Archive for the ‘wedding history’ Category

kirstin + max

a film by melissa martens
planning by clementine events
photography by christina noel photography
dancefloor by rendezvous
filmed at the wit hotel in chicago

Liquid History

Liquid History: (n) noun. a film that is a living, breathing history of a person, place or thing.

This film screened the night of the rehearsal dinner.

a film by melissa martens
editor mason strand
engagement photos by christina noel photography

Exclusive interview with Fig Media, Inc. Director of Sales and Business Development, Andrew Ettenhofer.

A wedding is more than just a venue, menu, and flowers. Every aspect of your special day is a direct representation of you and your partner and the life you are about to begin together. We talked to Andrew Ettenhofer, Director of Sales at Fig Media, Inc. and wedding expert. With more than 10 years of experience in the biz, he spoke not only about the importance of having a wedding with a purpose, but also how to do it.

“Everything we do is meaningful,” said Ettenhofer. And your wedding should be too. It’s more than just a party with food, music, and booze. “If you’re going through the time, energy, love and sweat of having a wedding and committing to someone for the rest of your life- that’s a pretty meaningful act. Everything you do that is associated with that should be meaningful.”

The first question to ask is ‘what is important to you?’ The more something means to you, the more excited you will be about it, and the more you are willing to fight for certain elements. If that means you have to have the lemon chicken taste just like your mother’s, make the extra effort to get the recipe to your caterer. If the elements of your wedding mean more to you, you must be more direct with your vendors, tell them exactly what you want and what is going to work for you.

It can even start with the venue. Choosing a venue can be one of the first big hurdles a couple must face while planning a wedding. The date, location, season, and style all reflect a lot on the couple and their personal style and tastes. It is also a decision of compromise between the couple. “You must focus on the basics,” said Ettenhofer, “what is important, what is non-negotiable, and what are you willing to compromise on.”

A very meaningful part of your wedding is your guest list. “Make sure all the guests will support you and your partner through thick and thin, that’s the purpose of even having guests, to witness the ceremony and to help you uphold your vows. They’re not just audience members,” said Ettenhofer. So when you’re thinking of your guest list, make sure you are choosing people who are meaningful to you and will witness your vows in real life, as a couple. This is the community of your wedding. Also, “if you educate your guests on why the elements are meaningful to you, they will be more meaningful to them as well,” Ettenhofer pointed out.

“Purpose is a lining- as a couple you have a purpose.” The event should reflect why you are getting married and how you are better together than apart. Here are some important tips from our expert about how to reflect your meaning at your wedding:

• The couple should be aligned behind a common purpose
• Remember: the wedding is a very meaningful act, everything should reflect that
• Do whatever you want, enjoy yourself, and enjoy being with your new partner throughout the entire evening
• Build plans and strategies to make the day more relaxing
• Unload your anxiety before the wedding to be able to enjoy it more
• Stay connected with your partner throughout the party. You want to enjoy it together
• Remember why you’re doing it

Throughout all the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding, remember that this is YOUR special day, and it should reflect the values, principles, interests, and love of you and your partner.

photo by Brian Carey

17 years. That is the age of the fig films wedding archive. This short is a compilation from the archive of silent wedding films shot in Chicago between 1993 and 2010. Using vintage Super8 cameras, fig filmmakers create these vintage silent shorts for Chicago couples. The film has an original score titled: On this Day by fig composer/musician Eric Hillman.

“On this day, I was inspired by the timeless quality of the footage. It has such rich emotion and joy represented on the faces of the people. I wanted to capture that with the score.” ~Eric Hillman

Super8 film was released in 1965 by Eastman Kodak. It is the equivalent of what a camcorder is to video today.

The film is a reversal film, meaning it eliminated the need for an expensive work print off of the negative, making it an attractive medium for filmmakers, artists and family documentarians to create films. Reversal film has an emulsion that can be processed to create the work print on the same strip of film. Later adopted by Fugifilm and Polaroid.

Adopted by filmmakers like Oliver Stone and used in films like The Doors, Natural Born Killers, Nixon, U Turn, and JFK this silent film format is still alive today. Super8 film festivals are held in both the US and the UK. Festivals like Flicker Film Festival and Cambridge International Super 8 Film Festival.

Fig films adopted this medium to shoot weddings for its timeless feeling. Offering an artistic and traditional option to couples.

Find out more about our wedding films at www.figweddings.net.

Got you is a short fashion film created by the team at fig weddings for Style Down the Aisle on August 31st 2011 @ The Sofitel Chicago. The story brings to life the emotions, couple and fashions of a Chicago couple. The film will screen privatley for the event and then be submitted to festivals for the 2011-2012 season.