New Year!!!

Happy New Year!

We hope this wish finds you all well after a great Holiday Season celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas with your friends and family. We have enjoyed working with each and every bride and groom this last year! We are so lucky to mesh with such wonderful people! Thank you to everyone who has allowed us to be a part of their big day!

The New Year brings many new opportunities this year and we'd like to share just a few things that have been going on here with you...

With the Holidays we are still working on catching up on a few prequels to post from November and December of '09, bear with us just a little bit and we'll get these posted ASAP!

The most recent news is the Bridal Fair coming up FAST on January 9th and 10th at Century II. We will be on the entry aisle along the wall, booth #5 so come and see us! We will be handing out our demo DVD for those who have not made the final decision to hire a videographer yet. For those that have, tell your friends! It's $7.50 for a one day pass or $11 for both days if you don't get all your shopping done in one day. A great value in the scheme of wedding planning!

We also wanted to let everyone know that we have been very happy over the years with our business growing from a "side"/part time job to a full time and professional income. But the last few years we have taken on new projects in life and we are now back to a part time, but professional venture! We are taking only a limited number of events in 2010. So if you have had friends who have showed an interest in having Fat Cat videotape their wedding day, pass the word on. We book only one wedding per day on a first come-first serve basis. We already have a handful of events planned for 2010 and with our newly limited availability, wedding slots are filling fast!

For those that are unable to book us for the wedding day itself, don't forget about those one of a kind videos shot ahead of time that are GREAT hits at the reception- We will still be available for LOVE STORIES, BRIDAL ELEGANCE VIDEOS or SAVE THE DATE VIDEOS, BRIDAL PARTY MUSIC VIDEOS, VIDEO SPOOFS (or anything you can dream up! We get awesome ideas from brides and grooms!) even if you cannot make the wedding day video work.

Or even after the wedding day, consider an eXtreme session or Trash The Dress Session. Baby Stories and Birth Announcements are also becoming popular.

If you have been hinting at that special someone to pop the question, or know someone who will be.... don't forget to ask us to VIDEO TAPE THE PROPOSAL. What an awesome addition to your upcoming wedding video! Tell the WHOLE story. We can concoct any good ole fashioned story up with the grooms, even hide a wireless mic to capture it ALL ! Call us! (Or just send him this link....)

We have been very blessed the last year with wonderful friends and brides, a new dog (Murphy), starting our nursing school careers and more, we hope this new year continues to bless you all with love, health and happiness. Steph

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.

eXtreme session kick off!

It's never a dull moment here at Fat Cat! After Vegas, the wedding, and some family issues to tend to, etc. we were featured in The Wichita Eagle with T&J Studios, Inc. for our eXtreme sessions and "trashing the dress" on Thursday the 16th. When we saw it online we realized while reading the comments section that the TTD (Trash the dress) sessions really stir up controversy. But we enjoy it and the brides thus far have enjoyed it. Just yesterday we shot a new session for Stephanie and Cameron who were married in Mexico and came home to Wichita to have a ball with their session. They were game for about anything. We started out easy downtown with some shots under the railroad trusses and progressively got a little wilder into evening when we finished at a private lake for a full dress-dunking. We are not advocates of destroying the dresses or attire and Stephanie's dress was actually alot cleaner than we anticipated it would be! We had to be careful as she will be wearing it once again for a reception here locally.

In the meantime, we are very excited about the newest bookings of eXtreme sessions that have been coming in prior to the article in the Eagle. We are doing a session this fall here in town and again in Kansas City in the snow this winter. We were also very excited for our most recent booking for next summer, an eXtreme session in Denver, Colorado the day after the wedding!

Remember ladies, you can choose to do an eXtreme session with your groom or on your own as more of an eXtreme bridal spotlight video! (Very cool...) Dry cleaning works wonders, and you'll want to clean the dress prior to preservation anyhow :)

The sessions are starting to become more popular as we continue to promote them. Put on your creative thinking caps and think of an eXtreme session that fits your sense of style! (As dirty as you want to get- or not)

check out this link to Tyffany and Jeff's eXtreme session Debut slideshow...

The photos posted here first depict what Barry and I went through to get some of our more creative angles! You can't be afraid of heights to film an eXtreme session! Next is Stephanie's dress on the ground (and in the dirt) under the railroad trusses. The third picture shows Stephanie and Cameron as they escape to the shore after our 'chase boat' idea went awry! Then the last two sort of speak for themselves, it was time to get wet and wild! Stephanie and cameron went running full bore into the lake and proceeded to dunk one another and Stephanie let her hair down for a cool shot!

Check out the video at the end of the post!

Trash Your Dress!

Fat Cat Productions and T&J Studios were featured today on the hugely popular website www.trashthedress.com! Check it out!

Tyff and Jeff sent in some really fun pictures of our eXtreme session we did last May with Brian and Amber Koch. Fat Cat submitted the video link of the session, which is linked at the very bottom of the post.

Trash The Dress is another photographers website that promotes photography of preserving your wedding gown/dress in an entirely different way- through photos (and our case, videos). After all, you only wear it once!
We were pleased to have someone in the MidWest be featured on the site as there are many photos of beautiful beach trashing sessions, so T&J submitted our own "beach" shots on the banks of the Arkansas River!

Be sure to give Fat Cat a call to schedule your eXtreme session now! Who knows, YOU might just end up on Trash The Dress! Awe, come on, just go for it!

Burk / Koch eXtreme wedding

Yesterday, we were busy filming Brian and Amber's wedding day! This truly is a couple who wanted to have fun on their wedding day! After a very nice ceremony, the party started in The Ville of the church of St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church in Andover. After a grand entrance by our couple into the Ville, resembling a quaint Italian-like village, the guests were treated to a photomontage on 2 giant screens as well as the extreme session we filmed with T&J Studios in May! They chose the Exclusive Package that we offer and the eXtreme session was added. They are a very upbeat couple and this Modern Edit Style reflects this.

eXtreme session launches!

Brian and Amber's eXtreme session is now completed!
Here is what Brian and Amber had to say about their eXtreme session:

"What can we say about the extreme session? AMAZING!!! We had an absolutely phenomenal time. You guys are a blast to work with and the end product is outstanding!
I was a little worried about the dress, but to my amazement after being taken to the cleaners it looks like new. Thank you for this amazing opportunity and wonderful memories we will have for years to come. "
- Amber and Brian

So, as promised, you can now click the video link below to view their personal video! Thanks again to T&J Studios and also to Brian and Amber for being such great sports!!

Click Here ~VIEW THE VIDEO NOW!!!

FCP and T&J are now accepting bookings for the eXtreme session - Call us today!!

eXtreme session online now!

The promotional video for the Extreme Photo Session is now online at www.extremesessions.com. Visit the website and click on the promo video link to view the video.
FCP and T&J are now accepting bookings for the Extreme Sessions. Contact either FCP or T&J for more information on pricing and what is included in your package!
The customers who were featured in the video have their own personal extreme session video that is currently in edit and we will post it here when editing is complete!
We would love to hear your comments and feedback on this very unique session! Book yours today!
(P.S. T&J say after grease, dirt, candy, and a thorough soaking, the Bride's dress was cleaned after this session and looked as it did when it was first purchased! Don't be afraid ladies!)

eXtreme photo session

On May 24th, our friends Tyffany and Jeff of T&J Studios in Valley Center, KS met up with Brian and Amber, a future Bride and Groom we all will be working with this August, for an Extreme Photo Session! FCP tagged along to document the day. A 90 degree day with high humidity in Kansas was no match for Amber and Brian in full wedding attire for nearly 10 hours straight! (Neither one whined or complained one time all day- they were awesome sports! We couldn't have asked for a better couple!)
The concept: get some great photos of the happy couple without worrying about the dress (or tux) -literally- and capture all the fun and shenanigans on video!

We've posted a few pictures from T & J here just to give you a taste of the fun we had! Video footage is currently in edit and we will post the results in a few weeks here or on our main website. Check back soon for info on the progress of the project.
The day started at noon at the T & J Studios in the hair, make up, wardrobe, and of course props department :) Then on to Joyland and Oldtown! (With many other stops along the way!)

The evening eventually cooled off for Amber and Brian as you can see here and we all sat down to dinner at Old Chicago about 10 o'clock, serenaded by the claps and cheers of restaurants guests when Amber entered in a completely drenched wedding gown. (The LOOKS we got from folks during this shoot! ~ CLASSIC!)

The night wrapped up around Midnight back at the T&J Studios. Thanks to Tyff and Jeff for the photos! And thanks to Brian and Amber for being such great models allowing us all to get great photos and video!