This particular wedding was the joint effort of some of our favorite vendors in town, a couple of whom you have already seen or heard mentioned on Behind The Ceremony…

Since I had the pleasure of shooting this wedding and working directly with the vendors mentioned, I would love to offer up my appreciation for their hard work.  As a photographer, I know first hand that it is the work of individuals and teams like those involved with Garrett and Stephanie’s wedding that help make our images turn out the way they do.  On that note I would also like to thank Lauryn of Lauryn Marette Photography for shooting Garrett and Stephanie’s wedding with me.  Her professionalism and attention to detail is of the highest caliber, and she is a truly wonderful photographer.

The beautiful floral arrangements and bouquets seen in Garrett and Stephanie’s wedding were crafted by the fabulous mother-daughter team at A House of Flowers.  Amanda and Diana are the masterminds behind some of the most stunning floral designs that I have ever seen.  Whether it is Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or the ultimate time for flowers… your wedding day, they will create something so stunning that your guests will talk about it well after the dust has settled.  Not only do I personally recommend them for any occasion, but Amanda and Diana have put together some exquisite arrangements for my wife in the past!  Feel free to ask her, she will completely vouch for their work!

As the day moved on, the guests were having a wonderful time.  Just as the evening approached, our good friends from Freestyle Entertainment stepped in to really get the party going.  Jared Perry of Freestyle Entertainment graced us with his presence as our MC for the night.  His musical choices and ability to interact with the crowd were the perfect touch for an evening of dancing, laughter and an abundance of good old fashioned fun!

One of the vendors that always seems to be seen, but not as often mentioned in articles like these are the venues.  This wedding took place at two absolutely gorgeous venues.  The ceremony was held at the beautiful Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church located at 124 Columbus Street in Bakersfield, CA.  The entire church facility is pleasing to the eye, from its lush landscape to the beautiful architecture.  The reception to follow was held at another beautiful Bakerfield venue.  Bakersfield Country Club was the final destination for the day, and let me tell you… it was the canvas for some of my favorite images from this wonderful day.  If you haven’t been to BCC, I can assure you that a sunset on their course is one of the most breathtaking sights in Bakersfield.

Garrett and Stephanie’s wedding was from beginning to end a truly beautiful one, and Behind The Ceremony would like to tip our proverbial hats to the extremely talented men and women who had a hand in creating yet another fabulous event!

Author: Andrew Skelton

Photos: Courtesy of J. Andrew Photography

The event itself was set up much like an actual wedding with a large white event tent set up on the golf course.  Under the tent were tables decorated by many of the participating vendors each with nine chairs.  There were eight chairs for brides and their guests and a ninth chair for the vendors.  Some of  these tables were even designed by attending brides.  Along the interior perimeter of the tent, vendors were allowed to set up small displays of their products and services.  Caterers were also set up along the perimeter offering brides and their guests samples of what they offer for events.  The first portion of the day was set up much like the cocktail hour at the beginning of a wedding reception, with heavy hors d’oeuvres and of course free flowing champagne.  After all, it really couldn’t be called “Champagne On The Green” without plenty of champagne.  During the cocktail hour Roger Martin, aka The Lounge Guy, entertained guests with a wide assortment of melodies.  Once the event was underway, vendors were announced and then sent out to visit each table one at a time.  Brides and their guests were given a mini consultation with each vendor for an allotted amount of time.  A bell rang when the time was up, notifying vendors when it was time to move to the next table.  Freestyle Entertainment MC’d the event and ensured that each table was given a chance to talk one on one with every vendor.  A groom’s lounge was set up across the parking lot in The Links at Riverlakes Banquet Room.  The gentleman were provided with sports games of their choice, a dealer run blackjack table, snacks and a no host bar.  The vendor list included some of our good friend Jenny from Little White Dress as well as some of our future interviewees like  Fairy Godmother, Gimmee Some Sugar, PM Custom Catering, Finos Menswear, The Bell Tower Club, Details Party Rentals, The Lounge Guy and just to name a few of the many outstanding vendors.  Not to mention brides were given gift bags full of wedding swag and the opportunity to win some wonderful prizes!

During the event I had a chance to hear bits and pieces of many of the conversations between brides and vendors, and the brides seemed very receptive to the new approach.  In fact many of the brides were so focused on their time with the vendors that they didn’t even seem to notice the wind rattling the tent.  While walking around, I made a point of talking to the vendors and they had many positive things to say.  All in all it looks like this is the first of many more Champagne On The Green’s!

If you didn’t get a chance to make it to this event, don’t worry, we have a bunch of images from Champagne On The Green for you to enjoy!  You can also attend the next Ultimate Bridal Event this fall downtown at the Rabobank Convention Center on September 19th.  So if you are planning a wedding or event make sure to check out all the phenomenal vendors we have on our site, and don’t forget to check out the Ultimate Bridal Event website for information on vendors and upcoming bridal events!

Author: Andrew Skelton

Photos: Courtesy of J. Andrew Photography

When: Sunday April 11, 2010.  The event is from 1PM to 4PM

Where: The Links at Riverlakes, located at 5201 Riverlakes Dr. Bakersfield, CA. 93312

Tickets: Individual tickets are $30, or you can purchase an entire table for $200.

Tickets may be purchased in advance by contacting the McCright Agency by phone at 661.835.1305, or since you are already online reading this post… you can even purchase them by going to The Ultimate Bridal Event website.

If you buy a whole table you have the opportunity to design your own table with Details Party Rentals! A great chance to get an idea for your wedding! Our vendors will be judging the tables prior to the brides arriving and the winner will get a special prize!

Website: www.ultimatebridalevent.com

Attending Brides will receive:

• Pampering from our top hair and make-up artist.

• Free flowing champagne and heavy & hors d’ oeuvres.

• Designer bridal gowns on display.

• An opportunity to design their own table, prior to the event that will be showcased that day.

• Preview an exclusive photo gallery, music, prizes and have private vendor consultations.

• A gift bag full of secrets and gifts.

• A Groom’s lounge will be provided inside the Banquet Room where ESPN and various sport channels will be on along with a sports.

A few lucky guests will even win one of the following: Cruise for two, honeymoon giveaways & Thousands of dollar in prizes.

As usual, Behind The Ceremony will be attending Champagne On The Green next weekend, talking to brides about their experience.  Following the event we will be writing an article on the days happenings and posting it along with images for all our viewers to see.  So if you plan on attending Champagne On The Green next weekend, make sure you say hi to one of us.  If you don’t know where find us, just ask one of the vendors we’ve interviewed in the past and they would be happy to point us out.  We are always open to viewer ideas and feedback, so feel free to chat with us about the event or let us know what you would like to see on the site in the future.  Who knows, your comments may even end up on the site.

We were very excited to see that almost every one of the vendors we have previously interviewed on the site, participated in this event.  Our friends from My Sorted Affair, Little White Dress, A House of Flowers and Curtis Nemetz Productions each had spectacular booths.  Jenny from Little White Dress sponsored a flower girl dress for my daughter, Makayla, to wear at the event, along with Amanda and Diana from A House of Flowers who designed her wrist corsage and Therese of My Sorted Affair who gave my wife, Joslynn, a hand-made hairpiece to wear to the event.  Not to mention our good friends at Freestyle Entertainment, whose booth was converted into a lounge complete with cocktail tables, seating, mood lighting and much more.  Freestyle Entertainment along with KERO 23, Details Party Rentals, Flourishing Art, The Bakersfield Californian, Valdophye Photography, Mantera Media and of course Behind The Ceremony sponsored the entire event.  In fact Mark Perry of Freestyle Entertainment was our MC for the fashion show.  Details Party Rentals provided several table setups throughout the entire event to give brides a wonderful visual of what their wedding may look like.  Valdophye Photography provides videography for the fashion show and Mantera Media is responsible for everything you see on The Ultimate Bridal Event website.  KERO 23 and The Bakersfield Californian provide media sponsorship of the event and help get the word out to all you brides.  Flourishing Art provides some amazing floral pieces for the event and the fashion show, and anytime you attend any one of The Ultimate Bridal Events, it is a well known fact that Flourishing Art will always have a candy table set up for guests.  The best part about their candy table is that they encourage everyone to sample from it.

After a few hours of checking out vendors, setting up consultations and doing some serious wedding planning, brides have an opportunity to sit down, relax and enjoy a fashion show put on by The McCright Agency with the help of some incredible Bridal fashion and apparel shops in town.  Whether you are looking for bridal gowns, flower girl and bridal party fashion, tuxedoes, accessories or even something for just you and your groom, the fashion is a must see.  Our friend Jenny of Little White Dress, whom you have all seen on the site before showcased some very elegant pieces at this show.

We would love to put up some testimonials, so if you attended the show as a bride, groom or even somebody helping friends plan their wedding, we would love to talk to you.  Just fill out our contact form and in the comment box simply write that you are interested in telling us about your experience at the event!  If you are getting married or even if you just want to check out The Ultimate Bridal Event and you missed this show, don’t worry… there is another show coming up, “Champagne On The Green” on April 11th, 2010 at The Links at Riverlakes.  We already have some information posted about the upcoming event and a calendar marker, and you can be certain that we will continue to post information as we receive it from The Ultimate Bridal Event staff.

Article written by – Andrew Skelton Co-founder of Behind The Ceremony

If you did miss this show, we made sure to shoot lots of images to share with our viewers.  Here’s a little recap of the event…

Ultimate Bridal from Patrick Ang on Vimeo.

In the meantime, we want to inform you of another upcoming event…

The Ultimate Bridal Event

Presents:

“Champagne On The Green”

When: Sunday April 11th, 2010

Time: 1pm – 4pm

Where: Links at Riverlakes

5201 Riverlakes Drive

Bakersfield, CA 93312

For ticket information please contact The Ultimate Bridal Event at 661.835.1305 or visit their website www.ultimatebridalevent.com

Brides who attend this event will receive pampering from some of the top hair and make-up artists in town, free flowing champagne and heavy hors d’oeuvres.  Brides will also be given an opportunity to design their own table prior to the event, and it may be showcased the day of the event.  There will be a wedding preview photo gallery provided by many of the top photographers in the area, as well as music, giveaways and private vendor consultations.  A grooms lounge will be provided inside the Links and Riverlakes Banquet Room, where grooms can enjoy their favorite sports and a no host bar.  Plus we don’t want to forget… no Ultimate Bridal Event would be complete without a designer bridal gown runway show!

Behind The Ceremony is in constant contact with The Ultimate Bridal Event staff, and we will keep you up to date with information about this and future events.  So make sure you check back regularly for more information!

When: Sunday January 10, 2010.  Doors open at 12 noon and the event goes until 4 pm

Where: Rabobank Convention Center  located at 1001 Truxton Ave. in Bakersfield, CA.

Admission: Bride’s tickets are only $8, admission for Bride and Groom is $15 and General Admission is $10

Website: www.ultimatebridalevent.com

Tickets may be purchased at the door, you can buy them in advance by contacting the McCright Agency by phone at 661.835.1305, or since you are already online reading this post… you can even purchase them by going to The Ultimate Bridal Event website.

While at the event, you will be able to talk one on one with all sorts of vendors including bakeries, bridal registries, cake and food caterers, ceremony & reception sites, disc jockeys, florist, favors, gowns & formal apparel, invitations, limousines, photographers, videographers, wedding consultants, chiavari chairs, chocolate fountains, ice sculptors, photo booth, chandeliers and much more!  The event also has a groom’s lounge stocked with beverages and a place to sit down and relax for a while.

Behind The Ceremony will be attending The Ultimate Bridal Event next weekend, talking to brides about their experience.  Following the event we will be writing an article on the days happenings and posting it along with images for all our viewers to see.  So if you plan on attending The Ultimate Bridal Event next weekend, make sure you say hi to one of us.  If you don’t know where find us, just ask one of the vendors we’ve interviewed in the past and they would be happy to point us out.  We are always open to viewer ideas and feedback, so feel free to chat with us about the event or let us know what you would like to see on the site in the future.  Who knows, your comments may even end up on the site.

]]> http://behindtheceremony.com/?feed=rss2&p=521 0 http://behindtheceremony.com/?p=457 http://behindtheceremony.com/?p=457#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:49:12 +0000 admin http://behindtheceremony.com/?p=457 Every so often, Patrick likes to take out his wedding video and watch it with his wife. His favorite part is the moment when the camera zooms in on his expression as he looks at his wife for the first time under the bright sunlight. As everyone stood up in awe, with the cameras aimed at her every move, his heart pounding while holding back tears of joy. What the camera shows as just a few minutes of footage, felt like an eternity as she gracefully walked closer and closer towards him. He feels so blessed to be able to sit and reminisce about that special day.

Curtis Nemetz is one of those videographers who utilizes his unique perspective when capturing that special moment. His videos have a way of bringing you back to that special day and revisiting the same emotions you had before. As photographers, we always watch his videos for inspiration.

How long have you been shooting? How did you get into wedding cinematography?

I have been shooting weddings professionally since 2006, but have been making videos with friends and family as long as I can remember. My brother and I used to make music videos to Boyz II Men, Milli Vanilli and Metallica when we were kids.

I began shooting weddings by accident. In 2003 my wife and I received quite a few Target gift cards for our wedding. We decided, as most completely broke newlywed couples do, that the obvious purchase would be a video camera. I took the camera everywhere, including every wedding I was invited to. After three years of doing it for free, a friend (who happens to be a wedding photographer) recommended that I start a business doing what I love. Curtis Nemetz Productions was born.

Do you only shoot wedding videos? What other videos do you shoot?

I primarily shoot wedding videos, which have kept me very busy and have not allowed for many other projects. Although, I do volunteer my services to my church whenever I can. Also, I have dreams of shooting a documentary that would greatly impact the audience, motivating them to move towards social justice. Sorry that got so deep there; you just got me thinking.

How do you describe your style of cinematography?

We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here. The film should tell a story; therefore, it should be timeless and classic. The last thing we want to create is a dated, cliché film through over-editing and the misuse of effects. With that in mind, we always try to remain artistic and fresh, while retaining the integrity of the day. The thing that makes a wedding video great is the chemistry between the couple. No amount of editing can produce that.

What kind of cameras do you use?

We use Canon XHA1’s with the Glidecam 4000 rig and the Canon 7d. Man, I felt dorky writing that sentence.

Do you have cool effects, cool camera attachments that you use?

We have a fisheye lens that we use sparingly. Our whole philosophy is to shoot it right the first time and not put a whole lot of effects on the footage. If we do it right while shooting, the footage should speak for itself without loading it up with a bunch of effects. That said, sometimes we have fun with the title. We also love doing stop motion stuff with the bride’s shoes. Some of our couples are starting to expect that now, which has been challenging but fun.

What products do you provide? Blue Ray, HD, Highlights?

A highlights video will be posted online the week after the wedding (usually Monday night or Tuesday) while the couple is on their honeymoon. They really enjoy being able relive the day so soon after the wedding, being that the wedding day can be such a blur. Then we put together a 30-minute film, including everything from makeup to the grand exit, which is then edited to the couple’s music choices. We include, as bonus features, the entire ceremony and toasts with professional audio recording. All of these features are packaged with 3 standard definition DVD’s and 1 Blu-ray DVD.

What inspires you? What are some of your favorite movies? Producers, Directors?

Favorite Movies? North Shore, Rad, Top Gun, Gladiator, etc. I’m sure you were expecting some long list of foreign independents that are black & white, grainy and have subtitles. I hate to say it, but I am a total wedding video nerd. I follow a few wedding film producers; Mayad Studios, Still Motion, Mind Castle, but don’t really pay much attention to what is going on with Hollywood movies.

What are some of the locations you have shot in? Which is your favorite?

I don’t know if I could pick a favorite location. Probably Bakersfield. It’s the land of milk and honey. Last year we shot a gorgeous wedding on the shores of a river flowing through the Yosemite Valley.  Earlier this year, we had the privilege of shooting at Yoshi’s Jazz Club in San Francisco. The most fun we’ve ever had while filming was on a catamaran on the San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge while the Blue Angels flew overhead. Although we’ve been privileged to shoot at some amazing venues, we’ve found that the venue doesn’t make a great video, or a great wedding for that matter. Like we’ve said before, it’s the chemistry between the couple.

Is there a place you would give anything to be able to shoot a wedding, whether it’s a location or venue?

No. We love shooting weddings no matter where they are. Was that PC enough?

Any advice you would give to a couple looking for a videographer?

It’s all about educating yourself. Ask friends and family members who have recently gotten married if they got a video and what they thought of their videographer. Once you have a few options, check out their work before you hire them. Ask to borrow a copy of their last wedding. Anyone can put together an awesome highlights video for his or her web page, but you need to see what you are actually getting for your money. Make sure their work incorporates a style that reflects your own. Talk with them on the phone and/or meet with them in person to make sure you get along. Remember, this person is going to be with you all day, documenting the biggest day of your life. You need to trust them. Most importantly, remember that wedding videos do not have to be boring.

Kyle and Meghan Underwood from curtis nemetz on Vimeo.

Tell us about yourself? Did you pretend to put on dream weddings as a little girl before doing it as a profession?

I have loved wedding gowns since the first moment I saw photos of Princess Diana on her wedding day. Once I discovered Martha Stewart weddings, my obsession just got worse. In high school and college I had a yearly subscription to wedding magazines and would scower the entire magazine front to back ripping out the photos of my favorite gowns. I think it scared a few boyfriends away, but I knew then that I would spend my future helping girls find their dream wedding gown.

Is there any interesting history behind The Little White Dress?

After college I worked for an organization called Little Black Dress. It was an amazing opportunity in which I helped organize events in both England and Los Angeles. I told my boss that whenever I decided to open the bridal boutique I’d always talked about, I would name it Little White Dress– a little homage to my favorite job before the boutique.

What dress designs do you carry?

I travel to New York twice a year to bring back exclusive wedding gown designers to the Bakersfield area. I only carry lines that continue to build a high quality brand. I look for designs of simple elegance and classic sophistication.

What accessories do you offer in the store?

We offer most of the accessories a bride would need to complement her wedding gown. Veils, jewelry, shoes, headpieces and garters. We even have gifts for the bride and bridesmaids.

What is the average price range for your dresses?

The price of gowns depends on each designer. We have gowns that range anywhere from $600 – $6,000 with the majority of them being in the $2,000 – $3,000 price point.

What top brands do you have? Who is your favorite designer?

Our top brands are Melissa Sweet, Priscilla of Boston, Winnie Couture, Legends by Romona Keveza and Martina Liana for bridal. For special occasion dresses we have Anna Elyse, BCBG, Max and Cleo, Nicole Miller and more. My favorite bridal designers are Romona Keveza and Melissa Sweet.

Do you do alterations as well? Do you have an in-house seamstress?

We do offer in-house alterations for any of the gowns sold here. The best thing about having an in-house seamstress is that we get to see each girl from the first day she tries on her gown until her last fitting right before the wedding. We get to see the whole process from beginning to end and in that time you become so close to the brides and bridesmaids that it gets a little sad when the weddings are over. For that reason we started to carry ready-to-wear dresses from BCBG, Max and Cleo and Shoshanna. That way our past brides can keep coming in the store to get dresses for any occasion.

Do you work with any specific men’s formal wear vendors?

There are a few men’s formal wear stores that we refer business to but we work mostly with Jerry from Fino’s menswear. Jerry is amazing and the guys really feel comfortable working with him.

What advice would you give a new bride who is looking for the perfect dress?

Don’t settle. There are so many beautiful gowns and when you start shopping for your perfect gown you will get comments from everyone with you. Try to make decisions based only on how you feel in the gown and not what others think about it. It’s great to have one or two important people in your life to come with you and give you ideas, but in the end you will be the one wearing it all day and looking at the pictures for the rest of your life.  So never settle for a gown you almost like because someone else loved it on you.

How far in advance should a bride start to look for her dress?

Most of the designers we carry don’t make the gowns until they are ordered by the bride. This means the whole process, from ordering the dress to its arrival for the first fitting, can take up to 5 months. In order to have plenty of time, you should start about 8 months to a year before the wedding and plan on purchasing 5 – 7 months before. If you have over a year until your wedding, I don’t recommend purchasing anything that far in advance. New bridal gowns come out twice a year and you don’t want to buy a gown and then realize a few months later that a gown you love even more just came out.

What differentiates you from the mainstream bridal stores in town?
All of our designers are exclusive to the Bakersfield area and most of them are exclusive to the whole central valley area. We offer private appointments, where the bride and her wedding party can have the store to themselves. You can come in and enjoy a glass of bubbly with all of your favorite girls while looking for the perfect little white dress.

What is your favorite reality/fashion show, if you watch any?

My favorite reality/fashion show is “Say Yes to the Dress”. It’s about the legendary bridal boutique in New York, Kleinfelds.

Contact:
Little White Dress
www.littlewhitedressbridal.com
1800 21st Street
661.633.2318

How did it all begin?

From the time I was about 7 years old, whenever I had a sleep-over, all I wanted to do was give all my friends a makeover. I knew then, at 7 years old I wanted to be a hairstylist. I had a beauty school teacher that did competition hairstyling and I became really interested in formal styling.  She gave me extra training in the art of hair. I graduated from beauty school in 1994, when I was just 18 years old! While working in the salon I noticed that I was the only one doing special occasion hair. My co-workers said I had something they didn’t and they found styling to be too stressful. That’s when I realized that I had a natural talent.  I decided to go for it, and joined the Kern County Bridal Association styling hair for their bridal fashion shows!

Is there a certain style of hair for weddings?  Is there one style that is more popular than others?

I have noticed a trend where brides are asking for their hair to be half up and half down. It’s kind of like having your beautiful wedding cake and eating it too. The bride gets the formality of having her hair up, but still gets to show off her long hair too. It is a very elegant look.

Do you only style hair for weddings, or do you get a lot of other types of events too?

While I specialize in styling hair for weddings, I have also done Sweet 16 parties, proms, and formals. Sometimes I even get weird photographers like the guys below who want to get their hair all done up before their next photoshoot.

What styles do you recommend to brides? Are there specific styles that they should try to avoid?

Usually brides come in with an idea of how they want their hair styled. I always encourage a trial run before the big day. During the trial run, we discuss what her gown looks like and whether or not she has any accessories to wear in her hair such as a veil or tiara. I do try to discourage brides from wearing their hair down for outdoor weddings on hot Bakersfield days. Also, I don’t recommend the side bangs covering one eye because this look doesn’t work well at the alter when the groom is trying to look into her eyes.

Do you style the whole bridal party by yourself or do you have an assistant?

I do have an assistant who helps me with larger wedding parties. I will always style the bride’s hair from start to finish, but my assistant preps and curls the rest of the wedding party’s hair so that I can put the finishing touches on each one. My assistant rocks, she has been working with me for two years now. I keep bringing her back to help because she is the best, and she always does such a great job that I never have to worry about her making my name look bad.

What’s the biggest bridal party you’ve worked on and how much time did the styling take?

I think the largest wedding party I’ve worked on was a total of fifteen people.  It consisted of the bride, the mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, little flowers girls and the rest of the bridal party. I am hesitant to say each style takes me 20-30 minutes because everyone thinks fast equals poor quality, but I can assure you that I am very picky and pay attention to every detail. When my assistant works with me we get the job done a lot faster because we can work on two people at a time.

Do you provide anything in addition to styling?

I also do colors, highlights, cuts, facial waxing, and men’s hair. Plus I work in a full service salon, so we can provide the bride with a manicure, pedicure, tanning, facials and massages if she is interested… these services work out great for a bridal shower gift. We also carry the best names in hair care products, so the bride can maintain her hair at home.

Contact:

Carleen

HairByCarleen.com

661.201.3270