Hi everybody, I’m Ellyn and I’m a Grantham Wedding Videographer. Originally I’m from Canada but I’ve been in the UK for 10 years. “Now how did that happen?” I hear you say. Well it’s a long story that starts with me in early twenties who had no job, lived in her crazy mother’s house and had just been dumped. So of coarse I did the only rational thing and packed a few bits and went on a grand backpacking adventure which eventually led me to stay on a friend’s spare room. A short stay turned into a long stay because I got a visa, got a decent job, met some great people and eventually it began to feel like home. Then I met a to a lovely chap from Grantham and we moved into our dream house right by Dysart Park. We now have a one year old baby and a bastard cat, and I have the best job filming happy couples in the beautiful wedding venues in Grantham and beyond.
My goal is for us to become friends so you feel comfortable with me tagging along with you on your wedding day. Your photographer and I will be spending so much time with you on the day so if we don’t vibe, it’s not going to be fun for anyone. So here’s a few things about me to help us reach ‘friends’ status sooner.
The PC Stuff : I love true crime podcasts, bubble baths, fixing up my garden, watching live comedy, listening to classic rock music and I make a mean lasagne. I got married in Grantham a few years ago (that’s me obn my wedding day below). My husband Simon and I have a 1 year old who can only say a few words but he already sounds like a proper East-Midlands lad.
The Non-PC Stuff: I come from a very very blended and multicultural family. They are all insane but there’s a lot of love there. When I was in my early 20s I got a lot of really cheap and terrible tattoos. I regret every single one now (especially the Rocketship that looks suspiciously like a male appendage). I am left-leaning. Love is love, black lives matter, the earth is not flat, fat is bloody beautiful and if you disagree we probably wont get along and that’s okay, best of luck with another videographer.
I have a few personal style rules I like to follow when filming weddings. But to sum them up I rely on my handy-dandy motto “the wedding video is not more important than the wedding”. That’s why…
Whether you are getting married at Belton Woods Hotel, Harlaxton Manor, Stubton Hall or a Tipi in The Vale, I would be an excellent addition to your bridal team. If all that sounds good to you, check out how things usually go during the weddings I film. Hopefully you like the cut of my jib and feel inclined to get in touch. I love chatting about weddings and painting a picture of how I can contribute to your wedding in particular. So why not get in touch?
I would love to chat you and your partner either over a video call to discuss your wedding. We will lock down exactly what you are looking for from me and how involved you want me to be on the day. Once you’ve decided to book me (thank you) I’ll let you carry on wedding planning.
About 6 weeks before the wedding I’ll get in touch to arrange a briefing call. We’ll discuss the schedule, who the key people are, logistics and the video’s edit schedule. On this call I aim to enter into the friend zone a bit. I want you to feel comfortable with me on the day and like I’m just another guest, not some stranger.
I like to arrive as early as possible and get at least an hour of preparation shots. Then I go to the venue to film the details while it is empty and set up my cameras for the ceremony. I’ll mic up the groom and officiant and the next half hour or so is out of my hands (yey congrats, you’re married now).
During the reception I film lots of the guests chatting and enjoying themselves and generally getting scene-setting shots. For speeches I will mic up all the speech givers. I always film the speeches in full, so if you only bought a highlight video but decide later that you want the speeches too, I will have them. Following that, no one looks good eating so I usually wait until cake cutting or dancing to jump back into filming mode. But all that being said, all weddings are different and I will work around what you have planned. I go into more detail about how I can capture your wedding on the Packages page. If you are interested.
I will edit the footage and send you a version one for feedback. It usually takes 8-10 weeks for me to get it to a good enough place to share it. Together we will go back and forth until you are happy (but hopefully I nail it the first time). When the final product is approved, I’ll pop a little care package in the post so you have a physical copy of your film.
