Brooke & Adam; Ritz Carlon, Westchester

When Brooke and Adam got married April 16, the rain never dampened their spirits as they were all smiles all day! The couple got ready in separate rooms at the Ritz Carlton in Westchester before an emotional "first look" in the hotel's hallway, where they saw each other for the first time. Before the ceremony, the couple was filmed by TAS videogrpahers Jason and Jimmy and photographed before getting ready for the beautiful Jewish ceremony. After the ceremony it was cocktail hour and a reception that included the Horah, a first dance, toasts, dancing, a cake-cutting and plenty of smiles of course!

Untitled from TimAlanSmith on Vimeo.

Tim Alan Smith films the Hamptons Wedding Affair

Tim Alan Smith wedding videography films weddings in the Hamptons and the North Fork every year so it only made sense for me to make the trip out to Greenport on Saturday to check out the excellent show put on by Well Wed magazine. The Hamptons Wedding Affair was held at the magnificent Brecknock Hall where any bride and groom would feel like a royal if given the chance to be married there. I had never filmed here before but recently filmed North Fork favorites such as the Peconic Bay Winery, Bedell Cellars, Martha Clara Vineyards, and Wollfer Estates to name a few.

At the show I caught up with wedding colleagues I've met over the years while meeting plenty of new people as well. Highlights include being given a free night at the Hotel Indigo in Riverhead, eating delicious appetizers and sweets, listening to great music by a live band, watching a fantasic bridal gown show and enjoying a cotton candy martini or two!

I brought my camera along of course and got some footage from the day that I put together below as a recap of the day for Well Wed, which you will be able to see on the Well Wed blog and website. Enjoy!

Untitled from TimAlanSmith on Vimeo.

Hillel and Rachel, April 10, Temple Emanu-El

When you watch the video recap below, you may think I was trying to be funny, poking fun at the institution of marriage, but the song was actually chosen by Rachel and Hillel. While getting married is certainly "the end of the world as you know it", it changes for the better most of the time!

If their fun party and spirit all day is any indication, they are in store for a lifetime of happiness.

When I arrived with assistant, Louise, the couple were busy getting photos in front of Temple Emanu-El, where they were set to have an Orthodox Jewish wedding ceremony. Soon after photos, the couple and their guests headed to cocktail hour with Hillel and friends doing the sacred Tisch prayers while Rachel readied herself for the Bedekken in the bridal suite.

Hillel arrived with his friends to unveil his bride at the Bedekken and the Ketubah was signed and then all headed into the Temple for the beautiful ceremony performed by Hillel's father.

After the ceremony, the couple was introduced and the Horah commenced, with clapping, cheering, smiles and dancing all around with a spirited performance by the Jewish wedding band, Nafshenu. Other highlights included toasts, a surprise poem by family members, the cake cutting, more dancing, the Mezinka and plenty of smiles and laughs to be remembered for a lifetime!

Untitled from TimAlanSmith on Vimeo.

Ravi & Chee: April 16, Napa Valley, CA

When my good friend Ravi told me he was getting married in Napa, I could hardly wait to be there to help celebrate the big day. Ravi and Chee took time planning the perfect weekend with an intimate group of family and friends. We all stayed at the quaint La Residence in Napa where wine and cheese were served promptly at six each day. They started the weekend off right with an all-day wine tour Friday where we explored 4 famous Napa vineyards as well as some of their best wines before having an amazing dinner at Don Giovanni's. A highlight for me in addition to the wine and Italian food was seeing Ravi's parents for the first time in ages and having his dad inform me that "you broke my house" in reference to a an errant chair leg that caused damage while helping Ravi move 7 years earlier!

The wedding day was glorious and my girlfriend Kristin and I took advantage of the locale by heading out early for a few more wine tastings before returning to the Inn after lunch to get ready. We piled in the coach to take us to Brix Restaurant just down the road where the wine flowed as we waited for the other guests to arrive. The bride came last and all were wowed by her beautiful dress as she walked from the restaurant to the private garden ceremony by the vineyard in the back. All guests helped create Chee's bouquet by handing her individual flowers as her father walked her down the aisle.

The ceremony was short but definitely sweet and then we enjoyed more wine and amazing appetizers (another spring roll please) by the vineyard before heading inside for more great food and wine. Ravi and Chee found each married couple's wedding song and played it so they could enjoy their dance again while I performed a lip synch routine for the guests to Harry Connick's "In Love". Fortunately for me, I was the one behind the camera all weekend so no evidence of this exists!

Other highlights at Brix was the amazing individual cakes at each table that I could hardly wait all meal to eat and chance meetings with NFL star QB Carson Palmer and designer Michael Kors, who called the groom "dapper".

From there it was back to the couple's villa where a post-party commenced and the song you will hear on the recap was played no less than 25 times.....Enjoy!

Ravi & Chee from TimAlanSmith on Vimeo.