Marissa's Very Sweet 16

Marissa's Very Sweet 16

 We at Rock LIfe Studios were blown away by Marissa as soon as we met her, she is truly a special girl.  Marissa volunteers at the local fire department and is dedicated to helping her family care for her brother, who is disabled.  She is definitely far from your typical teen.  But at her Sweet 16 she got to let loose and live every girls dream at her Under the Sea themed party.

Marissa looked every bit the mermaid in her sparkly mermaid dress.  Seashells, starfish, turquoise linens, and of course, sparkles, adorned the catering hall.  After introduction Marissa and her friends partied the night away.  We think if you watch her video, you too will see how special Marissa really is.  Check it out on our website click here.  And as usual, don't forget to check out some of the still shots from this awesome day!

Natasia & Shiv - Sangeet

Natasia & Shiv - Sangeet Celebration

The cool thing about wedding traditions is that every culture and family has their unique take on the celebration.  When you're in the wedding biz you get to see all of those traditions first hand.  Indian weddings tend to be some of the most glamourous and spectacular wedding events we at Rock LIfe Studios attend and Natasia and Shiv's Sangeet was no exception.  What is a Sangeet?  It's a grand celebration that takes place before the wedding where the bride and groom are showered with beautifully choreographed dance, music, food, and of course love and affection from family and friends.

Modern Indian couples are taking their Sangeet to the next level by incorporating modern touches with decor and themes.  Natasia and Shiv's theme?  Casino Royale!  And Rock Life Studios was front and center doing both photo and video for the evening.  The couple went all out with feathered center pieces each adorned with the name of a big time Vegas casinos.  Poker and roulette were just some of the table games offered to guests, so if dancing wasn't your thing you could play the night away.  

But even if you had two left feet you couldn't help but be excited about the dancing.  The couples family and friends clearly had been practicing for weeks to put on an array of choreographed dances for all of the party goers.  Click here to see for yourself on our video page.  

Once the choreographed dancing was complete guests hit the bar, the games tables, and the photo booth for some extra fun.  Check out a few photos from the evening on our photo page click here .

Congratulations Natasia & Shiv!

Tips on Choosing a Wedding Videographer

Choosing your Wedding Videographer

A wedding video captures the spirit and emotions of your day.   An experienced wedding videographer knows how to capture the most important moments, tell your story, work effectively with your other vendors, manage stressful situations, and make adjustments for everything from poor lighting conditions to overly rowdy guests!  Whether you are certain you want a wedding video and don't know where to start or you are still considering your options here is some advice from the  experienced wedding videographers of Rock Life Studios to help you get started:

1.  If it's too good to be true it probably is.  There are plenty of videographers on the internet offering bargain basement prices to shoot your video.  Everyone loves a deal (myself included) but be careful of a company offering to do your video for well below market price.  Making a top quality wedding video is an expensive business.  Pro videographers have top of the line cameras, lenses, microphones, editing software, lighting, etc.  Additionally, a true pro has likely spent years building their business and perhaps working as a grunt for other companies to learn the trade.  Like anything in life you get what you pay for.  You can't re-do your wedding day so be wary of amateurs trying to turn a quick buck at the expense of your wedding day memories.  

2.  Consider your wedding day style.  There are several videography styles available and its important to know which one you are getting when you sign with a company.  Cinematic style, which we at Rock Life Studios use, provides you with a high quality movie of your day and is edited together to tell a story and evoke emotion. Documentary style or "point and shoot" is also available from some companies and usually is just a straight forward recording of your day burned to a DVD.  Do your research on the styles your company provides so their won't be any surprises with the final product.

3.  Watch video samples  It seems to make sense that you would want to see a sample of the work your potential videographer produces, but you would be surprised by the stories we hear of couples booking a company, hating the product, and then saying they never even watched a work sample before signing on the dotted line!  Any experienced company has work samples.  Period.  If someone says they don't have samples I urge you to run, not walk away from this company.  The vast majority of companies have work samples right on their website for you to view but if they do not make sure to ask if samples are available before you take the time to sit down for a meeting.  

5.  Experience and Equipment  Ask your videographer what kind of experience they have shooting weddings and film.  Many videographers currently in  business are accomplished cinematographers with impressive credits to their name.  Also, ask about the kind of equipment your videographer uses.  You don't need to know anything about cameras to ask this question!  Many of today's videographers are using small  but powerful DSLR cameras which shoot in HD.  The type of equipment can make a big difference in what your overall product looks like.  You should also be able to get an idea of the quality by watching samples (see #3 above).

6.  "I'm interested in booking, so what do I get?"  Most videographers have pre-bundled packages for you to choose from.  Some important things to look for are the number of hours your videographer will actually be at your wedding, what type of edits you will receive, and what the format of your final product is (e.g., Blu-ray or DVD).  Also be sure to read the contract and if needed have your videographer explain anything you don't understand.  

Wedding videography has certainly come a long way in recent years.  Having a high quality video to share with family and friends and to enjoy for years to come is something no couple regrets.  Good luck in your wedding planning!

Rock on,

Melissa

www.rocklifestudios.com

facebook.com/rocklifestudios

Joanna & Martin - Simply a Sweet Wedding

Joanna & Martin - Simply a Sweet Wedding

Joanna & Martin are a couple as sweet and down to earth as they come which is why we at
Rock Life Studios were so pleased to be part of their wedding day.  Butterflies of excitement (and maybe some nervousness) were in the air as the bridal party gathered at the brides house for hair, makeup, and some champagne and early morning snacks.  The ceremony took place in the Greek Orthodox tradition where we had the good fortune to capture the breathtaking image above of the bride, groom, and all of their closest friends.

  The bride and groom's ceremony took place at a nearby vineyard where the bridal party braved trekking through the grass and grapes to capture the moment.

Joanna chose gorgeous Fall colors for her flowers with lots of oranges and yellows.  Her bridesmaids looked perfect in blue corset back gowns.



Possibly the most poignant moment of the night occurred shortly before the start of the reception when the bride, groom and their bridal party sent tons of lanterns floating into the night sky in celebration of Joanna and Martins new life together.

 The rest of the night featured plenty of food and dancing.  Check out the full video created by    
Rock Life Studios here Joanna & Martin and as usual see some of the featured still shots of their day below!

Rock on,

Melissa

www.rocklifestudios.com

facebook.com/rocklifestudios

Marisa & Sal - Romance on Long Beach

Marisa & Sal - Beach Romance

Today's Rock Life Studios blog features the romantic wedding of Marisa & Sal.  The Allegria Hotel in Long Beach set the stage for a ceremony overlooking the ocean.  It was a beautiful day in early September and the couple and their bridal party celebrated in the sand before the ceremony to enjoy the sunshine and get some photos.  Ceremony took place on The Allegria balcony overlooking the sand and surf.

Hues of pink and purple decorated the reception room where the bride and groom along with friends and family partied the night away.  To check out the complete highlights of their day click here Marisa & Sal and check out just some of the still shots from their amazing day below!

Rock on,
Melissa

Jillian & Chris: Love Prevails After Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy, in many ways, halted life as we know it here on the East Coast.  Which is why when it was time for Rock Life Studios couple Jillian and Chris to get married we didn't know what to expect.  On the Saturday after the biggest storm in history many venues still had no power and a gas shortage made it very difficult to get around.  We assured our couple we would be there but we couldn't help but wonder what would be in store.  Would the venue be fully operational?  Would the other vendors be able to make it?  Would the guests be able to come?  What would we find when we arrived?

So here is what we found:  A calm and beautiful bride who, despite having no power in her home was determined to have a beautiful wedding.  A family unwaveringly supportive.  Friends who, despite several potentially large hiccups throughout the night, made it their mission that Jillian & Chris have a memorable and happy wedding.  No one cared that the venue was a bit chilly due to being run on generators.  Everyone would figure out how to get gas and get home in the morning.  For one wonderful and love filled night we all forgot our troubles and felt hope for our future and for the future of Jillian and Chris.  Rock Life Studios was honored to be a part of this event.  Check out some of the still shots from the video below and be sure to watch the entire inspiring video here: Click here

Marissa & Philip - One Hot Party

Marissa & Philip - One Hot Party

If you want to know how to throw a party we at Rock Life Studios suggest you call Marisa & Philip because this couple knows how do it right.  Marissa and Philip started the day with a romantic beach ceremony surrounded by family and friends.  Marissa was right on trend with a textured dress that fit her fun personality.

I have to give a special shout out to the bridesmaids shoes.  They were to die for.  In fact it is my personal mission to find these shoes and make them part of my collection.

Shoe envy aside though, the entire wedding was very fashion forward both in dress and decor.  The reception was held in the couples very own backyard which they transformed into the hottest   night club in town for this one night only event. 

 Everything from the lighting to the tables was modern and hip and was put together perfectly.  This was incredibly impressive considering this wedding was planned in 17 days! Yes, you heard me right! This was in no small part accomplished with the help of the talented ladies of Cheeky Glam Events, who made Marissa's vision come to life.  

The party was full steam ahead all night.  The dance floor was packed.  The DJ brought the house down.  Midway through the evening Marissa changed into a second gown so she could party the night away.  Check out just some of the still shot's from Marissa & Philip's wedding below and check out the full heart pumping video here: Marissa & Philip 8-18-12

Congratulations!

Rock on,
Melissa
www.rocklifestudios.com
facebook.com/rocklifestudios