Here's what real Brides and Grooms have to say about Melissa Jae Films on their special day:
Alliyah L.
05/03/2021
"We are so grateful to have Melissa as our videographer for our wedding. She has gone above and beyond to capture our wedding day. I'm so excited to have the ability to share this with our future kids and grandkids. I have already rewatched our videos 100x over! Melissa, you are a dream to work with, and you have made myself and my new husband (who is secretly camera shy) very comfortable being our goofy selves on camera. The quality of the videos is more than what we could ever imagine. Thank you for making capturing our wedding, all the details, and taking the time to understand who we are because it really shines through. We had an absolute blast!!"
"Not only did Melissa provide amazing videos of our day, but she also worked flawlessly with our photographer and was essential in making the entire day go smoothly! She was easy to communicate with - even when we were halfway across the country. We are super happy with how our videos turned out and really could not have asked for a better videographer! We highly recommend using Melissa for your event!!!"
"We had so much fun with Melissa on our wedding day! She was so helpful in getting everyone excited and set for photos & video. Our video turned out so beautiful, it made me cry all over again. I love how she blends candid shots with the natural flow of posed shots. She was so easy to work with and fun to be around. Highly recommend her to make your wedding day the best it can be!!"
"Not only did Melissa provide amazing videos of our day, but she also worked flawlessly with our photographer and was essential in making the entire day go smoothly! She was easy to communicate with - even when we were halfway across the country. We are super happy with how our videos turned out and really could not have asked for a better videographer! We highly recommend using Melissa for your event!!!"
"I cannot say enough amazing things about Melissa! I was connected to her through a friend and was struck by the quality of her videos and the competitive pricing...I had worried videography wasn't something I could afford. We talked about what was important to me, and she even customized a package to meet my needs and budget. She was SO FUN on the wedding day and made the "staged laughing" (there's a lot of it on your wedding day for photos/video) feel very natural and silly. We are *blown away* by the video quality and how she managed to capture the feel of our wedding, right down to perfect song choice. I am so glad we decided to hire a videographer and even more glad we chose her!!!"
"Melissa was so professional, fun, and easy to work with! We loved the unique addition of drone footage for our outdoor farm wedding. She beautifully captured each part of our favorite day, from speeches to our first look. With zoom calls leading up to the wedding, we were able to share our top priorities and ideas to make our wedding video special and perfect for us. I would highly recommend working with Melissa"
A combination of cinematic and storytelling. I use a combination of static and movement shots to capture interactions between the Bride and groom and their families reactions. I love to incorporate vows and speeches into the film to help tell your story and add a meaningful touch. From capturing the venue to the wedding dress, flowers, and decorations, the smallest details help take you back to relive your wedding day. I also love featuring close family members and friends throughout the day from sweet messages to the bride and groom to funky dance moves!
What is your specific approach to capturing a wedding?
My goal is that the only time anyone will notice me is when the couple needs me to make them laugh, help make a decision, or bring them back to the present moment amidst all the chaos. I don't like to be the boss and control very movement in the day; I like to let it flow naturally and capture the honest moments that occur. I'm always shooting to avoid "do that again" takes to keep thing authentic and real. Having the groom see his bride for the second time in a First Look never looks as good as the first time. I don’t follow a guidebook... I shoot on the fly but that makes things real, and I think that is more important than following a strict formula.
How do you make couples feel comfortable in front of the camera?
One of the most important things is to make sure you and your fiance feel comfortable with me. I don't view my couples as clients but as good friends. Before the big day we meet multiple times, either in person or on video chat, and discus more than just timeline details. I love to hear how you first met, how you fell in love, and what you are looking forwards to on your wedding day. By getting to know each other in advance, the wedding day will be less stressful. Instead of just seeing another vendors face, you see a friends!
Though I love the Bachelor, a wedding day is not the place to make people feel like they are on reality TV. I use smaller and compact gear over huge rigs to help make guest feel at ease. It also lets me get out on the dance floor and capture guest's killer dance moves!
What equipment will they use?
I film on a mirrorless camera allowing me to capture moments in 4k and HD. It's light weight, compact, and uses double SD cards to backup all clips so there is not risk of corruption. To capture smooth shots, I also use a stabilizer and bring lighting for the reception to ensure we capture everything, even in dim lighting! For sound I use an on-camera microphone for ambiance sounds, a recording device which ties into your venue’s built-in sound system or DJ's system, and provide the option for the bride and groom to wear microphones.
Do I have to wear a microphone?
Both the groom and bride have the option of wearing a microphone to capture vows and the officiant’s speech during the ceremony. The microphones are hidden in a way where it is not visible in photos or videos! If the bride prefers not wear a microphone, no worries! The groom’s microphone will be able to pick up the bride’s audio.
Do you charge for travel?
To keep pricing simple, for most weddings there are no travel fees. I only charge a travel fee if the travel time exceeds 1 hour (one way).
