Simply Love Studio

Dear Present & Future Clients,

Hoopla Films — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:54:35 +0000

I’m so excited about the next coming months, I think I’m going to burst. I’ve learned so much over the past 3 years and now it is all coming together to create our next leap forward. When we started in 2010, I took a good long look at the best wedding videographers in the world and I KNEW I could compete with them. I knew I had a lot to learn and a long way to go, but I was confident that I was willing to do whatever it took to get there. This is our 4th year in business and by 2014 we will reach a professional level which will stand out significantly. I haven’t stopped learning and I never will (I’m not the kind of person that retires). I want to take a moment to talk about the blogs I’ll be posting in the future. Some will be addressed to potential and current corporate clients, some will be directed towards couples getting married, others will be directed at musicians, and the rest will be written for fellow filmmakers. All of these groups have something in common; these are people I want to work with. I want to make commercials, wedding films, documentaries, music videos and more. I love working in multimedia and I’m excited to display the diversity of our talents at Hoopla. Secondly, I will be writing only be writing about two things; advice for making films (commercials, wedding films, etc.) and the things I’m passionate about. I want our clients/friends to understand our approach to filmmaking and I want to pass along any advice I can offer to help others as they make commercials, hire wedding videographers, and so on and so forth. We will be posting our blogs online and emailing them a few times a month every month. Last I would like to say “Thank You!” to everyone who has been so supportive and helpful to us over the years. We are just getting started! Owner – Josey Wenger

2013 E-SESSION FAVOURITES :: PART II

Five By Five — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:59:00 +0000

Posted by: [author-name]

More favourites from recent engagement sessions ..

Natalie & Tommy’s Engagement Session at Maker’s Mark Distillery

Wes Brown Photography — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:55:32 +0000

Posted by: [author-name]

I couldn’t wait to share this engagement session for so many reasons. For one, it seems like ages since Natalie and Tommy booked me for their wedding, but we’ve been holding off their engagement session. They, being the awesome couple they are, have been going along the “Bourbon Trail” and decided we should shoot at Maker’s Mark Distillery. This was my 1st time shooting (or even being) there and it’s perfect. Lot’s of lush greenery, buildings, pathways, bridges (covered and uncovered),…well, I could go on for a while. The fact is they picked a perfect location…but hey, they picked each other and got me to do the photography, so we’ve pretty much learned to trust their decision making. The other big “1st” of last Saturday was that this was my daughter’s 1st session as my assistant. She’s recently shown some interest in photography and is always so helpful anyway. I couldn’t be prouder to have her see how I work, but also to share one of my biggest passions with her. I couldn’t have asked for a better assistant…hopefully we can get her shooting. With all of that said, I give you some of Natalie and Tommy’s photographs from their engagement session. Photographs after the jump…

TIME OUT!

Sarah — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:41:51 +0000

Planning a wedding can quickly take over your life. As a bride, every thought going through your mind always leads back to something wedding related. There comes a point where you need to make yourself take a TIME OUT and remember why you are planning this wedding in the first place…. you are in love. Your fiance didn’t realize what a monster he was creating when proposing and he too needs a break from listening to all the wedding plans. Remember to take time at least once a week when you have together time with him and during that time there is ZERO wedding talk!!! Below are a few fun date ideas I found while scouring the web this morning. (For the complete list check out the Six Sister’s Stuff Blog.)

Be a tourist in your own city. Find what tourist attractions are in your city and spend the night acting like tourists, which includes taking cheesy pictures!
Go to a thrift store. Each person gets $5 to spend! See who ends up with the best item(s)!
Have a picnic. If the weather doesn’t permit, lay out a blanket on the floor and eat in the living room!
Treasure hunting. Head to the ATM and get out $10-$20. Drive around to some local yard sales and see what you end up with! There are tons on the weekends!
Volunteer. Sign up to volunteer at a soup kitchen, retirement home or somewhere that could use a helping hand!
Take some lessons. Try taking a lesson for a couples dance, pottery or a cooking class!
Write a bucket list. Make a list of things you want to do before you die and go do one to cross it off the list!
House hunting. Tour some homes and plan out your dream home!
Exercise together. Attend an exercise class at a local gym, take a walk or jog together or do something active! The Honeymoon is right around the corner!
Take a drive. Get out of the house and take a drive. Take a look at nature or local scenery! Listen to all the songs that remind you why you are getting married in the first place.

Happy Date Nights!!

xoxo,

Sarah

Tyler + Ashley: Wedding Video Highlights

Reel Special Productions — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 23:01:33 +0000

Posted by: [author-name]

Tyler and Ashley got married at Moundale Manor in Winchester, Kentucky and chose Reel Special Productions to produce their wedding video. Check out the highlights below!

Wedding Venue: Moundale Manor in Winchester, Kentucky Reception Venue: Winchester Opera House in Winchester, Kentucky Wedding Coordinator: Angela Sallee (Moundale Manor & Winchester Opera House) Photographer: Aesthetiica Photography DJ: Wed Laugh Love We first met with Tyler and Ashley at Simply Love Studio more than a year ago and they didn’t waste any time choosing to book Reel Special for their wedding video. When we arrived at Moundale Manor for Tyler and Ashley’s big day, we were in awe when we were greeted by the large, beautiful lawn and the gorgeous mansion perched atop a long, evenly-sloped hill. In the foreground from the historic mansion were perfectly-lined white chairs and stunning floral arrangements. Large lanterns hung down from a large tree creating a picture-perfect outdoor wedding altar and we knew at first glance this wedding video would be one-of-a-kind. Soon after arriving we met Angela, the on-site wedding coordinator for Moundale Manor and the Winchester Opera House. Angela gave us a quick run-down on plans for the day then we spent the next several hours capturing the preparations and the first-look (both elements to any perfect wedding video, by the way!). The ceremony will be a part of the wedding day that Tyler and Ashley will love reliving for many years to come. Ashley’s grandfather was an ordained minister before retiring many years ago, but he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to serve as the officiant for his granddaughter’s wedding day. Tyler and Ashley also wrote their own vows to one another, so we were sure to include those in the wedding video highlights. As soon as the ceremony concluded guests were encouraged to head over to the Winchester Opera House for the reception. Although we’d never filmed at the Opera House, the moment we walked in we knew it was going to be visually stunning in the final wedding video. As guests lined the room just beyond the lobby entrance, Tyler and Ashley were announced and the reception festivities all flowed seamlessly thanks to the careful planning by Angela, Ashley and Ashley’s mom (who is also a professional wedding planner, by the way). The evening concluded with a sparkler sendoff. Fortunately, despite the dark night skies our lineup of Canon DSLR cameras and experience with relatively low-light settings we were able to pull in enough light and get some great footage of the newlyweds as they headed off to their hotel and honeymoon the following day. We were so grateful to have the opportunity to film the wedding video for Tyler and Ashley and we wish them all the best for a lifetime to come!

A Country Wedding Weekend

Shelby Clark — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 22:57:37 +0000

This weekend I headed to Morehead, Kentucky for one of my sorority sister’s weddings. It was at the Sheltowee Country Club – the ceremony was outside and the reception right up the hill inside of the country club. This was the first wedding I’ve attended since I’ve been interning, so the fact that I would get to look at it in a whole new perspective only added to the excitement. I’ve added a few pictures from the ceremony and reception so you can see for yourself how beautiful it was. It was a country wedding with simple, but classy décor both outside and inside. There was around 150 guests with plenty of seating and food for everyone. That being said, the whole night seemed to go extremely well. You know it is if the bride and groom are stress-free!

As the bride walked down the aisle I noticed she didn’t have a veil, but instead a flower in the side of her hair. This was probably the first wedding I’ve been to where a veil wasn’t worn, but with the simple country theme I think it was very fitting. Her dress was strapless and had beaded detail all over – she was a gorgeous bride.

One of my favorite decorations (pictured below) was the framed engagement picture about the fireplace that was between two small trees with lights strung around them. In front of that was the bride and groom’s table where they ate. My other favorite part was the food, including the cake. It was a buffet style dinner with the choice of cheese ziti or lasagna, salad, fruits/veggies, and bread. The cake was a delicious chocolate with white icing, and unfortunately I wasn’t able to snap a picture of it since they cut it during dinner, but I did manage to get a shot of my last bite next to the ‘I do’ napkins.

I was happy to be apart of such a beautiful day for such a beautiful couple!

- Shelby

Lunch at the Hilton

Shelby Clark — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:05:13 +0000

Today, Sarah and I met with Summer Cooper, from the Hilton Lexington | Downtown, at the Triangle Grille for lunch. Summer is the Wedding Specialist, or Certified Wedding Planner, for the Hilton. I was really excited to meet her, and of course, try out the food.

I had never been there before, but immediately fell in love with their food. For our appetizers, we ordered fried green tomatoes along with the green apple, bacon, and brie quesadillas. I’m a huge fan of fried green tomatoes, and the ones we had were wonderful. For our main course, I ordered the Buffalo Chicken Breast sandwich, which was just as delicious as the appetizers. And finally, for dessert, I had some kind of peanut butter brownie. I can’t remember the name, but I’m sure it wouldn’t do it justice anyway. To put it simply, it was absolutely delicious.

As I said, I was really excited to meet Summer. After asking what my plans were after graduation, she gave me some advice. Be humble – don’t expect to start at the top, especially right out of college. She started out doing things far from planning before she actually decided that was what she wanted to pursue, one of which was Mary Kay makeup. I feel like I learned a lot just listening to her and Sarah discuss upcoming weddings and events. There is so much to learn!

Until next time,

Shelby

The B Word

Sarah — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 19:04:36 +0000

When it comes to planning a wedding, there is always one word that every bride hates to hear: BUDGET! Weddings can get expensive fast! As a bride, you see all these blogs and magazines with all this fun and beautiful decor with special touches everywhere, but then you learn that all those things come with a price. Every bride deserves to have the wedding of their dreams and there are many ways to add to your decor without breaking the bank. Hello Pinterest!! There are tons of ideas out there for decor that are made from things you already have sitting around the house. You just have to get crafty!! Check out a few ideas I have came across and good luck!!

XOXO,

Sarah

Spool from construction materials as a table.

Paint old mason jars from Grandma’s attic any color!

Paint old wine bottles… chalkboard paint works great!!

Color q-tips and stick them in styrofoam… who knew!

Paint plate and cup then glue… makes a perfect little stand for flowers or desserts.

Old wagon as drink display.

Old bottles as vases… dress them up with paper and twine.

Flip over wine glasses to make candle holders!

Magazine racks for whatever “bar” you are having….

Make flowers out of old newspaper!

Dixie cups + string lights = adorable

Andrea & Nick: Lexington Engagement

Honey Heart Photography — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 17:08:48 +0000

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Bridesmaids gifts

Shelby Clark — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:47:17 +0000

When planning for your wedding, there’s plenty that needs to be done in, what I’m sure seems like, a very short amount of time. Between deciding on a venue and making a guest list, it may be easy to put off the thought of what type of gift to give your bridesmaids. Jewelry such as monogramed bracelets and necklaces are always wonderful gifts, but depending on the number of bridesmaids, it could get very expensive. Whether you’re on a budget or just wanting to be crafty, there are a few things I’ve come across that would make great personalized gifts for them. A really cute idea I’ve been seeing a lot of are decorated wine glasses. Depending on how artsy you might be, you could paint something similar to the example below, or if you’re like me, that may be a little more challenging. If so, you could always go with rhinestones or ribbon to add decoration and paint each bridesmaids’ monogram or first name on the glasses. Another idea that’s extremely cute are making jewelry boxes. I’ve seen an assortment of wooden jewelry boxes at Michael’s that would be absolutely perfect for this. You could paint and decorate the box, then glue their first initial on top like the example below. Adding monograms on anything like jewelry or make-up bags are always nice because they add that personal touch. Anything you choose to buy (or craft) for them will recognize that saying ‘I do’ wouldn’t be the same without having those lovely ladies stand by your side to join you in celebrating your big day!

- Shelby