Rings

Changes are on the horizon

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Changes are on the horizon

If you are a a regular reader of this blog or are just checking it for the first time, you will notice a long period of no activity.  There are a couple of reasons for that.  One reason is the larger number of wedding I work this year.  I tell everyone that between March 5th and the end of October I had a total of 3 weekends off.  So, most of my time has been spent on editing weddings to get them to brides.  In fact, let me share with you a couple of trailers from some of this summers weddings:
Stacie & Josh’s Wedding, June 2011
Christy & Joey’s Christmas in July Wedding, July 2011
Caroline & Matthew’s Summer Garden Wedding, July 2011
Sarah & Chris, Our Mountain Wedding, Aug. 2011

The other reason for the long stretch with no blog updates is there are some changes we are working on for the future of Midnight Magic Studios.  We are not ready just yet to make the official announcement but, I want to share a small hint with you.

This is a Senior Shoot for Micaela

This is one of my favorites

Loved this picture, it took us forever to get it just right.

She looks so grown up here

Her eyes are simply Amazing

We had so much fun working with Micaela, she is such a fantastic horsewoman.

Now, I want to tell you more, but that would be getting a head of my self.  More updates to come soon.

Neither Wind Nor Rain…

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One of the things I boast about to my wife and friends is that it has never rained on a wedding ceremony I’ve filmed.  I tell brides that whenever the weather looks like rain.  Well, that streak almost got washed away on June 18th. It didn’t rain on the ceremony, but it was close.

I was honored to be asked to film Stacie and Josh’s wedding at the beautiful Blackthorn Country Club in Jonesborough, TN.  Stacie and I had talked a number of times on the phone before her wedding, but we never met in person until her wedding day.  When she arrived, I noticed the amazing smile on her face and you could tell it was her wedding day.  Well, as the day went on I noticed, on my iPhone, a line of storms heading our way.  It looked pretty nasty and it lived up to it’s potential.  The wind blew hard, the rain came down in sheets and the lighting was intense.  The whole time, Stacie was in the dressing room getting ready.  To say she was stressed is an understatement, but she never let it show and she was set to marry Josh.

Just when I thought it was going to rain on the ceremony, the rain stopped and the clouds broke just enough to let a little sun shine though.  The smile on Stacie’s face as she walked down the aisle was priceless.  The rest of the day went off without a hitch.  The only drawback was the fact that Josh had to leave the next day for flight training.  But, they made the best of the day and I have noticed they have taken their honeymoon since and things are going well for them.  Here is their trailer.  I wish them nothing but the best in their future together.

Kim & Cullen: A Windy Wedding

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There is a saying that in the south, our summers start in April. And for the most part, that is generally true. April has become a popular month for weddings around the Knoxville area, mostly in the mid to later part of the month. In fact, the weekend before Kim & Cullen’s wedding the temperatures were in the 80′s and the sun was high in the sky. Almost a perfect day for an outdoor wedding.

Well, someone forgot to tell last weekend that it was April and the sun must of taken a personal day because it was neither warm or sunny for Kim & Cullen’s wedding. The week leading up to the wedding, our local weather geeks were telling us it was going to be a bit windy, but the sun would be out and the temperatures would be in the upper 60′s. I just want to say this; don’t trust our weather geeks. They had their rehearsal, like most brides, the Friday before the wedding and it was just pouring rain. The wind wasn’t blowing too much, but the rain was coming down in buckets. Everyone was worried it would rain on the wedding day, but I was not. I knew it would not rain. In fact, I even told the photographer, Barry Seaton, that it would not rain. I promised it. Remember that, it comes back to me in a minute.

I awoke Saturday to see the sun shining in my window and I heard the wind blowing outside. Just like the weather geek said. But, something happened between the time I woke up and the time I got to Maple Grove Inn. The clouds built in heavy and gray. The wind got turned up a couple of notches and the temperature dropped like a rock. It was blowing so hard, that the staff of the Maple Grove Inn were having a tough time just getting the tables set up. Most of the linens and the centerpieces were getting knocked around. When Kim arrived, she had a smile on her face and I don’t really think she cared much about the weather. Today she was going to marry the man of her dreams; Cullen.

She didn’t care much for the weather until we went outside for the pictures. I felt so bad for her. She picked out the most beautiful dress, but is was very light weight. The longer we stood outside, the colder she got. I even had to make a quick break for my own jacket and gloves that day. Poor Kim, she had to get a zip up hoodie from someone to keep herself a little warm. I found out later that night that we never got out of the 50′s that Saturday. The high that day was 51, a far cry from the upper 60′s.

When the time came for the ceremony to begin, Barry Seaton, our photographer that day, came up to me and said “next time, ask whoever you have connections with to keep the rain and instead give us warm weather”. Told you it would come back. I don’t know what it is or why it happens, but for some reason it has never rained on an outdoor wedding that I have worked. It has rained on a lot of indoor weddings, we have had ceremonies outside with the sound of thunder in the background and we have had a little sprinkle here and there, but never any rain. This day was no different, except for the cold and the wind. The wind did die down once the ceremony started and the rest of the day went off without a hitch.

The Maple Grove Inn provided not only a beautiful venue, but also some great food. Party Boys DJ Show did a great job with the music for the reception and we even had a very special guest at the reception sing “Rocky Top” to all the guest. I won’t give her name away, but I’ll just say this; I will never be able to watch a Lady Vols Basketball game the same way again.

I know Kim and Cullen are on a warm topical island as I write this blog and have, hopefully, warmed up from their very windy wedding. I hope that have a very blessed life together. Here is the trailer for their wedding film:

Morgan & Bryann’s Wedding Day

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The first wedding of 2011 is done and loaded onto the computer.  The honor of the first wedding of the season goes to Morgan & Bryann on March 5th.  That Saturday was a gray, rainy day but I don’t think a flood would have kept these two from getting married.  I first met with Morgan & Bryann about 3 weeks before their wedding and I could tell from the very first moment these two were in love.  But there was something more about these two.  You see, Bryann is in the Army Reserve and his unit has been called up for deployment overseas.  As a former member of the United States Army, I know first hand the sacrifices and the risk Bryann will endure over the next 12 months.  But, I also know that the hardest time will be for Morgan.  Bryann will be busy each day with duties and assignments.  Morgan on the other hand will be at home hoping and praying that Bryann will be safe and out of harms way.  The hardest part for me was when I found out that Bryann and Morgan would only have one day together, Sunday, before he had to leave for his training for deployment.  She smiled all day and never once let it show.  But, inside I knew she had to be hurting.  I hold up prayers for both Morgan and Bryann.  Here is their trailer;

 

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