There are no words. Just tears. This highlight film from East West captures a wedding so sweet that I really am a little speechless as I wipe the tears from my eyes. The emotion on the groom’s face is the reason I love weddings, way past my own, the way I do. It’s what makes all of us at SMP log in every morning with smiles on our faces, and log off with even bigger smiles every night. So, without further ado…
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From the cinematographer… I first met the bride and groom at a local coffee shop in the fall before their wedding. Kenan and Bethany immediately took care and attention to explaining how they met while the bride was still in college. I remember the bride accounting how she could not shake Kenan off her mind after the first date. The groom, as he explained grinning from cheek to cheek, finally won over his dream girl and proposed on a family trip to Israel – meaningful to him because the engagement ring was purchased in the same town eight years earlier. Bethany blissfully said ‘yes’ and they went onto share with me their vision for the whimsical and personal wedding planned just months away.
On a cloudy May afternoon in Charlottesville, Virginia, Kenan and Bethany joined with their closest family and friends together for a celebration like to other. They chose Oak Ridge Estates because of an extensive 4,800 acres of sweeping fields and manicured gardens, as well as the 200 year old rustic manor was neighboring their hometown. I began the morning early with the bride – who had a uncontrollable smile that was both infectious and unquenchable throughout the entire day. Because the couple chose to wait until the aisle to see each other, the anticipation grew and was only further prolonged when they exchanged handwritten notes to each other moments before the ceremony began. When the groom finally saw his bride, his emotional response left not a dry eye in the audience.
Although the couple planned many personal moments throughout the day, they also took attention to make everyone of their guests, friends, staff, and vendors feel like family throughout the whole day! The final surprise came during their first dance when Bethany was surprised, emotional, and speechless to hear that the groom had specially recorded a love song (“God Gave Me You”) to come over the speakers. The romantic groom had taken weeks to record the track and it was well worth the effort to see the response from Bethany. It was a day filled with color, laughter, and many tears of joy and my team and I will always be grateful to have captured such a heartfelt event.
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Photography: Serg Mayevsky Photography | Cinematography: East West | Venue: Oak Ridge Estates | Hair & Make-Up: Fusion Salon
