ARCHIVE
Please enjoy reading our past articles from InFocus.
Art and Tradition
The most flattering compliment: To produce wedding films for each son or daughter in the same family. This summer for us has been quite a testament to family tradition. To create a library of legacy for the Barkley family and the Howard family has been an incredible privilege for us. Partnering with the Barkleys to insure that each of their three wonderful daughters have the best wedding film available is the principle of excellence upon which we have built Four Seasons Films. We celebrated with Auburn as she was married in a delightful outdoor ceremony at the family's mountain estate during June.
Paul and I have also traveled to three distinct locations over the years to record three wedding celebrations for the Howard family. To be placed at the top of their priority list is humbling to say the least. We celebrated with them at Katie's August destination wedding at the Cliffs' Chapel, elevation 3200 feet with 360 degree views for 75 miles. Priceless! Thank you to both these families for making us a part of their wedding tradition and trusting us with recording these most significant days.
A Wedding Day Edit for the Ages
I am married to a filmmaker and editor that is a class act, cool under pressure, and well, simply brilliant! With skill and impeccable timing, Paul created a dramatic wedding day edit in a matter of hours for the guests to view following the dinner of a wedding reception at Rumbling Bald Resort. It was such a proud moment for me personally to see and hear Paul receive applause and standing ovations from hundreds of guests who understood and appreciated the moments they had just witnessed. It was also very gratifying for me personally to watch others delight in the images that I had recorded earlier in the day. Thank you to Sherrie and Stacy for sharing our vision of creating a memorable evening for their guests that will be etched in memories for a very long time! Kudos to a terrific wedding planner, Tamara Heston at Belle Soiree for working alongside us with a strategic and well planned schedule of events that made it all happen perfectly.
Featured Wedding
Q&A: "Why were Paul and I celebrating our wedding anniversary in Charleston, South Carolina, this year?" Because we really wanted to create a unique wedding film for Elena and Kevin to watch together as they celebrate future anniversaries of their own. That is what it is all about...couples celebrating their marriages year after year! This wonderful ceremony and reception were held at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island. The couple exchanged personal vows during their ceremony and then a double rainbow appeared over the ocean during cocktail hour. There were several guests and family from Russia so we learned many lovely Russian traditions during the weekend. We produced a moving cinematic portrait for Kevin and Elena that features spectacular moments from their Sanctuary wedding. They even hosted a second reception in New York where they unveiled their Four Seasons Films wedding trailer to their guests. How exciting!
Style Me Pretty - Seattle!
Paul and I are traveling to the Pacific Northwest for a September destination wedding! We are thrilled to be filming Julia and Dean's wedding on the scenic Kitsap Peninsula. Their wedding guests will be crossing the picturesque Puget Sound via Washington ferries to arrive at the wedding venue. We were introduced to Julia and Dean's story via one of Martha Stewart's favorite blog sites, Style Me Pretty. We are a proud member of their exclusive Little Black Book of wedding professionals. Everyone knows that Seattle is home to hundreds of independent coffee roasters and brewers. As an artist and editor, I derive much inspiration from the heavenly aroma that a dark roasted coffee produces. I'm sure to be spotted at either Cafe Vita or Cafe Ladro sampling some of Seattle's finest! A featured story on Julia and Dean's wedding coming soon on Style Me Pretty!
ABBY'S LITTLE BLACK BOOK
We are excited to announce our recent invitation from Abby Larson to be a preferred cinematographer in Style Me Pretty's "Little Black Book". Kudos to Abby and Michelle for creating and publishing this trendy new network of top wedding professionals as a planning resource for brides! Abby will be highlighting a unique fall wedding that we filmed in Banner Elk, North Carolina for Elizabeth Broyhill Cohen on Style Me Pretty - The Ultimate Wedding Blog. This also happens to be one of Four Seasons Films' Featured Weddings. Visit our online gallery to view the trailer and see why Abby and her online audience love and appreciate the unique and sophisticated style of cinema produced by Four Seasons Films.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
Paul and I want Four Seasons Films to continually set a very high standard for excellence in wedding cinematography. In 2008, many exciting new technologies and advancements have occurred to allow us limitless opportunities to keep pushing the creative envelope for filming and editing! We are poised and ready to produce wedding films for our clients that take the WOW factor to a whole new level! Clients have readjusted their entire budget based on our integrity and the high quality of our finished product. Our goal is to always exceed the expectations of our clients by producing work above and beyond any monetary sum. When you are passionate and driven about your craft, this is what you strive for. This will always be our standard.
PLANNING A TROPICAL WEDDING?
Four Seasons Films is offering an exclusive new film package: "DESTINATION PARADISE" for couples planning a destination wedding in paradise during the winter months! Whether it is a small, initimate gathering or an extravagant event in a breathtaking location, we are now accepting 2009 commissions for your Destination Paradise Wedding! With your wedding celebration as the backdrop and Holley and Paul as your principal cinematographers, you will love the exciting details of this limited package. Get in touch and tell us about your wedding...we look forward to creating a very unique proposal just for you!
PRESS
We were pleased and honored to receive recognitions in two lovely publications, the Weddings Unveiled magazine and The Bride's Book magazine. Weddings Unveiled published a special section that profiles Asheville, North Carolina, as a spotlight city for destination weddings and lists the city's finest professionals. The magazine revealed to their readers that Four Season Films is one of Asheville's Best Kept Secrets! With a revelation like that, it is our hope that the modern bride be aware that whether she is hosting her wedding in Asheville or another city or maybe even a country abroad, it is no secret that our fine art wedding films are investments delivering an experience far exceeding expectations. We aspire to master the art of wedding cinematography in what remains the most demanding and challenging field for a filmmaker. To be informed that others have taken notice and respect our efforts has been a terrific surprise and we were thrilled to receive a Reader's Choice Award by The Bride's Book. We extend a special thanks to those readers for recognizing and choosing us as your best of the best!
AN EXQUISITE EVENT!
Lisa Gatewood-McMillan of Asheville, North Carolina, was interviewed on television recently about the numerous locations for destination weddings in Western North Carolina. Paul edited an incredible piece for the airing of the show with scenic aerials and a splash of scenes from our wedding films. It brought us much joy to see our art displayed on television for viewers to enjoy! Thank you to Lisa for inviting us to be the preferred expert in cinematography for Exquisite Events & Consulting and we wish her continued success in planning spectacular events and celebrations.
CREATE A BUZZ!
Paul and Holley are thrilled to unveil a fabulous way to premiere your Four Seasons' wedding film to yourselves, your guests and even those unable to attend your event. For more details, be sure to inquire with us about this fantastic way to instantly impress, entertain and share your excitement with everyone special in your life.
GALLERY TOURS
I enjoy being a curator of sorts. Paul and I opened our own personal art gallery at Four Seasons Films. Now, our web guests can take their own self-guided tours. Each movie trailer exhibits our work as artists and shows our passion for writing dramatic, visual accounts. We highlight our fabulous clients at fabulous places in motion pictures. Paul's Hollywood style trailers always receive high acclaim and it is a tribute to his talent for our trailers to be viewed so often and for his creative style to be a source by which others model their work. New exhibits are currently on display and our gallery is open 24 hours!
FEATURED WEDDINGS
Now appearing on our Home Page! Enjoy the element of surprise as a different event will appear with each visit. We desire to connect with our prospective clients through posting various Featured Weddings that detail our personal approach to filming weddings and our ability to tell each unique story. The recent additions include weddings filmed at:
The Cloisters at The Sea Island Resort
The Elk River Club
The Daufuskie Island Resort & Spa
The Biltmore Estate
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
Paul and I want Four Seasons Films to continually set a very high standard for excellence in wedding cinematography. In 2008, many exciting new technologies and advancements have occurred to allow us limitless opportunities to keep pushing the creative envelope for filming and editing! We are poised and ready to produce wedding films for our clients that take the WOW factor to a whole new level! Clients have readjusted their entire budget based on our integrity and the high quality of our finished product. Our goal is to always exceed the expectations of our clients by producing work above and beyond any monetary sum. When you are passionate and driven about your craft, this is what you strive for. This will always be our standard.
JEWELS OF LIGHT
As I studied and earned my Fine Arts degree, the opportunity to visit galleries and analyze the different approaches of each artist firsthand always fascinated me. Visiting galleries and experiencing the art in person still fascinates and refreshes me. On a trip to Washington, D.C., I made it a priority to take Paul and our two children to visit the National Cathedral. More than twenty stained glass artists collaborated to design and fabricate the Cathedral's two hundred and thirty-one windows over a span of eighty-three years. Their breathtaking beauty is on display every day for the world to behold. There I stood in this century old cathedral, silently in awe as each morning ray of sun would pass light through a different window for my eyes to experience. It is difficult to describe the visual and emotional responses brought by the light in this place so I'll let the following story relay my feelings. Artist, Dieter Goldkuhle, arrived at the Cathedral in the early morning and was quoted to speaking these words, "Even if you are not particularly religious, you must recognize this light as the physical presence of God." If you are planning a trip to Washington, D.C., please add the National Cathedral to your "Must See List"! You can also visit the Cathedral and learn more about each window and artist in a book entitled, "Jewels of Light". The book is filled with a wealth of photographs by Ken Cobb.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
 
Ten years ago, we were introduced to Jimmy through World Vision's Outreach to Haiti. For children under the age of five, Haiti is the most deadly country in the Western Hemisphere. Jimmy writes regularly to thank us for sponsoring him so that his basic needs are met and that he receives an education and also access to clean water and healthcare for his family. I was reminded once by Jimmy's mother how precious the smallest things are. I had visited a mom and pop nursery/seed shop not far from our home. It was spring and I was there to buy seeds for planting in our garden. I love to watch things grow and bloom. Then it occurred to me that giving seeds sends a universal message that all people understand. My mission became clear and my hands were full after gathering packet after packet of various melon and vegetable seeds. I sent them to Jimmy in celebration of his birthday in July. I received a very personal note from his mother thanking us for the seeds assuring me that they would sow them and water them all. The smallest acts (seeds) of kindness reap a chain reaction of blessings. I receive a new photo each year of Jimmy. I am sharing the most recent because it speaks to the positive influence that we can have on the lives of others...Planting the seeds of hope in those less fortunate than ourselves. My hearts swells and an invisible cup within me runs over when I see and compare the decade's difference between these photos. Not only am I watching this young Haitian boy grow into a man, but I now see hope in his eyes and on his face because a stranger thousands of miles away cared about his life and well-being. I encourage everyone to impact our world by planting your own seeds of hope. It is a priceless investment in the lives of others with dividends beyond measure. Check out World Vision and read about their positive influence around the globe!
A SPECIAL TRIBUTE
Our thirteen year old golden retriever, Kaptain (ie. Kappy) had gracefully and quietly been slowing down for months in his own regal way. It was mid-October as Paul and I were preparing to pack equipment and travel to the SC coast to film a two day wedding event. In his fragile state of health, it was always in the back of our minds that when we said goodbye for our trip that it might possibly be our last moments with our beloved family pet. Paul and I had welcomed this bundle of unconditional love into our home early fall of '94, about eight weeks after our own wedding. Although challenging, we were both able to keep our emotions in check during that weekend as we filmed and celebrated with the Haugabrook family during one of the happiest days of their lives. Sadly for us, our beloved golden had passed away in his sleep before we made it back to North Carolina. With tender hearts, Paul and I spent an emotional trip home reminiscing our memories of Kappy. In the weeks that followed, I set aside time to heal by crafting a shadow box to honor Kappy. It hangs in our family room as a special tribute to one of the kindest, most gentle spirited dogs I have ever known.
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FOUR SEASONS FILMS has filmed weddings featured by:
Jacqueline and Derek
The Biltmore Estate
Ashley and Brad
The Biltmore Estate
Christina and Ryan
Hilton Head Island
2007 Bride's Book Award
Lia and Aris
Sea Island Resort
Corinne and John
Queenstown, Maryland
For more information about professional colleagues of Four Seasons Films, you may view our recommendations here: RESOURCES
Four Seasons Films
888.780.FILM
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