Benyshek Prequel Online!

It's a little late in the evening, but the last scheduled prequel of the year is "really" up! I had a last minute corporate job slow me down this afternoon, but we're good to go now! Scroll to the Leach-Benyshek post to find it! I do need to make a slight correction. I stated in the post that Tia had about 5,000 rose petals scattering the aisle of the church as she decorated. And I thought for only a brief moment that it sure looked like alot more but didn't think anything of it (as I'd never counted that many petals before!) until Tia gently reminded me on facebook :) that there were really THIRTY THOUSAND petals scattered about! Wow! staggering, but it looked so pretty!
Enjoy! Be sure to leave us your thoughts on the comments link!!!!!!!!!

New Prequel Coming 11-18-08!

Just a note to let you know the long-awaited Benyshek prequel will be online tomorrow! We'll post as soon as it goes LIVE! Thanks for the patience with all the anticipation! SG

Junior Reading Circle

We had a fun afternoon yesterday. We were asked to host one of the meetings for the Junior Reading Circle from Newton. It's president, Barbara Bunting, is the mother of one of our brides, Molly Claassen. She had asked us a few months ago to speak to her group about how our business may be simialr to the theme they had for the year- Madonna. It was an interesting day, we were able to share some of our work, including Molly's Prequel and talk about how music influences our business and such.

The Junior Reading Circle I learned is a group of women that meet once a month to discuss a variety of topics -and they don't actually read! :) The group is 100 years old and it originally began as a reading group but has evolved through the years. There was an awesome variety of members with very different and unique backgrounds. Topics vary for their group and it is a learning opportunity for them, educational and social in nature. I believe the ladies had a great time, and we know we did :) After our talk Barry gave a brief tour of the studio and the ladies then had business minutes to tend to. One of the hostesses provided a great spread of refreshments- and the pumpkin bread was awesome! Thanks, Christine!

The afternoon really was a lot of fun, thanks to Barbara for having the group at our place! Stop in any time!

Leach - Benyshek

This past weekend we had a wonderful time at the wedding of Tia & Tim! We met Tia early in the year when they booked our most popular package, a Love Story package, and we got to know them pretty well through the planning of that.
I met Tia at Eric Fisher Salon out east on Saturday morning where she was in the best mood! Not a care in the world- so relaxed. Some of her bridesmaids also attended to get their hair styled for the day. Tia chose not to do a complete updo, but rather pulling the sides up and back with a cool twist on the top. The rest of her hair was left long and flowing with lots of curls and just a little it of bling, a classy barrette, no tiara. Afterwards we met back up at the church, University Congregational in east Wichita. Tia was enjoying herself spreading out cream colored rose petals on the front steps and lining the main aisle of the sanctuary with 5,000+ pink, white and cream colored petals!
Tim was sequestered to the basement with the groomsmen while they got dressed and started their formal photos first so that he would not see Tia prior to the ceremony.
Tia waited with her bridesmaids in the bridal parlour getting dressed. She chose a gorgeous white lace-covered strapless dress and comfortable slippers! The ladies wore tan dresses which went great with the floral arrangements of cream and pink. The flower girls were so adorable wearing angel wings as they came down the aisle!!!
Aubrey Rowden from Missouri was the couple's photographer and she took as many photos ahead of time as she could.
The ceremony went off without a hitch and was short and sweet, or as Tia and Tim said "Was it really over that fast!?" After the couple exchanged vows and lit their unity candle, the guests seated at the inner aisle's found small sachets of rose petals to toss at the couple as they exited the church. They left the church in a black stretch limo but returned to finish photos as the guests left for Andover and the reception at Terradyne Country Club.
When the bride and groom arrived, they were introduced by John Graves of Totally Legal Sound and Lighting, who also did a fabujous job of adding some great ambiance to the reception. There was pink uplighting along the walls which added so much depth and character to the room and the couple had a monogram made to project onto the dance floor. There were so many special touches through the day and into the reception, Tia and Tim had thought of everything.
The cake was huge and had several long ribbons proturuding from it. After the cutting of the cake, the bridesmaids each pulled on a ribbon which pulled a pendant from inside the cake stating different fortunes for them.
A candy "bar" loaded with sugary treats kept everyone on a sugar high all night (including the videographer), the room of guests were split in half and each side had to sing for their dinner. Tim and Tia also had crossword puzzles about themselves at each place setting and baskets full of flip flops for the guests to take home.
Another special treat was the Montage and Love Story that was played that Tim and Tia kept as a well guarded secret up until the reception, which also led right into their first dance, which was a choreographed ballroom dance! Tia also had a choreographed dance with her father and a bridesmaid sung the song live. Tim danced a traditional dance with his mother.
The party soon followed and culminated with a send off with the biggest sparklers I'd ever seen! 4-minute sparklers which had to be a good two feet long ignited the night as the couple ran through the tunnel of sparks to their awaiting car.
Tim and Tia- What a fabulous day. We really had a wonderful time getting to know you, please stay in touch- it's so great when work doesn't feel like work! We are proud to call you friends and hope you have a fabulous time on your honeymoon.

Next Prequel Online Now!

It's been a prequel day...Scroll down to find not only the Tierson prequel but the Kiesling's prequel as well! Lauren asked for their first dance song in the prequel, we rather like it! :)

Be sure to click on comments and let us know what you think and sign up for the blog to your right! It's free and we won't bug you (too often!)

Psst! Fat Cat. Pass it on.

New Prequel Online!

The Austin-Tierson prequel is finally online now! Check it out at their post below. A fun prequel for a fun couple. Be sure to leave us your comments! Stay tuned for one more prequel due up today!!!

New FCP Website Goes Live Now!

As promised, the new website for Fat Cat is now finally online! (Sorry it's about a week late as posted previously! We were very busy assisting at a photography workshop here all week!) Several weeks ago you may have noticed our web page taking a slight turn to corporate work, which we do also, and wedding information was a little tough to find- but rest assured we haven't forgotten about our brides! Quite the contrary~ the new web site, which you will need the latest version of Flash to view, can be found at http://www.fatcatrocks.com/ . Your browser will load a splash page allowing you to choose one of four options- wedding, our blog, announce my child or corporate.

The majority of our readers enter through the wedding site. Our corporate site, FCMG, will now be directed to http://www.fatcatmediagroup.com/ and linked through the main splash page. AMC resides on the splash page as well as http://www.announcemychild.com/ !

There are a few minor tweaks that will be taking care of in the coming days, and of course it will always be a work in progress! So go grab a cup of hot cocoa, curl up with a warm blanket and your favorite furry critter and check it out- we even have some new samples in the gallery! (Ya, for real!)

Palmer-Kiesling Wedding!

Apologizing once again for a late post! This past weekend we had the amazing experience of spending the day with a whole group of wonderful people for the wedding of Lauren and Brad. Lauren lives in Washington DC and called us nearly a year ago to inquire about wedding videography and was referred to us by our friends, Eric and Neal, of Lemon-Lime Photography out of Kansas-City. We met tham last year at a wedding we did in Missouri and were excited to have the opportunity to work with them again! Lauren and Brad were an absolute DELIGHT to work with all day and Eric, Neal, Barry and I came away with some great pictures and fun footage. There were absolutely no worries all day and Lauren was one of the most relaxed brides I've seen. Even a hole in the veil, her something "borrowed" didn't dampen her spirits!

We met everyone at the Cathedral downtown and documented the bride and grooms preparations. Everyone looked beautiful! Flowers were provided by Stems and added that perfect touch. Lauren wore a fitted dress with a wrapped/pleated bodice that was quite elegant. She kept jewelry to a minimum but was given a surprise by her husband to be, gorgeous diamond earrings.

They chose not to see each other prior to the ceremony and took as many photos as they could in the courtyard and then headed inside about 2 pm for the ceremony. A close friend, Fr. John Koziol, from Washington DC came to celebrate the marriage ceremony. This made it very personal and special for the couple. Afterwards they made their way through a stream of bubbles to a waiting porsche which Brad zipped them away in!

After zipping around the block, they returned to the sanctuary for some group shots and the Unified Party Bus awaited them for a crazy downtown urban shoot in Oldtown! I went along for the fun. Eric and Neal had some great poses and candid shots they captured and I was amazed at some of the killer lighting techniques they used which seems to be one of their trademarks. After the bridal party stopped in to Heroes Sports Bar for a quick Brew, it was time to board the bus and head East to Tallgrass Country Club for the reception. The couple had hired The Mikey Needleman Band from Kansas City and they were a phenominal three man show all night long! A beautiful choreographed ballroom dance to "The Luckiest" was the couples first dance and all the traditions followed. Laurens sorority and Brads fraternity serenaded Lauren during the night and you felt as if you were at a concert choir, it was really something. It was such a great time, we didn't really want to leave!

Thanks so much to Lauren and Brad for trusting us with their special day, you are an awesome couple perfect for one another and we were so thrilled to spend the day with you. Thank you so so much.

Click below to see the Kiesling's wedding day prequel!! We'll try to swipe some photos from Lemon-Lime as well!

New Prequel Online!

The newest prequel is up for your viewing pleasure! The Newby-Dugan Prequel is now online! Scroll down to their blog post to check it out! Congratulations Sarah and Brent! Coming soon, the Austin-Tierson prequel! Stick around!

Austin-Tierson Wedding!

This past weekend we were able to film the wedding of Amy and Randy. What a neat couple. Down to earth, gracious and a lot of fun. We first met Amy and Randy many months ago when they scheduled their wedding locally but later found out the reception site was double booked so had to move their wedding and their party one week away from the origianl date and to a new location. They decided on a beautiful place we'd not been in 6 years of wedding work- The Belle Plain Arboretum. What a neat place. Very wooded and natural, quiet and secluded. The owner, Robin Macey was fabulous to work with and we had a great time with her, too. The wedding took place on a rustic log stage in an open meadow surrounded by huge pine trees and other fauna. Robin described it well, "this is a stage, its a classroom, and it's a chapel of God".

Amy arrived to get dressed shortly after lunch with her bridesmaids. The bridesmaids wore classic red strapless dresses and high heels, clutches of flowers were natural and deep fall colors from Brown's Botanicals. Amy's dress was white strapless with red accents across the bodice and down the train in the back. It was also unique in a sense that her neice, the flower girl, wore an exact replica, only smaller :)

After a few last minute jitters, Amy was ready to walk down the open aisle lined with red rose petals to her groom, Randy. Barry had been with the guys earlier as they prepared and got dressed and he said Randy was ready to go for sure! I think it was a big relief off Amy's shoulders when she was finally able to see her husband for the first time. About 150 close friends and family sat in rows of white chairs to witness their vows and support them as they started their new lives together. A string quartet serenaded them throughout the ceremony. When they were pronounced as husband and wife, the couple and the bridal party lined up at the rear of the meadow for a receiving line to thank all their guests prior to heading to the reception.

The reception was back in Wichita at the Beech Activity Center where Amy had great table decor with red accents and something I had not seen before, an all red wedding cake! The groom was not to be left out, the grooms cake was a tribute to a past canine friend, Jasmine, so very cool. The guest book took its place by the entrance door along with a handmade quilt which the guests also left well wishes with permanent marker.

All the usual activities followed, dinner, cutting of cake, the toasts, first dance, parents dances and the boquet and garter tosses. Then they were on to party and everyone had a good time, the DJ was great with playing as many requests as possible for the guests and kept the atmosphere lively and upbeat all night long. Amy and Randy enjoyed visiting with all their guests and were excited to finally be husband and wife. We share the sentiment as well. Amy had spent alot of time on other details of the day and party favors. The programs were hand made fans for the outdoor ceremony, they had homemade sugar cookies as snacks and passed out heart shaped cookie cutters with accompanying recipe and artsy boxes full of cinnamon discs!

Randy and Amy, thank you so much for choosing us to film your wedding, we had a great time, what a relaxing day for us. We enjoyed meeting everyone and hope we can work with your family in the years to come. Congratulations on your wedding and good luck as you start your new life together, we wish you both the best!

Thank you to Charlene Duncan of Charlene Duncan Photography for the photographs!!! Click the flash player below to view the Tierson's wedding day prequel. A fun prequel for a fun couple!

Pursley-Johnson Prequel Online Now!

After a much anticipated wait, the Vanessa and Cory Johnson Prequel is now online! You can check it out by scrolling down to their post. Be sure to strike up the comments section, let us know what you think. Look for more stunning images of Vanessa later this month on T&J Studios website, as she will be one of the fabulous models for the Keepnitfresh workshop featuring Cory McNabb!

New Info!

Hey everybody! A few bits of info...

Just wanted to drop a line to you to let you know the Pursley-Johnson prequel is complete but won't be online until tomorrow...one more day, boo.... hang in there!

And speaking of online and the internet stuff, after a year long wait and much anticipation, we wanted to let you know that a brand new web site is coming soon to the wedding division of Fat Cat Productions this weekend! You may have noticed our current homepage at http://www.fatcatrocks.com/ has taken a slight business/corporate twist. That's because we aren't just weddings! If you or someone you know owns a small business and needs video content for web, digital signage, in lobby videos, marketing or promotional videos, or otherwise, give them a shout and let Fat Cat do the rest!

Our sister site http://www.announcemychild.com/ also has a new look- check it out and pass the word on to your friends and family that are expecting that little bundle of joy! In the meantime, sign up to be included on our mailing list for blog updates to your right (it's free and we won't bug you or sell your email address!) Don't you HATE that?

Rumor has it that October is a busy month for spring and summer bookings for the upcoming year, don't be left out in the cold so to speak without a document of your wedding day on video- call us soon to check availability for your date!

We will post as soon as the new wedding site is up and running for you to check out- it's TOO cool. We are pretty excited.

Later!

Newby-Dugan Wedding!

Last weekend, we were able to share the day with Sarah and Brent, a fabulous couple. When Brent popped the question to his girlfriend about a year ago, they decided to hire a videog-

rapher for their wedding and called us. We were thrilled to work with the Dugan's again and to get to know the Newby's. (We had filmed Brent's sister's wedding about 3 years ago) About 2 months ago we filmed Sarah and Brent's Love Story that they showed during the reception, and when we get two minutes to breathe around here, we'll try to post it! But that was a very fun day where we got to know Sarah and Brent a little better and so it was a fun, relaxing day when it came time for the wedding!

Sarah also hired Marcia Morrison and we had a good time hanging out together! Her photos are featured in this blog post. I started the day with Sarah at Sola Salons in west Wichita while she got her hair done and hung out with a few of her friends and bridesmaids. I don't believe there was a single hair on Sarah's head that wasn't curled! Before I left, Sarah shared a special story with me about her "something old" for her wedding day. An aunt hand made a purse for her made with replica lace of her wedding dress and a few pieces of Sarah's grandmothers wedding gown! It matched Sarah's attire perfectly and Sarah was able to "carry" a part of her grandmother with her during the wedding day. Afterwards, I met her at the church where Barry was documenting the grooms' preparations at St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Wichita. Sarah was in good spirits as she and her bridesmaids got dressed and ready for photos. Sarah's gown, I can say, was one of the most stunning we've seen. Sarah found her dress in Oklahoma City. It was a Priscilla of Boston. Alencon lace with swarovski crystal beading adorned Sarah and fit her perfectly.

After everyone was ready, Sarah met Brent for the first time in the courtyard and took as many photographs with Marcia as they could prior to the ceremony. It was a gorgeous day, not too hot, not too cool. The ceremony started at 2 pm and it was a special celebration with Sarah's uncle being a priest, he was the officiant. Brent and Sarah had a full mass celebrating communion together with all their guests.

After they were announced as husband and wife, the guests made their way outside the main steps of the Cathedral and grabbed handfuls of pink rose petals to shower the newlyweds with. It was absolutely gorgeous and the ground looked as if it were colored pink after the couple exited on the trolley to take more photographs off site!

After photos, we met the couple at the Dugan Library at Kansas Newman College at a packed house for the reception and dance. All of the traditional events flowed smoothly with Mark Mazur acting as emcee for the evenings festivities. We were able to show the Love Story on two big screens the library provided and then Brent and Sarah kicked off the dancing with their first dance, special dances with their parents and then - PARTY TIME. I don't think the dance floor was ever empty- all night. Lots of happiness, laughter, smiles and hugs with family and friends proved to make a great combination for a wonderful night.

As you are reading, we might mention Sarah wanted to thank all of her friends and family that came such long distances to help her with pre-wedding day planning and also celebrate the day. You were an invaluable help and it showed with the day running so smoothly and beautiful!

Thank you to the Dugan and Newby families for having us be a part of the day, we had a wonderful time and enjoyed seeing old friends and making many new ones! Congratulations to Brent and Sarah on their marriage, new life together, and new home, what an exciting time, we are very happy for you!

Click below to watch Sarah and Brent's wedding day prequel!

Fat Cat Media Group and ExpoVenture 2008!

Fat Cat's not just weddings! Come on out Tuesday, September 23rd to ExpoVentrue 2008 sponsored by the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce at Century II Expo Hall! We'll be at Booth 1315 10 am to 6 pm promoting the non-wedding side of our business and making some great friends along the way. You might catch a glimpse of Steph and Barry hard at work, we'll be capturing scenes of the day for the Chamber to share with you at a later date. Come on down! SG

Madison-Brinckman Prequel Now Online!

Check out our newest prequel by scrolling below to find the Madison/Brinckman's video! Be sure to leave us your comments and sign up to receive information whenever we update the blog. (int he bar to your right) Click on "Subscribe". Don't worry- it's free! And we only bug you if there's something new online :) Enjoy!
Be sure to let your friends and family know we are booking into 2009 so don't delay in setting up a consultation with us before the popular dates are gone! There are some fall 2008 dates still available as well!

Pursley-Johnson Wedding

We apologize for posting late with all of the projects taking flight here at Fat Cat, but we need to fill you in on the great wedding of Vanessa and Cory we filmed over a week ago on September 6th!

Vanessa and Cory are an awesome couple. Vanessa started her day at East Heights United Methodist Church in east Wichita. She and her bridesmaids had all their hair and make up done when they arrived, so they needed very little time to don their dresses, do touch ups and assist Vanessa into her own dress. Classic strapless and fitted with buttons down the back and pleated bodice. She was incredibly elegant.

Vanessa chose to see Cory before the wedding to get many of her photos out of the way so they could have more time to party afterwards and after a few minor delays, she had her chance. Tim Davis was the photographer and together, we set up the first meeting in the sanctuary, clearing everyone out for their private moment. The groom stood at the steps of the altar facing forward and Vanessa proceeded down the aisle to meet him. Cory had a huge smile on his face, and we can only imagine what he might be thinking when she tapped him on the shoulder to signal him to turn around! Cory read aloud the card Vanessa presented to him and it was simply a great moment.

Tim worked quickly to get all the group photos taken prior to the ceremony and had time to spare! The sanctuary soon filled with guests and was almost full shortly before the wedding. We all took our places and enjoyed a very special ceremony celebrating not only their new lives together, but family. The bride entered the church alone and her groom met her in the aisle and escorted her to the front of the church. After the vows and exchange of rings they lit the unity candle and then invited their children to join them to light a second candle nearby and share a private prayer. After everyone took their places again, the pastor wasted no time in announcing them as husband and wife and they left the church past rows of their guests lined outside showering them with beautiful rose petals! The limo whisked them away to the reception!

We arrived at the Cowtown Visitors Center shortly before the bride and groom and the guests were enjoying cocktails. We captured the details with Tim while Tyler from Another Dimension DJ Service prepared to announce the couple to the party. Thunderous applause welcomed them!

The couple spent time saying hello and thanking each and every guest who attended throughout the night. The traditional events followed, dinner, cutting the cake and toasts. Cory and Vanessa even had party favors of personalized koozies that read "I partied at the Johnson Wedding 09.06.08" Too cool!

It was truly a fun night and so relaxing with such a great bride and groom. Thank you Cory and Vanessa for allowing us to capture your special day. We had a wonderful time spending the day with you and wish you every happiness together and your absolutely beautiful family and gorgeous children! You are undeniably perfect together.

The Johnson Prequel can be seen below!

Christmas Bells are Ringing!

Don't forget to plan ahead for Christmas with your holiday photomontages and VHS to DVD transfers of those old home movies! When you gather around the fireplace this December, make it easy to view those old Christmas memories by having Fat Cat transfer them to DVD for you! ...Yes, we do that, too :) Call us for more information! # 755.1389

Photo montages make great family gifts! What better gift than to give a memory.

Does your employer need the holiday Christmas party filmed to remember the awesome time you had? Are you the employer? Call us to schedule and we'll hook you up with a great party video you won't soon forget!

Geez, while we are at it, let's mention New Year's Parties, too! Fat Cat- we're not just weddings! :)

Meow.

BABY FARE!

If you are expecting or know someone who is, don't sit around watching it rain this weekend. Grab a rain coat and head downtown to Century II and the 2008 Baby Fare! Fat Cat Productions will be sharing information about our sister site http://www.announcemychild.com/ ! This division of Fat Cat produces baby stories and video birth announcements to remember that very special time of a baby's new arrival to the world! ....No, we don't film the actual birth :) Check it out at the link above!!!

There will be many booths catering to moms and tots, so come on down!

Hills- Clark Prequel Online!

The Allyson and Matt Clark Prequel is now online! You can check it out by scrolling to their post to check it out! Enjoy!

Madison/Brinckman Wedding: A Destination Wedding

This past Labor Day Weekend, we headed west to Denver, Colorado for the wedding of Candace and Marcus. We first met Candace at a wedding of one of her friends here locally and she called to see about her own wedding video and if we traveled to Denver. Of course! She had also not picked a photographer at the time but soon chose T&J Studios here in Valley Center. Candace had been planning this wedding for quite some time and her husband wanted a wedding in the mountains. Although this did not pan out for them, they chose to add an eXtreme session in Rocky Mountain National Park the day after the wedding to get the mountain shots they had hoped for originally. So it was great fun traveling with our friends Tyff and Jeff.

We drove out Thursday and got a good nights rest prior to the Friday rehearsal we all attended. We reviewed the days itinerary with the bride and groom and headed off to bed for an early start on the wedding day. Tyffany and I plugged directions into my new favorite toy, my iPhone, and off we went to Broomfield, Colorado to follow the ladies at Anthony's Salon. They all had a great time. Three stylists worked most the morning to make them all gorgeous. Tyff and I cut out early to get to the reception site, the Chateaux at Fox Meadows, to get some establishing shots and haul in some equipment. The guys were already there with Jeff and Barry documenting. The ladies wore hand made dresses by the mother of the bride. It was very interesting to hear about how the fittings went as many of the ladies lived out of town and the fittings took place long distance and through the mail! But it was worth it- they were gorgeous and the most unique bridesmaids dresses I've seen, and classy. Red, Black and Gold bold sweeping stripes. The bride wanted colors to coordinate with fall colors she had chosen. The bride wore white strapless, with intricate beadwork and a gorgeous train.

After everyone was ready, the bride and groom wanted to see each other before the ceremony and Marcus waited at the base of the grand staircase and was greeted by all the bridesmaids coming down the steps. He was given a gift from the bride by the last bridesmaid and he opened this prior to seeing Candace. It was a framed engagement photograph for their home and a CD player. He was istructed to hit "play", the music started and Candace made her way down the staircase, tears filling both thier eyes. It wa a very touching moment. Photographs followed at the Chateuax and then everyone loaded up again to head to the church in Longmont, Colorado about 30 minutes away.

The couple was married at First Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was a small, historical church and full of character with large wooden beams and pillars inside and beautiful stained glass work.

A friend of Marcus' from KU officiated and added a special humorous flair for the couple. He pronounced them for the first time as husband and wife and the couple left in an antique car to head back to the Chateaux for the reception.

Jeff and I rode together and followed the bride and groom to a new developing area on the way for some urban shots while Barry and Tyffany rode ahead to get shots of the guests at the Chateaux. When the couple arrived, every guest was on the front steps to greet them iwth noise makers and streamers.

The couple exited the car and made their way to the front steps as well for a picturesque dove release. They first head one dove each and released it into the air. Next, a carrier full of 12 were released to celebrate thier new lives together and another carrier of 12 followed in remembrance of those friends and family who could not be with them in celebrating. It was truly beautiful and one of the mot fun things we have done at a wedding!

The couple then finished a few photos outside and were announced into the reception for the BBQ dinner buffet and toasts. They cut the multi layered cake with fresh berries and shaved chocolate and headed to the dance floor for their first dance and parents dances. Then it was time for everyone to cut lose! The couple thoroughly enjoyed speaking to all their guests and thanking them for coming. It was a fabulous day for everyone.

We captured as much dance footage as we needed for the edits and said good night to Candace and Marcus. It was going to be a short night for everyone, as we were all to meet back up at the hotel lobby at 7 am the next day for the eXtreme session!

We stayed at the Omni Interlocken Resort and had an absolutely fabulous time there, customer service was absolutely impeccable. But it was short night, we recharged all batteries and I don't even remember my head hitting the pillow! When we met in the morning, Candace's hair was near perfect as it was the day before! We all grabbed a snack and headed north and west to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park for an awesome photo shoot at over 11,000 feet!

Candace had orginally wanted to get into one of the waterfalls at the end of the shoot but after Barry grabbed some shots with our underwater housing that plan quickly changed! :) I'm kind of glad, because it would have meant I had to get in the water, too to pull off the shots I envisioned! :) Maybe next time! It was just way too cold. But it was a nice thought! We still came away with some awesome shots and Tyff and Jeff got some amazing photographs as well.

Thank you to Candace and Marcus for your trust in us to capture your day, we thoroughly enjoyed every minute we spent with you guys. We love your families and your friends and fabulous. Your hospitality is second to none and we were honored to be in the mountians with you, thank you.

Fat Cat & the KSPVA Tour

We thought we would take a few moments to let you all know what has been happening again here at Fat Cat recently. Last night we hosted the Kansas Professional Videographers Association August meeting at the studio. About 20 of us met up at the Main Street Grill and Bar here in Valley Center for dinner, conversation and talking shop. Then we headed down the street to the studio to set up with our special guest, Larry Hatteburg, from the ABC affiliate KAKE-TV channel 10.

Mr. Hatteburg has spoken to our group once before earlier this year and everyone learned literally truckloads. Our favorite topic we wanted to pick his brain a bit more about was lighting techniques. So we invited Larry back and he graciously agreed to come back and share a sampling of his wealth of knowledge with us. Larry has been an award winning journalist for 41 years, so we will probably never know as much as he's forgotten over the years!

Larry brought alot of the equipment he uses on shoots for news and his series "Hatteburg's People" and explained how he uses each piece and how he works around difficult lighting situations. Then Barry hooked up a live feed from his camera to a TV monitor for us to view while he set up a typical interview setting for us see the differences in lighting set ups and camera settings and how they work together. It was amazing how such small changes in lighting can make a huge difference in your productions! We'll be sure to put to use many of his tips in future Love Stories, Baby Stories, and documentaries!

Thanks to the KSPVA for coming out for a studio tour, we enjoyed having everyone! And of course a huge thank you to Larry for being so willing to share with us and teach us, we appreciate all of the time you spent with us!

Fat Cat featured again!

We mentioned earlier that we were featured in the August issue of the trade magazine EventDV for our out of market weddings, which make up about 30% of our business currently. We also mentioned that we were going to be featured again about the state of video and the economy in September's issue. As we await the print version of the magazine this coming week, we thought we would post the video version of the article for you to enjoy. We were one of six video companies featured in the article. Each company was asked to submit a short video showcasing their studios and work. We were thrilled to be featured with such great folks in the industry, especially our friends in Southern California, Steve and Laura Moses, who we've mentioned in the previous blog entry! :) Go Steve, Go Laura! Let me know where I can find one of those high tech rapid transport systems! Here is the link if you'd like to check it out!

http://halslifervideo.typepad.com/blog/event-dv.html

More exciting news coming to Fat Cat so stay tuned!

McNeil Prequel Online!

We are finally happy to say that the McNeil Prequel is online now! Sorry for the delay with travel and all the things we've had going! Please scroll down to the Haines/McNeil wedding post to view the prequel, and be sure to drop us a line and tell us what you think! We think it definately shows the happiness and excitement of the day.

Hills-Clark Wedding!

Wow. Another great wedding. We are so lucky to work with such awesome brides and grooms! This last weekend was no different. We first met Allyson a couple years back we think after doing some montages for their family events. When Allyson found out she'd be getting married, she called us up to see if we were available for her date, and luckily we were!

Matt and Allyson tied the knot here in Wichita at St. Mary's Cathedral downtown. But I first met up with Allyson at the downtown Hyatt where she and her bridesmaids prepared in the Suite, getting the hair and make up done. Even though it was a suite, the place was full of activity. Allyson was in a great mood and all smiles! The ladies met up again at the church to get dressed along with Allyson later in the morning. Allyson's dress was unique as many are. It was a Pronovias that she found in Tulsa when on the search for the perfect dress. She found 4 she loved, but the final pick was most unique and comfortable. I had not seen a wedding dress with such a collar.

After Allyson was finished getting ready, she took as many photos before hand as she could so she saved seeing Matt for the first time walking down the aisle. Matt and his groomsmen prepared at his home and Barry followed to get a little bit of the preparations and everyone met up at the Cathedral.

The wedding started right on time and a full mass was celebrated. We had a nice time working with the Clark's photographer from Kansas City, John Siebs. When the couple was introduced as husband and wife, the couple let the guests leave and head across town to the Wichita Country Club for the reception while they finished photos in the church. They also hopped aboard the Party Express Bus and made a few stops in Old Town for photos on the way to the party.

Once arriving at the Country Club, the DJ met the bridal party to arrange the announcements and the couple was welcomed with thunderous applause. They went straight to the cake table to cut the cake and then were given many heartfelt toasts prior to dinner.

After all the guests went through the buffet, it was definately party time. The DJ was Carbon Productions and he did a wonderful job of mixing the dance songs all night long. The dance floor was never empty.

The night ended with the Bride and Groom being escorted to a limo through a tunnel of sparklers outside the Country Club doors! It was a great time for sure.

Thanks to Matt and Allyson for allowing us to be your official videographers for the day! We really had a wonderful time, we are so happy you have stayed in touch, and we hope we can continue to stay in touch if you need anything else. And if you don't... who cares :) Stop in anytime, we have really enjoyed getting to know you both. You rock!
Just a note to the rest of our readers: Matt and Allyson honeymooned in London, where Allyson has been in touch with us via her cell phones email. Yes, we scolded her for not ignoring the world why they were gone :)

Click below to see the wedding day prequel!

Fat Cat Updates

The last few weeks here at Fat Cat have been incredibly busy. We always say this, but recently, things have been flying at us at a whirlwind pace more so than usual. We'll try to catch you up on the happenings here and leave you with a few words of wisdon if we can.

As you all may have read we were recently featured in EventDV magazine, a videographer trade magazine. Not only were we interviewed for one of the stories, but we happened to make the cover. We received many comments about this and thank you all for your kind and supporting words! About the time the magazine came out, I had been under strict rules and agreements not to share one of my latest projects I was involved in. I had been asked to be a judge for WEVA's Creative Excellence Awards. WEVA is the Wedding and Event Videographers Association and has thousands of members all across the world. Each year they hold a competition to find the most creative videos produced this past year. There are 5 new judges each year and I was humbled to be asked to judge this year after receiving our very first CEA last year, a Finalist Award for The Lane Love Story we shot in Little Rock, Arkansas for Thomas and Jenny!

The judging involved receiving over 100 videos to view in various categories and judge on a point system in multiple categories, both technical and creative, and then choose my top 3 or 4 videos to bring to a final judging with the rest of the judges in Chicago, Illinois in late July.

After this somewhat daunting task, I flew to Chicago July 21st to meet the other judges and we all took nearly 4 days to review all the judges top entries in all the categories. WEVA Education Director John Zale treated us wonderfully and even took us to Navy Pier to hang out, gave us a great tour of the city including a trip up to the top of Sears Tower and I quite enjoyed the "real" Chicago style pizza! As soon as I returned home, there was no time to rest as we prepared for the Bridal Fair July 26th as well as Nate and Andrea's wedding the same weekend! Special thanks go out to our intern Michelle who graciously stayed at the office that week for a few 12 hour shifts!
It was the following week that really knocked the wind out of our sails. One of our very close friends husband had a sudden hospital stay over the next weekend. What was thought to be Crohn's Disease with an overnight hospital stay for evaluation suddenly took a shocking turn with emergency surgery and a resulting diagnosis of cancer. Needless to say we spent several hours with our friends in SICU at the hospital. Please keep our friends in your prayers as they start a rough road of treatments ahead.

Our friend also owns a small business so we travelled to Nebraska to help her with some things during the down time. We spent a day in cornhusker country and after a long drive that Saturday night, we arrived back in town and stopped by the studio at 2:30 am to grab a few items, head home, had enough time to run through the shower and then head out again to the airport for a 7 am flight we had to Florida Sunday morning. I hadn't pulled a 24 hour day in many years. But I wouldn't have changed helping our friend in a million years. (No need to say thanks, D- we love ya! MWAH! )

The Florida trip was for our yearly WEVA conference usually held in Las Vegas. The CEA winners are announced opening night and is followed by three days of various seminars and classes regarding the world of video, business and marketing, etc. When I was asked to be a judge, Barry and I were also asked to be on a marketing panel for one of the classes. We were very excited to be there and I was the judge who was able to hand over the winner of The Gold Award of the Theater Category to my friend and mentor, Danny Sayson from Vancouver, Canada. After attending several classes and gathering up more ideas to grow the business, we were able to take Thursday afternoon to hang out with our great friends Mike and Karleen of Starring You Productions in Richmond, Virginia at Universal Studios. That was definately TOO short of a night, but oh it was so much fun! We needed it. Karleen and I are so similar it's almost scary! We thoroughly enjoyed seeing all our friends from all across the country and meeting new ones! Congratulations To Steve and Laura Moses of Vantage Point Productions in Southern California for winning the Gold in Demo Category, you guys rock! (Thanks for the gift as well, I appreciate it! You are both so gracious)

After that late night at Universal, we headed back to the hotel and packed and had about 2 hours of sleep before heading back to the airport last Friday morning at 4 am to head home in time for a rehearsal that evening for Matt and Allyson (post to follow). Life just never stops, it keeps coming at you about 90 mph. The sleep schedule was eerily familiar to us already :)

In a nut shell it was fitting to end the whirlwind of emotions on a roller coaster at Universal, as this is how life has felt recently. In between all this trying to knock out the upcoming weddings that are due, film Love Stories and weddings and prepare for the upcoming wedding in Denver, Colorado with T&J Studios, Baby Fare and The Chamber of Commerce EXPOVENTURE! All I can say is "wow."

Until next time blogstalkers, take care of yourselves and those around you who you love!

(Pictures in order are: 2008 CEA Judges at Navy Pier, Chicago (that's me in the middle- haha :). Chicago's finest horsemen. Me and my mentor and really great friend Danny Sayson receiving his Gold CEA. Me and my homegirl Karleen from Richmond, Virginia- love you girl! Barry and Steph enjoying the Awards dinner at Expo. My awesome friends Belinda and Tom Young from Tennessee whom I met last year at a seminar in California. Tom, Steph and Rolando from Texas- we all met at the same seminar in California! Mike and Karleen getting a first hand look at a working green screen at the After Dark Party (was that not a fun night!? I need some more of that pink wine!) Judy Handley from the Wichita contingent, taking photos of the green screen fun! Me and Tyff in Victoria, Kansas last month in our scrubs before bed (we were watching the CEA entries, ya I know, this picture doesn't really fit, but I thought it was cute. We will be travelling together again at the end of the month to Denver for a wedding and eXtreme session in the mountains!! CAN'T WAIT!)

"A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure."

Bunting-Classsen prequel now online!

The Bunting-Claassen wedding prequel is now online! Scroll down to their post to check it out! Be sure to leave us your comments on this fabulous wedding! The Fat Cats are currently out of the office helping a friend in need and we will post about all our upcoming adventures this week very soon so check back!

Haines/McNeil Wedding

Well, now that it's been two weeks, I figured it was time to catch up in the blog and talk about our last wedding for our friends Nate and Andrea. We've had lots of life curves thrown at us the last few days and it just hasn't happened!

We actually have known Nate and Andrea for quite some time. They, too are friends from EMS. Nate used to work full time for EMS until getting his critical care nursing degree and now only works part-time. We first met Andrea at the EMS Christmas Party several years ago as Nate's date. We, well, BARRY, teased her when we left after a fun night saying, "It was nice to meet you- too bad we won't see you next year!" meaning that Nate would have a new girlfriend by then, this was just to tease him. Way to go Andrea- she dished it right back to Barry! But here we are about 5 years later and they asked us to film their July 26th wedding! We were SO thrilled! It was difficult on timing initially with the Bridal Fair last weekend, but we managed just fine :)

Prior to the wedding we put together a slide show and Love Story for them, which was a hoot in itself. I started the day with Andrea at her sisters home getting her hair done with her bridesmaids and her mother. It was a very fun and relaxed time and I enjoyed the low stress time! I cut out in enough time to grab lunch with Barry and head to the Scottish Rite to start filming all the b-roll we needed and wait for everyone to arrive.

Barry was sequestered to the basement with the guys as they prepared and I met Andrea in the brides room while everyone had lunch and got their dresses on and make up applied.

Andrea loves red. Her roses were red, and the accent color for the wedding was red and she bought a fabulous dress with red accents on it. There was a red border along the bodice and red embroidery through the waistline. We had seen only one other dress with a splash of color last year (but in blue) so it was very unique.

The ceremony itself took place in the auditorium upstairs of the facility with the Cathedral canvas as the backdrop. We also got to see an old friend, Pastor Bruce who officiated at the wedding. The couple started their new life together with a kiss and exiting the room to James Brown's "I feel good!" while the bride High-Fived her Dad while walking out! Go Andrea!

After photos, they were introduced down the grand staircase to the reception hall and immediately went into their first dance and shared dances with their parents as well as a money dance to raise extra funds for the Cancun honeymoon!

Dinner was catered by B&C Creations and the BBQ was as always wonderful. The party continued in to the night as the bride and groom were surrounded by a multitude of friends and family. The bride even serenaded the groom with her bridesmaids with feather boas and all!

We hope to post their wedding day prequel in about a week when we return from an upcoming business trip, so subscribe to the blog on the right and check back soon for lots of new videos!
Nate and Andrea, thank you so much for asking us to film your day, you have always been great friends although we have little time to hang out (we hope to change that one day!) You are wonderful people and we love you guys to death! Your families are wonderful and even though we were working, we enjoyed ourselves alot at the wedding. You are wonderful together and we are SO happy you FINALLY tied the knot! :) We look forward to seeing you at this years Christmas party! HAHA! We hope the trip was awesome. Keep in touch- SG

Click below to see the wedding day prequel!

Updates.

We finally have some new photos up for some recent blogs. Everything just got boring without photos! :) We've just not had time to get the posts updated. So scroll down to the Bunting/Claassen Wedding to see photos from Marcia Morrison Photography (www.marciamorrisonphotography.com ) and some great shots from Mr. Tim Davis (www.timdavisphotography.com ) of the Gillespie/Linck wedding! We will be posting soon on the Haines/McNeil wedding that took place last weekend, as well as a prequel coming for the Bunting/Claassen wedding, so stay tuned! SG

Beck-MacDonald Prequel Online!

Holly and Tim's Wedding Day prequel is now online! Scroll to their post to find it! If you are one of our blog-stalkers and have not yet signed up on our mailing list, please do so to your right and "subscribe". We don't send you junk mail, just an automated post in the mornings when there is something new posted on the blog for your reading entertainment. We'll get more pictures up someday, really. :) Be sure to leave your comments on the newest prequel! (Allow time for approval after posting, no need to post twice). Till next time! SG

Fat Cat's Makin' Tracks

Yesterday we received some copies of the newest Event DV Magazine, a trade magazine we subscribe to discussing topics relating to event videographers and filmmakers. And...we were excited to find ourselves on the cover! We had been contacted several weeks ago by one of the authors wanting to interview us for our out-of-market weddings. We aren't sure how we ended up on the Event DV radar, but it was nice to be recognized in such a great magazine with other superb videographers across the country, many of whom we look up to and admire! We simply strive to provide good, solid work to our customers to provide them with a keepsake of a lifetime, all the while having a great time ourselves and enjoying meeting so many wonderful people along the way! Here are some shots of the cover that Alex provided us, from T&J Studios of the magazine. Jeff of T&J took the cover photo during one of our eXtreme sessions last summer. You can find the article online soon at http://www.eventdv.net/ .

Bunting-Claassen

Last weekend we had another great day following Molly and Cody for their wedding. Molly first heard about many of her vendors at the bridal fairs when she was a teenager, in which she was and still is, a model in the show. She had always known the perfect place to go to to shop when it came time for her big day! As soon as she knew her wedding date she had already booked Marcia Morrison as her photographer and shortly there after, we officially met Molly during the planning process of her wedding and discussed videography. All the details had been painstakingly planned and went off without a hitch.

I first met up with Molly at her home in Newton with all her bridesmaids. They were all finishing their updos in her bedroom and getting make up applied. They all signed the guest book which was a photo album of Cody and Molly's engagement pictures. Molly's mother, Barbara, also had hanging in the living room one of the most historical pieces of wedding memoribilia I've seen yet. She had Molly's gorgeous embroidered and beaded dress hanging from the window treatments. Next to it was Barbara's wedding dress, next to it her mothers wedding gown and yes, a fourth, the brides great-grandmothers wedding dress. All were hung for display. It was really great. I'm positive Molly will keep them for when she has children of her own to add to the awesome collection.

Then I was off again to go to the church and grab shots at the Cathedral and to wait for all the ladies to arrive. Barry was able to catch up with Cody and the groomsmen at the church while they prepared.

The bridesmaids wore all classic black and the brides gown was of course gorgeous, designed by Birnbaum & Bullock. A long lace veil completed her look. Molly has had many opportunities to try on various gowns over the years, and this one by far was the most stunning we'd ever seen her in anyways!

The couple chose not to see one another before the ceremony but got as many photos as they could separately ahead of time with Marcia.

At 2 o'clock, the Cathedral doors opened for Molly and she made her way down the aisle with her father to Cody and they celebrated a full mass with hundreds of friends and family surrounding them.

They were wished well after the ceremony by guests blowing bubbles on their way to the trolley. Marcia and I rode along to go downtown with the bridal party for some urban shots and then we were off again to the Petroleum Club downtown.

Everything was draped in beautiful decorations and flowers by Walter's Flowers in ElDorado. You could smell them the instant the elevator doors opened and a trail of rose petals lead the way to the reception hall. If you have not cheked out Walters for any of your upcoming events- you need to!

The newleyweds arrived to thunderous applause and headed straight to the cake to start the nights festivities. Best Man and Maid of Honor toasted the couple, everyone was able to grab a fabulous dinner and get some energy for the dance which started soon after. Steve Walsh from Advanced DJ Service acted as emcee for the evening. The brides father surprised her with a red scarf she tied around her waist while they danced to "Lady in Red" and Molly surprised her dad with some of her famous trademark modeling twirls and poses! Guests took home individual bottles of sparkling wine as favors and more historical photos of weddings in the families past added a bit of nostalgia.

Molly and Cody, what a great day! Thank you for allowing us to spend the day with you, we are always honored. It was great getting to know you both, we wish you every happiness. We'll see you at January's show I am sure!

Click below to see the Claassen's wedding day prequel! Be sure to leave your comments and let us know what you think! SG

Beck-MacDonald Wedding

Sorry for making everyone wait on the blog this week! It's been crazy getting ready for the summer bridal fair, travels here and there and of course that wonderful thing we call the edit backlog. So now it's finally time to catch up on some of our wedding posts!
Holly and Tim were married on July 12th at the Scottish Rite here in Wichita. We have known them for some time from our EMS backgrounds and they both currently work as Paramedics. It was nice for me filming (since I quit my full time EMS gig almost 2 years ago) to get to see all my old friends. A former Bride (and paramedic), Lori Cox, did all the ladies hair and make up early in the day in Colwhich. One of Holly's bridesmaids was Heidi, another paramedic and of course many guests were all related to emergency services. Jamie was her maid of honor.

Holly was having a great morning, enjoying a relaxing time lauging and telling stories with all the ladies. Lori did a fabulous job on her hair and I've never seen so many curls! Wow. But I left the salon early to catch shots of the Scottish Rite and decor before everyone arrived. Barry was relegated to the basement again with the groom and his groomsmen to get dressed.

When the bride arrived, she got dressed as quickly as she could so she could get some of the bridal pictures finished before the ceremony. She had chosen to wait to see Tim until the ceremony and her Dad walked her down the aisle! Her dress was quite unique, strapless for summer but with several different cut layers of satin on the back that bustled for the dance and of course plenty of bling and embellishments on the bodice. White bridal flip flops added the ultimate comfort she wanted during the ceremony. Bridesmaids wore sleek black dresses matching the formal tuxes the guys were sporting.

The ceremony took place on the steps of the main hall in front of the stained glass window. It was quick and to the point, leaving the guests plenty of time to party and for the newlyweds to enjoy their time with family and friends. The reception was also held at the Scottish Rite. All the formal traditions followed. The couple cut the three tiered cake, shared a toast, and took time for dinner before it was a free for all at the base of the steps for the bouquet and garter tosses! Then after their first dance, it was time to let their hair down and have some fun. Many of the die-hards stayed till the end and we had a great time!

So Holly- you ain't no Holly-Beck girl no more!

Congratulations to Tim and Holly for tying the knot! You guys make a great couple and we wish you many years of happiness and adventure together. Don't be strangers! :)
Click below to see their wedding day prequel!

Bengtson/Billinger Prequel Online!

We're cranking out prequels this weekend! The newest prequel online now is the Bengtson/Billinger Wedding! Scroll down to their post to find that one! The wedding was great fun and we had a blast, Lindsay and Shawn looked incredibly happy! We hope you enjoy it, please share with your friends and leave your comments! We'd love to hear from you. Be sure to sign up for the subscription to the blog, on your right, as you will receive an email every time there is an update to the blog so you can stay in the know of what's going on at Fat Cat! Stay tuned for an online studio tour this week! Till next time bloggerheads! Lots of things happening here! We'll post more shenanigans soon!

One more prequel online!

The Gillespie/Linck Wedding day prequel is now online for your viewing pleasure! Scroll down to their post to find it! We think it's a classy edit with a classy song (their first dance) for a very classy couple! Be sure to leave your comments and be watching soon for the Billinger Prequel to be online soon! More to come!

Funk/Rodriguez Prequel Online!

Hello bloggerheads, we are trying to keep up with prequels with the craziness around here right now and you can finally view the latest by scrolling down to Funk/Rodriguez to see Vangie and Roman's prequel! They are a great couple, best of friends since 8th grade and their happiness as husband and wife shows in the video! check it out, be sure to leave your comments, and sign up for free blog notices from Fat Cat!
Two more to go, stay tuned!

Bengtson/Billinger Wedding!

Well, it's been almost a week now and we've yet to post about our great time in western Kansas! Barry and I spent last weekend documenting the marriage of Lindsay and Shawn in Victoria, Kansas at the Cathedral of the Plains, another out-of-market wedding for us. We should say we had a most excellent time! We started off the weekend by heading out Friday afternoon to attend rehearsal as we had not worked in the Cathedral before and wanted to be as prepared as possible. We met Tyff and Jeff of T&J Studios when we arrived, who were the official photographers for the event. I was awestruck by the church. It is one of the most beautiful places we have filmed in, built in 1911 and alas, it had air conditioning from a recent renovation! Lindsay and Shawn graciously invited us to the dinner that night but we passed and headed to the hotel to get checked in and get settled. We had to start early the next morning, meeting Lindsay at the salon with her bridesmaids at 8 am.

Tyff and I rode together and had a great tie at the 10-0-7 Salon in Hays, Kansas, just a hop, skip, and a jump from Victoria. I have to admit this is one of the nicest salons I have ever been in and its smack dab in the middle of little ole Hays, Kansas. Very chic and modern with eclectic furnishings and the most awesome, creative and innovative, relaxing spa and massage rooms. Lindsay looked like a million bucks after getting her hair completed first, just in case the stylists ran short on time for her to start photos. But all of the ladies arrived on time and the stylists worked non-stop making them all gorgeous. Tyff and I headed to the church early to get some shots of the architecture and whatnot. Jeff and Barry were hanging out with the guys at a different location washing the '64 Chevy Impala which was the getaway car for after Mass!

When Lindsay arrived at St. Fidelis, she was very excited to get dressed and head into the church to see her groom right away. They chose this option to have more time for the party after the wedding instead of photographs. Both were quite excited to see the other! The wedding started promptly at 3 pm and went fairly fast for a full mass being celebrated. What a gorgeous backdrop it was! After the ceremony, the couple had some fun, being ushered out to the waiting '64 Chevy and then on to the Hays Trolley with the wedding party to go around town to a few spots in Hays and take photos. We went to the bar where the couple met and everyone went inside for a quick shot of their favorite drinks! -No the videographer did not partake! :) Then off to Fort Hays State University for some fun prior to heading to the reception at the Fox Pavillion.
The reception started right away when the newlyweds arrived with the first dances, parents dances and toasts, then onward to the dinner buffet. After the couple watched a montage they made and cut the cake, the party was officially started. It looked to us that everyone was having a great time! Lindsay was also serenaded by her Sorority Sisters during the festivities!

We want to say thanks to Lindsay and Shawn for being so gracious to us durig our stay, it was a pleasure getting to know you both and we hope you had a great time in Jamaica! Too bad we couldn't come along to document! :) (We've practiced in Mexico now!) Haha...

Congratulations to you both and we wish many many years of happiness together!

FAT CAT EMERGENCY!

Ok, so we didn't have a real emergency :) which is good! But it is that time of year again that I got to go film at Hutchinson Community College for the annual "Field Operations" class. It was so great to see old friends! Field Ops, as they call it, is a special two day hands-on operational course teaching paramedic students how to run ambulance calls from start to finish. In class you learn a lot of bookwork and didactic skills, in the hospital clinicals you use your skills under direct care and supervision, but just before field internship where you actually put everything together on the ambulance, you get run through the ringer at field ops!

Students start by being assigned to an ambulance and a mentor in the field of EMS. They check their jump kits and inventory equipment, then wait for the radio to signal an emergency. They are disptached by a real dispatch center and ride red light and siren to the scene of the "call". Once they arrive, volunteer patients act out a number of traumatic or medical emergencies including but not limited to chest pains, car crashes, falls, seizures, heat stroke and this year they even threw in some agricultural accidents with a haybaling machine and horses! Too cool. The patients are "moulaged" to look as if they are really injured, burned or bleeding or whatever the scenario calls for. A concoction of ketchup and chocolate sauce stands in for blood, pieces of plastic built up on the skin act as protruding bones, frozen noodles act as, well- brain matter. After the students give appropriate treatment, they transport the patient in the ambulance to an on site emergency room, give report to the nurses and then return to their posts to restock the ambulance, write run reports and grab a bite to eat and wait for the next call. Last year the crews ran almost 100 calls, this year they well topped it!

Last year we made a 40-minute documentary that has been criss-crossing the midwest promoting the field operations course to other EMS services and teaching schools. It's been a big hit. Next year we will make a new edition of the documentary! We can't wait! Two 12 to 13 hour days of filming about non-stop in the heat and humidity really are fun :)

We have said for some time we will post a portion of the video... give us time, we keep having other deadlines to meet and just haven't done it. Someday it will happen :) The first documentary is done, it's just taking us time to post!

What a hoot today was, thanks to my buddy Chy for having me back this year, although I am extremely bugbit, chigger attacked and sunburnt, I had a blast!

Steph

New Prequel Now Online!

The Vossen/damiris wedding prequel is now online! Scroll down to their post to check it out! Be sure to leave your comments, we love to hear from you! Lots of new news is coming down the pike soon, so stay tuned! SG

Gillespie/Linck Wedding

This weekend we spent the day with Ann and Chris. The couple lives out of state so Ann's mom helped plan the event immensely. What an event it was! From the decorations to actual wedding, all was gorgeous! Ann arrived at the Courtyard Marriot in oldtown with her bridesmaids to get dressed and apply make up after her hair done. She had her hair styled by Eric Fisher Salon and not one hair was out of place! It was absolutely perfect. Ann's bridesmaids helped her into a stunning champagne colored gown completely covered with lace with delicate buttons down the back. Very form fitting and elegant!

Chris and the guys also hung out in another room at the hotel grabbing lunch and trying not to run into Ann during the morning :) Barry and the photographer for the day, Tim Davis, documented some of that while I stayed with the ladies.

After everyone was ready, the River City Trolley picked up the bride and bridesmaids and headed off to St. Mary's Cathedral downtown to start their pictures. I rode back to the hotel to let Barry and the guys hop on the trolley and head in to the church for their photos, as the couple did not want to see each other prior to the ceremony. I then drove the car and all the equipment back to the church for us to set up.

The wedding started at 2pm and Fr. Sherlock officiated. With the ceremony not being a full mass, it seemed it went by in a flash- vows were shared, unity candle lit and the first kiss over before we knew it! It was a very nice ceremony. Flowers provided by JR Koontz were, of course, stunning and complimented the couple in every way.

After the ceremony we had a little bit of time to offload equipment and then head to the reception site a bit early to get shots of all the decorations at the Petroleum Club. I believe all the decorations were made and provided by the brides mother Ruthie. Some of the most elegant we've seen to date. Elegant glass bowls held gorgeous flower arrangements and the tables were covered with pastel colored votives and and woven table runners made by hand. In the paneled windows of the room hung colored balls lit by spotlights that added an extra special touch, especially when the sun went down. A special logo matching all the invitations and programs was placed on the wall behind the cake table by "If These Walls Could Speak". Tinley from Jubilations Events helped the day run smoothly with much to coordinate.

Soon after we arrived, so did the couple being announced into a packed house full of friends and family. Cutting of the cake, toasts and dinner followed immediately while jazz music from the St. Louis-based band "Galaxy" played in the background. The band played all night and were phenominal. They played the couples first dance, the parents dances and all the party songs, keeping the guests on the dance floor well into the night. It was kind of hard to leave once we had our footage, we wanted to stay and listen!

Congratulations to Ann and Chris, it was a pleasure meeting and working with you both. We wish you many many years of happiness together, no matter where life may lead you!

Click below to see the wedding day prequel! We'll also be posting some photos shortly from our new friend, Tim Davis!!