The Bridal Blog

The NYWB is looking forward to Bridal Wars this year! It’s such a fun event and there are some really amazing prizes up for grabs. You can register HERE and it’s $30.

GRAND PRIZE is a HONEYMOOON! All inclusive trip to Mexico!

Here is how the event will work:
All teams will complete 4 challenges- 2 will be workout related and 2 will not. There will be a winner of each challenge, that winner will get to choose a prize. Each team can not win more than (one) challenge, HOWEVER you will want to do as good as you can because all of your scores will be added together to determine an overall winner of a HONEYMOON!
Teams must be all female, each bride will get a gift bag and a veil to wear for this event!
The best team name and best team attire will be choosen by a panel of judges. These will count as a Challenge and these winners will get to choose a prize as well- the winner for these categories will get a bonus point toward your team score! *** Anyone can win these, they will be choosen during the event by a panel of judges and it will not matter if you have already won another challenge that day. These will be considered bonus challenges.

All brides will get gift bags, bring your friends and families to cheer you on.

Prizes Include:
GRAND PRIZE- All inclusive El Dorado Resort Honeymoon
$250 gift certificate for Advantage Limousine Certificate
$200 Anthology Studio Certificate ( floral)
$150 gift certificate to Melinda’s Chocolate Fountains
$350 Gift Certificate to Lisa Jubert Photography
$150 Magnet Man Gift Certificate
$150 gift certificate to Gourmet Confections
$100 gift certificate to the Bridal Gallery by Yvonne
$125 gift certificate to The Ice Man
MORE TO COME! PLUS attending professionals will also be offering special challenges and chances to win prizes with them!

Some attending professionals include:
Old Daley Inn at Crooked Lake- Assorted upgrades
Stiletto Salon- Gift Basket
McGearys Travel – $200 off a Honeymoon of $5000 or more
K Plastic Surgery – 20 units of botox, buy a facial and get a free eye and lip chemical peel
Gourmet Confections
Complete Music and Video
Albany Crossfit
New York Wedding Boutique
Overtime Photo
All Occassions Photo
CNY Healing Arts
VOW magazine

May the best team win!!

Blog by Bigler Productions

There is a wedding videographer out there who is just right for your wedding and like anything, your investment will reflect on your return. Simply put: you pay for what you get. For the purpose of this article we have categorized videographers into three general categories; “The Hobbyist”, ”The Professional” and the ”The Artist.” A videographer in any of these three categories may be right for you, depending upon what you are looking for and what you are willing to invest. The price range fluctuates according to experience, skill level and the market area. Keep in mind that the estimated investments listed below are generalized for the northeast and may differ in other market areas. So let’s take a look at what is out there and give you a clear direction in your search for the best wedding videographer for you.

The Hobbyist or Entry Level Videographer
(Packages starting at $500 – $1,500)
These entry level videographers have often been dubbed the “weekend warriors.” These are individuals who either have another full time job or are just starting out. They started out filming a friend’s wedding, had fun and decided that they want to make some extra money on the side. Everyone has to start somewhere and most videographers started at this level.

RISK: Every videographer learns valuable lessons of “what not to do” simply through shooting more and more weddings. If you choose to go with this level of videographer you do run the risk that they will learn just such a lesson on your wedding. They are also more likely to use entry level equipment and there may be a long waiting period before you receive your completed wedding video.

REWARD: The most obvious reward is the lower price point, as shown above this reward brings greater risks. The other reward is that if you are lucky enough to find a new videographer (making their way up from entry level to professional) then they are going to be passionate about your wedding. They have something to prove and need to get their name out there so they may be willing to do more for you at a lower price point then the recognized professional. (note: this up and coming videographer will likely be younger and have only been in the market for a few years).

BRIDAL TIP: If your potential videographer falls in this category make sure you have a clear and concise contract which outlines exactly what you are getting and when you will be getting it. You are risking quality of product and service, but you might just find the perfect match for your needs and budget. Remember, if the videographer could be charging more, they would. There is a reason they are a “good deal.”

The Professional Videographer
(Packages starting at $2,000 – $3,000)
These videographers have moved past the hobbyist level and are now making a decent living at their craft. They have worked out their “what not to do” lessons on past weddings and are perfecting their craft. They realize that a happy bride is critical to their business remaining successful, therefore they will put the bride first. A professional videographer will also invest their money into getting up-to-date equipment and it will also work in your favor that this level of videographer has also been around enough vendors to know most of the people they are working with. You are not likely to see this videographer in a fist fight with your photographer!

RISK: Your risks are far lower with this level of videographer and as a result, you will pay more. You do run the risk that your videographer will not put the same passion into your wedding as the up-and-coming hobbyist. This risk can quickly be assessed simply by meeting with the videographer face to face.

REWARD: Your videographer will have more experience, better equipment and will put your wedding before everything else. They will create a video that should exceed your expectations. You should feel well taken care of with this level of videographer.

BRIDAL TIP: If you can afford it, hiring a videographer at the professional level is a wise investment. Take some time and watch their samples online, they will likely be a good representation of what you are going to get.

The Artist or Upper Level Videographer
(Packages starting at $3,500 – $7,000)
If you are looking for a world class video, a truly hollywood masterpiece in which you get to play the lead role, then this is the level of videographer for you. These are the videographers that fly all over the world filming and their work truly is amazing.

RISK: You are the canvas for their art. This level of videographer is going to produce amazing work, but might be more concerned about how good the final video is going to look then how your wedding day unfolds. You also run the risk of an artist not “playing nice” with other vendors.

REWARD: You will have an amazing piece of art in which you are the star, your friends and family will be in ‘aw’ of your amazing video.

BRIDAL TIP: Do your research, if you have this sort of a budget for video then your videographer might not be local. Follow wedding blogs and find the style of a videographer that you like best and track them down. PS: Plan on booking them in advance, at the very least, a year before your date.

In conclusion:
Do your research! You will pay for what you get. Be realistic, if you have a budget of $1,000 don’t expect your videographer to produce the same quality as an $8,000 videographer. Find someone that is a good match for your budget and needs.

Kevin and Amanda got married this past September 3rd at Mallozzi’s! The NYWB members that were part of their special day were Elario Photography, Fleurtacious Designs, Flawless by Tina, Music Man Entertainment and CASL Productions! Usually when you see a wedding video on our blog it’s only a few minutes long. However, the length of this video really makes you feel like you were at this wedding from beginning to end! It looked like the couple was as happy as could be and that their guests had the best time on the dance floor. There were also a few very funny toasts! Take a look at a few highlights from their wedding, courtesy of their videographer CASL Productions. Congrats to Amanda and Kevin!

Wedding Video on Blu-Ray or DVD? What’s The Big Deal?
By: Bigler Productions

Why does your wedding videographer keep toting Blu-Ray? Isn’t DVD good enough? We have outlined 4 Not-So-Technical-Reason to make sure your wedding video is on Blu-Ray:

Quality
Simply put, Blu-Ray is easy on the eyes. The clarity and sharpness of your wedding video on a Blu-Ray blows away the imagery quality displayed on a DVD. ”Our videographer gave us copies of our wedding video on both Blu-Ray and DVD. Having watched both, there is definitely a difference between the DVDs and the Blu-Ray. The Blu-Ray really adds dimension, detail, and provides enhanced color,” said Marina who married Brock in August of 2011. “Our wedding video really looks fantastic, it is very crisp and the picture quality superb. We are very pleased!” (Watch Marina & Brocks Lake George wedding video).

Bridal Tip: if image quality is important to you, make sure your videographer gives you a copy of your wedding video on Blu-Ray.

More Storage
From a videographers standpoint Blu-Ray is great. “I can fit way more content onto a single Blu-Ray disc (up to 50GB) then I can on a standard DVD (4.7GB). That extra space allows me to encode not only a couples Feature and Highlight video on the disc but their behind the scenes “Bridal Cut” as well,” said videographer Dave Bigler.

Minimal Investment
Blu-Ray is not a new technology; it actually was released to the public nearly 12 years ago in the fall of 2000. Having been out for a good period of time you can now get a great Blu-Ray player for well less then $100. An added bonus to Blu-Ray players is that you can play your standard definition DVDs on your Blu-Ray player and see a brighter crisper image than if you watch the same DVDs on your old DVD player.

Bridal Tip: if you don’t want to fork over the money for a new Blu-Ray player then just added it to your gift registry and get someone else to buy it for you!

Scratch Resistant
Blu-ray Disc specification requires the testing of resistance to scratches. In contrast, DVDs are not required to be scratch-resistant. Thus, your wedding video will be less likely to scratch, suffer from damage or degrade in quality over time.

Bridal Tip: if your 2 year old nephew makes it a habit of playing frisbee with your video collection, make sure your wedding video is on Blu-Ray.

Bottom Line:
If you are going to spend thousands on your wedding make sure the video looks as good as it possibly can; make sure your videographer gives you a copy of your wedding video on Blu-Ray.

Watch Marina & Brocks Wedding Video shot at the Sagamore on Lake George: