Backyard Live-Stream Wedding Day

June 27, 2020

What a day…ok several days , we’ve have had. Not only did we have our first outdoor event since March 13, 2020, but it was a celebration of new beginnings for a lovely couple. We were able to make what was a long and bumpy road to this wedding a smooth, beautiful family celebration of an amazing couple; Clara and Andrew.

This wedding had been planned for this day for some time….however, it was initially scheduled to take place with a guest list of more than 200 at Glenn Echo Park in Maryland. Much like everything else these past several months, the plans were forced to change. When the pandemic took hold of all things event related, Clara and Andrew thought they could still hold the wedding in the park but with 50 or so people. Well, then THAT changed too….the park closed. It was at that point Clara, a self-described type A said – “I’m done with planning” and turned it over to her maid of honor and others and said let’s just do something here at home in the back yard. She was going to be happy with some beer and snacks, a small speaker for music and a few friends and family. The goal, as it should be, was to get married.

Clara and Andrew are surrounded by some pretty awesome people and they said they would take over, but not for beer and snacks. That’s when one of Andrew’s friends – Adam Levin– called me. We really are all connected in some way and I know Adam from his business, buying lots of gear and he is a great friend of Andrew. Ten days ago we got the call – could we help and make this the wedding this couple deserved?

It took all of about a second to say YES, of course. No greater cause than love and bringing these 200 people initially ready to be present for this most important occasion, together to make them the integral part of the day that they were meant to be.

One trip out to Clara and Andrew’s home and we were all in. They are a lovely pair and they have a beautiful backyard with an ax throwing target and a Harley…a really nice Harley. We knew we could get creative with all of it. Brandon and I went back to the studio and got to work.

Our first order of business was considering how we bring the 200 guests who wanted to be there into the ceremony and the party to follow and have them and the 40+ who would be there in person be able to interact. Then, how to bring the back yard to life with lights, a level place for the ceremony, music and dinner – all while being unobtrusive.

We knew we COULD bring the remote guests into the event….we had the technology, the know how and the screens…big screens. But how to do it in this venue…hmmmm. Then, where on property to set up our command post. We had to control music, lights, remote guest feed in and feed out and record it all.

We arrived the day before the wedding around noon to begin setting up command. Located a great spot to the side of the house off an easy path to the front of the house and the street for transport and we started to unload. Panels for ceremony floor, totems for the big screens, up lights, lap tops, switchers, turntables, tents, and cable…lots of cable.

We installed [TECHONOLGY LINGO HERE]. Six laptops, two switchers, video control panel, audio board, 3 cameras with live feeds, 2 master POV screens, 27 up-lights, bistro lights, staging, music panels and turntables…..

My team, who will do whatever we need done to make sure the event is perfect, and I were ready to create a moment for Clara and Andrew they will never forget and a moment for their family and friends, excluded from in person participation because of circumstances none could have imagined, a time to remember.

June 28, 2020

It’s Wedding Day…and what a day it was. My team and I arrived back at the house about noon giving us plenty of time to finish set up for the wedding at 5:30 p.m., or so we thought. It was a beautiful day, a little hot but sunny and the kind of day that just makes you happy to be outside and setting up this beautiful space. The draping went up, the pergola was wrapped, the table set and the sound checks were done.

Then, just about an hour or so before the ceremony, beauty turned into chaos. The sky opened up, the wind and thunder were out of control and a monsoon took over. Everybody, and I mean everybody sprang – without hesitation – into action. Electronics were sheltered, tables were cleared, flowers were removed and all things movable were locked down or taken inside. It was unlike anything we have seen before. If you look at our Instagram page we have a time-lapse video of it all.

Then, as soon as it came, it went. The sky calmed down, the clouds moved on and the sun reappeared. All the same people who moved in to take it all down, cover it up and move it out…helped to put it all back. No questions, no discussions just action.

In a matter of minutes, we had this.

The wedding went forward as if nothing happened. Nothing other than love, commitment and dedication to making this the best day possible…and it was.

There was no way we were going to let a little torrential rain get in the way of this wedding. Our only goal, our only purpose was to get this event of a lifetime back in order and better than ever. I could not be more proud of everyone there and the dedication and focus put forward to provide Clara and Andrew with a day they would never forget. Ok, a pandemic, multiple redo’s and a monsoon are pretty unforgettable; but that will now be secondary to the beauty, love and experience of the joining of their lives on this most special day.

We are so happy to have been able to participate in Clara and Andrew’s wedding and to have brought together their family and friend for the event they had hoped for months ago. This is why we do what we do…Clara and Andrew, it was an honor!