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!!

So will you love the video 2 years after the wedding?

Many people when planning for a wedding go through the normal hurdles of finding the location, the perfect dress, a phenominal photographer, killer florals and towering cake. Many shop for a wedding video and decide against it. Some people know they just have to have it. We aren't preaching today of why you need a wedding video, but we will touch briefly on a wonderful email we received late last night discussing this topic. The bride and groom graciously allowed us to share it with you.

Two years ago we had the pleasure of working with Heather and Eric VonMerveldt. They were an awesome couple and especially fun to work with. Last night we received the following email through our website from them:

"Hi Barry and Stephanie! This may sound completely sappy, but today is our second anniversary and we just had a glass of wine and watched our wedding video. It was amazing! We cannot believe how much we have grown and the people in and at our wedding have changed. It has only been two years and we are still happily married and now have one little girl, Ava. I cried through the first half of the video and then we smiled through the rest. We love the dance scene! Basically, we just wanted to let you know that we still think you did an outstanding job on our video and we are sure that we will watch it every year, for many years to come! Thank you so much! "

You can read a few reasons to get a wedding video at http://www.whyweddingvideo.com/ . This is one of Fat Cat's sister sites that will be updated as we receive more stories to share. If you have a story to share about getting a professional wedding video, email it to us at info at fat cat rocks dot com (avoiding spam here!) and we'll post it so all brides can educate each other about the importance of documenting your day! Serious stories, funny stories, send them all!

More exciting news coing in the weeks to come! (We can't spill the beans just yet!)
Stay tuned bloggerheads!

Peterie/Paquette Prequel Online!

Hey Bloggerheads, the Petereie/Paquette Prequel is online now! Scroll down to find it! It is our first project in Final Cut Pro as we attempt to make an official switch to our Macs :) We'll see how it goes. Steph is quite ready to head to the lake for a brief getaway tomorrow after the ordeal! More exciting news coming to the blog in the coming weeks including a much anticipated change to the website that is long overdue and more. Don't forget to come see us at the July Bridal fair next month and secure your Fall wedding date or even your '09 wedding, as we are now booking into '09! Till next time bloggerheads...

Funk/Rodriguez

This past weekend we had the pleasure of working with some great folks. From the Bride and Groom to all the vendors, it was a really nice time...

On Saturday, we started the day at the Grand Chapel with Vangie and Roman getting ready for their big day. Vangie had her hair and make up done prior to arriving about 3 pm and when she arrived at the Chapel, wasted no time in putting the finishing touches on her make up and having her bridesmaids get into their dresses. The guys got dressed down the hall and wasted no time starting their portraits with photographers, Steve Rasmussen and Randy Tobias, while Vangie finished getting into her dress. Vangie chose a gorgeous gown, strapless, sleek in design with a lace overlay and a lace up back, chapel length train that fit her exquisitely. After the bride finished getting ready, her parents and brothers entered the room to see her and wish her well. They are a close family and there were a few happy tears. They shared a family prayer together before Vangie headed out to do her pictures with the ladies.

The ceremony started shortly after photos at 6:30 pm when Roman got to see his bride for the first time. The ceremony was very personal to the couple, with vangies brother Nathan acting as the officiant and another brother, Jesse, playing guitar and singing during the ceremony.

Again, Roman and Vangie were about efficiency and wasted no time getting some great photos completed from Randy and Steve. They made their way to a waiting white limo as their parents rode in a "presidential black" limo behind them to the reception at Exploration Place.

The couple was introduced by Brian Burleson of Premier Sound and they kept the festivities moving along by going straight to their cake to officially start the reception. The best man and maid of honor said a few words.
They shared their first dance as husband and wife as well as dancing with their parents early on in the night. The DJ did a wonderful job of getting the party started with, I am not kidding you, everyone on the dance floor at once to congratulate the couple and get the party started! Then the bride and groom snuck away with Steve, Randy and myself for some photos at the Keeper of the Plains, not far away. When they returned, the party was still in full swing and the dance floored was crawling with their friends and family dancing the night away! It was a nice relaxing day!
To Vangie and Roman, thank you again for letting us share in your great day! I hope you had a great time at the super secret surprise honeymoon location! I bet it was windy, huh!? You make a lovely couple and it was great fun working with you! (We can't wait to hear where you went!)

Be sure to check out the newlyweds web page at http://www.vangieandroman.com/ for pictures and more about them!

Click below to see Roman and Vangie's Wedding Day Prequel!

Vossen/Damiris Wedding!

Before I describe what a great time Barry and I had at Amanda and John's wedding this past weekend, I must describe how we came about to work for the couple because it is just the coolest. In a nutshell, it's all Archie's fault.

Last year in May, two days after I searched the Greensburg tornado damage with my dog Clarice, I was feeling pretty down leaving her at home while I traveled to Corona, California for a videography workshop. She worked so hard and I had to turn around and leave her after that ordeal. So, there I sat in the gate area ready to board my flight. The layover location had changed from Denver to Phoenix. I wasn't happy. Soon in the same area, I noticed a young passenger with a mesh carry on case that looked strikingly similar to a doggie carry on case! I wanted so badly to go ask her about her dog, but decided not to. Chicken I guess :) Then when boarding the flight we were actually seated right next to each other! I was so happy! We briefly introduced ourselves and asked about each others travel plans and I voiced how jealous I was that she got to travel with her dog- you guessed it- Archie. Come to find out Amanda was a P.A. student who lived in Phoenix and was happy to be headed back home after visiting family here. We even had some mutual aquaintances! She asked where I was going and I explained what I did. She had mentioned that she was getting married in a year in Wichita and I offered her a demo DVD I had in my carry-on bag and she should take a look. The flight was great, we had a very nice conversation and when we landed I even got to briefly meet Archie the poodle, who started us in conversation! We each went our separate ways in Phoenix both of us fully expecting not to see the other again.

Fast forward three months. I receive an email from Amanda asking me if I remembered her from the plane trip and she had finally had a chance to look at the DVD and loved it and wanted to book Fat Cat for her wedding videographer! Too cool. I was very happy we were not yet booked for her date!

We were able to meet up again the week of the wedding to discuss her day and this weekend, the rehearsal, and the wedding day seemed to fly by! We met up at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral for Amanda and her bridesmaids to get ready. She had chosen some great bridesmaid dresses in a spring green, tea length with a yellow sash that tied around the waist. This of course matched all the yellow and green flowers by JR Koontz. Amanda chose a strapless ivory gown with embellishments to the bodice, souffle skirt and lace up back! She knew exactly what she wanted after working in a bridal shop in high school. The guys were donned in classic black tuxes and the grooms tux was purchased and custom tailored for him- and of course, it looked perfect.

They shared a private moment together before the ceremony to get as many pictures done as possible to save time for the party later! I believe I heard John quietly say "Wow!" as he saw Amanda for the first time.

A close friend of the grooms family officiated, Fr. Nicholas Vieron from Cleveland. Fr. Vieron was awesome. He was so personable and humorous, we thoroughly enjoyed meeting him and wish he lived here in Wichita!

The groom's family is of Greek heritage and the ceremony was very different for us, it was our first time being at a Greek Orthodox Ceremony. It is so symbolic in so many ways. The Betrothal, Candles, Joining of Hands, The Crowning, Common Cup and Ceremonial Walk. Most everything happens in threes and it really was something special to be a part of. And what a gorgeous backdrop to film against!

As soon as the bride and groom left the church after being declared husband and wife, the guests were being ushered out to head to the reception while Fr. Vieron kept them entertained with jokes!

I rode in the limo with the bridal party to the reception at The Ville in Andover, another amazing backdrop. Amanda and John were introduced with their bridal party down the grand staircase and mingled with guests a few minutes prior to opening the festivities with an Italian dinner, toasts and the cutting (and smashing) of the cake. The groom also stole a chocolate covered strawberry off his cake decorated with the Ohio State emblem.

The newlyweds started the dance with "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" and shared time with their parents on the dance floor before really letting go and partying well into the evening with all their guests! We especially enjoyed John's grandfather who shared some traditions, dancing to several Greek songs and getting the crowd to join him!

To John and Amanda, thank you so much for letting us share your special day with you this weekend! It was not only a pleasure getting to know you and your amazing, wonderful families, but an honor as well. Have a fabulous time in Australia after school- it will all be worth it! Take tons of photos, we'll get there someday! And don't forget- Love on Archie for me :)
Click below to view Amanda and John's wedding day Prequel!

Peterie/Paquette Wedding!

We had a great time this weekend with our friends Becca and Jacob! We first met Becca and Jacob a few months ago when we filmed their Love Story. Let us first say, they are a couple that love to have fun, don't take life too seriously and thoroughly enjoy each other to the fullest! We will try to include the Love Story here in the coming weeks with the prequel when we can.

Becca started her day at Salon Uruku on the east side and had a fabulous updo. No veil, no tiara, just a beautiful fresh pink peony flower in the back highlighted by gorgeous curls! She had her make up done here as well which, of course, turned out awesome. Then off to the Wichita Scottish Rite for the rest of the days festivities!

All the ladies dressed in classic brown gowns and Becca wore a strapless ivory dress embellished with lace and a broch to the front with a ribbon across the waist. The couple chose to see each other prior to the ceremony and had a very relaxed photo session with our friend and colleague Brett schauf of T&J Studios. The couple played piano, joked together and Becca sang the songs played overhead into her bouquet of flowers! They truly are a fun-loving couple.

The ceremony was held upstairs in the auditorium with the cathedral backdrop canvas. It was a great ceremony with friends playing piano and guitar and a solist singing a great rendition of "Always and Forever". It seemed the vows blew by and before long they shared their first kiss as husband and wife and they danced out of the auditorium to the applause of many friends and family!

They were whisked away through a tunnel of bubbles and onto the trolley for a brief photo session downtown and back again to the receptioin to enjoy the Love Story we produced for them as well as a great dinner and heartfelt toasts from friends and family. The dance was underway soon after and the couple danced the night away till after 11 o'clock.

Becca and Jacob are on the way to the Carolina's for a romantic honeymoon and we can't wait to hear all about it when you return! Thanks to you and your family (and Becca's Dad, Dr. Peterie for sharing his killer dance moves during the Love Story shoot!). We were honored to share your day with you and hope we can all be friends in the years to come! Congratulations...

Click below to see the Paquette's wedding day prequel!

Jacob- you'd be proud it's all made on a Mac :) and in Final Cut Pro JUST FOR YOU!!

New Prequel Online Now!

Be sure to scroll down to see the prequel for Amber and Jeff Holmes! Let us know what you think by leaving your comments below! Be sure to sign up for our free subscription to the blog so you can keep up to date whenever new videos or info is posted online!
If you have friends or family considering video for an upcoming wedding, we are now taking bookings for 2009! So don't delay, we book on a first-come, first-serve basis! Enjoy. SG

Jannusch/Holmes Wedding

We just returned home from a great wedding of a great couple- Amber and Jeff. Amber's Maid of Honor and sister, Linsay, booked us last year at a Bridal Show as a gift to her sister! We were also able to work with Tyffany and Jeff of T&J Studios, so that was fun.

The day started about noon at Charisma Salon in west Wichita with Amber getting an updo with her mother and bridesmaids. Her hair was all curls with a custom made tiara intertwined. She also had her make up applied and it looked great! She headed home to continue getting ready where she was most comfortable. Amber wore an awesome dress by Bonnie she found in Minnesota! The bodess wrapped around her with gathered material and sequin accents boardering each panel as they criss-crossed across her and draped down the back of the train! Her neklace, earrings and bracelet were custom made in Minnesota to match the dress and were absolutely STUNNING. Matching straps around her ankles on her shoes finished this custom made look!

The guys spent time donning their tuxes and hanging out at the Best Man's house with Barry and Jeff tagging along documenting their good time!

The two soon met downtown in front of Hotel Oldtown for the first time and had a photo session there with their Bridal Party. They wasted no time in heading east to the Firestation where Jeff works to get photos on the Engine and in a field behind the station. Then it was time to move on to Nativity Pines for the ceremony and reception.

The ceremony was held outside and the weather was just great. Not too hot and a light breeze to the couple's backs as they stood in front of nearly 200 family members and guests and exchanged vows. It was a very nice ceremony with the Pastor detailing how their lives together were similar to a rescue that Jeff would execute at work.

After family photos, the couple were introduced to their reception where they promptly cut the cake (decorated to match the beadwork and pattern of Amber's dress!) and shared their first toast. Dinner provided by Corporate Caterers was great and after the formal toasting, the tables were moved to make way for the party people! And party they did!
It was great to see so many firefighter friends we had met over the years from our "other" job and get to know new one, Amber and Jeff! Amber and Jeff, thank you for having us along for your most important day, we truly enjoyed ourselves and it was a pleasure getting to know both of you. Have a great time on your honeymoon to St. Lucia, we are all so very jealous! Don't you need a good videographer to document that for you? :) Take lots of pictures and video.

Click below to see Amber and Jeff's wedding day prequel!

New Prequel Online & Other Announcements!

Hi everyone, just a note to say the newest prequel is finally online! Shanda & Peter had a wonderful day several weeks ago and we think the prequel just screams how classic and beautiful the day was. Their first dance song was used with splashes of old film and black and white, hope you enjoy it, scroll down to the Walker-Carney Post to view it!

Also, the edit for the Greensburg Graduation is almost complete! The credits are being compiled now and the DVD's will be shipped early next week for pick up at USD 422 for the students, faculty and staff, and for all others who placed orders. We will post a portion of the video online here soon so check back. Special thanks to David Lightner for footage of Marine One circling Greensburg overhead! The bruises to my knees have finally disappeared and I think my thighs are back to normal! Check out the post below to catch up on adventures in Greensburg with President Bush.

This coming week is proving to be extremely busy with several consultations for upcoming weddings, putting the finishing touches on the studio, and helping our friends here with a promotional video for their new workshops, Keepnitfresh.com. The featured photographer this workshop is Mike Colon from Newport Beach, California. We will be tagging along to get footage for a promotional piece to be featured on the FCP blog and the T&J Studios Blog. Also, check back soon for the online studio tour prior to the much anticipated OPEN HOUSE- DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON! So amidst wedding deliveries, new weddings and other projects, we will be looking forward to a weekend getaway at the Lake in June!

Till next time bloggerheads....

Congratulations Greensburg Class of 2008!

Our congratulations to the Greensburg High School Class of 2008!

Fat Cat Productions was absolutely honored to be back to help the students celebrate yesterday! We first were introduced to the town of Greensburg not through our production business but by responding to the aftermath of the F5 tornado 1 year ago. I had trained my Australian Shepherd, Clarice, for 6 years prior to respond to disasters and search for missing people. When we drove into town it was a little bit different than other tornado damage I had searched in years prior with another search dog, it was like everyone said on the news and worse: the town was pretty much gone.

A gut wrenching eerie feeling came over me while we searched, climbing and walking all over people's belongings who were ordered to evacuate out of their homes. Rici came back a second day to search with a fellow teammate while I flew to the West Coast for a film class.

About a month after the tornado we were contacted by our area Disc Jockey Association, the ADJA, and Ron Brown, asking if we were available to come and film the High School Graduation for the '07 graduates. They weren't about to let the tornado rob them of the day they had looked so forward to for 4 years. So many people came together from Greensburg and surrounding communities to make the day special for them. Even though the graduation ceremony was held under a tent, they made the best of it and were honored with a commencement speech by the Lt. Governor and Senator Pat Roberts; addressing each student personally. Rumors were running about the President coming to speak but he was unable to attend.

After living in the local and national spotlight for a year with multiple media outlets covering their every move on the Green rebuilding process, last years Juniors, now the Class of '08, were once again in the spotlight for Graduation actually on the 1-year Anniversary of the F5 tornado. Only this year, they had a very special guest- The 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush.

Fat Cat was asked for the second year to film the Graduation procedings and very honored to do so with such a special guest in attendance for the graduates! I was excited, nervous, and humbled to be granted special access to a "buffer zone" near the Presidential podium at which the students and the President spoke. I shared floor space with national and local press getting some incredible angles for the students DVD's! Crouching low with about 15 other people on our hands and knees and shooting handheld for an hour and a half, making my hand go completely numb a few times trying to hold a steady shot, I ache more than any 12-hour long wedding day! But I couldn't quit, for the students. No pain, no gain :)

The Secret Service and White House Staff were very gracious and accomodating in helping us however they could. It was a very educational experience to say the least in setting up and gaining proper clearances, etc. and I learned alot. It was also quite exciting to be about 10 feet from the President of the United States and a special priviledge I won't soon forget. I'm sure not near as exciting as it was for the students who shared his stage, spoke from his podium, met him, shook his hand and received their much deserved diplomas from him personally. What an incredible day for them they will never forget!

Congratulations Class of 2008 and best of luck to you where ever your dreams may take you!

Enjoy the photos until we can post video later of the event here in the blog when the DVD is complete so check back soon! The photo to the left is actual footage from Fat Cat and my "shot" of the President. Yes, I actually was that close! By the way, Secret Service doesn't like it when you use the word "shot" around the President :)

The other photos are Clarice searching the tornado debris last year, me with one of the White House Staff with my pin and of course at the top, the Commander-in-Chief, President Bush.

New Prequel Online!

The new Cox-Koehn Wedding Prequel is now online! Scroll down to their post to find it! Be sure to post your comments of what you think, we are rather fond of it :)
Another prequel coming soon, stay tuned for the Walker- Carney prequel!
More to come, be sure to sign up for automated emails when the blog is updated (the free link is to your right) We promise no spam emails!

Walker-Carney Wedding

This past Saturday we were able to share in Shanda and Peter's wedding day! We got to know them a few months ago when they booked and then decided to upgrade to a package that included a Love Story (again, our most popular package!)

What we found of Peter and Shanda is that they are super genuine people with big hearts and a long time friendship that will serve them very well in their life together as husband and wife.
We shot the Love Story only last month and learned how much they loved golf and each other! So it was a great time at the wedding day as well.

Shanda's package included salon coverage time so I met her at Charisma salon with the other ladies to document that. Shanda decided to do her own make up at home with friends and family around and I was able to get some shots of that as well. In the meantime Barry hung out with the guys while they got ready at the church -St. Francis of Assisi in West Wichita.

It seems a standard question to ask if the bride and groom are nervous before the big day and neither the bride or groom had any wedding day jitters, both said there was nothing to be nervous about and were very excited to see each other and get the day officially started!

Shanda wore a classic white wedding gown with beaded bodice and a detachable train, that was very handy! Peter wore the classic black tux with a white bow tie but added his own flair with a white cane!

The aisle was lined with homemade signs of the couples monogram in black, white and red. Photographer Brett Schauf, of T&J Studios, along with his wife Cheryl shot the wedding and all the photos were taken before the ceremony to save time and enjoy more of their party.

The wedding was officiated by Fr. Daryl Befort and concelebrated by three other priests who were friends of the families. A traditional mass kept a sacred feel and before we knew it, the congregation was clapping and congratulating the newlyweds.

They left the church in a red convertible, so appropriate for the beautiful weather we had! Brett and Cheryl met us at the golf course at Rolling Hills Country Club for photos prior to the reception held there- very appropriate for two of the most golf-loving people I've ever met!

A long time friend acted as DJ and after the wedding party was announced, the guests were served dinner before the traditional events of the evening.

Shanda and Peter, it really was an honor to meet you guys and to get to know both of you, we hope you had an excellent time on your trip! Your families are truly wonderful people, now we know where you get it! Take care, it was a pleasure to work with you!

Click below to see Shanda and Peter's wedding day prequel!

New Prequel Online and Happy Earth Day!

Hello again! The Gering wedding prequel is now online in their post, check out some of the amazing footage we captured for them in Mexico! Let us know what you think by leaving your comments at the link at the end of the post!

Happy Earth Day, be sure to do your part to conserve our earths energy and make it a great place to live!
Coming soon, the Walker/Carney Wedding Day update from April 19th!

Remember if you haven't scheduled videography for your wedding, Fat Cat still has some 2008 dates available and 2009 has been opened for bookings! Book early for the best deals and destination packages!

Steph

Reibenspies-Gering and the Fat Cat's Mexican Adventure!

Well, what can we say? It was an awesome trip to Mexico this past week. We had been looking forward to this trip for quite some time. Our bride and groom, Stacey and Greg booked a destination package with Fat Cat to document their oceanfront wedding in Puerto Morales, Mexico near Cancun. We also were able to double up the trip making it a vacation of sorts for us. I'll try to give you all the rundown without being too winded.

Our flight was booked out of Kansas City direct to Cancun on the 5th so we went up the night before to be ready for a 7 am flight on the 5th. It seemed we'd never get out of town and we arrived to KC around 9:30 pm, then needed dinner and a Wally World run. Needless to say we had about 3 hours sleep that night. We headed to the airport that next morning only to find Cancun airport delayed our flight an hour. This was not welcome news as we had a Scuba diving certification to get to at 1 pm Cancun time. So after waiting as patiently as we could, we were off and landed in Cancun only to find ourselves waiting in line at baggage. Customs was a breeze. Then the 20 minute cab ride to El Cid Resort. We barely walked in the door and met up with the bride and groom who'd been there for 2 days already, sunburnt but relaxed. Our room was not ready so we dumped the baggage in their room and we all headed off together to the dive shop immediately; making it in record time!

The ocean was gorgeous, but it was very rough and terribly windy. There were 5 of us, as the bride was unable to dive that day, and needless to say we were all a little nervous about the huge waves bouncing us around in the boat! I've been on Cheney Lake on a good windy day, but this was something else! We geared up and sat on the edge of the boat entering the water backwards! Once I realized I was going to survive, I tried to get to the bottom (only 8 or 9 feet down) and never could as I was having problems with my vest. The current carried my unhappy self to a place in the ocean the boat was just barely able to get to in case we needed rescued :) and Barry and Greg came up trying to help me. The boat headed my way was a welcome site. The dive master said had we gone much further his boat would not have been able to get to us- GREAT! Nice way to start the trip. I was frustrated and mad and wanted back in the boat ASAP. So, we decided we'd try another day if the weather cooperated more.

Heading back dissapointed but happy to not have been washed out to sea, we finally got checked into our room and got to spend some great time with the bride and groom at the pool, at dinner, and elsewhere.

The second day we decided to head to Playa del Carmen just down the road for some shopping, great food, and some great laughs with the rest of the group. It was a good thing the groom spoke some spanish to help us all out! After a phenominal dinner back at the resort, we headed to bed and the next day geared up for our next adventure to the Island of Isla Mujeres! This was again a phenominal time. We ferried over then split our group of 8 up (9 counting the brides daughter) onto two different golf carts and drove all over the island looking for adventure. The island is only 7 miles long and everyone rides mopeds and golf carts, with some very small cars on the road as well. Most all the ladies decided we all wanted to go swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Discovery. I had done this once before on our cruise to Mexico at an aquarium, but this was completely different in the ocean! We all were able to interact with Louis the dolphin and get a belly ride and a foot push. Awesome critters. After drying out we had a little bit of time to return our golf carts and head to a great dinner on the beach near sunset and headed back to the resort via the ferry. I wished we'd had time to visit the turtle farm, but maybe another trip :)

The bride and groom decided they would like to come back to the island after the wedding for a photo shoot.

Tuesday was the big day for Stacey and Greg, and what we had come all this way for. Everyone was excited. We all met for breakfast and then headed to the spa while Stacey did a run through on her hair for the evening. Her friends surprised her with a bottle of champagne for the ladies and bridal gifts. Stacey was also surprised receiving a massage of her choice after finishing her hair that all the ladies pitched in to get. I was able to enjoy an 80-minute therapeutic ts'aak massage. All I can say is, that is something I could quite easily make a habit out of! Why was I not pampering myself before!? Anyways, afterwards there was no time to spare gathering equipment while Barry hung out with Greg and I followed Stacey to her room while she prepared for the wedding. She wore a white, sheer, strapless gown she purchased in Kansas City from Amore Bridal. White flip flops completed her beach look! The groom donned a casual tan suit with dark brown flip flops, but went barefoot for the ceremony. Stacey's flowers were provided by the resort and were vibrant oranges, creams, and other spring/summer colors. Stacey's daughter, Maddie was the flower girl in a simple white sundress and flip flops carrying a matching bouquet of flowers.

The resort sent an escort at a quarter to 6 to Stacey's room. Stacey, Maddie and I all rode on a golf cart to the beach. I was dropped off early at the beach and Stacey was escorted to the end of the pier to make her walk down this very different "isle"! She was preceded by Maddie.

It was a small private wedding, with no wedding party, and only 9 guests including Barry and I. A friend of the groom's came all the way from Iraq, where he lives and works. The crashing waves of the ocean were our backdrop with a bit of wind carrying pelicans and seagulls above us. A very short ceremony followed with friends signing the marriage license and the couple sharing in a unity sand ceremony with daughter Maddie. After the wedding, we had a chance to get some fun ocean shots on the beach and on a beached catamaran with friend and photographer, Dr. Matt Moll.

Dinner followed at the Alcazar at the resort and lots of champagne and toasts! I even got to sneak up to the newlyweds room before they did to get a shot of rose petals scattered throughout!

The next day several of Greg and Stacey's friends had to leave for the states, but we were able to stay and have a grand time with the newlyweds. We started out the day meeting Greg and Stacey at the pool to have some fun and "take the plunge" from the diving rock at the pool. We also conducted our on camera interviews with each of them since they will be receiving our new style of editing and storytelling- we like to call it a "cross-over"! It's similar to a Love Story and wedding video rolled into one, we can't wait to show you! Then we again headed into town to get that much awaited scuba certification! The seas were much calmer and we geared up and rolled out into the waves over the edge of the boat. Effortlessly gliding down to 30 feet below the surface to kneel on the sand below, the certification and skills went much smoother than I expected. After a practice emergency accent, we were done! And wishing we had more time to spare to follow the fish around and enjoy the time a little more. But we had to dry off and head back to El Cid to pick up the bride and groom for their photo session on the island of Isla Mujeres!

We crammed in a taxi, wedding dress in tow and after the ferry ride across the ocean, Stacey was a trooper changing into her dress in the tiniest, near to next dirtiest bathroom we've seen and promptly jumped on the back of a moped rented by her new husband! We followed in a golf cart getting shots of them riding through the streets of Isla Mujeres while bystanders clapped and cheered. It was also quite commical with one of the many stray dogs in town jumping onto the moped with NO prompting wanting to go for a ride! So off they went! Too hilarious. Time went by so fast we headed to the beach for sunset pictures and a dip in the ocean!

After an incredible meal at a local restaurant, we again climbed aboard the ferry and headed for a well deserved rest before the flight home early the next morning. We again, got about 3 hours sleep by the time we shared drinks with Greg and Stacey, rinsed and repacked scuba gear and cameras. Flights again were delayed but we were finally able to make it to the states and smooth sailing through customs. We were still so tired on the drive home from KC we stopped in Emporia for a good nights rest before sailing the rest of the way in.

To Greg and Stacey, thank you so much for letting us be a part of your spectacular day and your trip. We are very excited to put the edit together. We look forward to your reception here at home and most importantly, a long friendship in the future. LET'S GO DIVING!

Enjoy the photos we have posted here of the trip and check out the prequel at the end of the post!

Here's Barry saying hi at the pool, working on the tan that quickly turned into a sunburn in about 15 minutes! This is a view of the resort beach from the pier the wedding was held at. Stacey reads a letter handwritten from her daughter Maddie at the salon, Maddie also presented her with a beautiful necklace and pendant. Maddie playing with our underwater housing in the waves, look out everyone, she could be our future competition! Pelicans sun themselves on the rock ledges at the Garrafon Dolphin Discovery. Pelicans were absolutely everywhere! Another critter sunning himself at the restaurant near the beach we snorkeled at on Isla Mujeres. Hmmm. What is that? Another animal getting some sun, that's Bear picking up in the "Jaguar" after our first scuba diving adventure. We ended up snorkeling near the beach here and saw baracuda! Ya, you guessed it, my silly mug snorkeling at Isla Mujeres trying to get some shots with my new underwater housing (good to 17 feet!) but I had a little issue with moisture and leakage, so we'll have to check that out. Haven't looked at the footage yet, I hope to soon! There's the camera (it stayed dry, but I didn't want to push my luck!) These pictures were taken with our still camera and underwater housing by Barry. He saw lots of cool critters- check them out!
This is some sort of ray, not sure what kind, but isn't it cute!? A closer look at the unknown sea creature!
The prized photo from the trip! Here is a sand ray Barry caught a glimpse of, I never saw him and I'm jealous! Isn't it awesome? This the Dolphinarium at Garrafon on Isla Mujeres. I thought it was neat to swim with the dolphins in the ocean instead of an aquarium like our last adventure in Mexico, both experinces were awesome though! That's our group lining up getting ready to enter the water.

So check out the prequel below and let us know what you think!

Pretty good for a Kansas kid huh?

Cox-Koehn

We didn't have much time to rest after our trip to Mexico and we were right back to filming locally last night for Jessica and Andrew! (More on that soon) We had filmed Jessica's cousins wedding last year (Close-Wilbert) and Jessica had already booked photography thru T&J Studios. They saw us all working Melissa and Jace's wedding together and hadn't thought much about video, then came in to talk to us and booked a couple weeks later. To sum it up, we are so happy we had the chance to work with them and to see the Wilbert's again!

So the day started early at Progressions Salon on the west side of town. Jessica had originally purchased a package from us that did not include salon coverage. She had mentioned to her mother that she would have liked to have done that and her mother secretly contacted us to set up the surprise. We were at the salon for Jessica with Tyff and Jeff bright and early at 8 am! She had a HUGE smile on her face and it never left her all day. Most of the ladies showed up to the salon as well to get their hair fixed and everyone looked absolutely amazing. The bride was thrilled with her hair but had a little giggle when a few minutes after everything was done, realized the veil was in backwards. No worries, it was fixed in a flash. Then they were off to the church, St. Francis of Assisi to get dressed. Jessica had her cousin Melissa apply her make up and she did several of the ladies applications. It looked phenominal!

Meanwhile Barry was hanging out with Jeff documenting the guys preparing and assisting on their photo session. I hear they were quite the group, literally climbing the walls of the church! Can't wait to go thru that footage!

The bride and groom chose to see each other prior to the ceremony to complete all the photos so they would have more time for visiting with guests at the reception. We think Andrew was quite in awe of his bride when he turned to see her. She looked stunning in her gown. I don't dare describe this one for fear of not doing it justice. It was amazing. You'll have to check out the prequel to get a peek.

Photos went quick and smoothly. And we all had fun with the shoes at this wedding. After Jessica saw some photos that Jeff took in California of a bride with a white dress and bright red heels, she decided she wanted the same. She wore maroon heels with her gown and the bridesmaids had on red heels with black dresses, and not to be outdone, the flower girls in white, wore ruby red sparkling slippers! The men also stood out in traditional stark black tuxes. It was a phenominal looking wedding party!

The ceremony was a full catholic mass. The brides father Gino shared the readings and a string quartet performed along with the organist. After the ceremony, the newlyweds were whisked away in the River City Trolley for a quick photo opp at Sedgwick County Park and were back in record time to be announced by the brides father at the reception. The church hall was full and the bride and groom enjoyed visiting with all their family and friends at dinner. There were guests from as far away as Minnesota and even Italy!

The bride and groom will be spending their honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexcio! We tried to get them to take us along, but apparently there just wasn't enough time to plan! Bummer! Andrew and Jessica, thank you again so much for having us, we had a wonderful time with you and your families. We know you will be extremely happy in your life together and we wish you many years of happiness and joy! Take lots of photos in Mexico, we sure would like to see them when you return. PS- want to wear that dress again? We can always hook you up with an extreme session! :)

Check out the video below of their wedding day prequel!

Happy Easter and Fat Cat prepares for an adventure!

We hope everyone was able to enjoy the Easter Holiday with their families today and remember the reason for the day. Nope, sorry not chocolate, although it comes as a nice fringe benefit! We had a great time hanging with the Shay clan this afternoon and enjoying a great turkey dinner prepared by my brother and his wife. We totally blew our diets with my homemade ice cream cake dessert and pre-made Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory! (YUM!) But we'll make up for it tomorrow on the treadmill and with additional crunches. Speaking of the treadmill, we are not only trying to keep ourselves healthier, but build some stamina as well the last month or so as we prepare for the start of the traditional wedding season and our big adventure in Puerto Morales, Mexico in just a few short weeks! We finally thawed out from Colorado in January and barely snuck in some time to fake bake recently to get that pasty white skin tan so we don't burn like lobsters while we work our way a bit closer to the equator!

Here at FCP it is totally a myth that cats hate water...this week we embark on our first underwater adventures! We learned to snorkel on our honeymoon many years ago in the Carribean and this last year enjoyed it even more on our anniversary cruise in the Pacific along the Mexican coast! But at that time I desperately wanted to follow some of the fish so badly that instead of swimming straight ahead I followed them DOWN below the surface and sucked in seawater down the snorkel! It was time to learn to SCUBA DIVE! After that trip, life, work and editing happened so the class never materialized for us. Well now that we have a chance to use the skill again, we decided to go for it and finally learn scuba!

So the weeks schedule has been jam packed with appointments, deliveries, editing and other personal stuff, now we get to make time to read the home study portion of the scuba class and watch the training DVD before Thursday's instruction and then pool time at the beginning of next week! It will be a nice break from the hustle and bustle we've been dealing with and we think we are going to have a great time to boot- we'll be taking class with the bride who will be married in Mexico and her friends! Too fun! Maybe I'll even get some underwater video on my trip! Can't wait to put THAT in her wedding video! That is the plan anyway, watch for it in the coming weeks! We'll keep you posted! And we'll get some pics back up on this blog eventually, I know how reading books without pictures is- boring! :)

Until next time blog stalkers.......

Fat Cat goes GREEN! And the latest episode of Honey I Shrunk the Truck!

It's been busy as always at Fat Cat, including things of a personal nature, not just all business. We've spent some time the last several weeks car shopping as I refuse to continue giving the gas companies any more money than I have to. My trusty little Element turned 5 this year and was out of warranty and I knew anything that went wrong with it would soon eat me out of house and home, plus I've had this nagging desire to go greener after I replaced the lightbulbs in the house to more energy efficient models and such. So the hunt began for several vehicles, and we ultimately decided on a Toyota Prius! :) After waiting nearly a week to have it delivered, I've been playing with all the crazy new features my old car never dreamed of having! The Element was pretty basic, as I don't require many bells and whistles to keep me happy. It had 4 wheel drive, heat and a/c, a radio and CD player, power windows and locks and that was about it. Now I am totally confused trying to learn to drive without the assistance of a traditional key, not freak out when it seems the car dies at a stop light and keep my eyes on the road instead of the touch screen display on the dash that monitors everything from my radio and temperature controls to the energy efficiency of the Hybrid electric and gas motors! But it is pretty cool, I totally love it and I've already laughed driving by a couple gas stations. I know I have to fill up eventually but it sure is nice not having to do it as often as I was used to! I'm already getting nearly 48 miles to the gallon!

On the same subject of gas, Barry's big Dodge went bye-bye too, with diesel fuel already at $4 per gallon for a little while now, it was time to downsize. We never have needed that big of a truck, nor the gihusic Ford we had before that, so Barry traded to a Toyota Tacoma. It's quite fun to drive, we still have a 4 wheel drive vehicle for any more projected snow next winter like we had this season, and both vehicles will be much easier to keep clean now as they are both white! :) It's not as fuel effiicient as my car of course, but it makes up for that in the "cute" factor! Wave the next time you see us zooming by!

FCP Blogger Spotlight: T&J Studios

We see Tyff and Jeff alot at our studio and on assignments at weddings, extreme sessions and other jobs, but when we see them, this is usually what they look like! Hard at work. Jeff recently returned from Las Vegas where he and Brett spent the week at the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) Conference. They had a blast. WPPI is similar to what WEVA (Wedding and Event Videographers Association) is for videographers. Their heads are now full of new ideas to streamline and improve their business (and I'm sure when we hear all the stories we will get some great ideas ourselves!) So if you want to know more, check out Tyff and Jeff's blog on their website located to the right. In the meantime, we have chosen T&J Studios to be the first vendor and photographer to be in the new FCP Blogger Spotlight! We had a few questions for Tyff and Jeff and their business....

How long have you been in business? 7 years

Describe your style. Unique and fresh

How did you decide to get into photography? One class and I was hooked

What types of photography services do you offer? Weddings, babies, seniors, pets, corporate, families

Who is involved with T&J? Tyffany, Jeff and partner Brett

Best part of being a wedding photographer? Getting those detail shots that everyone forgets about after the fact. Also allowing the bride relive her day that might bring back happy tears. Bridal prep is one of my favorite parts of a wedding day and documenting all the prep that goes behind all the planning of the big day. There is so much happiness in every wedding and being able to document people laughing and celebrating is wonderful.

What products do you offer that are unique to clients? framing, custom albums, custom cards/announcements and more that our customers come up with that we can create

Advice for future brides regarding professional photography? Lots but a personal one we say is You want to enjoy your day and that is why we are unlimited time and document it as if it was our own.

Where do you get your inspiration? God

What is the best compliment you have received with your photography? When a bride calls asking for a date being available and we are booked leading to the bride wanting to change her date so she can use our services.

Check back in the coming weeks for more FCP Blogger Spotlights with our favorite vendors!

New Prequel Online!

Well, after a prequel withdrawl, here is a new prequel for all you blog-stalkers! The Oehmke-Collins Prequel is finally up. Jessie enjoys the 70's so we tried to pick something appropriate, hope you like it! Scroll down to their blog entry to find it! Sorry no more prequels for about a month again as we will soon be headed to Mexico for Stacey and Greg's beachfront wedding in April! In the meantime we will be editing and sprucing up the new site for release SOON! We will be encoding new videos to share with you in the gallery as well, we will keep you posted. Stay tuned!

FCP Blogger Report: Camcorders

Our first in a series of reports on tips and tricks in wedding planning, etc. So many of our friends come to us when they are shopping for a camcorder..."which one is best? what do I need to look for?" etc. So we decided to post a little information that we end up passing along to our many friends and family. Enjoy. Hope it helps you.

SG

Choosing A Camcorder

So your wedding is quickly approaching and you are all geared up and excited for the honeymoon that follows so you can relax and unwind after months and months of planning and a super hectic day. . . now you want a video camera to remember that special once in a lifetime trip to ____ (Grand Cayman, Paris, Tahiti, etc) you fill in the blank! But there are so many camcorders out there to choose from, you’re confused and overwhelmed. It seems like you are planning for the wedding all over again doesn’t it? Never fear- Fat Cat to the rescue! Well, choice number one, you could always hire Fat Cat to tag along with you to see the sights and document your awesome time, or secondly, you could just use these handy hints to choose a nice camcorder to take with you and leave us here with a long face :( Boo.
First, do you want a camcorder that shoots Standard Definition or High Definition (HD)?
The big differences are the format the camera shoots, Standard Def. will provide you with a square picture of good quality and High Def. will provide you with a widescreen picture with much more clarity and detail. Plus, with all the TV’s these days being of a widescreen format and dimension, it would probably make sense to shop around for a High Def. camera. There aren't many standard definition cameras left it seems like! We have two palm sized HD camcorders we have used for trips and events, just beware of what things you will be shooting with your new camera. Interiors of buildings? All outdoor footage? The largest drawback of HD is its struggle in low light conditions. They rock outdoors in good light. For example, I got absolutely beautiful footage from our camcorder on our cruise to Mexico at the end of 2006. Wish I had time to post a clip for you! It works great and they are small and lightweight enough to keep as carry on for air travel. If you are shooting indoors, for example a museum that has low light and does not allow for flash on cameras, that footage will end up looking quite grainy. No getting around that without an additional light source.
What is your price range and what will the camera mostly be used for? Cameras aren’t cheap, let’s face it. But there are many models of cameras really coming down in price that do an outstanding job for the average consumer who just wants to take short videos of the kiddies growing up, at birthday parties, vacation and the like. You really don’t need a camera with every bell and whistle on it if you will be mainly filming the young’ens school concerts on a tripod or the family reunion. For example, one can get a great HD palm sized camera starting at about $399 from B&H Photo. You can get a ‘refurb’ model for under $200.
What else do I need besides the camera?
Well, depending on the media it records to, tape or DVD, memory cards, etc (Mini DV is the most popular), you will need to invest in that. Mini DV tapes run about $4 each if purchased separately for approximately 1 hour of tape. Depending on how much you use your camcorder, a good supply of batteries is imperative. Most cameras come with one small capacity battery that last about 1 hour of run time, but the larger capacity batteries can run $50 and up depending on the camera make and model. Unless the camera comes with several accessories, you will need an A/C charger to recharge those batteries. Those can run about $35 and up. To protect your investment, get a good carry case or bag for your camera and supplies. Another $50 and up, depending on the quality, how many compartments, is it waterproof, shock resistant, etc?
So where do I go? Who has the best deals?
We don’t endorse any one company, nor a brand of camcorder, but one of the largest online suppliers is as mentioned, B&H Photo (www.bhphoto.com). You can also try the larger electronics stores from some great deals from time to time. Best Buy, Circuit City and even Wal-Mart. When you find a model you like, shop, shop, shop. Read online reviews. Are there online coupons? Price compare and ask if there are any upcoming sales on the product. Will buying it local save you on shipping a product you found via the internet? If the model you think you like is on display at an area store, go look at it, pick it up, feel it. Does it look like it will hold up to the type of recording you will be doing? Turn it on, look at the picture you get with it, is it what you expected? (Please note most the displays with the flip out screens are quite deceiving until you connect your camcorder to a TV to replay your footage. The footage usually looks better on a good TV!)
Extended warranties? That’s a matter of personal taste. Depending on how much you are spending on the camera, sometimes the price of the warranty doesn’t hardly make sense to purchase if something ever breaks on the camera. There are times it’s cheaper to just go buy a new one. On the other hand, cameras nowadays are lasting longer and longer and it may be well worth a few extra dollars on an extended warranty. That is strictly personal preference.
In our family, we are the go-to people for questions about electronics, just as we are with medical complaints and ailments and animal training! But these are the usual questions we get when they are shopping for a new camcorder and some of the advice we give them. Hope that helps a little bit.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the FCP Blogger Report!

The Latest at Fat Cat!

Sorry for the laziness with the blog recently, we have been very busy, shooting, editing, and planning for upcoming weddings and destination travel! We wanted to fill you in on some new things happening here at Fat Cat though-

From time to time this year Fat Cat will be adding some new diverse things to the blog to go with our upcoming new website! :) We will be sharing several new articles of interest instead of just videos and “what’s up” with us. For example, we will be posting several articles on choosing a camcorder (for you honeymooners), picking other wedding vendors, including interviews with our local faves (photographers, florists, etc) and other juicy little tidbits of information to help you in your wedding planning and more! If there is something you’d like to hear about or a question you’d like answered here in the blog, please send it our way via email to info at fatcatrocks.com :)
Of course, there are lots of folks also anxiously awaiting the online studio tour…that will actually be posted in the coming weeks, the studio is getting the final touches this next month and then sometime late in April we will finally be able to share that with you. Everything is looking quite nice! We are so excited to have our Open House as well, we are hoping will be about the same time or May. Things just took longer than we anticipated so don’t lose hope just yet! We can’t wait to launch the new web site as well which will have a few new features, including our new online gift registry! Stay tuned!