We are Matt & Melissa Davis, owners and Signature Videographers of Life Stage Films. But we can't take all the credit. Life Stage is comprised of a team of filmmakers based in Wilmington, NC and we feel so blessed to provide our International Award Winning style not only in the South East, but all over the country.
We like to do things a little differently around here. Who says your wedding video has to be boring and amateur?! We like to step away from the typical wedding video and create a fresh, edgy, and entertaining "film" of your wedding day. The best day of your life deserves being documented in a powerful way. But we don't stop there! As our name implies, filming events at all "Stages in Life" is our passion. That includes Family Documentaries, Baby Stories, and any other types of celebrations that make life grand. We also provide businesses with unique video marketing tools through our sister company.
Hang out for a while and enjoy some of our work! And let us know you stopped in by leaving us some comments on the posts you enjoyed. Want to get to know us even more?! Follow us on Twitter! And if you really love us, be sure to add yourself to our Facebook Fan Page!
We are so proud of the work we GET to do everyday. We love what we provide families. And we try to provide them something different. Out of the ordinary. We don’t want it to be the same as everybody else. We hope you see the difference. So throw the term “wedding video” out the window.
We are excited about this video mainly because we feel brides aren’t being educated enough about the powerful impact of videography on their marriage. We hope more and more bridal magazines and blogs start spreading the news that having a video is a good, and priceless gift to yourselves after your wedding day is over. Especially if its well crafted, and captures all the details you never knew about. And we want choosing a wedding videographer to be the EASIEST decision you have to make during all your hectic wedding planning. We wish we could have interviewed all of our brides and grooms from the last couple years, but we think these 2 couples will do a great job telling you what we are all about. Thanks to all of the families who have already entrusted us with your wedding memories. And here’s to many more in 2009 and 2010! Enjoy the film, and let us know what you think!
January 6, 2009 - 2:15 pmAustin Weddings - What a great video! I agree that having a videographer should be just as essential as having a photographer at your wedding. Keep up the beautiful work.
January 6, 2009 - 4:56 pmAmy Warkentien - Wow! Great job Matt. I am excited for the kind of company and image you have consistently given Lifestage. I only hope this next year will give us both many more great opportunities to shine. I look forward to the future. Thanks for all of your hard work to make Lifestage the best it can be.
January 10, 2009 - 1:38 pmCoach Reggie - Amazing. You are blessed with an amazing talent. Continue on your path of being legendary.
January 14, 2009 - 12:34 pmTim Sarquis - Awesome work! You really got an eye for cinematography!
January 16, 2009 - 12:11 amEvro Moudanidis - Solid work Matt, I really loved the interviews and overall found it really emotive.
Excellent!!
Cheers,
Evro
Moudanie Pictures
www.moudanie.com.au
January 18, 2009 - 10:00 amSteve Murphy - Matt, you do absolutely beautiful work!
October 1, 2009 - 11:37 amJoey Grob - Whoo hoo !!! I had a cameo in the beginning of the video !! (I'm the handsome photographer in black with my trusty monopod :)
October 14, 2009 - 9:11 amEd - Excellent workmanship. Would agree it's essential to have your wedding video'd ESP as the bride and groom miss lots of the background info as they are off dealing with formalities.
December 24, 2009 - 3:28 amJet Kaiser - The thumbnail alone is out of this world! Brilliant piece!
January 11, 2010 - 11:46 pmJamie Crumley-Tate - So, even after like 9 months. I still am constantly on your site. My wedding is over and done with, but yet, I can't get enough of your videos! Amazing. Even this gave me chills. Yall amaze me with your talents!
February 16, 2010 - 3:00 pmOren Arieli - You rock! Thanks so much for coming out and sharing your wisdom with our Bay Area videographer's association. I hope you can visit again sometime soon.
February 26, 2010 - 3:03 amDavid Ruzicka - Just watched your video on infocus at eventdv 25 about business leverage. It sounds almost identical to E-myth revisited by Michael E. Gerber. BTW the article about the sales manual is a business savior. I had used it yesterday on a client it really worked. Thank you for sharing. Just found out that this business is about 80% marketing/sales. And about to meet with a former wedding to redesign my demo/testimonial, did the same mistake as you.
Dave
You would think in today’s age of HD this and HD that, people would have forgotten old film along time ago. But you see, its more popular than ever. Super 8mm and 16mm are special. Just something about it draws you in. And that translates into a very emotional experience when a wedding is filmed in vintage Super 8mm film. LifeStage is excited and proud to offer the addition of Super 8mm film for your wedding. It’s such a unique experience that we are the only wedding video studio in the region to offer it (3 that we know of in NC).
But we hear you asking, “Guys, what’s so great about it. Its so shaky, there’s no sound and its not a very high quality image. Why would I want this”?
The only response we really have is to ask yourself the feeling you get when you watch old home movies. When you watch old film. Its nostalgic. Super 8 film feels like a faded memory. And its feminine. Its not as harsh as some HD videos tend to be (not ours of course). But when you add film to an HD wedding video it adds so much character to it, it adds another dimension. Super 8mm film is perfect not only for the bride that wants something spectacular and unique, but for the bride who may not want video to begin with. Its kind of the “anti-video”. It doesn’t have the realness of video. It’s…surreal. Its hard not to feel nostalgic when watching Super 8mm films, but please don’t take our word for it. Watch our new sampler demo and let us know what you think. We would be happy to make it available to you for your wedding.
July 28, 2009 - 1:48 pmsteve+z - NICE Matt! Fun, full of character and emotion, Very nice maiden voyage into the world of super 8! Your couples are going to love this new feature!
July 28, 2009 - 1:50 pmEvan Vetter - Great work guys - always taking it up a notch!
July 28, 2009 - 2:20 pmjones - the closeup at 1:50, FTW!!!
July 28, 2009 - 4:08 pmKristen Turick - Beautiful Matt! Welcome to the wonderful world of Super8... May you shoot much film. :) 1:50 was the bomb!
July 29, 2009 - 6:23 pmBeau Brotherton - Gorgeous! I concur with the amazing close up at 1:50, it is a perfect shot. Tremendous film!!
July 29, 2009 - 6:59 pmDavid Nida - Y'know, Matt, I think your new feature, the Super 8, is just like cotton. There are shinier, flashier alternatives out there, but it's classic that'll always be around.
August 5, 2009 - 8:45 amLisa - That was an amazing video! That was my brother Jason and new sister...you captured their true love that have for one another and it was awesome!
September 16, 2009 - 6:52 amLuke - I am a videographer from West Virginia and I LOVE watching your demos. You guys are great and the work you do is breath taking! I would love to get in contact with you by email or what ever it may be and talk with you. I am a young videographer at only 20 years old. This is my love and you guys are a great inspiration!
I still can’t believe it as I type it. But it’s true! On February 24th, 2010 Life Stage Films was named one of the hottest, most influential event filmmaking studios, in the world! This honor was given to us by the biggest trade magazine in our industry, EventDV Magazine. The biggest honor is that our peers, others professionals in wedding video from all over the world are the only ones allowed to vote, so to make this list out of the 50,000+ videographers out there means so much to me, and to our team. This isn’t a “contest” you enter. The list comes out every year, and it’s something I always look forward to for inspiration and encouragement in making my craft better. There are many talented wedding filmmakers in the world, and we look to so many other filmmakers on this list for guidance and inspiration, which means even more to be named up there with them. We started our business in 2006, and vowed to go against the grain of of mediocre, and poor quality wedding videos.
We feel our couples, and our families that invest and trust us to film the best day of their lives, deserve SO much more! There is a new revolution brewing of quality wedding films that are creative, entertaining, purposeful and really really fun to watch! And we are just so glad that we are constantly moving in that direction, and evolving our product to be something that families desire. I am honored to not only represent Wilmington, Charlotte, Raleigh and other wedding markets in North Carolina, but to represent the amazing couples and families that are now part of our family, that have invited us to film their wedding day.
At our studio, we NEVER want to be comfortable with our work, and hope to constantly be looking for new inspiration and stay relevant to our clients. Winning this award was incredible, but we promise to make 2010 even better, and work that much harder to be a positive example, be a catalyst for change in the wedding industry, and to be a breath of fresh air to our clients. Thanks for sharing in our excitement! We are looking forward to an amazing 2010!
You can watch the announcement video below! I am the second one announced, right behind my “brother” Adam Forgione of Long Island.
March 3, 2010 - 3:53 pmJeff Brouillet - Very well deserved Matt, congrats! Your work always looks amazing and I have learned so much from your IN[FOCUS] presentation and coaching webinars so far and the results from implementing a few things have already made a huge impact on my business!
#1. Being able to step into a new creative zone and do things I haven’t tried before.
#2. Giving back.
So, naturally, when Michelle Kidd of Vida Events called and said we were the only studio in North Carolina capable of pulling off a concept video like this, we immediately started chomping at the bit. The idea came from Becki Dickinson, a talented photographer in Greensboro, NC. You can learn more about her cause HERE. We spent 2 fun filled days with some high profile leaders in Greensboro, including the mayor and Sheriff BJ Barnes, as well as the police dept and fire dept. The real fun was had with the rest of the community, including business owners and families.
Here’s the skinny:
We got together with the Red Cross, City of Greensboro gov’t officials, and members of the community to create a fun, silly yet impactful video on getting more involved outside of the little world that we all live in. Most of us have bad days from time to time. But those bad days are nothing compared to the days being lived by the displaced people of Haiti. The purpose of this video is to illustrate that joy, and GIVING of yourself and your time is contagious (as illustrated by the passing of the “hearts”. It can start in your own community and spread to other parts of the world.
If you would like to get more involved in positively impacting the suffering families in Haiti, contact your local American Red Cross or visit http://www.americanredcross.org
Hope you enjoy! If you live in Greensboro, and want to directly support this cause and have a great time, you NEED to attend Becki Dickinson’s American Red Cross Benefit Dinner with live music and 100% of the proceeds supporting the disaster relief effort in Haiti.
March 2, 2010 - 1:35 pmLeeann Mckeon - Great Video! Really put a smile on my face.
March 2, 2010 - 1:57 pmWendy Harman - So cute! This is Wendy from American Red Cross Natl Headquarters.
March 2, 2010 - 5:00 pmWanda - I can feel it! Great work Matt! Simple everyday ways to help and give always make a difference - love the message!
March 2, 2010 - 5:26 pmBecki Dickinson - The video is awesome Matt. I can't thank you and Michelle and all the other people that worked so hard to pull this off in such a short time frame!
March 2, 2010 - 10:16 pmAshley Motsay - YES!!! I can feel it!!! What an inspiring video!!! LOVED IT!!!
March 4, 2010 - 7:50 amJudy Auger - Matt -- this is an amazing video, i've been singing "can you feel it" all morning! it was wonderful working with you and hope to again soon! thank you so much
March 4, 2010 - 3:02 pmMartha Cooley - Incredible! What a fantastic way to share this important message. I do hope the event is a huge success. I CAN feel it! Thanks!
March 2, 2010 - 6:36 pmHearts for Haiti Video Online | Becki Dickinson :: The Photographer Blog - [...] Thursday night is the big event. I hope everybody can make it to Studio B in downtown Greensboro. Here is the link to the video Matt Davis of Life Stage Films put together: http://blog.lifestagefilms.com/2010/03/02/hearts-for-haiti-a-quirky-red-cross-concept-video/ [...]
They met working for NASCAR…over a coke. What better way to celebrate the rest of their lives together than a fun South End wedding in Charlotte, NC with Coca-Cola in abundance! Amy & Jeff were one of the easiest going couples we have ever worked with. You could also tell they were exactly where they wanted to be, getting married. You can see their excitement when you watch this wedding highlights video. We had never shot a wedding at Byron’s South End Design Center but LOVE that area of town. Has so much character and a fun wedding environment. But to make it even better was Michelle Kidd with Vida Events & Design! She not only has great taste, but acts just like a friend or family member at the event, and isn’t an uptight and strict coordinator/planner. Melissa and I truly walked away as friends with both the couple and everyone involved, including photographer Sharon Clark, of Smitten Photography. Very cool vendor! Hope you enjoy the wedding highlights! We loved the energy of this wedding, Amy’s “eagerness” to say “yes” at the altar, and the CRAZY amount of dancing. Amy even threatened people to dance at her reception…I think it worked. Or it could have been the sugar rush from the Coca-Colas they passed around for the toasts. What a great party.
The pastor warns during this ceremony that its easy to overlook the significance of the ceremony when you have such a grand celebration planned later in the evening. The real beauty of the day happens in a matter of 15-20 minutes in a church, but those 15-20 are the most important of an entire lifetime. So true. However, I KNOW these two were VERY excited about their reception just around the corner at the Mint Museum in Charlotte. They definitely knew how to celebrate and did it with style surrounded by their family and friends. I actually knew quite a few people at this wedding as I had the privilege of knowing Lindsay in High School! It was so neat to see so many familiar faces. Made my job even more fun!
Lindsay and Mitch attend and chose one of the most beautiful churches in Charlotte, Covenant Presbyterian, near downtown. The elegance of the night continued at the Mint Museum with the Band keeping the crowd going!
Lindsay & Mitch are BIG fans of “The Boss” so let Springsteen serenade you back to their wedding day. Enjoy the highlights film!
February 12, 2010 - 12:52 pmLindsay - Ahhhhhhh! I love it! Matt, it's amazing. I don't even have sound on the computer I'm using right now, but it's amazing every without sound!! We were so blessed to have you and your talents present at our wedding; it was certainly one of the best decisions we've ever made! Thank you so much!
February 12, 2010 - 12:59 pmCaroline Williams - Oh, Matt!!! I LOVE IT! I especially love how you used the minister's words and all the happy close-ups!! To be enjoyed for a lifetime!
February 12, 2010 - 10:36 pmJay - Great video!! But where was Rick Springfield? You got me again Mitch with the reverse Rick Roll! Haha, great work Matt.
February 13, 2010 - 10:23 pm"Aunt Ruthie" Proper - Dear Lindsay and Mitch,
I have never seen a more beautiful wedding video. Your viideographer captured your love and joy perfectly.
And---what a handsome couple you make!
Congratulations!
(Sarah Petty's) Aunt Ruthie
(FOR BEST RESULTS, PRESS PLAY THEN PAUSE VIDEO IN ORDER FOR IT TO LOAD COMPLETELY)
This is just one of those wedding days that we just didn’t want to end. There are a lot of ingredients necessary to make a great wedding film, and this wedding had all the right parts. Even more important however, is the message and inspiration that everyone present at Craig and Angela’s wedding walked away with. I LOVE it when brides and grooms have their own written vows. It makes the love, their decision, and their promise so much more real. So much more honest and intimate. They both had the best vows we have ever heard at a wedding. They both hit the nail on the head. Honest, caring and selfless people like Craig and Angela always have people that surround them with the same qualities. You can hear how connected this group of people is just from the awesome toasts included in the highlights film. We also loved that Craig’s family is 100% Scottish! It was great to have Scottish flare infused into the wedding day, especially with the bagpipe player during the ceremony.
But one thing that really resonated with us at Life Stage with Craig & Angela was the life they live. Both Craig & Angela work in Africa (all over the place!) as humanitarian aid workers. And as you hear Craig’s dad say in the film, it’s not a glamorous life. But they ARE changing the world! Melissa and I lived in Mexico as missionaries for a while before starting the business, and our mission and vision for company is the same as these two. I love that. As you will see, Craig & Angela definitely know how to throw a party,but every guest left that night with a call to action to “Get Involved”. As a photographer, Angela turned photos she took (of amazing people and children that are suffering) into place settings and gifts to everyone so that they could walk away from their wedding at GET INVOLVED in something bigger than their blessed lives in the United States.
The “community” felt at this wedding was how it should be. The celebration was incredible, and the “message” of that day still resonates with us. Thank you so much Craig & Angela for not only inviting us into your lives as your wedding historians, but also as friends. Friends, family and bloggers, DEFINITELY leave a comment here if you enjoyed this glimpse into their wedding day!
February 9, 2010 - 10:13 amSylvia - Awe! That was so sweet and lovely! Thanks for sharing and brightening up a dull Tuesday afternoon :-)
February 9, 2010 - 10:42 amDaniel - WOW! Yes! That was AWESOME! I found myself gripping my coffee cup so hard at the end of the movie, because I was so enthralled, motivated and pumped UP! What an awesome couple, what a beautiful story. I love it when I see a wedding movie like that, and then I want to go and take on the biggest challenge, just cause I know there are others out there who are taking on challenges. Thanks, Life Stage, job very well done.
"In a world that needs Craig & Angela," truer words could not be said. What a wise old man.
On a different note, did the Pastor say, "Turn around to your peeps"? I love it.
February 9, 2010 - 10:52 amVinícius Martins - Amazing! Very Inspiring!
Congratulations!
February 9, 2010 - 1:07 pmCraig - Matt and Melissa, You guys are amazing! Words cant describe what we felt when watching our video. Thank you so much for the words you said, thank you so much for all your hard work. You guys rock, lifestage. Your production of our wedding encouraged me to keep going over here. Thank you! Thank you!
February 9, 2010 - 1:44 pmAngela - Wow Matt and Melissa (and team!) - we are just loving the way you captured our day. I can repeat what Craig said but just know it's doubled. :) Your kind words and excellent editing and video capturing really is amazing and we couldn't have made a better choice than to go with you guys as our videographer! We will have a blast showing this to all our friends here and sending out the link to all our guests from the US. Thank you a million times over! And if you ever need a place to stay in South Africa you know who to call :)
February 9, 2010 - 2:03 pmTom Pehrson - I got goosebumps watching this, Lifestage peeps. You rock!
February 9, 2010 - 2:48 pmZach Hedrington - Brought tears to my eyes. You two are very special people and I hope you continue on the road together filled with blessing and joy...
February 9, 2010 - 3:01 pmAlastair Geddes - What a fabulous video of the Geddes/Hess wedding. A memory we will all cherish. We have a very specail couple of young people in Craig and Angela and the video team captured it well. We trust that many lives around the world will be touched by the lives of these two wonderful newly weds. Blessings to you both through the journey of life.
February 9, 2010 - 5:36 pmJeff Brouillet - That was so beautiful, what an amazing story and such a great couple! That truly was inspiring to watch and brought many smiles to my face. :)
February 9, 2010 - 8:08 pmMarty & Sandy - There just are no words! I realize that you know this never happens to me...but there are no words. Only happy tears. We love you and so love your new wife. We will all meet one day. xo
February 9, 2010 - 9:57 pmLeslie Ramos - Wow! I actually got chills. You both are amazing people. I am very blessed to have you guys as friends. May the Lord bless your union always and may he keep taking you two to higher places.
February 10, 2010 - 11:38 amHarrison and Eileen - We enjoyed being a part of your special day. Thanks for sharing the video with us! Congrats!
February 10, 2010 - 3:52 pmJohn Moon - Engaging film and some great storytelling. Beautiful work.
If you are getting married this year in Wilmington, NC or the Cape Fear Region, DO NOT miss this event! We are so excited to be part of Orton Plantations “Secret Garden” weddings and event gathering, in celebration of 100 years of making this region more beautiful. Orton has taken the typical “bridal show” a step further by creating an experience, all while showcasing the best of the best wedding vendors in this area. Orton is also unveiling an incredible new venue for ceremonies and receptions right next to the river and beneath the oak trees. Come on out and see us there. We would LOVE to get to know YOU if you are considering to have Life Stage Films as part of your wedding day. Here’s some details.
LISTEN to us LIVE on Wilmington’s Hit Music Station Z 107.5 talking about the big wedding giveaway!!
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WHAT: An event to inspire brides and help them make great decisions for their wedding. Meet and greet the area’s top wedding professionals as they reveal the keys and secrets to your dream wedding.
Another AMAZING reason for you to at least attend, we have teamed up with Orton and some of the areas best vendors to GIVE AWAY a FREE Wedding! So you need to come and see us and register in person for this incredible opportunity. Here are the vendors involved in the FREE wedding giveaway.
February 11, 2010 - 8:56 amPaige - I was listen on the radio on z107.5 and I heard them announce the free wedding give away and I got on my computer and registered and I'm hoping that my name well get called cause this is a once in a life time chance. And I going to go to Ortons Gardens on Feb. 28 because I want to look around. And I'm getting married to the man of my dreams we have been dating about one year and we got engaged last year.
February 13, 2010 - 1:20 pmJenny Warren - I heard the announcement on z107.5 and immedialtely went on line and regsitered to win the free wedding. I just got engaged to the love of my life on christmas eve and it is very exciting. we have been togethter for almost 2yrs and are very happy together. we live right in leland and this would be a wonderful place to get married.
February 15, 2010 - 10:48 amErin Diener - What a wonderful opportunity with some of Wilmington's finest "wedding specialists"! Keeping my fingers crossed and many thanks for the opportunity to win a dream wedding!
February 17, 2010 - 9:38 pmJoyce Nelson - I heard about the contest on 107.5 and registered on line right away. Me and by boyfriend have been together 3 years and became engaged last october!So lucky to have found such a wonderful man. Can't wait until the expo on the 28th. Thanks for such a great opportunity!
February 19, 2010 - 11:22 amAbi Blackerby - Orton Plantation - Hey Everyone! We are so excited to team up with Life Stage Films and some of the best wedding vendors in the area to give away a wedding at Orton worth over $20,000. It's going to be incredible. Make sure you come to the Orton event on Feb. 28 to register to win!
February 25, 2010 - 11:22 amJulie Savino - I registered for my soon to be daughter-in-law who is away in the Army and unable to attend or plan her own wedding. She returns June 1st and has announced that she wants to be married at Orton. My son and I are going down this weekend to check it all out for her. My daughter is getting married in June and Julie will back just in time for that one. Then she has to start planning her own which will only be about 4 months away at that point. We are excited to go for her and help her hopefully win the wedding of her dreams.
February 27, 2010 - 8:48 pmFallon Lambdin - Just watching that video is so cool! I cant wait to meet with Life Stage (I think that is who did the video) because the music was awesome and the way they are able to film it and make it look like an older video! So awesome! This is going to be a great event and I cant wait until tomorrow! I've been with the love of my life for 2 years and I'm so lucky to have a chance to win a dream wedding! Thanks Orton and the vendors!
You can check out the other great vendors that won the award for every area of your wedding here as well!
To be associated with “The Knot” as a trustworthy and creative wedding cinema studio is an honor in and of itself. But to be voted in by our own clients and brides we don’t know from all over the country is an even bigger honor! We are so excited to be represented as North Carolina’s best and will use this accolade as a mission statement to continue to evolve wedding videos for our deserving brides and grooms. Looking forward to an amazing 2010!
Josiah and I filmed this wedding in Charlotte, and I specifically remember telling Amy towards the end of the night how excited I was about the footage that we got. I also said that it was one of our best weddings of the year, and she said “Get out! You tell everyone that!”. No Amy, we don’t. But for us, what makes a great wedding and great footage is the couple we are filming and what they are excited about. Amy and Ryan were truly a pleasure to work with because their wedding day was about them. They threw a beautiful party and had some of the most entertaining dancing we have seen. But the emotions, and the looks we captured of them enjoying their wedding day together mean the most to us as storytellers, and I LOVED how much tunnel vision they had towards each other all day. They danced, they laughed, and they even threw cake in each other’s face! But you could tell that even if that stuff wasn’t there, it wouldn’t have mattered, and that makes for a great wedding film. The Ballantyne Country Club staff coordinated and designed a beautiful event. It’s always easier to film at a venue like that. On a side note: Check out grandpa! I thought it was GREAT that he was on the dance floor with the ladies surrounding him!
Thanks again Amy & Ryan, for allowing us to witness and document such a cool evening for you both. Friends, family and blog watchers, don’t forget to comment on the video if you enjoyed it!
January 11, 2010 - 6:16 pmJade Harding - Love the highlights and the song! Such a wonderful and fun night! You are Ryan are so sweet! It makes me even more excited for my wedding... I can't wait to have that much fun with you again!!! : ) Love to you both! - Jade & Jim
January 11, 2010 - 7:39 pmAmy - Matt and Josiah! You both are amazing, and were so fun to work with. I love the video, this was DEFINITELY one of the best wedding investments we made. I think I have watched this 15 times. Thank you for everything!
January 13, 2010 - 1:23 pmScott Stergios - Ryan and Amy!
Wow what a great day that was! The video turned out great :-) I am so happy and honored you asked me to be a part of your big day. Love you both! -Scott
February 6, 2010 - 5:14 pmWanda - You guys did such a wonderful job for Amy and Ryan's wedding! You were always at the right spot at the right time. I love the attention to detail that we will enjoy for years to come. I missed many details and now as the mother of the bride, I can go back and see so much more that I missed on the actual wedding day.
Classy venue/decor + excited bride and groom = great wedding day! That’s how Melissa and Amy felt after filming this wedding. We included a lot of the sounds of Jenn & Steve’s wedding day because it really does paint the perfect picture of just how excited these two were to get married. I love the shots Melissa got of Jenn with all of her girls surrounding her as she put on the dress. Such an exciting time, and its inspiring to see friends and family getting just as pumped for the bride. I love how everyone is so care free and happy during the events leading up to the wedding. As they should be. You could tell that the only thing that mattered to Jenn and Steve that day was their public covenant to each other in front of everyone….that and the party afterward and their honeymoon to Bora Bora, as you’ll hear Jenn & Steve get so thrilled about just seconds after the walk down the isle.
Bellamy Mansion always serves as an amazing backdrop for a classic southern wedding, and it was so neat to see these two introduced as husband and wife in that setting with the sun going down behind them. I also want to give credit where credit is due to Steve for nailing that choreographed first dance! He didn’t miss a beat! We hope you guys enjoy this touching recap of your day. Even though we were stuck up in the balcony during the ceremony, your video illustrates just how much your excitement to be married permeated throughout the entire congregation of your friends and family. Enjoy!
Another year gone by! We can’t believe 2009 is over already. This year seemed to go by extra fast because we had Penelope, our new born baby girl turn 1 year old in December! There is no way she is 1 already. I just don’t believe it.
Although 2009 may be a year most people want to forget what with a recession and widespread uncertainty about the direction of our country, I just want to testify how much God has blessed not only my family, but all of us. Melissa and I were able to travel to some very cool places this year, go on vacation, make new friends, and grow closer together. We were able to do a plethora of home improvement projects together, and that was a blast! Our family was healthy, our child is beautiful and we appreciate what we were given. So as we do at the end of every year on the blog, we just wanted to share with everyone what we feel blessed to have accomplished in Life Stage Films. We highly recommend doing this for both your business and/or personal lives so you can always look back and see how far you have come! We can’t say enough how excited we are that we get to do what we love for a job everyday! Its not even a job most days! That’s not to say we haven’t learned some hard lessons and made big mistakes.We are looking forward to 2010 with much excitement and hope you can come along on the ride with us! Without further adieu, here are our LIFE STAGE FILMS GREATEST HITS of 2009!
Expanded our staff to 6 people! That includes our talented primary cinematographer, Josiah, and our new dedicated sales consultant, Beth! Amy and Jamie have continued to be incredible assets to our team, as Jamie has moved to full time Studio Manager, and Amy was heavily booked filming weddings in 2009! We couldn’t have gotten so many of our goals accomplished without our rockin’ interns Wilson, Mary, and Lorin.
We fulfilled one of our 3 year business goals to be speakers/educators on a national level. We were incredibly humbled to speak in Orlando, FL at WEVA 2009 (Wedding & Event Videographers Association). We spoke on sales and marketing w/ wedding videography. We also met a ton of new friends and colleagues that will be sure to help us and inspire us for 2010. We also spoke up in Detroit, MI at MIVA (Michigan Independent Video Association)
We also won another International award for creativity in our wedding films at WEVA. We won a CEA (Creative Excellence Award) for our Demo Reel! The CEAs are our industry’s version of the Academy Awards, or Oscars. Very cool to win this one!
We were asked to be a featured speaker at IN[FOCUS] Video Conference, in Austin, TX in Jan. 2010. I’ll be sharing the stage with the best in the industry! Very excited to learn from them as well. Watch our promo video for the event!
Another dream of mine to be an educational resource for the wedding video industry came to fruition with the launch of our Business Coaching Program for Video Entrepreneurs. (www.VideoBusinessCoaching.com) . With our initial launch, we had over 450 business owners sign up for our webinar…all over the world! We had people tune in from England, Australia, Greece, Malaysia, Philippines, Canada, Ireland, Mexico and Italy. I can’t decide what’s more rewarding, hearing how much our clients enjoy their videos or helping others like myself make a better living for themselves.
We were able to invest in ourselves and our own education at Re:frame, an intimate gathering of 50 of the top studios in the world. I learned so much and left inspired with new ideas for our wedding films.
We added a new video product to our Legacy Video Product line. It’s called “Baby Stories” by Life Stage and we can’t wait to take the initial excitement about it and market it with full force to families in the region. Check out a sample here.
I was able to fulfill one of the goals and VISIONS of why I started the business in the first place. I was able to document the story of the redemption of street children in the town of Nakuru, Kenya. Documenting stories of faith and missions was my goal for our business when we started it, and I finally got to go overseas. It changed my life. And I’m addicted. I promise a video is coming soon!
Even in a recession, we were able to grow our team, book over 45 weddings, increase our sister company’s revenue by 300% from 2008, and come out of 2009 with a profit! We couldn’t thank our awesome clients enough for choosing quality over price and allowing us to come into your lives. We had some AMAZING clients this year.
Melissa was able to step away from the day-to-day business and be a full time mom! To be able to have a business that provides us a living while Melissa can raise our child instead of day care is an incredible answered prayer.
Voted as the “Best Videographer” in the region from the Bride’s Book for the 3rd year in a row!
Honored by “The Knot” as a “The Best of Weddings” Videographer for 2010! (formal announcement when the magazine hits stands!)
We already have 25 weddings booked for 2010! That’s a 100% increase from this time last year. We have already filled up most of the busy summer wedding season and couldn’t be more excited about it. If you are getting married and interested in having us with you, better call Beth soon.
We added old vintage Super 8mm film to our services at weddings and re-branded our name at the same time! We are one of only a handful of companies in NC/SC to offer this unique service. Check out our demo here.
We hope you can tell we are very proud of our accomplishments in 2009 and are not merely trying to “toot our own horn”. This is such an awesome cleansing process for us every year at this time as we reflect where we have come from, and where we are going. It makes us happy to share it with our blog community, clients, friends and family and would love it if you chimed in and commented! So….what are your major accomplishments and successes of 2009?!
January 1, 2010 - 3:42 pmDave Cowling - Congratulations Matt on such an incredible year. All of your success is well-deserved. Looking forward to seeing what you milk from 2010 !! :)
January 5, 2010 - 3:12 pmJosiah Morgan - Way to go! It is a pleasure to work with such a professional crew.
Very excited to announce some last minute news! IN[FOCUS], one of the premier video conferences for the Wedding Film Industry has asked Matt Davis, signature videographer and owner of Life Stage to be a featured speaker at their event in Austin, TX January 18-20th, 2010. *Watch* the video below to hear more about what I’ll be going over in my seminar. If you are a videographer and business owner, DO NOT miss your chance to grow, learn, and be inspired by some of the best in the industry. I place a very high value on education so I can stay on the cutting edge of creativity and step away from the typical “wedding video”, and I couldn’t be more excited to learn from the hundreds of other videographers that will gather next month. Sign up ASAP if you are a video producer trying to go to the next level with your business for 2010. Registration closes on January 11th, 2010. I’ll see you there.
January 15, 2010 - 11:16 amR. Renee Jones - Awesome. I'm so proud of you. Hard to believe that it was only a short time ago when you were struggling with the decision of having Melissa quit her job and join you full time. You didn't sit back and wait, you made the leap and look at all you have accomplished. Keep it up!!!!!
Spectacular is an understatement for this wedding. Saying the Sea Island Resort is gorgeous doesn’t do it justice. And I’d say Sara, Lawrence and their beautiful families inspired us to film some amazing moments, and we had an absolute blast all week.
As a destination wedding for Sara & Lawrence, and everyone else from Texas, they did their best to party it up, enjoy Georgia’s coast, and take in all the emotions that come with marrying your best friend and being surrounded by all your loved ones. They didn’t even let the rain slow them down. The rainbow you’ll notice in the highlights film happened right before their ceremony began. How cool is that?!
The wonderful ladies at The Cloister did an amazing job creating a magical setting for the reception, and we were all entertained by Johnny White’s band through the night. I wanted to say a quick note on where I got the inspiration to edit the beginning of the video the way I did. Sara and Lawrence chose to have a “First Look” before the ceremony, and it was very cool to see the anticipation build on Sara’s face. They honestly didn’t know there were photographers/videographers there. They were in their own little world. Well fast forward to the ceremony, and when I hear the pastor’s message on marriage by incorporating the “Velveteen Rabbit”, I immediately go back to Sara and Lawrence’s moment together before the busyness of the day began. The message was clear and you could see in Sara and Lawrence’s eyes that they’ll still look at each other the same way 50 years later, even if they are ragged ‘ol “skinhorses”.
The party was incredibly fun, and their exit with fireworks and sparklers to send them off on a yacht was a perfect ending to the perfect week in Paradise. Enjoy the film, and leave some comments! There’s something in here everyone will enjoy! Thanks so much Sara & Lawrence, for trusting us to capture all the little moments that tell your unique wedding story.
What an incredibly unique moment Melissa & Amy filmed at this wedding! Summer and Michael, through dating and engagement, waited to kiss each other for the very first time until after they were declared husband and wife. I tried to imagine the anticipation that must have been building all day for Summer & Michael. You can really see how excited they are to be getting married as you watch the film and the day progresses. It was also very cool that Summer & Michael had nothing to hide in terms of their faith. Their ceremony was not only a symbol and a public declaration of their commitment to each other, but also to God. It was very humbling to see them washing each other’s feet, to show their promise to serve the other first, just like Christ did with his disciples.
They party kicked off and much dancing ensued! A very cool detail was the vintage Sun Drop and Cheerwine soda bottles. If you aren’t from the South, you are missing out on some VERY good soda…..or “pop”. On a side note, if any bride is looking for hip, down to Earth, hilarious, but very talented photographers, you need to check out Daniel & Candice of The Beautiful Mess. Melissa and Amy couldn’t stop talking about how refreshing it was to be around them and how fun they made the wedding day. That really does translate into better creativity from your photos and wedding film. Check out Summer & Michael’s wedding pictures from The Beautiful Mess to see their work!
December 17, 2009 - 11:32 amCandice & Daniel {The Beautiful Mess} - love it! you guys did a great job capturing the essence of this couple and were a blast to work with as well! :)
December 17, 2009 - 6:19 pmShane Kerr - I was in tears - and that was just reading your post. Then I watched the video and it happened all over again. Bravo!
We are so thrilled to share this cute, emotional, hilarious and very unique video with you from our creative line of videos called “Baby Stories“. It’s part of our “Legacy Video” product line, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this moment in the Riddle’s lives with you. You see, we love our job, not only because we get to be around happy people on a wedding day, but for all their other “Stages” of life as well. We filmed Patti & Christian’s wedding back in 2008, and formed a special relationship with them that went way past the wedding day festivities. They called us as soon as they found out they were pregnant so we could not only share in their joy, but they wanted to make sure we captured the same emotions from their wedding day that they would surely have during the arrival of their baby. We filmed a baby shower for them, came to the hospital the day after the birth of their baby boy, and came a month later to film family members loving on Finnegan Riddle to document just how much he had grown! We wanted to share a quick clip of their Baby Story Film in the hospital after their son was born. Such priceless memories captured. I also have to say I’ve never laughed so hard while holding a camera when Patti explains the naming process of “Baby Barnacle”! They chose not to know if it was a boy or girl til the birth, and you’ll hear Christian’s experience seeing his boy for the first time. So cool! It’s moments like these where we all feel so privileged to do what we do here at Life Stage Films.
December 7, 2009 - 12:17 pmPatti Riddle - And, again, The Life Stage Team has done it! I LOVE IT! I was going to wait until Christian came home, but I just couldn't!! This will certainly be something that we cherish along with the wedding video you did and I know that Finnegan will be interested in seeing it when he gets older. You captured it all and I can't wait to see the rest. It is so precious that I don't even mind that I didn't have time to touch my hair or that I am retaining about 50 gallons of water! You did a beautiful job in capturing another very special moment in our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! We love you!
December 8, 2009 - 8:03 pmWagner Fields - What a great snapshot of a precious time! I know they are thrilled and you captured it just perfectly! Congrats Riddle Family!
December 15, 2009 - 6:22 pmlauren - This little movie will be worth its weight in gold for years to come. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!!! I would seriously pay thousands of dollars to have something like this for each of my children. Thanks for sharing this special moment with us Patti and Christian!!
December 15, 2009 - 9:02 pmTricia Macalka - I cry every time I watch this Beautiful Story! You guys are so Amazing, and since my Husband and I didn't get to do a Wedding story-we have decided that we want you to do our Baby story, (When that time comes of course.)I was blessed to be able to see Patti's belly grow from a barnacle to a baby, and each change was so exciting for her and Christian. Patti and Christian were such a riot through out the pregnancy. From her obsession with tootsie rolls and banana chips, to fruit roll- ups and Sloppy Joes! And Christian wanting to name him Chuck Norris! We stayed in stitches! Rusty and I are So excited for you both, and can't wait to meet Master Finnegan! He is so beautiful and we couldn't be happier for you and your family! Once again, What artist you are Melissa and Matt! You have a beautiful God given gift, to be able to catch such Priceless and Precious Moments that change peoples life! Your name is Quite fitting! I will be in touch, and hopefully soon!
December 15, 2009 - 9:33 pmAmy Riddle Messick - Oh my! The tears are in my eyes as I write how beautiful Finnegan looks and how special this video is to the family. What a wonderful job and I know you both are so proud. Kirk and I cannot wait to meet our new cuz!
December 15, 2009 - 10:19 pm"Miss" Jane Roberson - What a perfectly beautiful Baby Story you filmed, Matt and Melissa . . . AND and what a precious baby boy you shared with us all, Patti and Christian! Many thanks for jobs well-done on both accounts! (I happen to think the grandparents all look might good, too! And to think, we were just getting these two married only a "blink" ago! ;>)
Love to all and prayers for a wonderful and healthy life, Finnegan! You are one fortunate little boy to be born into such a loving family!
December 16, 2009 - 8:25 amRobert Lutz - Patti & Christian,
Lifestage does such wonderful work. You both look so happy and I am very happy for both of you. Finnigan is so such a handsom young man and I know you are both very pleased. I cannot wait to see little Finnegan and visti with you both.
Take Care,
Josiah & Melissa filmed this beautiful wedding at the historic First Presbyterian Church in downtown Wilmington, NC. What an awesome, fun and hilarious couple! You could tell they were where they wanted to be that day. Although we were required to stay in the balcony (church rules), I think Josiah and Melissa got some incredible shots and emotions from the ceremony. And how cool is that church?! We think Sam’s first reaction to getting to kiss his bride for the first time is priceless!
It’s never a dull moment when we film a reception at the Surf Club on Wrightsville Beach, and with tHE.DESIGN Band rockin’ the party you know it’s bound to be a fun time. Our clients weddings, and their videos always have so much energy with them around.
We enjoyed every minute of this day and felt so privileged to be a part of the joy and excitement. Be sure to leave some comment love for them on the blog! Sam & Sarah, congrats to you and thank you so much for including us.
You might remember Kim & Andrew from their awesome Love Story Video we filmed back in the summer. Check it out to get to know them and their story before you watch their wedding. It makes it so much more sweeter. They came down from New York/New Jersey with all of their close friends and family and had one of the most hoppin’, entertaining, and beautifully designed rehearsal, wedding, and reception we have seen. We gave you a taste of their Caribbean themed rehearsal here, with a steel drum band. Kimberly’s fingerprints were all over the design, and that made it even more incredible. We loved the color scheme, along with the goldfish, table decor complete with pictures of all of Kim & Andrew’s adventures. And the flowers by Holiday House Weddings were amazing! You can see how they pop off the screen. Nanette, owner and lead event designer with a Proper Setting, is our new best friend! She is not only a talented planner, but a pleasure to be around and makes our videos look great!
What a unique experience this wedding was. Kim and Andrew rented out a massive beach house…..on the beach. On the edge of the Earth, in the Outer Banks of NC. You actually had to drive on the beach for 20 minutes before you even got to the house. The sand was their driveway. And we all had to watch out for the wild horses that call that strip of beach their home when we were driving. We even saw a few come up to the house. Being with Kim & Andrew all weekend, you could genuinely feel how excited they were to finally be getting married. It was so fun to be around that kind of energy. Their officiant, Rev. Jay Bowman, not only matched their excitement level (as you’ll see in the video!), he provided a beautiful message on marriage, that I am sure resonated with all the guests as well. The party lasted into the night with a beautiful choreographed first dance. But there was a little bit of improv on their last dance as they ended up in the pool. And Kim still had her wedding dress on. A.W.E.S.O.M.E. You’ll just have to watch the clip.
Thanks Kim & Andrew for allowing us to film your wedding day. You made us feel like family, and it truly was one of the most unique, heartfelt, and entertaining weddings we have ever been a part of. Leave your comments people! Let’s let Kim & Andrew know what you think of their wedding day.
December 6, 2009 - 9:33 amKimberly & Andrew - Andrew and I are enjoying our honeymoon in Barbados right now and couldn't help but watch our highlights video for the first time. There are NO words to describe how we felt about this video. We are just filled with awe and wonder! We were truly able to experience our special day all over again and it was WONDERFUL! Lifestage was one of the BEST choices we made for our wedding!
December 6, 2009 - 1:32 pmDonna - How nice to remember the warmth of Kim and Andrew's wedding day on such a chilly snowy day in NY! Superior job!
This is what I am so very thankful for this year and every year. But this year is different. Our lives have changed so much with the addition of our Penelope. She brings so much joy. She has given us a new perspective on what love is. I have never experienced a love quite like this. And even though there are added frustrations and new obstacles in our family, we wouldn’t have it any other way. I am thankful for my wife and best friend. For putting up with me and being the wonderful mom that she is. I am thankful for the adventure. I am thankful for these two women in my life.
I am also thankful for the friends and family we have in our lives that support us. Friends are a gift. And I’d rather have the friends we’ve been given to share life with than all the money in the world. We are rich. I am thankful for Christ. For the grace He has shown me and the gift He has given me. I am thankful for our AWESOME Life Stage Films team. Jamie is the best studio manager out there, keeping us organized, and investing into our brides and their wedding days. She has become family. Beth, although only being with us shortly, has jumped in head first and adopted our vision, and passion for what we provide for families, and you can sense that every time you call our studio. I am thankful for our filmmakers Amy and Josiah, because that’s what they have become….filmmakers, not merely videographers. We couldn’t create what we create without talented hands and eyes behind the camera. To have them on board is not only a breath of fresh air, but our brides and families trust them. And that’s far better than the trust I have in them. I am thankful for what we have become, and where we are going. I am thankful I get to wake up, “work” in a job I enjoy, and do it with the support of everyone around us. I am also very thankful to our clients. We have had the biggest year we’ve ever had, and we wouldn’t exist as a business without all of the families, brides, grooms, and business owners that have trusted us, and chosen us out of all the options out there.
Happy Thanksgiving 2009 from Matt, Melissa, Penelope and the rest of the Life Stage Team. Even in the worst recession, we are the most blessed nation. I like to count my blessings. So, what are you most thankful for? What blessings can you count?
November 26, 2009 - 10:17 amDenise Merritt - Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I am thankful for my family and our new home. But, most of all, I am thankful for my Savior.
November 26, 2009 - 4:54 pmShane - Here in Australia we don't have thanksgiving.
But chiming in anyway I'd say I'm thankful for... The Internet.
Here's why.
From the opposite side of the globe I've been able to connect with, be inspired by, learn from and be green with envy of - some of the nicest, most talented people - who do what I do - share my passions - and hold the same philosophies and beliefs as me - and whom I would never, ever have been able to meet in 'the real world'.
Matt, and others like you, keep doing what you're doing. You are touching more lives than just your brides and grooms and their families.
God bless you all this thanksgiving.
Shane :)
We will be sharing Kim & Andrew’s highlights video shortly, but first we wanted to bring back the feeling of summer as the weather is getting colder. Kim & Andrew found an incredible steel drum band out of Virginia Beach, VA and we just had to share this clip with you. They performed during the rehearsal at a beach house in the Outer Banks. Makes you want to go on vacation huh!?
Nothing is finer than Carolina! Laura & Tony’s families & friends made the trek from New Jersey for a destination wedding in Southport, NC, a quaint coastal port city with just as much character as these two! The weather was hot, to be sure, but with friends gathered and drinks flowing you hardly noticed it. One of our favorite moments of the evening were when Tony’s brother, the best man, gave a very heartfelt speech. And then the dancing began! It was hard to keep up with everyone. I’d say even the parents out danced Laura & Tony and we couldn’t get them off the dance floor either! Many laughs, many tears, and lots of emotion at this wedding, and we appreciated being invited along.
You think you’ve seen all the best parties, until you attend a wedding like this! Amy & Daniel came up from Charleston, SC for a wedding on our beaches, with a ceremony at the gorgeous Landfall Temple Gardens, and the reception on the beach at The Surf Club. We were so excited to shoot with our vintage Super 8mm film camera. You’ll notice the old film in the highlights. We love it because it creates such a unique nostalgic feel/emotion, that you just can’t get with a video camera. Amy & Daniel cracked us up all day! It also didn’t help that Kevin Millard of KMI Foto was with us taking amazing pictures during the day. You never know what hilarious comment will come out of his mouth. In one of the most unique events at a reception we have filmed, Daniel, the groom, got on stage with the insanely entertaining band, Soul Fish, and sang a set or two, and serenaded the bride with a very familiar Pearl Jam song from the 90’s. Everyone went crazy! So much fun! You can see towards the end of the highlights video not only how much Amy & Daniel are in love, or how much of their own style they have infused into their wedding, but how truly blessed they are to be surrounded by so many of their loved ones, singing and dancing the night away. We appreciated being with these two families so much on this day, and it will go down as one of the most joyful wedding celebrations we have been a part of. Leave some comments folks, and let Amy & Daniel know what you think about their wedding film.
**In keeping with the great 90’s songs of the past, we knew that Amy & Daniel liked Dave Matthews Band, so we edited this piece to one of the classics of DMB from 15 years ago! I think the song fits very well with the mood of the day and their personalities.
November 13, 2009 - 12:01 pmJohn Moon - Matt, Melissa and team...nice work. Loved the emotion in this and of course the Super 8 made this very reflective.
November 13, 2009 - 12:37 pmBrock Childers - The super 8mm really gives a love like feeling, its just that vintage feel, its hard to describe but this is a great video!!
November 13, 2009 - 5:00 pmCynthia & Djenana - Wow! What a fantastic piece of time!!! The Moxie girls wish Amy and Daniel all the best, and LOTS of fun nights in front of this video of memories =D As always, Matt & Melissa, superb!
November 14, 2009 - 10:06 amnancy - loved this so much! inspiring and as i'm sure the event was no simple task... i loved the simplicity that was captured.. all simply because two people fell in love...
November 15, 2009 - 8:22 amDan Atwill Columbia, MO - Beautiful wedding, beautifully captured. Can we do it again
November 15, 2009 - 5:03 pmLiz Horst - Beautiful piece of work, amazing memories captured that will last a life time!
November 16, 2009 - 10:58 amLori Jaross - That was so beautiful!!!! That was definitely a wedding where you could feel the love everywhere and see that these two kids like to have a fun time! :) I can't wait to see the whole thing! Amazing videography!!!
But for us, what makes a great wedding and great footage is the couple we are filming and what they are excited about. Amy and Ryan were truly a pleasure to work with because their wedding day was about them. They threw a beautiful party and had some of the most entertaining dancing we have seen. But the emotions, and the looks we captured of them enjoying their wedding day together mean the most to us as storytellers, and I LOVED how much tunnel vision they had towards each other all day. They danced, they laughed, and they even threw cake in each other’s face! But you could tell that even if that stuff wasn’t there, it wouldn’t have mattered, and that makes for a great wedding film. 
of home improvement projects together, and that was a blast! Our family was healthy, our child is beautiful and we appreciate what we were given. So as we do at the end of every year on the blog, we just wanted to share with everyone what we feel blessed to have accomplished in Life Stage Films. We highly recommend doing this for both your business and/or personal lives so you can always look back and see how far you have come! We can’t say enough how excited we are that we get to do what we love for a job everyday! Its not even a job most days! That’s not to say we haven’t learned some hard lessons and made big mistakes.We are looking forward to 2010 with much excitement and hope you can come along on the ride with us! Without further adieu, here are our LIFE STAGE FILMS GREATEST HITS of 2009!
by Matt
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