Mariah & Joey
Married under the trees, with the whole canyon leaning in. Sound on.
Everyone close.
Mariah and Joey were married at Calamigos Ranch, in one of the grove sites where the guests sit near enough to reach the aisle. The ceremony structure was strung with lights and dressed in blush, and the trees closed over the whole thing.
The recessional is the moment the film turns on. Every hand out, petals still coming down, and the two of them walking straight through the middle of it. We shot it from the aisle rather than the back, which is the only way that frame works.
Under the canopy.
The grove sites at Calamigos are the ones people picture when they picture this venue, and they are also the ones that punish a careless camera. Mature trees break the afternoon sun into hard patches that drift through a ceremony, so a face that is perfectly exposed during the vows can be half in shadow by the ring exchange. We expose for skin rather than for the leaves, position so the couple are not standing in a hotspot, and let the background blow out where it wants to. Fighting dappled light almost always looks worse than working with it. We have now filmed four weddings across this ranch, on different sites, and the plan changes with each one. More in our notes on filming at Calamigos Ranch.
Do you film weddings at Calamigos Ranch?
Often. Mariah and Joey's is one of four films we have made in Malibu Canyon at Calamigos Ranch. The ranch runs several separate wedding sites across the canyon, each with its own trees and its own light, so knowing which one you have booked changes the plan entirely.
How much does a Calamigos Ranch wedding videographer cost?
Our collections run from $6,000 for The Moment to $10,000 for The Legacy, our most complete collection. Each one is a full cinematic wedding film of your day plus a custom wedding website. Everything is set out on our Collections page.
How do you film a ceremony under the trees?
Carefully, because the canopy breaks the sun into hard patches that move through the ceremony. We expose for faces rather than for the background, place ourselves so the couple are not sitting in a hotspot, and accept some blown highlights in the leaves. Fighting dappled light usually looks worse than working with it.
When do we get our wedding film?
About 8 to 12 weeks for the full film. The Portrait and The Legacy also include a shorter teaser, delivered sooner, so you have something to share while the main edit is still running.
Will we notice you during the day?
Barely. We film the day as it happens rather than staging it, staying close but out of the way. Most couples tell us afterwards that they forgot anyone was filming.