been consistent in not only finding out when I am headed back to College Station, but also what my schedule will be, and when we can hangout while I am there.  This usually results in us staying up incredibly late filming timelapses of various landmarks around the Texas A&M campus while discussing the finer points of light pollution and whether Sony is better than Nikon which is definitely better than Canon.

One of those nights two years ago turned to a discussion about a girl that Josh was pursuing. One that he met at church, was instantly friend-zoned by, and then managed to invite on a date for coffee. He told me she was a girl worth pursuing, and more importantly she pushed him to love Jesus more.

Sunset + Pasture = Gorgeous

Sunset + Pasture = Gorgeous

Fast forward one year and I was back in College Station, filming more timelapses with Josh, but this time he brought the girl, Jennifer. A few months back he had proposed under the Century Tree on campus, and at this point I already knew I would film their wedding, but it was nice to finally put a face with the name of a girl that Josh had spoken of so fondly.

Finally, six months later after all the buildup, I filmed Josh and Jennifer’s wedding on a beautiful day in March. The clouds rolling through in the morning gave way to the piercing sun that cut the ceremony in half diagonally. Afterwards, we all marveled as the sunset cast its rays across the pasture. Throughout the day, I was constantly reminded of their love for each other, and Jesus love for them. Their notes? All about each other and Jesus. Their vows? All about each other and Jesus. The toasts by their friends? All about how they met, fell in love, and cared about each other and Jesus. Between those moments and the amazing weather, 12th man towel waving, and constant whoops throughout the day, I knew their wedding film was going to be fun to create.

Interested in having me film your wedding? Get in touch!

Four years ago I was filming a promo for Texas A&M dining services in College Station. The scene called for a freshman guy’s dorm room, and I was quickly running through my list of friends  at A&M asking if they, or anyone they knew, still lived in one.

Within an hour, my good pal Adam replied to me saying his friend Michael lived in a dorm and would be happy to let me film there. Yes that’s right, my first time meeting Michael was knocking on his door and filming in his dorm room at A&M. It ended up being the perfect scene for the video.

Fast forward a few years, and Michael had moved out of the dorm, graduated, and left College Station altogether for bear country an hour and a half north. Realizing he knew no one in Waco besides his brother, he visited Antioch Community Church, joined a life group, and there met a young woman named Cathleen.

According to Cathleen, she’s not the type to just walk up and start talking to a guy, even if he’s at Bible study. But that first night they met, this woman from Baylor met a man from A&M, and they hit it off. Michael knew he was interested in her, but didn’t want to rush things. Cathleen on the other hand knew they had a chemistry, but chose to wait patiently for him to figure things out.

Being patient paid off!

Being patient paid off!

Finally after much planning, he was ready to ask her on a date. That Sunday at church, he saw her across the parking lot. Throwing caution to the wind he ran to her car….out of breath….he asks her out. To which she replies, “Really? Yes.”

Four months of dating followed with hikes, swimming, and exploration all over the state. By month five, Michael knew he wanted to marry her. By month six, Cathleen knew she wanted to marry him. Month seven arrived, and ring in hand, Michael set a proposal date. At this point, disaster struck.

Hours before the proposal, Cathleen knocked a vase over, and in the process of cleaning it up sliced her foot, tearing a tendon in one of her toes. A quick trip to the ER and she was going all David After The Dentist hopped up on pain medications.

Wanting to make sure Cathleen is in her right mind when making a decision as large as agreeing to marry him, Michael wisely postponed the proposal date for two weeks. During this time Cathleen described herself as “mad at the world.” Her foot was in pain, she was frustrated over not being able to walk easily, and she was in a general foul mood.

Thankfully, Michael didn’t beat around the bush, and in a garden on the Baylor campus he proposed. Cathleen, now in her right mind, said yes, and they both freaked out.

They freaked out a bit after their ceremony too.

They freaked out a bit after their ceremony too.

In the coming weeks, I received a call from Michael asking if I could make a video for him (though definitely not in his dorm). They set a wedding date for a chilly January one year after they started dating. Thankfully, the venue in Waco ended up being beautiful, with a roomy industrial vibe that kept us from having to run around outside and freeze.

The band was loud, the BBQ was delicious, the pies were decadent, and God was glorified through it all. Also, I don’t believe I’ve ever had a minister yell so loudly in excitement when he pronounced them husband and wife. He was thrilled, Michael and Cathleen were overjoyed, and I was happy to be there to film it.

Interested in having my wife and I film your wedding? Get in touch!

This wedding was filmed with the Sony A7Sii, a super cool camera.

It’s always fun filming the wedding of a couple I’ve known for years. I met Paul at Texas A&M years ago, but it wasn’t until late 2014 that we reconnected. I was sitting in my church in Dallas when  I saw him across the room and we made eye contact followed by amazing faces at each other for the next half hour. Since then, Katelyn and Paul have both become good friends to me and Rachel.

Now there are a few things you do need to know about this couple. First, they say that Rachel and I are “too hipster” for them, whatever that means. But if we are too hipster for them, then they are definitely too FUN for us. They travel, are super competitive with one another, they love board games, and are into Pokemon Go (which I would argue is important for any relationship). Rachel says we have a couple crush on them, and I would agree.

Look how fun they are!

Look how fun they are!

Katelyn and Paul also share an incredible love for Jesus, and they chose to make Him the center of their wedding day. He was present in their prayerful notes, sweet vows, worship during the ceremony, and exuberant reception celebration. Their love for the Lord is reflected in their love for each other.

Rachel and I are so thankful we were able to film their wedding, and even more thankful for their friendship. If you’re reading this guys, we need to go play more Pokemon Go soon.

If you’re getting married and would like us to film your wedding, please reach out! We would love to talk to you.

Check out Katelyn and Paul’s wedding highlight below:

 

When I was young, I didn’t like trying new things. I wore the same clothes, ate the same food, read a lot of books, and didn’t get out much. Thankfully this all changed around the time that I left for college, when I made a conscious decision to break out of my shell and attempt to be cool. Whether I was successful at being cool is debatable, but I did manage to make some friends and find a wife, so I consider that a win.

These days, I try to put myself in the position to try new things as often as possible. For example, when we go out on a date, my wife and I have a rule that we can’t go to the same restaurant twice. Another example: I create tutorial and review videos to help random strangers on the Internet.  I still do enjoy wearing the same clothes and reading though, so I guess everything hasn’t changed.

Now why am I telling you all about my awkward younger years? What does me trying new things have to do with Suneera and Amos’ wedding? Quick answer: Because their wedding was something new that I haven’t done before.

Two Ceremonies, Together

Longer answer: This wedding was a major step outside of my comfort zone. Instead of one wedding ceremony, I would be filming two. The first of which would be a traditional Indian ceremony, with all the outfits, music, and flower petals (so many flower petals!), that I had never experienced before. But due to my desire to try new things – and especially film new weddings – I was glad to do it.

Thankfully, Suneera and Amos were patient with me, as I learned all about Saris, Sherwanis, Garlands, and Talis. There was so much to keep track of, but throughout it all I was grateful for the chance to experience another culture’s traditions and ceremonies. Suneera and Amos, as you can see from the video, are such a sweet couple and I am glad I was able to film their wedding.

I learned a lot that day, and I’m looking forward to learning more in the future. So if you are planning a wedding and it looks like something that I haven’t filmed before, please get in touch. I would love to try something new.

Check out Suneera and Amos wedding highlight below:

Filmed with:

Sony A7Sii
Sony FS5
Sony FS100
Sony FS700
Canon 7D

Edited with:
Adobe Premiere Pro Creative Cloud

Colored with:
James Miller’s DeLUTS
Magic Bullet Looks

This happy ending started at a bird hunt – we are in Texas after all – where a woman named Michelle, with a fiery personality and two young boys, meets Jerry,  a quiet man with a killer mustache and a daughter. Both of them with prior marriages, both a bit jaded about the thought of love, and both trying their hardest to be good parents to their children. Was it love at first sight? Not even close, but they did give each other a chance to enjoy one another’s company.

Slowly, days of friendship turned into months of companionship, and love slowly began to slip back into their lives. They were both looking for someone that would support and respect them in a way that they never experienced in their first marriages. One day, Michelle hit a deer with her car – this is Texas, remember? – and Jerry fixed it without her even asking. It was then, in this country act of kindness, that Michelle knew that she had found the man she was looking for. For Jerry, the man who swore he would never get married again, things moved a bit slower. But over their months spent together, and after seeing how Michelle loved his daughter so well, he came around.

Both Michelle and Jerry found someone special. Someone who was supportive, kind, and loved them with all their faults included. They both decided that life together was better than apart, and they were ready to be married.

Texas has the best sunsets

Texas has the best sunsets.

It was around this point that I stepped into the picture to film their wedding. Was it traditional, stuffy, and black tie? Not at all. It was authentically them, with a cowboy boot on every foot, a cake shaped like a dippin’ can, and a ceremony under the Texas sunset as their children, family, and friends watched. Did everything go as planned? Nope, one of the boys fell in the venue fountain after the ceremony and had to switch outfits. Was this day perfectly, and uniquely Michelle and Jerry’s? You bet.

Check out Michelle and Jerry’s wedding highlight film below:

Filmed with the Sony A7Sii and Sony FS100. Edited with Adobe Premiere. Colored with Magic Bullet Looks.

Interested in having me film your authentic, unique, and awesome wedding? Get in touch!