Indian Bridal Couture Show – Hakim Sons Film...

This past Sunday, March 29th, we had the honor of being the only wedding videographer featured in a Indian Bridal Couture Show held at the Four Seasons in Las Colinas, Texas. This show was organized by Prashe and Pramel, of Prashe Decor & Prashe Fusion & Hala, of Events by Hala. The turnout of the show was fantastic with over 200+ guests. At Hakim Sons Films, we take great pride in documenting each one of our bride’s unique love story. It’s always awesome to see some of our past bride’s at shows like this, when they come and give you a big ol’ hug and say, our friends and family are still talking about the wedding video. Below you will find a couple of snaps we took before the show started and things got busy . We also gave away one of the grand prizes, a Concept Video, won by Bobby & Rachie (to be married August 2009).

Kelley, our Creative Director, at the Hakim Sons Films' booth

Shezad, managing partner & wedding filmmaker, with one of our brides, Kaajal

Shezad, with a dear friend & model, Prianna

Tuesdays with Morrie – 5 stars...

I just got done reading this and I have to confess, there were parts in the book where I was in tears. This was a very emotional read but I truly enjoyed it.  I believe it teaches you many great life lessons. Just imagine how great of a book this is, if it has spent almost 4 years on the New York Times Best Seller List. If you have also read this book, I would love to hear your thoughts… My rating: 5 stars

Tuesdays with Morrie is a 1997 biographical novel by American writer Mitch Albom. It tells the true story of sociologist Morrie Schwartz and his relationship with his students.

Memoir from wikipedia

In the then best-selling memoir of all time, newspaper columnist Mitch Albom recounts his time spent with an old sociology professor at Brandeis University, Morrie Schwartz, who was dying from ALS (more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Albom had not seen or corresponded with Schwartz since attending his college classes 16 years earlier. After Albom saw a terminal Schwartz on ABC’s Nightline talking with Ted Koppel about his experience with death and dying, Albom contacted Schwartz. The resulting book – based entirely on tape-recorded conversations between Albom and Schwartz about life’s most important lessons – was initially proposed for the sole purpose of paying Morrie’s medical bills. Four years later, it had spent 205 consecutive weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.

Inspiration Boards — For that certain look &...

While browsing the web today, I ran across this great reference website for all you brides out there…

Dreaming of a certain wedding day look? Use an inspiration board or a color palette to tie the look and feel of your wedding together. Whether you favor a look that is traditional, formal, contemporary or somewhere in between, inspirational boards are useful tools to help you organize and romanticize, coordinate and complement the theme and style of your wedding. The result will be that cohesive, put-together look you’ve been dreaming of. To keep a fresh and modern look to your wedding, whatever your style, incorporate some of the newest, hottest trends of the year. Watch for eye-catching color combinations, changes in dress styles, fun favors and new ideas for creating a one-of-a- kind wedding celebration. Of course, trends come and go so be sure to check out the latest bridal magazines, wedding websites and wedding blogs to see what’s hot and what’s not!

The 3-D Photo Montage...

A photo montage is widely available and promoted in wedding photography & videography packages. Photomontage as defined by Wikipedia is the process (and result) of making a composite photograph by cutting and joining a number of other photographs. So, what is a 3D photo montage? In short, still images are digitally manipulated to appear three-dimensional—special effects and music is usually added. The finished product is a movie that can be played throughout your reception and will become a one-of-a-kind keepsake. Because this technique requires a significant amount of editing time, the cost of this product can be significantly more than a typical photo montage. That said, if you’re looking for a bit of entertainment that will astonish your guests, this could prove to be well worth the investment. Checkout this sample of a 3-D Photo Montage.

Wedding Bookshelf...

I often get asked from our brides, if I have any books that I would  recommend for them in the planning stages of their wedding? And, the answer is Yes, of course. There are some very useful books out there that I often refer to and others that I have purchased for my fiancé, since we are planning our own wedding. I recommend these 5 titles, but feel free to browse through the other titles:

-    The Best Wedding Reception…Ever! | by Peter Merry
-    Jo Gartin’s Weddings : An Inspiring Guide for the Stylish Bride | by Jo Gartin
-    Emotionally Engaged – A Bride’s Guide to Surviving the “Happiest” Time of Her Life | by Allison Moir-Smith
-    1,000 Best Secrets for Your Perfect Wedding | by Sharon Naylor
-    Your Stress Free Wedding Planner – Expert’s Best Secrets to Creating the Wedding of Your Dreams | by Alison Davis
-    BONUS for all my eco-friendly couples (like us) — Organic Weddings | by Michelle Kozin

Monthly Giveaways — Win cash, movie tickets,...

Hakim Sons Films will be hosting monthly giveaways on their facebook group. We will have different contests, where you will have the chance to win cash, movie tickets, fancy dinners, etc. Visit our facebook group today and become a member. Our next contest will be announced on March 26th and will be available only to members of the group. GOOD LUCK!!!

The Couture Indian Bridal Show — Sunday Marc...

Prashe Decor Presents: The Couture Indian Bridal Show
The Four Seasons Resort – Las Colinas, Texas
Sunday, March 29th 2009

If you have not yet sent your RSVP for the show please send them to rsvp@prashe.com.

Come meet with these professionals & register to win…

Prashe Decor
Giveaway: Wedding Decorations (Mandap & Linens)

Events By Hala
Giveaway: Day of Coordination

The Four Seasons Resort
Giveaway: Overnight stay with Sunday brunch

Hakim Sons Films
Giveaway: Concept Video

Threejays Carriages
Giveaway: Horse on Wedding Day

GladTower Live Productions
Giveaway: Wedding Biography Montage

The Saffron House
Giveaway: $50 Gift Certificate

Maitee Miles- Hair and Makeup
Giveaway: Trial Run Worth $125

The Left Handed Calligrapher
Giveaway: 50 Personal Wedding Envelopes

Henna by Afshan
Giveaway: Henna for the Bride

“The Best Wedding Reception…Ever!̶...

One of our industry’s top-respected professionals and my personal friend, Peter Merry, has been on tour promoting his book, “The Best Wedding Reception…Ever!”  I had picked up a copy of Peter’s book but never gotten a chance to finish the whole thing. Last week on Sunday, I decided to sit down and finish this wonderfully written book, a must have for every bride. This should be one of the tools that you refer to when planning the entertainment and music for your reception with your DJ or Live Band. For more information about this book, visit Peter Merry’s book website. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!!

Survey says…...

Do I really need a wedding video? I found a very interesting article, originally published by WEVA International about what a nationwide survey has shown regarding brides and their interest in a wedding video. I hope you find this article interesting and I would love to hear your personal experiences with wedding video and if it’s a top 10 priority for you or not.

Professional wedding videography is rapidly becoming a preferred medium for recording and preserving wedding memories, according to a new nationwide survey of brides. The survey, conducted by telephone, revealed that brides in the planning process of the wedding do not immediately realize the impact of a professionally-produced video. Before the wedding, while brides are making plans, over half (54%) rank video as one of the Top 10 most important bridal services. However, that number increases to 79% AFTER the wedding, as brides look back and assess the individual value of each service. Before the wedding, 23% of brides view video as a Top 5 service. After the wedding, that number climbs to 42%. The value of video becomes greater after the wedding.

The survey revealed the value of video is greater with brides who use professional video services compared to those who don’t. One of the most surprising findings of the survey is the second thoughts, even regrets, among brides who decided not to utilize the services of professional videographers.

Among brides who used a friend or family member to videotape their wedding instead of using a professional, nearly half (49%) said they would hire a professional if they had it all to do over again.

As brides look back at their wedding, the survey showed that 79% of brides agree that future brides should at least consider using a professional to videotape their wedding day. Those feelings are even more pronounced among the brides who utilized the services of professional videographer’s, 95% of whom think future brides should consider using a professional videographer.

The survey results reveal professional videography has become very important to today’s brides. Its value is comparable to wedding photography, and even more valuable in some respects, according to brides surveyed. Most importantly, the survey showed that brides feel more emphasis needs to be placed on videography in the wedding planning process.

YouTube Weddings...

About a week back I wrote a post titled, “iPod Wedding Films” which sparked some questions from a bride about posting wedding films on YouTube. So, today we will answer some of the questions that exist around posting your wedding films online.

First question that we often hear, can I make my video private on YouTube or does it have to be public? Well, the quick answer to this is YES, you can make the video private but most brides don’t mind sharing their love story with the world and would prefer it to be public.

Secondly another question that we usually get is, YouTube is great but isn’t the video playback going to be low quality? The answer to this is, it doesn’t have to be…We upload High-Definition Videos on YouTube and people can play these videos back in High Definition or Standard Definition based on their internet speeds. Checkout a sample of a High-Definition Video and the same video in Standard-Definition.

Lastly, once I post this video on YouTube, how do I share this with my friends and family? Well, you can send them a direct link to your video or you can embed the code for the video on your wedding website. Another cool thing about YouTube is that it allows you to share your video on Facebook , MySpace, and other social networking platforms.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself, what if I am not Technically savy enough to post my video on YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, etc & I need some help. That’s not a problem at all. I highly recommend to ask your videographer to help you through this and if you can’t find any light, just shoot me an email. I would be glad to help. Good Luck with sharing your big day with the world using Social Media.

Meet the WeddingAces: Shezad, filmmaker extraordin...

Shezad, managing partner, third generation producer and 9 year veteran, has production intertwined in his DNA. Shezad’s grandfather was a pioneer in the production industry many years ago. Hence, the family name Hakim. Shezad has been featured in a number of national publications for his insight and trendsetting reputation. Shezad continues to amaze his clients and co-workers with his generosity, kindness and creativity. “Our work comes from a family tradition, so we understand how important family and tradition are for you, especially on this day, your wedding day” says Shezad. Families are a funny thing; whether they comprise of quirky relatives or deeply connected friends, unique customs or a lineage of traditions, we’d like to help capture the essence of your family on your big day. What a difference a day makes…a day when families come together and new bonds are formed; when past lives are molded together all to be captured under a camera lens.

“Save The Day” Kit...

We understand that the stress of wedding planning is quite overbearing, especially if you don’t have a wedding planner. Here is a very simple tip to have a flawless day.

Before your big day, make an emergency bag/kit (or have someone make one up for you).  Include some of these basic items:

a water bottle, small snack, aspirin, shout wipes, a nail file, your fingernail polish, a bottle of clear nail polish, a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, feminine products, safety pins, sewing kit, bobby pins, hair brush or comb, hairspray, mints, travel size perfume. Ask your make-up artist if you can have samples of your foundation, concealer and lip color. Include anything you may think will be necessary to have just in case.

To help you further, here is a printable checklist.

I wish you the best with your wedding planning. Hopefully, you won’t have to use anything from this kit, but in the event that you having a wedding day emergency, you will be prepared!