Emily and Chris’s wedding at Columbus Park Refectory was a perfect mix of heartfelt moments and fun, personal touches. They wanted a budget-friendly video with a vintage feel, so our content creation package with a camcorder add-on was the perfect fit. From their emotional first look to a choreographed first dance, every detail reflected their personalities. We loved capturing their special day—learn more about it below!
We first started talking with Emily and Chris at the start of 2024 at the beginning of their wedding videographer search. They were looking for a wedding videographer that would work within their budget. They were also interested in having old school or vintage video, like Super 8 or something similar. They weren't really interested in having a big wedding highlight video. Knowing all of this, I recommended that they consider content creation. It's a lower price point while still ensuring that your wedding day is being documented through video. At ACG, we also offer a camcorder footage add-on to our content creation packages, which would give them that vintage video they were looking for. After presenting all of our information and examples of our content creation work, Emily and Chris decided to book with us! They decided that content creation would be the perfect fit for their wedding. We were so excited to be a part of their wedding day. They booked in February and we planned to touch base a few months before the wedding to dive deeper into planning and to attend a site visit at the venue.
The venue visit in August only added to our excitement. The Columbus Park Refectory is such a gorgeous venue and we fell in love with all of the green outdoor space, the multiple rooms, and classic Chicago architecture. We talked through logistics with Emily and Chris and made plans for our coverage on the wedding day. On our end, we were preparing our gear as well. We planned to use our DJI Gimbal, Rode wireless microphones, as well as a Zoom recorder for back-up audio. It's always good to have back-ups when it comes to audio -- it's easy for things to go wrong! And this is where our video production background comes in handy. Knowing how to get good audio and beautiful footage, while still using an iPhone, is what elevates our content creation work.
On the wedding day, we arrived just before 2 pm to begin our coverage. The plan was to shoot Emily and Chris's first look around 2 and everything was on schedule! We grabbed some solo shots of Chris and then it was time for the first look. It was so sweet! And they had the most gorgeous setting, in front of the refectory. I love the footage and audio we were able to capture during this. I hope it's something they always look back on! After the first look, we got some shots of the couple, the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and parents, giving them breaks in between shots. It was toasty for mid-September! When we got the entire bridal party together for photos, I took the opportunity to get a fun shot that Emily requested. We had the bridal party line up, men and women across from each other, and I walked between them while everyone leaned in and cheered. When we got to the end of the line, Emily and Chris kissed while everyone cheered. It's a really fun shot to get and it turned out great!
Then it was time to get ready for the ceremony, which was taking place outdoors, but in a covered space. It was perfect for this late-summer day! Chris had a grand entrance into the ceremony, walking in to Feeling Good by Michael Bublé. It was epic and everyone cheered for him! Emily looked stunning walking down the aisle with both of her parents. And Emily's brother officiated and did an amazing job. There were so many personal touches throughout the ceremony and Emily and Chris's vows were personal and heartfelt. There weren't many dry eyes!
After the ceremony, it was time for cocktail hour! Guests mingled on a terrace just outside of the dinner space, another amazing feature of this venue. There are so many different rooms and areas that each event can have its own space. Cocktail hour flowed right into dinner and Emily and Chris had a grand entrance! Dinner was barbecue from Sweet Baby Ray's and it was a hit. After dinner, guests were guided into another room just off the main area where they would dance the night away. Emily and Chris had a choreographed first dance (are we noticing a theme here!? They are all about big, fun choices!) and then it was time for dancing! They had such a fun group, everyone was on the dance floor having a great time.
Finally, it was time for us to depart while the dancing continued. We had such an amazing day with this special couple and we hope they love the footage we captured for them. Take a look at their recap video below!
If you are considering hiring a content creator for your wedding, reach out to us to chat! We're happy to answer any of your questions and talk you through your options. No matter what you decide, we hope you find some way to document your wedding day with video. You won't regret preserving these precious memories!