Matthew and Kate met while going to school at Western University and as Matt puts it, their meeting touches on a theme threaded through his entire life – he considered himself the luckiest person on earth. Both Kate and Matt are generous, loving people with a lot of beautiful family support. Their wedding took place on gorgeous property out in Whistler, British Columbia with many friends and family members. In meeting Kate, Matt could not pass on the opportunity of getting to know her better and introduced himself by first starting with the line “I think I know you from somewhere.” Matt continued pursuing Kate and they found out they had a lot in common; living in the same building, going to the same school, and even knew some of the same people. One night, Matt made the best bet of his life – betting on The Seahawks vs The Steelers when The Steelers won (something they were both hoping for). The best part was Matt would later have to meet up with Kate to settle the bet and the rest was history.
Author: Stephen Gray
Cinematographer, Designer, Editor, Colorist
We were thrilled to have the honour of telling Katherine & Anthony’s story, from the moment we first met them both over Google Hangouts. They had such an interesting story, and seemed to have incredibly complimentary personalities. The wedding was set to take place on a Private Estate in Niagara on the Lake, where Anthony worked long hours to be able to arrange as a gift to Katherine. The scenery was unbelievable. This Canadian town, located in Southern Ontario where the Nigara River meets Lake Ontario, played a beautiful and symbolic backdrop to their wedding. Family and friends traveled from various places to meet in this 1781 Colonial quaint town. Family is very important, as Katherine and Anthony are both very close to their parents, siblings, and extended family. They were said to have been the people who held them together in all aspects of their lives and they were woven into various parts of their wedding day. Once we met their families, it was easy to see why they were so important. They even made us feel like family; warmly welcoming us in, trying to make us feel comfortable.
Their biggest wish was that their family and friends would enjoy themselves. While they found the meaning of the wedding itself important, they planned all aspects of their day with their guests in mind. Everything from accommodations to comfortable seating, great live music, and delicious spreads.
Alexandra Highet of Forever Wildfield did an absolutely outstanding job in decorating, and helping coordinate the wedding. Her taste is undeniably elegant, but most importantly – on an outdoor planned wedding met with some rain, she kept everyone’s spirits up as she proactively made a few last minute changes – making the day as beautiful as anyone could imagine. It was such a pleasure working with both her and Reid Lambshead from When He Found Her. Reid’s creativity & vision is unbelievable and he also happens to be a really great person to work with.
When we met Shana & Adrian about a year before their wedding, we were excited to have the honour of telling their story. It became clear that family played an important role in both of their lives, individually, and together as a couple. Important people in their lives each had an opportunity to be apart of their wedding. While the clouds seemed to be rolling in during the morning, the rain held off and we were met with lush greens at Bridges Golf Course.
The wedding ceremony was powerful. Pastor (Dr.) Mike Efezino (Adrian’s dad) lead the ceremony passionately. He beautifully shared the story of how Adrian had a dream of who his wife would be, and that as he eventually met Shana later on in life, he knew right away that she was the same person he had seen in his dream. While keeping the ceremony personal, Pastor Mike also shared a powerful message of faith.
As always, we had an excellent time working with Rachael from Lucky Girl Photography. She is unbelievably talented and can make anyone feel perfectly at ease in front of the camera.
And They Will Fly
Next to falling in love, one of the biggest supports any couple can hope to have is their friends and family beside them in their journey together as a couple. Felicia & Jeff are both blessed to have that support and they relish in that. The morning of their wedding, we felt that warmth and invitation to be a part of their day along with everyone there that day.
Both of their personalities and temperaments compliment each other so much, that Felicia’s father commented on the fact that he can’t recall ever seem them in an argument. He also mentioned that they seem to put so much into their relationship and compromise at the right times which this makes it much easier as a father to let her go. Knowing that she’s picked the right guy. The same could be said for Jeff. Sharing their dreams together. We had a great time working with our friend, Curtis Moore again. It’s always a rush to piece together a couple’s story in the form of a Same Day Edit :)
Mementos and Sombreros
Nigel’s career brings him all over the world and so, naturally, Cassandra & Nigel’s lives go hand in hand with traveling, trying new restaurants, wine tastings and socializing. One of Nigel’s groomsmen’s favourite moments was when Nigel lead Team Canada and the tournament and scoring in Helsinki with a big 6 goals and 11 points in Hockey.
Over the years, they had collected small mementos to one day look back upon. As their wedding day approached – a day planned with a lot of care and thought, they both decided to look through their memory box. They also decided to each carefully choose one item to share with each other the morning of their wedding. Nigel thoughtfully picked out what he said was an easy choice. Because it was what he considered their start; a U2 ticket. It was a happy moment together, after first dating in Chicago they were finally able to go out as a couple in Winnipeg. Cassandra was hoping to find that ticket Nigel bought for Cassandra in 2010 to come visit him in Atlanta. It was what she considered the beginning of their relationship. While looking for it, she found an item he had left for her that same fall when he had come to visit her. This made her realize just how long ago she had fallen in love and so, here they are three and a half years later.
We had the incredible privilege of weaving together their story into this Sam Day Edit to share with all their friends and family gathered that evening at The Gates on Roblin along with the very talented Simply Rosie Photography.
Cultures and Canadian Adventures
Mike’s the kind of guy that you could easily and quickly become friends with. He’s a hard worker, accommodating and considerate of everyone around him; even on his wedding day. As one of Anna’s bridesmaids put it, her smile is so full of joy. For Anna, being Polish, her family’s language, culture and tradition all play a huge roll in her life. As for her family; they each hold big personalities as well as big hearts. Chris, Mark and I were right at home with Anna’s friends as family as much as we were with Mike’s.
For a couple that likes hiking, traveling and photography, with this big celebration, what better place to bring everyone together in Canada than one of our most scenic places? This beautiful Banff adventure was the formal, second ceremony Mike & Anna shared with their close family and friends; the first taking place at a warm get-away. Even in colder temperatures, it’s a Canadian paradise.
As a couple, they both push each-other to pursue their dreams individually and they certainly recognize the gifts and talent they’ve been given. For an example: Mike is an accomplished, extremely talented photographer. After spending some time with them (even over a cup of coffee upon arriving at the hotel), it’s hard to imagine what they were like before they met. Their friends were better able to paint that picture, reminiscing on childhood moments and work stories. But everyone agreed; they’re better together. It was an absolute pleasure meeting and getting to work with Eternal Reflections Photography and Mona Abo Said.
A Wedding Planner’s Wedding
We’ve always find a couple scenarios that could potentially make us get really nervous when filming. Things like bad weather; it can really change the look and feel of the day. It was something else for this wedding. It was filming someone whom you deeply respect and know as a friend. You always want to make the story perfect. The butterfly’s where of plenty.
We have known Andrea for a long time, both personal and professionally. We usually have the great privilege of working with her event planning company, Soiree Event Planning. She has literately seen us in every scenario possible, especially during same day edit. So naturally, when she asked us to film her wedding, we were thrilled! We also had the privilege of working along side our friend Jeremy Hiebert.
What we love about this film is its such a simple, timeless story. Andrea could have done anything she wanted. She has seen it all. But she kept everything meaningful and elegant for herself and her husband Ryan. A simple expression of exactly who they are. It was a privilege to be apart of this day. We were able to once again, not only work along side Andrea, a friend, but were also a witness of their commitment and celebration.
Pièce De Résistance
Our goal is always to capture people’s personalities and their characteristics in a film. It’s a challenge to fit everything into a same day edit (given the time constraint), but we’re always up for a good challenge. As colourful (planning by Soiree, flowers by Academy) and detailed (check out those cards by OnePlusOne and photography by Lani Elias) as everything was that day, for us – a story is everything.
Dena and Dustin are an amazing couple. What really stood out to us was their ceremony. It was so personal and sincere. They sealed a time capsule during their ceremony containing wine, glasses, the day’s newspaper, a dress Dena wore on their first date and their vows. Sealed for 10 years, being opened again 2023. Imagine when they both look through these things again? It’s a whole other way to experience the wedding day again.
Weddings are generally full of suprises. Dena and Dustin’s biggest suprise (next to the full custome chicken dance at the reception) was during their ceremony when they decided to take time after their vows to honour their close family sitting in the first two rows. They brought each of them roses and hugs and as they went down the isles, you could feel the warmth and awe everyone had for this newly married couple. It was a powerful moment and it spoke so well of their character.
Eyelashes Light the Fire
Heather and Chris’s spark started with a question, “do you have fake eyelashes?” Seems like a reasonable question if the circumstances were different, for instance not on a camping trip. Well these two made a connection that day that will forever be their story. We got to know Heather and Chris really well during their portraiture session which you will see pieces of in the Same Day Edit. Each of the them walked us through their first meeting story and how the progression lead them to their wedding day, which is always interesting and fun to hear two sides of the same story. And then on the wedding day this first meeting story came out in several versions. So from our perspective we have a pretty good idea of how this all came about, hearing it from them, and their close friends tying it altogether. We’ll be later sharing their Feature on our blog, which ties their films and completes their story.
When we first met with them back in 2011 they were so excited about having a film to capture their day and decided on adding a Same Day Edit to allow their guests to experience it with them. The upbeat nature of their personalities and outlook on life shone through in each of their films and it was a huge highlight for us to play their Same Day Edit. The Gates as always was a beautiful backdrop to have their wedding and their service and staff are impeccable. We were also very lucky to work with Jack & Ruby Photography who are always fun to work with. Of course there were many more very talented people working behind the scenes who we appreciate working with, cheers to everyone who made the day look and flow so smoothly.
Destined to Meet
Krista and Chris both met later in their lives, but they both agreed, they found each-other to be well worth the wait.
Chris might very well be the nicest guy we’ve ever worked with. Not only could he beat us in any arm wrestling match, but his amazing journey into the body building world is a story anyone would enjoy. His dedication to diet, exercise and good living is something the Paperback boys could learn from :) Krista and Chris’s gifts for each-other were both so genuine, creative and thoughtful. Between an inside joke from Chris to Krista and a handcrafted book of their journey together through photographs, these were special moments we were so happy to capture and share.
Krista got to the point where she didn’t know if she could trust her own judgement anymore. It was then, in 2009, where she gave it to God. It’s funny how life works when you give up a little control. They both gave an online system a chance, just to try it out. A little magic, and typically on points of personality people are matched with 100, 200. Krista got 7. It only took one and coincidentally, we found out at their reception that they would have met through a friend if that hadn’t worked out. Small world. But when you’re destined to meet, it just works out. Life is like a puzzle and each piece serves a purpose and fits into life’s picture, as Krista put it. We hope you enjoy the way we configured their day’s pieces in their film!
Zombies and Sharks
This Same Day Edit is very unique and special for us. To help give some perspective as to why, we need to explain a bit about our initial meeting with Kate. She was well in-tune with what we were creating for people and what it meant. It was just as exciting for us to hear how Kate recollected a lot of our work – she knew so much about every film we’ve created and understood exactly what we do and how we would fit perfectly into her wedding day. They both planned on sharing their film with family and friends back home after the wedding, so the SDE ended up being a special moment shared over both sides of the country. The unique challenge was length. After talking to Kate and Jeff, their story was more suited for a Feature, but we wanted to share that vision with the guests on their wedding day. The result was this; a film uniquely shaped to combine the longer format story into a same day edit timeline.
Jeff and Kate both live out in Vancouver. The story of how they got there is fascinating. When we see these two holding hands, crossing over a divide in the garden and walking in parallel to meet again at the end – it is really a strong metaphor to how they ended up together. After a few disappointing years, Kate gave up on relationships. She decided to move out west to begin a new life, where she found herself working at a bank. There, she interacted with customers as the came and went until Jeff came through those doors. Jeff made an effort to keep coming back to her and before they knew it, they were together at last.
If you’ve ever met a guy who is passionate about life, Jeff is that person. The morning of his wedding, though he was a bit shy at first, he quickly forgot about cameras following him around. He’s the type of person who isn’t often caught off guard. His passion lies in fitness and training which goes so well with his character – strong, witty and sharp. When he turned around and gazed into Kate’s eyes for the first time, his heart started pounding and for the first time that day he was at a loss for words. From there on, he forgot everything else in the world and focused on her. They shared this important day with friends and family gathered for a rooftop ceremony, followed by a wonderfully warm reception downstairs at the WAG. It’s always fun working with friends and we had the pleasure of working with Luckygirl Photography that day as well. We hope you enjoy.
Captain and The Cheese
Chau and Christian are soul mates. Meeting where they did, and everything that happened since, it’s obvious they were simply destined to be together. They both love traveling, jogging, cooking, gardening, watching movies and hanging out with friends together. Chau was extremely meticulous and careful with her planning – you would never know by watching how relaxed and happy she was on her wedding day. All the way down to the exact number of expected guests, floral arrangements and schedules.
They both have light, caring and energetic personalities. When we asked them to describe their style, they were honest and spot on; romantic, classic, and goofy! All of these little things came out everywhere on their wedding day. Meaningful letters, original vows, gifts and speeches – we spotted so many moments that complimented who they are as people and brought that out in their same day edit. We’re so lucky to have worked with them and we’re just as excited for them to have this memory. We hope you enjoy!
Music licensed through With Etiquette
Acts of love
Everything about Jennifer and Stephane’s wedding felt like a fairytale. The weather, location, the atmosphere and the obvious match that they are for each other all had a part to play in their story. They’re both young, passionate individuals who both devote a lot of their time lifting each other up. If the stories we heard at the reception were any indication of their character, they’re both incredible people.
One moment that particularly stood to us was the first time they saw each other. Earlier in the morning, Jennifer formulated how she felt about Steph in a note. The excitement they equally shared in seeing one another was complimented with this intimate moment, reading through the letter. We saw how grounded and led by faith they are. All of this had played a major part in their same-day-edit and we’re happy we can share their story with everyone.
Music licensed through themusicbed
Cityscape Highschool Sweethearts
After meeting Marianne and Mark for the first time, you would think they just started dating. They’re both so excited for any opportunity they get to be together. It’s even more special to see a couple who have been together for so many years still going through the same emotions you would typically see in a couple who just started dating (both nervous and excited). We spent an evening with Marianne and Mark talking about their relationship and how they first met. Mark had this huge smile on his face, pausing after thinking about the moment he knew Marianne was the one. Memories came rushing back. I loved seeing how those thoughts came back and translated so well in his speech at their reception. Marianne had equally as much to say about when she knew Mark was the one. What began years ago in high-school brought them to this day; the beginning of their life together. Over the years ahead, I’m sure these two downtown-loving city dwellers will continue exploring more and more big cities as they embark on that journey together. This film is another joyous memory they’ve helped create.
Music used: Kye Kye licensed through The Music Bed and With Etiquette
Let’s travel the world
Paul and Signy are both adventurers – whether it be a social get together in the heart of downtown Winnipeg (meeting all sorts) or flying to and exploring a new country. It’s encouraging to see just how fate brought them together; already carrying the relationship through a long distance beginning. Together they are a perfect combination, where each of their strengths helps build the other and we rarely witnessed a moment where they weren’t complementing each other. Later in the evening, we all experienced Paul’s knack for coming up with an amazing speech on the spot and then we have Signy, a talented writer. How perfect is that? We’re happy to share their story with all of you. It was so much fun getting to work with Coralee of Red Photo Co (check out her photos of the day here) again.
A Walk In The Park
Days leading up to their wedding, family and friends were coming in from all around the country to celebrate with them together. In the first evening we spent with Rena & Gaurav in both Brampton and Toronto, Ontario, we were welcomed by both warm friends and family and a spectacular storm (really, the storm of the summer). We felt like part of the family. Us, being in two different cities at the same time, were experiencing such similar events – almost in complete parallel with the Mehndi ceremonies and dancing.
Spending the afternoon with Rena & Gaurav by the waterfront, getting to know more about how they came together had inspired their film to be a snapshot of two significant moments in time. It brings their relationship history together and ties in traditional celebrations into a fitting portrait. These two are completely made for each other; if a vegetarian and meat lover can be brought together by their differences and distances become a small obstacle, there in lies a testimony of true love.
It was also a blast working with Projected Life Photography. Being instant friends with a total stranger is our definition of a good person to work with.
The last two minutes of this film comes together the same way we felt spending time with Rena & Gaurav. We connected with them and at the end, we only wanted to know more. We’re so happy to be able to share their feature with all of you.
From One Plus One & Paperback Films
Valentine’s Day is always a great excuse to give a gift to someone you love. For Paperback, we get to see this expression first hand all the time in our work with weddings we film. It was only fitting to keep that alive by celebrating, in our own little way, Valentines Day with all of you. In this short, we explore what it means for these two clever and very talented graphic designers, while also getting a chance to look at the process of a concept through to print.
One Plus One is made up of a boy (Tyler) and a girl (Jessie) who are both inspired by many things and share a love for design. As they say on their site, they are a pair of cards is what they are. Not the King and Queen though, more like the Joker and the Ace. With their years of experience in the world of graphic design, they cater to industries from retail to manufacturing, cosmetics to construction, weddings to fashion and a variety of other industries. We invite you to share this Valentine’s Day with someone you love and give a thoughtful, creative gift that comes from the heart.
Card & typeface design by One Plus One. This film was conceptualized, written, storyboarded, filmed, edited, coloured and mixed by the At First Sight Films and Paperback Films crew. Song licensed through themusicbed.com/
A Warm Country Wedding
Dave & Kerri are a really fun, adventurous and light-hearted couple and we are excited to share their highlights film with you. We were blessed with beautiful warm weather, which made it a breeze for the couple as they travelled in a vintage truck (without the comfort of a/c as they didn’t have it back in the day). We loved seeing them riding down city streets and prairie highways. All of the little things throughout the day really grabbed our attention, like when Dave took some time decorating the truck with ‘just married’ flags and a heart shaped signs for the tailgate and when the guys had to shine up the truck after a short bout of rain in the morning. We took a trip back to the same place they had their gorgeous engagement session (check those out here), which gave us a great backdrop. Thanks to Troy for filming with us that day, and it was a pleasure (as always) to work with Rachael & Brian of Luckygirl.
A Summer Picnic
Oh how we miss you now, summer… but today we get to unveil a really fun behind the scenes film we created with Weddings in Winnipeg, Simply Rosie Photography, and One Plus One Design. The ever resourceful Mason Jar can be used so many ways; for anyone interested in a do-it-yourself decoration for your wedding, Angela Taylor shows us how it’s done. The Mason Jar was the showcase for this shoot and with the dream-team talent of ladies from Weddings, Simply Rosie Photography, and One Plus One Design, the set’s aesthetics were gorgeous. One Plus One came up with some creative ways to turn some table stationery settings into something interactive. Their work is always amazing. At the end of the shoot, we all sat down and enjoyed Rosie’s master chef husband who made everyone a schmorgerborg of food to enjoy.
Ottawa meets Toronto
Rena and Gaurav have one of the most interesting stories on how they met. It wasn’t just miles of land that started between them, it was also their dietary lifestyles! These two are special; they’ve both been through a lot together and anytime you were near them you could just feel how in love they are. We spent some time with them before their wedding celebrations took place (which had spanned over the course of multiple days) and were able to dive a bit further into their story. Gaurav had seen our work a while ago, via short films up on Stillmotion’s blog and Vimeo. He’s a talented photographer and filmmaker, so on many levels putting their film together was both a challenge and a joy. The trailer (hopefully) paints a picture of a much grander story about to be unveiled. It’s hard holding back all of the great things to say and talk about the experience we had… which will come later. Until then :)