Welcome back everyone! Fiiiiinally, I get to blog some wedding content for you all after what's felt like a blogging drought over here at Love My Dress HQ! 😉 Firstly, for those that haven't dropped by Love My Dress over the Christmas Hols, HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😉 I published a reflective post here that you might like to read 🙂 I also hope you love the new blog design.
So anyway, I shall waste not a moment longer getting round to the very first blog post of the year. And to open up 2011, I thought I'd try something a little different. This morning, is all about wedding films.
I have something to admit. And I really do NOT want to offend anyone in sharing this with you all, but, well, if I'm completely honest, up until very recently, I have had a bit of an aversion for wedding videography. I think that half the problem is that the term 'wedding video' for me, conjures up something terrifyingly 'cheesy' – you know, poorly shot and edited together and well, a little 'tasteless'. I'm really sorry, but that's just how I've been feeling! I know that there are companies out there offering something cool by producing Super-8 style wedding videos, and I love these, but what for the couple who want something more traditional and yet entirely non-cheesy? I've just not really ever seen any wedding videography companies who truly grab me and make me go… 'wow'!
It's possible I've not been looking hard enough or in the right places, but one day shortly before Christmas, I got that 'wow' moment, when I saw the video below, and in an instant, my whole perception of wedding videography changed forever…
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Video Copyright (c) 2011, Minty Slippers
Watching that video transports me instantly back to the emotions and sensations I felt on my own wedding day. I say that with complete sincerity. I quite literally feel a lump in my throat having watched the video again just now for about the umpteenth time! Truly, as far as wedding video's go, this is one of the most beautifully shot films I have ever seen – so tastefully crafted. The Bride, Groom and wedding party seem so at ease – it's as if the person with the actual video camera wasn't there at all.
The people filming this video in fact, were Julie and Danny, whose company Minty Slippers specialise in producing beautiful wedding films. I got chatting with Danny about Minty Slippers and their approach to recording weddings on film, oh, and by the way, the video above captures the wedding of Tim and Lucy – whose '1950's Couture Style Bride' real wedding featured on Love My Dress here and was photographed by The Lawsons.
Who are you and what do you do?
"We are Julie & Danny and we are Mintyslippers. Nothing to do with mints or indeed slippers, but we actually make beautiful wedding films.
A wedding film is quite unlike a wedding video. A video typically is just a record of your day but a film is just what you expect from any movie. Its enjoyable, tells a story and is simply beautiful.
It's all too easy to just record what happens and show it back but behind every wedding day is a story of how they met, what attracted them to each other and why they want to spend the rest of their lives together. We like to find out a bit more about our couples so when it comes to the day we know what to look for rather than just pointing a camera and hitting record.
We like to tell the story of the wedding day but also the couple themselves. Each of our films, be it the short highlights you see online or our full features are individually designed and produced for each of our couples…"
Another breathtakingly beautiful and moving wedding video from the Mintyslippers team {better go fetch the tissues now…}
What areas do you cover?
"We cover anywhere and everywhere. People all over the world love our work so we get the opportunity to work in some amazing places. Many tend to look no further than their local area for a photographer or filmmaker but in truth many of the best are more than willing to travel anywhere in the UK or world.
Next year we are off to film in the Bahamas for a sunset wedding on the beach….."
What got you into wedding films?
"We filmed a freinds wedding. It was nothing more than a little handycam on a tripod but the way we edited it left our friends lovestruck with what they saw. Having never seen a wedding video before, what we produced was completely organic.
We looked around at what choices were out there for couples that wanted their day filmed, and realised we had a unique product that was exactly what some people were looking for."
Can you tell me a little about how you work?
"As we get to know our couples we get a good idea about how their day will go, even before we've seen the list of whats happening when. We also like to let your day and your story unfold. After all, most people are not actors and feel a little nervous around a camera. We never market ourselves as unobtrusive types who hide in the bushes; if there is action then by golly we will be there but our couples always say they never noticed us all day.
The truth is on your wedding day there are a million other things which are more important than us. We don't ask people to shake hands with their best man, stand under a tree for a photo or walk towards the camera. When the bride steps out of the car we film what feels natural and don't ask anyone to "hold it" while we get our shot. We want our movies to feel like you were there as a guest, just watching what's going on. That's not to say we don't have any fun with our couples, sometimes the mood strikes and creativity flows – the best things are sometimes spontaneous moments that you just cant plan."
How would you describe your signature style?
"Filmic, real, beautiful, storylike and captivating. Our films are around 20 – 40 minutes long. Often people find it hard to see how you can fit an hour long ceremony plus speeches and more into 20 minutes so we find the easiest way is to show them. We like to meet all of our couples and find out what makes them tick. We like to show an example of one of our films, which is exclusive and not available to view anywhere else.
Visiting us can really change your opinion of what options you have about having your day filmed. You will be amazed at how much of a story we can tell, and how it makes you feel when you watch it."
What do you love most about working with couples on their wedding day?
"We get to share in one of the most intimate and happiest days of anyones life. Nothing on Earth can compare to how it feels to share in someones wedding day."
Can you provide a price guide?
"We like to call it an investment; and a priceless piece of history. We offer a range of options depending on a whole lot of things – but as a guide, our packages start from £1,750 (UK) upwards, depending on the destination and what's involved."
And that, my lovelies, I think says it all – "a priceless piece of history"…which is exactly what any wedding film or video should be, along with the photographic album.
You can see more from Mintyslippers at their website and on the Mintyslippers Vimeo page. However one video you can't see anywhere else just yet, is this – a special exclusive that has been saved for Love My Dress readers – only the Bride, Broom and immediate family have seen this moving video so far.
Please, sit back, relax, and enjoy…
For further information, contact Julie and Danny on [email protected], visit the Mintyslippers website or telephone 0845 224 1562.
Much love,
Annabel xXx
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
