Enter with a bang!

One of the things that's always fun to see in the wedding videos we edit is a grand entrance. Some of the bridal parties simply walk in with a wave and kind of hang their head till they get to their seat. The BEST bridal parties are the ones that get a kick out of doing something goofy (probably after a drink or two). We've seen a lot of crazy entrances! The below are descriptions of the goofiest.

In one weddings in particular, the bridal party was masssive. If I remember correctly, like 10 couples or something like that. Well, the entrances in themselves seemed to take up most of the reception as they did this grand entrance on a stage with a spotlight following them as they leaped, threw stuff in the air, did funny dances, etc.

This couple came out, and at first attempted to trick everyone because they were walking like any standard entrance. Suddenly, the girl in front threw up what looked like pixie dust in the air. Then her guy came behind her and did the same thing.

Another couple came up behind them and the guy whipped out what looked like a magician's cloth and waved it around. Then the couple after that played leapfrog. It was a riot!

In a different wedding, the bride and groom made what was quite possibly the craziest, most unique entrance I think I've ever seen. They dressed up like Aladdin and the girl rode in on a magic carpet ON WHEELS that lit up neon colors. If that doesn't grab anyone's attention, what will?

In my opinion, the fun entrances are the best. They really pump up the guests and set the tone that everyone there should let loose and have a ball!



Take a look at the film below to witness all the goofy entrances for yourself!

Joanna's Wedding Film from Jon Gangwer on Vimeo.

Traditional Jewish Wedding

Below are two traditional Jewish wedding films that we filmed and edited. There are so many different traditions in a Jewish wedding that really make for an exciting film. For example, there's the:


Ketubah- A document the bride, groom, and their families sign which display the responsibilities of the groom to the bride. It is traditionally read out under the chupah (canopy the couple gets married under), but many times it is signed privately in a room away from the wedding madness. Many times, the document is decorated with a neat illustration that mean something to the bride or groom. For more traditional couples, however, it remains plain and in Hebrew.


Next there is something called the Bedeken, which happens after the Ketubah. The groom and his parents, as well as the rabbi approach the bride and veil her face. Many times during this ceremony, there is joyous singing. Music is taken very seriously in orthodox Jewish weddings. The musicians are not just there for a paid gig, they play spiritually and sway to the rhythm, really becoming part of the couple's emotions.


The chupah is a canopy held up by 4 poles. In traditional Jewish faith, it represents a roof where directly above is clear skies, depicting a soaring future for the couple. The entire ceremony takes place under this chupah, including exchanging of the rings and the breaking of the glass, which can represent many symbols. One of the symbols is that the couple's old world is broken and now they're entering a new world, where they are married and have new responsibilities.



And the best part of the Jewish wedding (in my opinion), the hora! This is a family dance where everyone holds hands and spin clockwise. This depicts the two families coming together and celebrating the marriage. It is custom to play musical instruments and drink during a Jewish reception.

Rebecca's Wedding video from Jon Gangwer on Vimeo.

Alison's Wedding Film from Jon Gangwer on Vimeo.

Southern Belle Wedding

This Philadelphia wedding video we filmed/edited really struck a artistic chord with me. It really brought me back to the good old days of simplicity and life outdoors where everyone knew they're neighbor. This couple had a close-knit family, all the bridesmaids looked like southern bells, the guys wore suspenders and looked carefree, and there was even a cute dog there that I decided to name "Rover." I think the idea to have a "southern" or "old time-y" wedding theme is so humble. You can even refer to it as a vintage wedding. I can't imagine any guest who didn't feel like they can be themselves and relaxed with good family and friends. It really gets away from all the politics of weddings.

Robin's Wedding Film from Jon Gangwer on Vimeo.

Destination Weddings

There's something about a destination wedding. Whenever we get one in, I know it's going to be particularly special from a film perspective, especially if it's in a tropical place like Mexico. I know that there will be some elements that a video camera in Philadelphia, PA for example, wouldn't be able to capture in the same way.

I think it has to do with the quality of the light first off. It's warmer, it humanizes a person more on film. It rims a person's face so perfectly if it's in just the right shots. The ability to use it to your advantage is there- you can make people silhouettes, or you can just admire the soft glow on a baby's face.


The other thing about tropical locations is you can find certain elements or art and value that are hard to find anywhere else. Like, certain works of antique art or sculpting on the wall that is tearing way. These things are hard to preserve, so it's admirable from a video perspective to get close ups of certain textures and things like that. Every once in a while, you'll scan the footage and find something you'd only see on the cover of a book.


It's just different. Different in a good way!

Wedding Transportation

We just had a wedding in Central Park this past weekend and discovered a great idea. This maybe a standard thing to do, but it had never occurred to me. There was a trolley that shuttled guests on a set route along the park stopping at three different parking lots. I realized that this approach can be implemented in most any city wedding where parking spaces are a limited commodity.

I suppose when planning a wedding you can map out some approved parking lots and perhaps even work out something with them. And then communicate your route and trolley schedule to your guests with a spiffy little handout that matches your wedding design pallet. Depending on the wedding size, you can go with one, two or more trolleys to decrease the wait time for your guests.

This way, you can have custom transportation that easily gets your guests where they want to be, when they want to be there, in an often challenging environment!