Love Stories Productions

01/19/2024

Happy Anniversary Molly and Dakota! A lot has changed in 5 years, but your love is still so beautiful!!

Molly + Dakota | January 19, 2019

Film: Love Stories Productions
Venue: The Cheney Place
Photographer: Shannon Kraiger Photography
Flowers: Flowers by Patty Macha LLC
Dress: Becker's Bridal
DJ: Bee Entertainment
Rings: Harr's Jewelry
Cake: Doug Iocco

01/01/2024

Happy New Year!!

We are wishing all of you so many special moments with the people you love this coming 2024!
Over here at Love Stories we've made the pilgrimage down to sunny Florida to visit my (Heather's) family. It's been wonderful to spend time with parents and siblings that are usually 12+ hours away.
My whole editing computer is here with me, so I'll be continuing to work while combatting my seasonal depression in the best way possible getting some sunshine and exercise spending the coming month down here. I hope this will become a yearly tradition for us!
Are there any new traditions you want to establish this year? Here's to more smiles, tears, laughter and joy in 2024!

11/07/2023

And now all the way back to July!
I've had fewer weddings to share from 2023 because I did a lot of associate and second shooting for other videographers this year. All the joy of capturing amazing memories, but none of the editing haha. It was amazing to take a little bit of a break after the craziness of the past couple of years. ❤
But having this lighter season to reset made our Love Stories weddings this year even more special! I'm loving having the time to make every moment absolutely perfect as I edit through them all. 🥰✨

Riley + Peter | July 15, 2023
Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Venue: Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center
Photographer: Josh and Andrea Photography
Flowers: Smith Floral & Greenhouses
Dress: Fantastic Finds
Menswear: Baryames Tuxedo
DJ & Band: Starfarm

11/06/2023

Remembering those sunny August days!

Allison + Dylan | August 12, 2023

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Locations: The Union Pavilion at Railside and Family Church
Photographer: Mista Marie Photography
Flowers: Stems Market
Jewelry and Rings: Pfaff Jewelers
Menswear: Woodland Tailoring
Dress: Annie Lane Bridal
DJ: Dance Tracks DJ Service 6168441010

11/02/2023

Keeping our sneak peek rollout going, an incredible day at one of my favorite venues!

Alex + Andrew | September 8, 2023

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Venue: Venue3Two
Photographer: Rachel Kaye Photography
Flowers: Sloan Delores Flowers
Dress: The White Magnolia Bridal Collection Jacksonville
Menswear: Men's Wearhouse
Rings: Greg Lynn Jewelers
Earrings: Olive & Piper
DJ: Moments In Time Disc Jockeys
Makeup: Elma
Hair: Taylor Greene

11/01/2023

Continuing our journey back through this year's sneak peeks, September was full of awesome wedding memories (and non-wedding work travel) for us! It also meant a fantastic return to Van Buren Youth Camp, after we last filmed a wedding there for this same amazing family back in 2019. ❤

Maggie + Rex | September 16, 2023

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Venue: Van Buren Youth Camp
Photographer: Kate English Photography
Dress: Spring Sweet Bride
Menswear: Men's Wearhouse
Rings: Jax The Jeweler and Rose Jewelers

10/31/2023

Being back to posting means I can actually share sneak peeks instead of just emailing them! Let's work backwards through the year and share all the love 🥰

Markelle + Benjamin | October 7, 2023

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Venue: Shadowland on Silver Beach
Photographer: Trevor Ritsema Photography
Dress: Becker's Bridal
Menswear: Men's Wearhouse
Rings: Roger + Holland, TQ Diamonds, and Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry
DJ: John Correll Professional DJ Services

10/30/2023

Should I get a Wedding Videographer? I see this question all the time in different bride groups, so I wanted to pop in and give my perspective as both a past bride (who did not get video) and current wedding videographer! (The irony is not lost on me.)

As someone who just wanted to get married and knew NOTHING about planning a wedding, I’m so grateful that my mother-in-law told us we would want a photographer, because otherwise I would have NO memories really captured from our day haha. I love that I can look at those photos and see I look happy, but I remember almost NOTHING from that day.
So, my biggest tip here, have someone record SOMETHING. Even just a cell phone video is better than nothing. Because I had nothing, and nothing is pretty much what I remember.
BUT, do you need a professional?
When I sat down to film this, three main things came to mind for me.

1. A pro will have the gear to get up close properly and really capture the awesome emotions that happen on a wedding day. The laughter and tears that happen during first looks, and at the aisle, and just randomly throughout the day are one of my favorite things to capture and a cell phone just cannot do those parts of the day the same justice my camera and zoom lens can.
2. Audio moments hold a special part of the life of the day, vows and speeches contain so many amazing parts of your memories, and depending on your venue, you may or may not be able to hear those on a cell phone recording.
3. Pros are used to filming wedding days. We’ve seen things go wrong and know how to fix common issues. We’re your biggest fan and care about you having the best time. We’re one more person/team there to support you through this awesome celebration.
I’m sure there’s more pros to having a pro, but these were the ones that stuck out to me the most today. I hope this helps you find the perfect fit for capturing your awesome memories!

And if you do want a professional, I’d love to see if we’re the right fit for recording your wedding day.
www.lovestoriesproductions.com/contact

10/17/2023

Yesterday marked two years for this gorgeous couple! Happy Anniversary Sandra and Alex!

Sandra + Alex | October 16, 2021

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Venue: Marion Magnolia Farms
Photographer: Kimberly Kinder Photography
Flowers: Ling's moment
Dress: Simply Yours Bridal and Formalwear

10/13/2023

Amber + Lee | September 19, 2021
Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com

Venue: Hidden Vineyard Wedding Barn
Flowers: Snapdragon-Designs
Dress: Simply Yours Bridal and Formalwear dress by Stella York
Jewelry and Rings: Helzberg Diamonds
Menswear: Men's Wearhouse
Cake: Black Currant Bakehouse
Photographer: Kendra Denault Photography
DJ: John Correll Professional DJ Services
Coordinator: White Dahlia Events
Hair + Makeup: Something Blue Stylists

04/25/2023

Kathy + Ken | September 11, 2021

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Locations: Tiscornia Park and The Inn at Harbor Shores
Photographer: Ruby Marissa Photos
Officiant: My Barefoot Wedding
Flowers: Crystal Springs Florist & Garden Center
Hair: Blushing Beauty & Co.
Makeup: Makeup by Keria, LLC
Cake: Bit of Swiss Pastry Shoppe

04/13/2023

All films through 2021 are officially up on the website!

Website designer is just another one of the hats I wear as a business owner; I'd love to hear what you guys think of my work!

www.lovestoriesproductions.com/films

For the love of stories... The amazing stories we've had the chance to share with the world through the incredible visual and auditory medium that is film. Check out our premiere Highlight Films, Wedding Videos, and some of the best videography you'll find in West Michigan!

02/20/2023

❤️ Extra large USB drive on its way to the Post Office (along with others)! ❤️

Mail outs had been delayed in January due to Jesse's surgery and recovery (he was able to go in for surgery much earlier than we'd expected, and I had to move the whole schedule around).

So instead, this month, lots of USBs are making their ways home!

02/13/2023

Many couples planning their weddings haven't gotten to see the beautiful way video is utilized today. (I was a bride that didn't even realize wedding films as they exist today were even a thing!)

As vendors, videographers occupy a special place in the wedding day, honored to capture your amazing moments with a life and movement that photo cannot.

As you plan this next chapter of your story (with the person most important to you in the world), consider how you want to able to look back on all the smiles, laughter, tears and memories that will come from the day celebrating your love.

And if you're extra excited about your wedding already, and know you want someone who will get just as psyched as you are about your amazing day- I'd love to talk more!
www.lovestoriesproductions.com/about

01/30/2023

A life update from us over here! You all know Jesse as the man who does the research, knows our gear inside and out, and loves talking with you about it all! I'm the creative, he handles the technical stuff 😉

Jesse's wrist had been greatly deteriorating from an old high school injury over the past couple years. After many doctor's appointments last year diagnosing the issue and exploring options, just last week he was able to go in for a surgery to give him back stability and get rid of his pain (it was at the point that his wrist would pop and send shooting pain up his whole arm if he even picked something up at the wrong angle).

Seeing as it's the off season, it's the perfect time for him to heal up (and learn some more editing once it's safe to move more). He'll be in a cast the next 3 months, but it will be worth it!
Jesse's looking forward to filming this summer's weddings with a sturdier wrist =)

01/18/2023

2021 Feels so long ago! I'm excited to start rolling out all the films I haven't gotten to share with you. It honestly feels like a lifetime ago, so it's going to be very fun to look back I think!

This was one of our first weddings of that year, and these two were so perfect together.

Alyssa and Virgilio | May 22, 2021

Film: www.lovestoriesproductions.com
Location: Watermark Banquets & Events
Photographer: One:31 Photography LLC
Flowers: Alpine Floral & Gift

01/17/2023

Where We’ve Been ❤

I want to start off by thanking all of our amazing couples we’ve gotten to film for the past couple of years. My little business would not have survived without all of your patience and understanding, so I just wanted to let you all know again, here, that I appreciate you more than I can ever express.

For our followers who don’t know, in August of 2021, in the middle of our busiest month of the year, I (Heather) received news that my younger brother had taken his own life. That weekend we filmed a wedding. The next week we drove to NJ to help my family with affairs and attend the memorial service. The following weekend we filmed another wedding. Then we filmed every weekend in September. And dove straight into a full fall/winter season as well.

In my experience, FILMING while you’re grieving isn’t very difficult. You give your entire self to the wedding day, immerse yourself in the emotions, and do everything you can to make sure everything goes perfect for your couple. A wedding is all encompassing; muscle memory and the emotions of the day guide your every thought. I filmed some of my favorite weddings through that season.

EDITING while you’re grieving is excruciating. I was barely treading water during the busy filming months, trying to go back and finish interrupted projects that were mid-edit, keeping up with sneak peeks, and prepping to film each weekend. Even now, looking back on that period of time, I wonder how I was doing so much, but had so few finished projects to show for it.
I was consumed with an anxiety and perfectionism that began in 2020 and still crops up to this day. (I’m going to therapy now though! It’s been so much better.)
Those same thoughts that started during the pandemic came back to me amplified whenever I sat down to work. “This wedding day is absolutely stunning. You filmed it almost perfectly. This couple was incredible and they deserve the best film you’ve ever made.” Less helpful thoughts joined. “What if I’m not skilled enough to edit the film they deserve? What if I don’t capture their essence as a couple? What if they hate what I make??”

Sometimes the hardest thing to do was find a way to break through the pain and self-doubt that would just paralyze me. Other times I needed to forcibly pull myself away from nit-picks, spending far too many hours on a 20 second section of a film. It was a terrible balance to walk. Convincing myself that a film was ready to share was a herculean task.

I wasn’t even able to muster the emotional strength to share what was going on with everyone until January. I would reply honestly to any inquiry immediately, but mustering the strength to reach out first, tell people you’re struggling and share that very raw wound of the “why”? It was hard.
I need to emphasize again what amazing and understanding couples I’ve had the honor of serving.

Through April I went through this cycle of “I’m okay now! I’m getting so much done!” followed by swinging into a paralyzed depression. I didn’t even realize it was depression at the time. Only hindsight (and therapy) let me see the true nature of that oppressive fog I was fighting through.

I personally needed the structure of beginning to attend therapy to pull myself out. From May onwards, I continued knocking projects out while simultaneously heading into filming a whole new season. As of December I finally finished all our Highlights from 2021, and will be doing a mass USB mail-out this month.
And while it’s been difficult, I have not let myself fall behind on the 2022 editing either! Don’t get me wrong, I’m stressed and editing like a crazy person, but I’m doing it!

This is just one picture of what grief looks like, and how it can overlap with running a business. I am so lucky that I get to work with something I can pour my heart and creativity into. Creating art out of someone’s precious memories is something I treasure and respect SO DEEPLY.

It’s so hard to be creative while you’re hurting though. So many days I wished I had a reason to leave the house and interact with people and just do something mindless. Something like scanning groceries often sounded so much better than what I was fighting through alone.
I’m so grateful to have had the support that allowed me to make it through. We often think of folks grieving for a few weeks, or months, but then things go back to normal, we forget, life moves on.
It can be so easy to overlook that when someone experiences a tragedy, it happens right in the middle of a “normal” life. It bumps into everything and causes stresses and ripples that can last for years. I’ve often been so frustrated at myself for being “so weak” or being so overwhelmed with sadness. Sometimes it feels like “I’ve felt this sorrow so many times, why does it keep coming back?” But that’s the reality. And so often we’re suffering in silence with a smile pasted on to face to world.

I wanted to share this to show some of the real-life and “behind the scenes” that exists when running a business, and more importantly, the humanity that connects us all. Like most video/photo folks, I’m just one person, running everything. Filming and editing, of course, but also all emails, marketing, website updates, social media posts, equipment maintenance, software troubleshooting, etc. All those essential pieces only happen if I keep track of it all.
It’s easy to think of a business as a faceless company, but in the end we’re all just people, hoping to find a way to support ourselves and share some beauty with the world.

I’ll be rolling out more posts and footage from the amazing days we’ve gotten to film over the past couple of years, but I wanted to take a moment for authenticity before diving back in as if nothing happened.

I love you all, and I love the stories we’re continuing to write together.

01/16/2023

We're officially back in the office! Jesse and I both had some post-traveling sickness this past week, but we're back to work now and excited to share everything that's been going on!

Look out for emails and updates this coming week!

12/30/2022

Wishing everyone the most wonderful holiday season from me (Heather) and Jesse over here at Love Stories!

I'll be returning to our social media soon, updating you on where we've been, and sharing all the wonderful stories we got to experience with our amazing couples but haven't gotten to put up here yet!❤️