Facebook Icon Twitter Icon RSS Subscription Icon

Tag salt harbor designs

Abigail & Michael – {Redemption} A Downtown Wilmington NC Wedding

Wilmington, NC
Filmed by Associate filmmaker Amy Warkentien and Ryan Sarfan. Edited by Kara Stellner
For best viewing experience, please press PLAY then immediately PAUSE to allow film to fully load.

Words from the groom’s blog after viewing this film:

I want to thank Matt and LifeStage Films for the remarkable job they did on this project.  I laughed, I cried and I thanked God for our story.  But Matt and his team captured that story on film.  They are really artists and beautiful artists at that.  They are not just filming and slapping that film on a DVD, these guys storyboard the entire project and capture the sweet moments.

Take the moment in the film where Stephen Michael and I are putting on cologne, that part just melted my heart.  And when Abigail is reading the letter I wrote her and they use her voice over as they show different scenes.  Talk about brilliant.

I also love where Abi and I repeating our vows and Dad’s voice comes through.  It is like LifeStage caught the sweetest most beautiful parts on film and weaved them together to make this tapestry that represents our lives and our wedding.

I am so happy and so grateful!”

Abi and Michael (+ kids!) are a true example of what redemption looks like. Of what happens when you start finally trusting that the right person for you will find you, not because you force it, but because they were SUPPOSED to find you. This wedding film is a true window into Abi and Michael’s wedding day. You’ll see smiles, tears, laughter, and joy….joy, the addictive kind.

What we LOVE about this wedding is getting to work with our favorite artists in Wilmington. Salt Harbor Designs ALWAYS creates an intimate event. You’ll see all the tiny details that they put together from Abi’s vision that screams unique. We are also in love with Wilmington’s newest downtown venue, The Atrium. You’ll notice how the natural light pours in and creates some amazing lighting. The edison lights aren’t too shabby either.

Enjoy this film. It’s hard not to smile when you see two awesome people, with great personalities, genuinely fall in love. You can tell the world melted away for these two on that day. Abi and Michael, we hope this film brings you back.

Want to learn about the amazing proposal? Read about it in their words on our Life Stage Films Fan Page on Facebook. HERE

The pros:

Venue: The Atrium

Floral/Design: Salt Harbor Designs

Photography: Millie Holloman

Catering: A Southern Thyme

Love the song!? It’s called “You and Me” by Ben Rector and the license was provided by The Music Bed!

“The Dream” – A Style Me Pretty {Inspiration to Reality} Film

Have you ever dreamt while you were awake, and didn’t want to wake up?

Style Me Pretty is THE BEST and most popular bridal blog out there. It’s oozing with creativity, inspiration, and wonderful vendors. We are honored to be part of their exclusive club of the “best of the best” vendors from all over the country in their “Little Black Book“. But something that has really picked up a lot of interest lately on their blog is their creative concept, “Inspiration to Reality” shoots. They storyboard an idea, and wedding pros get together and bring that idea to, reality! We are thrilled to team up with Wilmington, NC’s cream of the crop vendors to produce this coastal, dreamy, and very romantic film called, “The Dream”. Here what Style Me Pretty had to say about the film!

” We are going to round out the inspiration festivities with the dreamiest of videos by uber talent Matt Davis of Lifestage Films. He was up at the crack of dawn to film this little ballad and it was so worth it! Quite frankly, we are left speechless and that rarely happens. It is so beautiful, so ethereal, and such a perfect end to the day. Sit back and take a load off  and enjoy one of the prettiest films we have seen in a long, long time.”

Millie Holloman produced some Ah-mazing pictures of the shoot as well, so be sure to check those out for a different perspective on the day. Here is Life Stage Films’ approach to this SMP “Inspiration to Reality” Film -

What was so crazy about this shoot is that we all had to arrive before the sun rose, at 4:30 AM! Salt Harbor Designs and High Performance Lighting we already at work at 3 AM, setting up the scene, and creating some VERY unique beach lighting with Edison lights. Our original model couple fell through at the last minute, but Lindsey and Gray jumped in enthusiastic and ready to go! They were perfect actually. We know Lindsey from Bald Head Island events so it was great to catch up and laugh (half-asleep) before the shoot began.

Salt Harbor did an amazing job at setting up the decor and “feel” for this shoot. With a freaking bed on the beach, a tiny boat, perfectly designed brunch table, and many more tiny intricacies that made this shoot a day in Heaven. That’s where the premise for “The Dream” starts…

I knew it was a perfect time to get a timelapse of the sunrise coming over our little corner of the Atlantic Ocean. But I had to have a reason for doing that. I didn’t want it to be just for the sake of being beautiful (which it was!). Seeing those colors painted across the sky as the morning went on was an amazing feeling. It was also an inspiration into creating a “daydream” sequence. With everything we had set up for the couple, it truly felt like a “dream” day. It felt like a place that couple has kept to themselves. Some place no one else knows about. A place where they can be free, and in love. So, the timelapse of the gorgeous sunrise was intended to show that although time was passing into daylight, the couple was actually entering into their own’ Dreamworld”. A perfect day by the ocean. An intimate dream. We wanted it to feel like an escape. I think we pulled it off. :)

We hope you enjoy this ethereal and intimate escape into “The Dream”.

Here’s a list of the creative folks that were involved with the shoot:

Event Design and Styling by Salt Harbor Designs
Sweets and Cake by  Flower & Flour
Floral by Salt Harbor Designs
Photography by Millie Holloman
Film by Life Stage Films
Lighting by High Performance Lighting
Rentals provided by Harborside Event Rentals
Hair and Makeup by Melissa Kinnamon – NSalo Salon
Shot on Location at Fort Fisher, NC.

Sarah & Nate – Same Day Edit

Wilmington, NC

BEST. WEDDING. EVER.

Nate & Sarah are hilariously “geeky”. So much so, that the theme of their wedding was based on their nerdiness. But it wasn’t without a great sense of style.

They formed a great team of Wilmington’s best vendors to make this wedding incredible. As we were walking around during the cocktail hour, we heard multiple guests say that the way the Bellamy Mansion was set up, with the combination of Salt Harbor Designs decor, was like something out of the Great Gatsby. I agree. And the “icing on the cake” was the cake itself, or should we say artwork, by Nicki’s Cakes.

To start off the festivities, Nate & Sarah (along with their dogs) led a literal PARADE of their guests with streamers, music and laughter down Market St. from the church to the reception, with the finish line on the front steps of Bellamy for a massive group picture! One of the best bands in the land, Chicago Spazmatics, (80′s nerd band) rocked the party all night, even incorporating a “cowbell” at times. Hilarious. And instead of a typical introduction at the reception, Nate & Sarah came barreling out dancing and jumping around to the tune of Black Eyed Peas, with nerd glasses on! You can see it in this short film of their wedding day, that we edited THE SAME NIGHT. Nate & Sarah were so overwhelmed at the end of the night when they saw this. They just couldn’t believe we put it together for them to see that instantaneously. It was a great moment for them both to be able to relive the day at the end of the night like that.Especially being able to see their “first look”, where they were able to see each other privately before the wedding ceremony started.

Enjoy this film friends. Nate & Sarah, THANK YOU for allowing us to witness this incredible event. This was one for the books.

Photography: Millie Holloman

Awesome Food & Catering: Milner’s Cafe

Copyright © Life Stage Films // 910.632.9559 // info@lifestagefilms.com

Internationally-acclaimed destination videographers Based in Wilmington, NC. We provide high quality wedding films, vintage Super 8mm films, as well as wedding & event videography to Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, Charlotte, Raleigh, Bald Head Island, Atlantic Beach, Asheville, Atlanta. We also provide business coaching for aspiring and established videographers. Other Resources