Welcome Guide | Calling Mountains Productions

by Calling Mountains Productions

WELCOME

Have the best day ever Plan the details Dream up the best day

The first step in any great creative process is the dream and brainstorm.

The next step is to plan out all of your details for your day.

You did it your day is here relax and soak in every moment and be fully present with your partner.

Wedding Date:

Couple's names:

Wedding Venue:

Wedding Planner:

to help make the process of dreaming and planning your unique wedding day as simple and stress-free as possible. I’m here for you every step of the way so sit back relax and enjoy the process of creating a wedding experience that you’ll love every minute of I can’t wait to get to know you too better and help you create an incredible wedding day.

This wedding guide is a tool that will benefit you while planning your big day. It will answer most questions you might have as you plan the details.

You've booked our wedding photography & perhaps our videography services, now what?

We can’t tell you how excited we are that you and your partner have chosen Calling Mountains Productions to capture your special day. We are here to grab hold of what’s important to both of you and create an incredibly unique wedding experience that’s a true reflection of who you are.

The most amazing part about choosing a destination wedding in Whistler is all the possibilities it brings. Have you thought about where you’d like to do your photo session? Epic Mountain view during sunset hour? Snow snowmobiling to the ceremony sight? Taking a helicopter to say your vows? All of this freedom can be a bit overwhelming though - That’s where we and this guide come in - to help make the process of dreaming and planning your unique wedding day as simple and stressfree as possible. We're here for you every step of the way so sit back relax and enjoy the process of creating a wedding experience that you’ll love every minute of. We can’t wait to get to know you two better and help you create an incredible wedding day.

HOW IT WORKS?

What would your wedding day look like if there were no boundaries?

01. Dream up your best day | The first step in any great creative process is the dream and brainstorm. This is where you and your partner explore all the possibilities of what your day could look like without being hindered by details or logistics yet.

02. Make the big decisions | Once you have an overall vision of what you to want out of your day it’s time to make the biggest decisions that will affect your elopement experience the most who you’re inviting where you’re going and how long you’re going for.

Think outside the box have you always envisioned your wedding day being multiple days? Do you wanna include some sort of adventure? Do you want it to be just the two of you? Just keep dreaming…

03. Plan out the details | The next step is to plan out all of your details for your day including booking your travel, a place to stay, choosing your vendors, deciding on activities, picking out your wedding day attire, and gathering any other items or gear you may need.

04. Craft your timeline | Once you have all the details decided on it’s time to put your vision all together and create a timeline for your wedding day that fits everything you want to experience.

05. Have the best day ever | You did it! Your day is here relax and soak in every moment and be fully present with your partner. Enjoy the incredible experience you created together as you say your vows and commit your lives to each other.

In the final chapter of this welcome guide (p. 34) we will tell you a little more about us, your team! The "why" behind our work and how you can trust us with this very imporatnt day! We will provide you with some details about what your videography coverage entails and our noninvasive approach in the way we create story driven films. We will walk you through the booking process from start to finish.

We're confident this guide will answer most of your questions.

We whole heartedly believe that no single elopement or wedding is exactly like another just like there’s no couple out there exactly the same so don’t let what you’ve seen on blogs, social media, friends and family or even from us stop you. Your wedding day is about creating a day that’s going to make you feel the most alive, happy, relax, and in love. This part of the planning process is all about letting your imagination go wild and envisioning the most enjoyable day for the two of you. How you would celebrate your relationship in the most authentic way forget about any restrictions for a moment and just dream big that’s where you’ll find what speaks most to you, you’ll have time to figure out the details later

Decide on “where”.

We realize that most of you have already chosen a venue by this point. BUT, in the hope of keeping your imagination flowing some more, we are asking you to think outside the box! It’s no secret that a wedding or elopement day goes by in a

flash but how can you make those moments with your partner more intimate on the day. How can we incorporate it all! Regardless on “where” we go we will always push you to get out at sunset! (Note: let your planner know to include a 30 minute photo session on your timeline) Sunsets are our favourite times among photographers to take pictures and videos because of the golden lighting and vibrant colours that are caused by the sun being low in the sky. In sunny climates midday sunlight can create harsh under eyeshadows which is why the middle of the day is when I usually recommend doing indoor photos, getting ready photos, travelling, or hiking, doing activities, or hanging out and relaxing.

Videographers will also remind you how important audio is to tell your story so think about this concept when choosing your locations. If choosing a more secluded scenic location to say your vows privately make sure you’re not doing it in front of a waterfall or else you’re videographer won’t be able to capture the audio. You might want to recite your views in the forest first, and then head to the waterfall for the photo session?

Pro tip: Make brainstorming about your best wedding experience a date night!

"Think of back up locations/plans!" Probably our best advice (if you are getting married in whistler). We like to say that we have our own mother nature here so being prepared is a must.

Some types of scenery and landscapes really shine at certain times of the year.

LEAVE NO TRACE

Leave no trust is a set of ethics that everyone who recreationally uses the outdoors should strive to practice in order to do their part in protecting the environment. It is made up of seven principles that guide decisions to leave the least amount of impact possible on outside spaces.

1. Plan ahead And prepare

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces

3. Dispose of waste properly

4. Leave what you find

5. Minimize campfire impacts

6. Respect wildlife

7. Be considerate of other visitors

To best follow leave no trace you should do research before hand so that you can make a plan to stick to trails and other durable surfaces be ready to leave everything you fine and pack out everything that you bring in and be prepared in case you encounter any local wildlife.

MAKE THE BIG DECISONS

01. Photo Session | Whether you are eloping or getting married in a destination town you want the scenery to be featured in your album, that’s a given! So even thought you’ve chosen a great venue we can still take you away to a more “intimate and secluded” location on your wedding day! This is a great way to record romantic vows or capture all the views. What type of scenery do you and your partner feel connected in. Does being outdoor in nature fill you with a sense of happiness, inspiration, and peace? Where do you feel more you to say your vows. Remember back to your brain storming stage of the process and what you two determined about your vision for your day. What scenery would fulfil that experience that you’re dreaming of. Ask us about all the different possibilities:

* Mountain views

* Picturesque Rivers

* Waterfall backgrounds

* Helicopter rides

* (…)

02. Season & Weather | Some types of scenery and landscapes really shine at certain times of the year so consider the season you’ve chosen to marry in and what type of scenery are best at the time of the year. If you’re getting married in the spring waterfalls tend to be flowing at their best, they are usually a lot of snow at high altitude. Winter brings a magical feel to a wedding day, but you need to prepare as the sun sets early and you need to be well dressed. Green lakes are at their best in the summertime but you need to consider the weather and the bright sun. This is why in the summer months we prefer doing the photo session at sunset hour. If you’re getting married in the fall consider where the best fall colours may be, but you may need to prepare for rain.

03. Accessibility | How accessible your location is will greatly affect your wedding day experience. What type of transportation are you in? Any potential guests willing to take you to get to your spots? A long car ride? A bumpy 4 x 4 Rd.? A helicopter, float plane gondola, ferry? Excited about hiking to a location? Make sure you deeply consider what experience would be the most fun, relaxing, and totally “you”. How accessible you want your spot to be can help you narrow down your location options. Also keep in mind any other guests that might be attending and their capacity to travel.

04. Intimate | Some locations that are easier to access usually have less privacy because of it. The

general rule of thumb is that the further you are willing to travel the more secluded your spot will probably be. On a typical wedding day the photo session is about an hour to an hour and a half so you need to consider how long it will take to get to these “hidden gems”.

05. Activities & Experiences | What else do you want to do on your wedding/elopement day (or weekend or longer). Whether you want to relax in a hammock between the trees, take a helicopter, go sailing, skiing, kayaking, paddle boarding, wine tasting, biking, stargazing - When you were planning these activities as part of your day or overall trip keep in mind realistically how long they will take and how long it might take to get from one to the next.

Remember, a wedding day goes by in a flash so pick a plan that reflects how you see your day going. Stick to accessible areas if your priority is to maximize time with your guests.

For some, bringing their wedding party along is a must. Just allow us a private moment for a few intimate photos. Remember, this is YOUR day.

Hiring vendors isn’t necessarily about turning your day into a big production but about getting some help so you don’t have to do everything yourself.

While it’s not required to hire any particular vendors for your day, partnering with high quality amazing vendors who are on board with helping you create your dream wedding/elopement can absolutely elevate your experience and showcase your unique style. High-quality vendors mean you can relax knowing some of the big day of to do‘s are in the hands of a professional and you can just sit back and enjoy the experience.

The most common vendors that couples hire for elopements and weddings are florist, hair and make up artists, officiant, chefs and caterers, videographers, photographers, DJs, reception hosts, and planners.

Choosing vendors | Here’s our best advice on how to pick the best high-quality vendors:

* Before you hire any vendor read lots of reviews to make sure they not only have the professional skills required but also fit the vibe and experience you’re looking for.

* If a vendor is going to be physically present on your day see if you can talk to them on the phone or video call to get a feel for their personality and make sure you enjoyed being around them.

* Read contracts carefully and make sure everything you’ve agreed-upon is in writing.

* If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to looking for vendors don’t worry there are plenty of resources To search through, like: (link) The knot, wedding wire, Google, Instagram, or simply ask us! We are always happy to make suggestions.

This is where your eloment or wedding experience starts to feel super real as you see your vision coming together into a seamless exciting plan. Don’t worry it’s not about scheduling out every minute of your day but rather making sure that you have time for everything you want to do see and experience together

leaving room for spontaneity and relaxation. Working with a planner? Connect us to them so we can give input and help make your wedding dreams possible.

Once you have the decisions made, travel and lodging booked, activities, attire and gear picked out it’s time to put everything together and plan out the timeline of your day (or multiple days).

PLAN OUT THE DETAILS AND DRAFT UP YOUR TIMELINE

This is truly up to you but if you’re spending all of this time intentionally planning the absolute best wedding experience for you and your partner don’t you want to be able to relive all of it and remember it precisely in full detail?

If you’re not having as many people attend your event in person the photos and videos of your day are truly the only way to share your experience with others - don’t you want to be able to do that?

So when deciding how much of your day to have us along for remember that just because we are there it doesn't mean that it’s going to feel like an all day photo shoot. We are there to melt into the background to make sure you have the best experience possible and just document you two having the time of your life.

Figuring out what you want covered by us will help you build your timeline.

Getting ready on your wedding day

01. LOCATION | While choosing your lodging and getting ready location keep in mind the aesthetics and look that fit the general vibe of what you’re going for. It’s best to keep the rooms you are getting ready in neat and do any necessary tidying up the day before. Try to pick up any loose clothing on the floor move any luggage or miscellaneous items to one side of the room or out of the rooms all together. This will allow us to candidly photograph/Videograph you two without any clutter or distractions in the frame. It will also create a more calm and peaceful environment for you to get ready in.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Always look for a nice clean calm open space.

• The more natural window light the better.

• Have a family member or a bridesmaids prepare all the details you’d like us to photograph (rings, dress, printed invitations, vow books, shoes, etc.).

• The less busy and distracting the space is the better.

• Consider the general aesthetics and decor: do they match the vibe of what you’re going for.

02. MOMENTS TO CAPTURE | Amazing heart felt moments to capture (photo/video):

• Copying your vows into your vow books.

• Writing and reading each other love notes.

• Giving a gift to your partner.

• Reading letters from family or friends.

• Giving gifts to wedding party.

• Having family help with putting on attire (dress/suits).

• Sending each other voicemails the morning of. (With the anticipation of not listening to it till after the wedding).

First of all, what’s a first look? Your first look is the moment you see your partner for the very first time on your wedding day, all done up and looking incredible. If it hasn’t felt like your wedding day is really here and happening up until this point, it will now. First looks are often emotional at first following by a stream of pure excitement and joy. Your first look is typically when any nerves and stress begin to fall away too. You realize you’re right where you’re supposed to be standing before the person that makes you feel the most comfortable in this world about to have one of your best experiences yet together.

Why have a first look?

Traditionally, at big church weddings the couples did not see one another until they are walking down the aisle during their ceremony in the afternoon after so much of their wedding day has already gone by. But you’re here because you’ve chosen to throw tradition to the wind so having a first look is your opportunity to see your partner

First look

The first look is when you can anticipate all your nerves settling, once that moment is history you can concentrate on being fully present with your partner.

for the first time in their wedding attire! It allows you to see your partner earlier in the day so you can spend as much time as possible together, even if you want to get ready separately. It’s a moment where you can fully be present without distraction it doesn’t make your ceremony any less emotional or special, in fact most often couples feel initially less nervous and more excited once they have had their first look to themselves.

Where to do the first look?

Some couples choose to have their first look at the getting ready location maybe in the front or the backyard out on a spacious deck, a dock, a bridge, in any scenic corner of the property. Don’t forget to consider this when you’re booking lodging. The benefits of doing your first look right at the getting ready location is that you’ll be able to diminish any nerves right from the start, spend the maximum amount of time with your partner and enjoy the journey to your next location together.

The planning of the ceremony really gets done by your planner we don’t have much of an input here but there are a few things that will make our job a little easier.

- Make sure you kiss for longer when you’ve been announced married! This allows us more time to capture this special moment!

- When walking down the aisle walk slower than you’re used to and stop in the middle to kiss again! This is where if you feel a little sneaky you can add a dip or twirl or have your family and friends either blow bubbles or throw petals, etc. (Remember this is your day so be creative, no boundaries)

- Before the cremony starts, the videographer will add a small microphone on the groom's jacket to be able to capture all the audio from the ceremony.

- If you have a special person you want us to capture during the ceremony or anytime throughout the day please let us know beforehand, we do our best to capture photos of everyone but cannot guarantee we will capture it all.

Ceremony

The ceremony is quite a thrilling experience, because on top of feeling all your emotions, the energy from all of your guests is highly contageous. So multiply your emotions X (number of guests) = heart exploding! We absolutely love capturing these moments.

- We highly recommend doing all the family photos right after the ceremony. So once you walk down the aisle and had your moment together it’s important to ask all the family member to stick around for photos.

Consider having a phone free ceremony. While guests taking pictures does not generally impact us too much - we've learnt how to navigate around them. However from an anthropological perspective, we are sure you would love to see (and have great photos) of your family & friends smiling faces and being 100% present witnessing your ceremony & in the moment, rather than the glow of a hundred iPhones.

* Providing us with a list for your family photos beforehand is helpful to stay on time and organized. We usually ask for a family member with a loud voice to help us through this process!

Photo session

Keep each other smiling. Reminisce over all the amazing stories adventures and misadventures that brought you to where you are. Remind your partner how great they look and how much you love them. Have fun and enjoy yourself! Happy looks good on you!

It’s incredibly common for a couples to fear being awkward in front of the camera. Trust us, we hear this from almost everyone we talk to you. We want to assure you that letting those worries fall away will be easier than you anticipate. Remember that you’re going to be looking so good and you will be experiencing so many wonderful emotions on your wedding day. Those feelings of overwhelming joy will shine through your photos. This designated portrait time is a great chance for you to to enjoy some slower paced alone time. Our best photos and videos happen when you actually forget that we're there and are wrapped up in each other and a stunning scenery around you. If any posing adjustments needs to be made we will speak up and give you two some gentle directions. We will never leave you hanging and or wondering what to do. The more time you have a portraits the more relaxed you too will fill in the more great portraits we'll be able to take! The magic typically begins to happen after spending at least 15 minutes at a location.

You’ll find yourself quickly forgetting about any cameras the more you focus on being present with your partner and the beautiful scenery around you. That’s what the day is all about. Trust us! We do this professionally and we have the same goal in mind. We want your photos to look as incredible as you do.

HAVE THE BEST DAY!

You might be wondering what we'll be capturing during the cocktail hour and reception. This is usually where our ninja skills come out! We want to capture as many of your guests enjoying thenselves but also make sure we're not being too distracting. We'll slip away so we can capture all of the detail shots of the venue, cake, decor, etc. Having a well drafted timeline and working with a planner will help us make sure we're on top of every moment: grand entrance, first dance, cake cutting, sparkler's exit, etc. We usually stay until the dance party!

ABOUT US

Husband and wife, Valerie and David, we are both originally from Quebec, but suitably only when we each found ourselves in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia did we meet, drawn to each other and the awe-inspiring mountains. With our aspiration to make our mark in our new location combining our passions, we set ourselves apart with our professional filmmaking video skills, high-quality standard and our longing for emotional connections. We wish to tell and share your story. Photography offers a still capture of time. In addition, we want to add motion, spoken words, and all the feels of being present. Enters our intention to meet couples and dedicated people alike to offer

wedding films in our region and other destinations. We found our calling.

We are wedding videographers & photographers, based in Whistler and Pemberton, British Columbia. Our love for connections brings us to offer heartily infused time capsules of the day you hold dear. Strongly rooted in our community, we collaborate with local talented photographers to marry traditional frames, storytelling and high-quality content. Our team perfectly completes each other with Valerie’s experience with photography and award-winning filmography

D+B | "All the communication and the entire process was completely relaxed. David was life of the party, his enthusiasm and energy was infectious. The shots and the teaser videos all turned out amazing as well. We had a complex day with 2 ceremonies, one inside with low light setting, and the other outdoors in bright light. All of the shots from both ceremonies were beautiful. David managed to capture so many moments which we are so thankful for. 100% would recommend."

deeply energized by nature, emphasizing natural beauties, emotions, people and landscapes. David is a certified advanced drone pilot. His work speaks from his heart. He will be the biggest supporter on your special day. Through his expertize, David is known to instate trust and bring the best out of everyone. He will shed a tear when you say I do!

We can’t write about us without mentioning that we also work with awesome local vendors from time to time. Since we are also quite busy with wedding videography, sometimes we work with other photographers

in the Sea to Sky corridor. Working with a team that has experience together is a must! So we always partner with locals if we are both busy filming on your wedding day. We have a list of partners that will be happy to assist us. As you read this you already know who's on your team, so there's no surprises!

VIDEOGRAPHY COVERAGE

Our approach to videography and photography packages:

Being highly inspired by the film industry, we originally designed our services to cater to couples inquiring mainly for videography but in the past few years we noticed the gap in the industry. Often times, wedding photo and video packages weren't available for couples. This is why we created this package. You mostly read about our expeirence with photography, now let's dive into the videography side of thnigs! That's where we believe we truly shine.

Videography can be a great additional way to document your elopement or wedding story. Calling Mountains offers both photography and videography; we pride

ourselves in having a similar approach: we prefer collaborating in a non-intrusive documentary style shooting technique and we make sure not to turn your day into a production. While your photographer will give you a little more direction when needed your videographer is more of a fly on the wall capturing parts of the day you won’t even remember happened. Being a husband and wife team this has allowed us to create an experience that brings synergy to the day, a cohesiveness built on years of experience working together. A few things need to be presented before the big day, including audio, aerial coverage and story.

01. AUDIO | We STRONLY believe that a good story requires good audio. You should be able to close your eyes and enjoy watching your wedding film even without the image (ok, maybe a little far fetched) but this is how

important we feel about Audio. On the wedding day we invite you to allow time for extra audio oppurtunities: reading letters to each other, intimate vows readings in the forest, secret voicemails, family members who might want to add something, surprise performance at reception? Get creative! We simply can't always trust the audio we get during the cermony: mother nature, crying babies, etc. so getting some kind of extra audio for us is a must. The easiest and quickest one is a letter read when you exchange gifts the morning of the wedding day.

02. STORY | Our films are story driven, it's a given that we'll be able to capture stunning footage for you, but we're passionate about storytelling. Our focus on the big day is capturing all the small details and what truly makes your

wedding (but mostly marriage) UNIQUE. This is why the storytelling process begins even before the wedding day, We love to connect and chat about your story, we want to know how you 2 met, why you chose to get married in a particular location, is there anything that makes your wedding day special, etc. This gets the wheels turning and we get creative even before the editing process. Our goal is stay non-intrusive but offer some direction if we need a little extra movement.

03. DRONE | Drone gives another perspective to our films, showcasing the amazing views surrounding your venue. BUT please note that this service is location and weather dependant, if we cannot fly we will add stock amazing and relevant drone footage.

THE PROCESS

(From booking us to your content delivery)

01. BOOKING || Hopefully we got a chance to connect on the phone or a zoom call prior to making a booking, but if not, always happy to schedule a time to discuss your plans at any stage. You can reach out at any stage with any questions you may have or if you need any vendor recommendations. You will receive this welcome guide within 3 months of your proposal confirmation.

02. 1 MONTH OUT || One month out, Calling Mountains will email you the invoice for your final payment. Around this time, we will also send a questionnaire regarding your wedding location and scheduling details – this gives us the opportunity to prepare based on how the day’s events are set to unfold. It would be great to setup a zoom call at this time to go over all the details.

03. WEEK OF || We will confirm the details from your questionnaire with you, making sure there have been no significant changes. We will also answer any last questions you might have about logistics for the day.

04. DAY OF || Time to celebrate. We will follow your timeline as the day goes on, and document all the wonderful events that come to pass.

05. CONTENT DELIVERY || After your wedding day, the editing process begins. We will have everything ready for you to view in approximately 10 weeks, at which point you’ll be able to download your content on an online platform. It will be important to download all the content on your OWN devices within a month after delivery as we will need to make space for future clients. RAW video files take up alot of room so be patient when downloading the files, it will take a few hours. You can also ask us about sending your files on an external drive. Add-ons are available for this!

06. ALBUMS & PRINTS || If you are getting a custom fine art book made through us, once you’ve received your collection of images, you’ll be able to select choices for your wedding album from the online gallery. Once we have received your favorite selection, we will start on the book design and upload a draft that you’ll be able to view online and make any change requests. Then, after you’ve signed off on the final edit, we will place the order. Your album will arrive in approximately four weeks.

We always say the two most important things that go into creating beautiful wedding photos & videos is a great timeline that allows natural moments to unfold and great lightstructuring the day as best we can to maximize the best possible use of light for your event.

"Where do we start?! Valerie & David are unbelievable! We were quite nervous about selecting a photographer & videographer to capture our wedding day and now looking back, we are so grateful and thankful to have chosen Calling Mountains Productions. From the very beginning, Valerie & David were so patient with us and made sure that every single detail, whether big or small was covered. Valerie flew down to our destination wedding in the Dominican Republic and was always there and available when we needed her. The photos and videos that she shot not only exceeded our expectations, but blew them away. Every single one of our guests even commented on Valerie’s professionalism and photography skills."

Ryan B.