Desert Wedding at Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa

Natalie and Chris were married on October 31st, 2020 in Palm Springs. While you may be thinking, “wow, a Halloween wedding?!” it actually wasn’t! The wedding dates just worked out that way. Natalie and Chris met in 2015 on a dating app. While on a trip to Maui in 2019 for his 31st birthday, Chris proposed to Natalie in front of a gorgeous fountain at the @grandwailea!

For their wedding, Natalie and Chris wanted a warm and romantic vibe with desert tones and fall-inspired decor. They absolutely love the desert palm trees and mountainscapes. An open and airy venue was really important to them, so they could have indoor and outdoor space. When they found the Rancho Las Palmas Resort, they were ecstatic! With the San Jacinto and San Bernardino mountains encompassing you, the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa provides extravagant indoor and outdoor areas to accommodate intimate ceremonies, lavish soirees, and everything in between. They instantly loved the openness of the venue and were so excited to enjoy the beautiful outdoors of the desert, with the reception on the rooftop giving beautiful views at sunset.

On the day of their wedding ceremony, Natalie and Chris exchanged gifts with one another. After recording their personal video interviews, it was time to capture the first look. Natalie opted to do a first look with her father as well, as he wasn’t able to join her when she said yes to the dress. Natalie wore a gorgeous gown from L'amour by Calla Blanche. After the ceremony, the bride and groom as well as their guests headed to a beautiful outdoor space to host the reception. Dinner and drinks were flowing, followed by wedding speeches and first dances. Chris and Natalie finished their wedding night surrounded by friends and family, and were sent off into their future through a sparkler exit! 

Vendors:

Coordinator: @weddingswithpamolson
Event Manager: @whimsicalweddingsbycarly
Photographer: @arcfilm
Videographer: @venture_outbound
Decor: @vasobello
Make Up: @marissatorres + @_beautysanctuary_
Hair: @lalas_hair
Minister: @joyfulweddingsevents
DJ: @crowdcontrolent
Rentals: @sigpartyrentals
Dress: @styledbytc

What is An Adventure Session?

The “Adventure Session” is simply our version of an engagement shoot, but more fun! Instead of being placed in poses, we bring those poses to life and create authentic interactions between you and your future spouse. We take a very personalized approach to creating our videos. Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment, we want to make sure we craft a video that is based around the most important thing, you and your love. It’s also a great opportunity for us to make you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera. We want you to feel ZERO stress on your wedding day and this session tends to help get rid of those camera-shy jitters.

We’ve created this guide to help you feel comfortable, confident, and excited for your adventure session! There’s a lot to go over, so let’s jump right in!

TIPS FOR YOUR ADVENTURE SESSION

You want your session and film to be perfect, and so do we, which is why prepping is super important! If you look at your session as having an adventure, ‘cause let’s face it, this is not your everyday happening, you’ll realize this can be fun and it should be. We totally understand being filmed can seem intimidating, but it’s our job to make this a comfortable and stress-free session. We’ll spend time teaching you everything you need to know. By the end of the session, you and your fiancé will be pros!

When it comes to styling, we always think staying true to who you are is best. If dressing up is your thing, then dress it up! But if you’re more comfortable keeping it simple, then some fun accessories can help make things more interesting, like a necklace or bracelet. High heels can also make you feel more confident – but keep in mind the shooting environment. It won’t be much fun if you get stuck in rocks or mud, so make sure to bring a backup pair of shoes.

We HIGHLY recommend our couples make a night of their Adventure Session. Use the fact that you’re already dressed up and make a night of it! It might be the perfect time to try that new restaurant or head for some fancy cocktails!

Location and Timing

Since we film weddings most weekends, it’s usually easiest for us to coordinate your Adventure Session on a weekday. We love chasing the sun, so we plan our sessions about 2 hours before sunset. Sunset times will vary based on the time of year, so make sure to keep that in mind.

California is known for its beautiful locations up and down the coast, incredible mountain views, and even desert landscapes. We’ve got it all, so finding a place for your Adventure Session should be no problem! Here are three things to consider before choosing your location:

1. What’s your theme? Your Adventure Session can help set the tone for your whole wedding celebration, so it can make sense to tie the location into your overall theme. For example, if you were planning a rustic affair, then an outdoorsy spot for your Adventure Session might fit perfectly. If you have your heart set on a particular location, let’s do it!

2. What do you enjoy doing together? Your Adventure Session is about YOU! It may be a good time to celebrate any shared interests between the two of you. Do you enjoy mountain biking? Then you might choose an adventurous forest park. If eating out is more your thing, then a downtown location with picturesque streets could be perfect for you.

3. Do you share any special places? Do you and your future spouse have a place you love going to? If there’s a particular location that’s meaningful to you as a couple, it might be worth making it the stage for your Adventure Session. It could be where you shared your first kiss or even where you shared your first ice cream!

We’re happy to travel up to 250 miles from Aliso Viejo, CA free of charge. If you’re looking to make this session super special, we’re ALWAYS up for an adventure out of state or internationally! Depending on the location and your package selection, there may be additional fees. Some of our favorite spots are Yosemite National Park, Big Sur, Redwoods National Park, Lake Tahoe, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Joshua Tree National Park.

What to do with your film

Finally, our most asked question is “What should I do with this adventure session film?” You could just leave it sitting on your computer, or you could put it to good use in your wedding planning. Here are a few fun ideas to consider:

1. Opt for “video” stationary. Sounds interesting right!? We’re all about saving the planet and conserving, so why not choose a paperless Save the Date, Invitation, or even a Thank You message that puts your film front and center? Websites like “The Knot” and “Zola” allow you to create free wedding websites where you can use the film as a save the date or invitation. Your wedding website is the first stop for most guests to find out more about your wedding, so it’s a great place to play your beautiful video footage.

2. Tease your guests on social media: If it isn’t on social media, did it ever really happen!? Share your video online with all your social media outlets! Tag the vendors you’ll be using, tag your bridal party, heck, tag your parents! Get everyone excited for your once-in-a-lifetime wedding day! After the video is shared, but the video link in your bio so that anyone can watch your adventure session video.

3. Show the video during your wedding: Think about the possibility of weaving your film into your big day. Some couples like to play the video during cocktail hour or during the reception. This gets guests even more excited to be at your wedding and in the mood to celebrate!

And there you have it. If you’re interested in booking an Adventure Session, don’t hesitate to reach out and learn more, or, watch one of our most recent videos below!

Romantic Wedding at Carondelet House in DTLA

Samantha and Kevin are such a romantic and playful couple. You can instantly tell that these two are truly best friends. When they reached out for wedding videography, we were super excited! Before we take on new wedding videography clients, we always send them a thorough list of questions so we can get to know them better and make sure we’re a perfect fit for their wedding day. When we asked Samantha and Kevin who they are as a couple and how they would be incorporating it into their wedding day, they said they wanted to emulate an intimate, romantic dinner party. “We want all of our best friends together to celebrate love, especially after this wild year!”

This lead this couple to chose Carondelet House because they loved how romantic and moody it was. The Carondelet House is an Italian-style villa built in the late 1920s with an urban flair. Full of exposed brick and old-world charm, the Carondelet House is one of the most unique venues in DTLA! Samantha and Kevin loved the old Hollywood vibe and different spaces within the space too. This venue has over 7500 sqft to work with, both indoor and outdoor. 

On the morning of their wedding day, Samantha and her bridal party got ready together at The Westin Bonaventure in Downtown LA. The ladies had a relaxing morning having their hair and makeup done by Elwynn and Cass. When we arrived to start shooting the wedding video, everyone was looking absolutely gorgeous! Samantha was wearing a beautiful and unique wedding dress handmade in Australia by a family-run company called Made with Love Bridal. Samantha even had a heart sewn into her gown that was cut from her mom’s wedding dress. 

Photos by Krista Ashley

Before the wedding ceremony, we like to give you the option of a video interview. Typically, we will interview the bride and groom separately before seeing each other or walking down the aisle. During these interviews, we ask questions about how you're feeling and what you're most excited about. During these interviews, we are able to capture your raw and authentic emotions. Samantha and Kevin opted for our wedding videography interview, and we can’t wait to share it with you! For a sneak peek of their wedding video, click here!

Vendors:

Venue: @carondelethouse
Planner: @popthechampagne
Florist: @withlovefloralco
Photographer: @krista.ashley
DJ: @secondsong_official
Caterer: @treaslacatering
Cake: @susiecakesbakery
Hair + Make Up: @elwynnandcass
Wedding Dress: @madewithlovebridal
Dress Alterations: @loveandlacebridalsalon
Groom’s Suit: @theblacktux
Decor + Linens: @stephanieslinens
Jewelry: @maisonroe

15 Questions To Ask Your Wedding Videographer Before Hiring

1. How long have you been filming weddings? How many do you average per year?

Why this is a good question to ask: Your wedding video will be the video you look back on for the rest of your life and will also be something you can share with your children and for generations to come. You’ll look back and remember just how special your day was, so you want to make sure you hire a videographer who is experienced. To ensure your wedding video is the best, they should have at least a year of experience in filming weddings.

2. What is your storytelling style? 

Why this is a good question to ask: Many videographers will have a preferred filming style. The two most popular styles are documentary or cinematic. Typically a documentary style is where the camera is stationed on a tripod and includes a lot of still shots. Cinematic style will include a lot more handheld shots, either with a camera stabilizer or not, with a lot of movement in your film. These shots are much more fluid and appear more “Movie Like”. 

3. How is the music for the films selected? 

Why this is a good question to ask: Music selection is HUGE in the wedding videography business. Many times a song can make or break your final film and you want to make sure the videographer knows which types of genres you like and also licenses music from trusted websites such as Musicbed, Artlist, Premuimbeat, or Soundstripe. If your videographer does not abide by copyright laws, you may end up in a legal battle for using an artist’s music. Make sure your videographer licenses from one of the websites mentioned above. 

4. Have you filmed at my venue before? 

Why this is a good question to ask: If your videographer has filmed at your venue before, they will automatically know where to set up their equipment and which angles are the best for your film. While this is helpful if a videographer has not filmed at your venue before it should not be an automatic disqualification, as most videographers will know how to find the best angles and lighting quickly on your wedding day. If you want to ensure your videographer sees the venue before the wedding, ask if they would be willing to visit the venue a few months before. 

5. Is there a travel charge for my wedding? 

Why You Want to Know: You want to make sure there are no additional fees on top of the package you’ve selected. Some videographers will have a trip charge based on how far away your venue is from their home base. Make sure you’re aware of these charges before you book. 

6. Will you be filming any other weddings on my wedding day? 

Why You Want to Know: You’ll want to know if your videographer has other weddings booked on your wedding day. Larger production companies will often schedule multiple weddings on the same day, but have project managers in place to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Smaller operations may not have the same resources and the last thing you want is having a videographer at your wedding, with another wedding on their mind. If you’re moving forward with a smaller operation, make sure your wedding is the only wedding booked on your day. 

7. Will you be the person filming my wedding or will you be using a third party? 

Why You Want to Know: Your wedding day is a very special day and you want to be surrounded by people who support you and make the day that much better. When you hire a videographer who will be there on the day of your wedding, you’ll likely have spoken with them or communicated with them in a way that makes you feel good about having them there on your wedding day. If you use a large corporation that hires videographers, you may never communicate with the videographer until the day of your actual wedding. Oftentimes, larger corporations will allow you to chat with the main videographer before your wedding day, so make sure to ask to speak with them to ensure you and the videographer have similar vibes. 

8. Do you film by yourself or will you have a second videographer?

Why this is a good question to ask: This question will depend on the wedding video package you select. Some packages offer multiple videographers while others offer only one. Having a second videographer on your wedding day will increase the overall efficiency of the videography team. They will be able to split up to capture all the detail shots they need, giving them more time to spend on what’s important, you and your future husband! A single videographer can also get the job done, but it will take more coordination for the videographer and may have them bouncing around all day, only spending a few minutes here and a few minutes there. 

9. How well do you work with other vendors? Such as the Photographer? 

Why this is a good question to ask: Your videographer has a very important role to play on the day of your wedding. They will need to interact with multiple vendors, such as the photographer, DJ, and wedding coordinator, in order to deliver you the best wedding film. The photographer and videographer will work closely throughout your wedding day to film all of the highlights of the day. They will also need to work closely with the DJ in order to capture all of your important speeches, such as the ceremony, vows, toasts, etc. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure your videographer is a people person and can work well with all vendors. 

10. How will you record the audio from our ceremony? 

Why this is a good question to ask: Audio is incredibly important for your wedding film. You want to make sure your videographer has a plan to record the audio during your ceremony, vows, and even during the reception to capture the toasts. The most common audio setup for a videographer is to place a small, hidden microphone on the groom during the ceremony to capture the vows and to also connect an audio recorder to the soundboard at the venue. Often times your videographer will need to coordinate with your DJ in order to make this happen. 

11. How long will it take to receive my completed film?

Why this is a good question to ask: Editing your wedding video can take some time, especially during wedding season (May-October), as many videographers book weddings during these months. You’ll want to make sure you know how soon you’ll receive your wedding video so you aren’t waiting months and months to relive your special day.

12. How will my film be delivered? 

Why You Want to Know: Your videographer will have a prefered method of delivering your wedding film. It is often that the film will be delivered digitally, but some videographers offer your wedding film delivered on DVD or other methods. Ask which method your videographer plans to deliver your film to you. 

13. How often will you communicate with us leading up to the wedding?

Why You Want to Know: You don't want your last interaction with your videographer before the wedding day to be the day you booked them. Hiring a vendor is a two way street. You’ll want to hire someone who constantly checks in to make sure that they are up to date on the latest detail changes of your wedding day. 

14. Are you insured? 

Why this is a good question to ask: Many venues will require your videographer to have a $1,000,000 general liability insurance policy in place. This is to ensure that if the videographer accidentally damages anything at the property or accidentally hurts someone, you and the venue are covered. 

15. Do you have a link to some reviews? 

Why this is a good question to ask: Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life. You want to make sure the vendors you choose to be there with you are highly recommended by other couples who have had them their on their wedding day.