The Ceremony

What types of cameras do you use? How many? And where do you put them?

We use professional HD cameras. These allow us to achieve our first goal of being discreet during the wedding. At the same time, we can capture beautiful images with the advanced optics. Our basic package includes three ceremony cameras. We try to position ourselves towards the front, but to the sides to get closer to the couple, without obstructing any guests. Occasionally church restrictions limit our shooting angles.
 

How do you handle church’s limitations?

While this is going to be your only wedding, there is a pretty good chance that we will be returning to this venue in the future for another. One of our first goals when we get to a ceremony site is to talk with the planner about where we can shoot. We always assure them that our style is discreet and professional. Some obstacles are beyond our control, but we almost always come to a compromise and we never interfere.
 

Do you use lights?

We normally do not use any lighting when shooting the ceremony or reception. It should be noted that the more light we have, the better the footage. While a low-light or no-light ceremony and reception can be very romantic, it can be difficult to get quality footage. In some cases, we might set up small lights to illuminate the toasts and first dances.
 

How do you capture sound?

We usually work with the sound operator at the ceremony to try and get the best sound possible. Some things are out of our control but we try to use redundancy when possible. For example, we will put a small wireless lapel mic on the groom to capture the vows and ring exchange.
 

When do you start shooting? When do you finish?

Generally we start at noon, you have the option of adding morning hours at a rate of $99 per hour. We stay through the main dances once the dance floor open to everyone, typically 30 minutes after the dance begins.
 

We are getting married in an Eastern Orthodox ceremony, could you videotape our wedding?

Cheshire Moon Films shoots a variety of weddings every year and does not discriminate based on race, creed or sexual preference.

The Reception

How long do you shoot?

For the ceremony, we stay until the end of the ceremony. For the reception, we will stay for at least 30 minutes past the start of the dance - enough to get the major dances. Additional hours may be purchased. We don’t generally record “dollar dances.” Once the dance is in full swing, we usually get a few of the full dances before we leave. Typically, a final reception film will run from 45-75 minutes. 
 

Do you eat with the guests?

We appreciate the offer to eat with the guests when it is offered, but it is not a requirement that we place on our couples. We ask if a meal will be available so that we can plan our day. We also try to avoid filming other people eating. It doesn’t make for very appealing images and allows your guests to enjoy the special meal without worrying about being filmed.
 

Wedding Day Rewind

CAN I USE MY FAVORITE SONGS FOR MY WEDDING FILM?

We have partnered with TracksMusic.com, MusicBed.com, and SongFreedom.com to provide you with a large selection of music for your wedding film. Feel free to start browsing their catalogs and making note of what you’d like include. They feature popular artists including Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, American Authors, Imagine Dragons, Ben Rector, and OneRepublic. The licensing costs are covered CM Films. Due to copyright restrictions, music selections must be made from these catalogs.
 

How long does it take to complete the RECEPTION PLAYBACK?

We can edit the footage in about two hours from arriving at the reception, generally. If there is a great distance between the ceremony and reception sites, that can affect our completion time. Also, the longer time allowed for editing creates the opportunity for the editor to polish the film and add more special touches.
 

How long is the Wedding Day Rewind?

Our Highlight video runs 3-5 minutes and the Feature film is 8-12. We emphasize quality not quantity. The Photo Years can add another five minutes and the Love Story Rewind can be from eight to fifteen minutes also.
 

Do you offer Dedicated Wedding Videography?

Yes. This is the no-cost option to have a block of time set aside specifically for videography. This time allows us to set up more elaborate specialty shots. Utilizing our talents in cinematography, time lapse and special effects, we can create beautiful unique shots.

The DELIVERY

How long does it take to complete our wedding film?

Editing ceremonies and receptions are the most time consuming part of our business. Most weddings can take over a week to edit. Often the wedding season can create large backlog of work. Our contracts note that couples can expect their discs in about one month, but it very often runs longer than that.
 

What do I get in the final package?

All wedding packages are delivered online. We also have a thumbdrive delivery and DVD/Blu-ray Authoring options available.
 

How will I receive my wedding film?

We delivery all of our wedding films online. In the event that we are returning photographs or other personal items, we will utilize FedEx Ground. They have a home delivery option that is very reliable although we prefer a business address for delivery if one is available. Also, we post all of our Wedding Day Rewinds on our website.
 

How long is the completed video?

This varies from wedding to wedding. We work to make sure that your film is packed with quality footage. We would never use “filler” footage just to make a film longer. Your wedding film should not have chapters that you skip over. The emphasis is on quality not quantity. A Wedding Day Rewind can run 3-5 minutes for the Highlight and 8-12 minutes for our Feature film. A Ceremony is the actual length of your ceremony and the Reception can run from 45-75 minutes.
 

Do you shoot or provide HD quality footage?

Final films are delivered in high-definition online with the option to purchase DVD/Bluray Authoring package for those who still prefer disc media. We also have the option for a thumbdrive delivery via mail.
 

Do you PROVIDE AERIAL FOOTAGE?

We love getting beautiful shots from the sky! We are insured and FAA-licensed. Due to weather, licensed staff and geographic restrictions, we cannot guarantee aerial footage for every wedding, but will make it available whenever possible.
 

Can I have my raw footage when you are done?

It is the general policy of Cheshire Moon Films to not release raw footage to our clients. We take great pride in the final product that we deliver. It is our mission to make sure that every piece of video bearing the Cheshire Moon name is of the highest quality. Our raw footage is merely a step in our creative process. It is not produced with the intent of public viewing. However, we do offer the option of the Wedding Day Prewind. This is a bonus service that includes a longer cut of the pre-ceremony footage, essentially giving you all of your useable footage, but edited for watchability.

The Contract

What payment do you accept?

Currently we prefer cash, check payments. We can also provide online invoicing that will allow you to pay securely with a credit card.
 

How far do you travel? Do you charge a mileage fee?

Most of our wedding coverage is in central Iowa, but we do travel further if necessary. We also offer destination wedding services for those weddings outside our normal driving range. There is no mileage charge for weddings in Polk, Dallas, Story and Boone counties. Here's a sample of our mileage charges to some of our more popular wedding locales:

       Fort Dodge $100.00
       Cedar Falls/Waterloo $200.00
       Cedar Rapids $200.00
       Iowa City $200.00
       Dubuque $400.00
       Omaha Metro $400.00
       Quad Cities $400.00
       Sioux City $400.00
       Okoboji $400.00

What do your shooters usually wear to a wedding?

While it would be awesome to work in a tuxedo, shooting a wedding is very physical and it’s just not practical. Our shooters wear dress shirts and slacks/dress denim. On some occasions, including outdoor weddings or on very hot days, we may go with a dress polo shirt.
 

What is your cancellation policy?

In the event your wedding is client-cancelled, you will be billed based on the following:
   -At least 6 month notice: $500 retainer.
   -At least 30 day notice: 50% of total due.
   -At least 14 day notice: 75% of total due.
   -Less than 14 days, you will be charged the full total due. 
 

How long have you been doing weddings?

Cheshire Moon Films has been in the wedding business since 2005 and our owner Tom Haggas has been doing weddings since 2000. Tom has worked in video and film production for over 20 years.
 

Can you provide any references?

We have left a mass of happy couples in our wake. If you would like to contact any of our couples and talk to them yourself, please let us know and we would be happy to put you in contact with them. You can also view feedback from our couples on our Wedding Wire page.