Mets fan marries a Yankees fan!

Last Sunday I had the privilege of filming the wedding of “Miss Met” Lisa to her Yankees-lovin’ husband Matt. These two met online, where Lisa emphatically stated,”No Yankee or Philly’s fans need apply!” But Matt was persistent, got the date, and the rest is history.

Lisa surprised Matt with a Yankees/Mets cake, and the bridal party was introduced into the reception hall to the tune of “Take Me Out To The Ball Game”. Each bridesmaid and usher wore either a Mets or Yankees jersey and Lisa and Matt even donned their own custom jerseys which read, “Bride” and “Groom” on the back.

Despite all of the fun, the day was also emotional and heartfelt. Before their first dance, Lisa and Matt  showed their guests a short movie of how they met, fell in love and got engaged.  Lisa still cried watching it, even though she’d seen it about 5 times already.

The entire day was just beautiful from start to finish as the sun came out in time for their perfect ceremony; with incredible views of the Hudson on the great lawn of the Sleepy Hollow Country Club.

It was my pleasure to work alongside the incredible Jenni and Ulysses from Ulysses Photography.  We all had such fun sharing in the joy of these two people in love! Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Wain

More on Lisa and Matt’s Love Story

Lisa and Matt “How We Met”

No limo? No problem. Just jump into the back of the videographer’s car and we’ll get you to the park!

Sarah and Christian were having their ceremony and reception all in the same location, so who thought they would need transportation? Pictures down by the Hudson…not a problem for these two! They jumped into my car and we got some spectacular shots with the Mid-Hudson bridge in the background.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did I mention their custom cake top? How cute is this? It includes Chris in his firefighter’s gear, a replica of Sarah’s dress and even their adorable boxers!

venue:  The Poughkeepsie Grand

Photography: Cheryl Barra

Photos By Cheryl

Entertainment: Octavius

New Review on Weddng Wire! Thanks Laura and Gio. It was my pleasure to be a part of your beautiful wedding!

“Originally my groom and I were not planning on or budgeting for a videographer, but then my close friend, Robin, who got married 7 years prior, told me that the video was the one product from her wedding that was most valuable to her since her young girls love to watch “mommy and daddy’s movie”. Also, she told me that since her wedding, one of her close family relatives passed away and because she had the video, she was able to tell her children all about her beloved uncle by showing them the video… She recommended Jen Cassaro, who she selected, and at least explore the option and see her availability.

Also, during my trial, my make-up artist mentioned her videographer was incredible, and it turned out to be Jen Cassaro once again… This name kept surfacing in very positive ways! When Jen and I met to review her work and talk about her various options, she made me feel completely comfortable and I did not need any convincing after seeing her work, I needed her to video my wedding! I have to say, now that the wedding is done, and FLEW BY way too quickly, I am SO happy we decided to capture all the memories of our wedding day. I was concerned that videographer might be too intrusive, but in addition to Jen being flexible ( we booked her only 8 weeks prior to our wedding ), professional, and very responsive, I didn’t even realize Jen and her assistant were at the wedding!!!

Never once was any equipment in the way and she worked so nicely with my photographer as well
which helped the day flow so smoothly. Though I have not seen the final product yet, I am confident that
it will be amazing! Even my parents who are tough critics, complimented how well she worked the day of the wedding ‘behind the scenes’ while still being there to capture it ALL.”

wedding date:  4-14-12

venue: Villa Borghese, Wappingers Falls, NY

photographer:  Majestic Studios

Just posted on my Face book page. Thank you Stacey! Made My Day.

“Hey I know you have probably heard this 1000 times but your work is priceless…I was just searching around and decided to take a look at your site…most of them made me cry ( happy tears) and I don’t even know these people…what you do is amazing ….what you capture through your eyes in a simple shot is really beyond words…hope you’re having a busy summer”..ttys Love xoxo

Wedding Wire love from Sarah and Christian!

“Let me start off by saying that you will not regret hiring Jen Cassaro. I was one of those brides who could not conceivably find money in our budget for a videographer. Friends of my groom and I told us about Jen and we looked her up the very next day. It was while watching the third or fourth video (all while crying my eyes out) that I knew that I HAD to find room in the budget for Jen. There was just no way that we could say no. From the moment we were in contact, Jen’s expertise and professionalism shined through. She helped put a nervous and excited bride at ease from the moment I walked into her office. Not only did she have ideas for the video, she had pointers on everything about how the day should run. She helped plan my day right up until the last dance. I cannot thank her enough for her charming personality, warm demeanor, and professionalism in every situation. I think that Jen and her magnificent assistant Alyssa had just as much fun as I did at the reception, which goes to show how much they love doing their jobs. They are naturals at what they do. My husband and I cannot wait to see the finished product. We were just married on Friday and here we are on Monday planning to see Jen ASAP to take a peek at the raw footage.

To all current and future brides: find room in your budget for the best videographer in the Hudson Valley!!! You will not be disappointed!”

New Review On Wedding Wire!

“We wish we could go higher than 5′s to rate Jen’s service! She and her  helped to make an already memorable day even more special. Her  nature made us forget she was even there. My husband said it best when he told her, “You’re the MVP of this wedding Jen…we don’t even know you are here!” Aside from my husband referring to another woman as the “MVP” on our wedding day, Jen Cassaro helped make our wedding day last a lifetime

-Colleen- wedding date 8/6/11

Read more reviews here:

http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/masterpiece-video-port-jervis/9fa66213c557b7a0.html

Sweet words from “The bride who did NOT want video”.

photo courtesy of Michael Bloom Photography

“Jen Cassaro is amazing!  I really thought that I did not want a videographer at my wedding.  I hated the feeling of me and my guests being followed by a video camera all night.  After meeting with several videographers and looking through many videos, I was becoming more and more certain that I did NOT want a videographer at my wedding.  None of the videos seemed to capture the emotion that I was looking for and the artistic vision and none of the videographers gave me the feeling that they knew what I wanted.  As soon as I spoke to Jen Cassaro for the first time, I knew that I was so wrong.  From the first email I received from her, I was put completely at ease. Not only did she have a way about her that was so easy to work with, but she understood my vision for a documentary to capture the story, not just a video of food or people dancing.   It only got better from there–when I first met Jen, she had this amazing energy and a smile that made me knew I had really made the right choice–and then seeing her interact with my photographers during our pre-wedding portraits-I knew that I had made the right decision.  She was able to help use her artistic eye to help them capture things that they did not see.  But after that–I never saw Jen again–while I didn’t think it was possible, she had managed to make herself invisible the entire wedding, while capturing every moment. 

photo courtesy of Michael Bloom Photography

I cannot wait to see the final product as I know it will be amazing.  I could not imagine a better videographer and highly recommend Jen Cassaro to any couple who is looking for someone to capture their love story.”

Thank you Jillian and Michael! It’s always nice to know that I go un-noticed at the reception!  Watch the blog for more to come about this fabulous wedding at the Glen Isle Harbour Club!

Seeing each other before the ceremony?

Ashley and Jay at their May wedding at Catlin Gardens

Attention brides and grooms who fear that seeing each other before the ceremony for a photo session will ruin “the moment” that you see each other down the aisle.
All 3 of my couples this past weekend saw each other prior to the ceremony and EVERY SINGLE GROOM still teared up as he watched his bride walked down the aisle!
So if your photographer suggests a pre-ceremony photo session in order for you to enjoy your full cocktail hour……give it some thought! Great idea.

-jen

Heard at this weekend’s wedding…..

The groom to me during the reception…..

“Jen, you’re like the MVP of today.”

Me…..”Thank you! What did I do?”

Groom…..”I haven’t even noticed you were here!”

WOW! One of the best compliments I could receive.  See people? Video doesn’t have to be obnoxious or intrusive.

Thanks Jeff and Colleen.

 

-jen

Feeling the love from Courtney and Matt!

Jen, thanks so much for the kind words about our wedding. his is the first I am seeing this post about our day! It was truly the best day of our lives. We were thrilled that you joined us for our big day, I can’t imagine how much we would have regretted it otherwise. Our families have loved watching the video (almost) as much as we have. It’s the best souvenir we could have asked for! Thank you for catching those moments that would have otherwise been forgotten!

Courtney & Matt

see a clip of Matt & Courtney’s wedding here Courtney and Matt at Sleepy Hollow Country Club

Allyson and Rob at Anthony’s Pier 9

I think that I was actually more nervous on Allyson’s wedding day than she was! After all, It was my first wedding of the season; I was shooting with a brand new camera; and training a new assistant.  Allyson was calm, cool, excited and just adorable.  She was more than ready to marry the man of her dreams (her words), and nothing could rattle her today!  Not even the thunder during their vows at their beautiful outddor ceremony at Anthony’s Pier 9.    She and Rob were announced as husband and wife just as the rain starting coming down.  They didn’t care a bit! They were ready to eat, drink, and party with their bridal party – a very close group of friends who already had the pleasure of having Allyson and Rob as members of their bridal parties.

    Before the ceremony, Allyson and Rob wanted to take some gritty, non-traditional bridal shots with their photographer Michael Bloom.  So despite being denied earlier permission to take some photos at the the shipyard on the Hudson, there we were, braving crossing freight trains and security guards to pose the bridal party on the railroad tracks and next to the rusty ship! As you can see, the risk was absolutely worth the reward!

(All photos courtesy of Michael Bloom.)

The party rocked with the energy of the DJs from Zolz Entertainment.  I’ve never seen a funnier game of musical chairs with the winning table receiving tickets to a Hudson Valley Renegades game.  A tradition with this group of friends is a rendition of “Shout” – complete with all of the guys, (and some ladies) on their backs, with their feet and hands in the air doing the turtle – HYSTERICAL!

Thanks for the invite to a great day Mr. and Mrs. Steinberg!

-jen

Venue: Anthony’s Pier 9

Photography: Michael Bloom

Entertainment: Zolz Entertainment

Flowers: James Murray Florist, Goshen, NY

Bridesmaids’ Dresses: Crystal Vision Bridal, Wurtsboro, NY

Hair: Sara Dougherty/Stylist/ Sun Spa Salon Middletown, NY

Honeymoon: St. Lucia

Lovely words from Elizabeth and Paul!

Dear Jen,

Thank you so much for making our wedding day even more special. We believe you did an amazing job on our wedding video and are excited that we can watch it over and over again. Someday when Elizabeth and I have children and then become grandparents we can show them how crazy we once were. It is also amazing because we can always look back and see those

photos courtesy of Mark Greenstone/Majestic Studios

people we love that are not longer with us and remember what an important role they had in our wedding. Thank you again and we wish you the best of luck in the future.

Love,
Paul and Elizabeth

Mr. and Mrs. Panesa at Catlin Gardens

Read More About Elizabeth and Paul’s Spring wedding!http://masterpiecevideo.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/elizabeth-and-paul-at-catlin-gardens/

Welcome 2011 Brides and Grooms!

2011 is shaping up to be a busy year! Just wanted to say welcome to my newest couple Dawn and Shannon! Can’t wait for your August wedding at the beautiful Catlin Gardens. Now we just have to figure out how to incorporate their gorgeous poodle puppy into the ceremony!

-jen

Kind words from Courtney!

“Jen did an amazing job with our wedding video, by far the best wedding video i have ever seen! Not because it was mine but because of all the details she did within the video. I was a pretty easy going bride and basically left everything up to her and she went way beyond what i would of done. All of my family and friends were blown away with the video. Jen really put our personalities in the video and she picked the perfect songs for the video, ones i wouldn’t even think of. I recommend Masterpiece Video for anyone who is looking for a videographer.” 

Thanks Courtney! Your wedding was so sweet and I was priviledged to be a part of your day.

Read more reviews on Wedding Wire.

http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/masterpiece-video-port-jervis/9fa66213c557b7a0.html

PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS DUNCAN

From Arizona with love . . . Amanda and Mark.

Amanda and Mark’s Highlights

I usually blog about a wedding well before I receive the thank you note in the mail. NOT this time!  Amanda and Mark are so on the ball that my thank you arrived last week with a kindly reminder to “please blog about our wedding”.

I cracked up laughing. Their October wedding in the Poconos was my last one of the year and the blog post just slipped my mind –  Sorry Mrs. Brown! It’s timely for me to chat about them this week though, as they are having their second wedding reception out in Arizona for all of their friends who couldn’t make it to PA for their church nuptials.  I KNOW that Amanda is so excited to wear her beautiful strapless gown again and I’m sure that Mark will beam at his bride the same as on their original wedding day.

Speaking of the original wedding day……WOW! If Mark and Amanda wanted the complete opposite weather of their Phoenix, Arizona home, they got it! Cool, crisp Fall air and clear skies made for the perfect backdrop for a traditional Pennsylvania wedding at Amanda’s hometown church.

Mark had tears in his eyes all day, like he couldn’t believe how lucky he was to be marrying Amanda. He also gets a bonus-Amanda’s daughter Vivian, who is just as vivacious as her mom. They had a lovely family ceremony on the altar where they gave Vivian a necklace symbolizing family unity. Mark later told me that it was one of his favorite parts of the day.

I had a complete blast working with photographer Kim Winey. On our way to Ehrhardt’s for the reception, we scoured the Pennsylvania country side looking for just the right dilapidated barn to take some pictures. Boy was that worth it! (Can’t get barns like THAT in Arizona Amanda!) A first for me, I was invited to stop at Amanda’s aunt’s house in-between the ceremony and reception for a mini-reception; complete with tons of homemade snacks and homemade wine! It’s a wonder we got the Ehrhardt’s on time!

Ehrhardt’s was just as beautiful with the lake behind us brimming with the reds and golds of late October. As usual, Diane Ehrhardt and her staff outdid themselves with the food and service. Diane was even accommodating when Amanda’s dad asked if he could be introduced into the hall carrying his old musket (as a joke!)

The newlyweds were introduced into the room to “Walking on Sunshine” and they were indeed!

Then they boogied down to the sounds of  the band “Groove Train”.

Wish I could be there with them this Saturday as they boogie down and celebrate with their Arizona friends and a DJ this time!

Alas, I’m just sending this highlight video instead. ENJOY!!!!

-Amanda and Mark’s Highlights

Erin and Danny at Patriot Hills

http://www.vimeo.com/16618223

Janine and Dylan at Tappan Hill

Janine & Dylan at Tappan Hill from jen cassaro on Vimeo.

Dramatic Fall wedding along the Hudson River at Tappan Hill Mansion. First time that I’ve ever filmed the father of the bride’s wedding first, then his daughter’s! I just LOVE the Bryan family!

Courtney and Matt at Sleepy Hollow Country Club

What a spectacular Fall day we had for Courtney and Matt’s Tarrytown wedding! Blue skies and orange leaves were the perfect backdrop for this city couple, who wanted their guests to feel like the Sleepy Hollow Country Club was their home for the day. Courtney’s words to me were “Like a  Gatsby-esque lawn party”.

The location was impressive. A beautiful mansion on the Hudson River with great columns, moldings, grand staircases, chandeliers; it evoked feelings of another era which Matt and Courtney completely embraced. Courtney’s Monique Lhullier dress fit her perfectly as did her fabulous Christian Louboutin shoes with the eye-popping red soles.

Matt stood waiting for his bride in his classic black tux and was blown away as she and her dad walked down the aisle at the Reformed Church of the Tarrytowns.  After the beautiful ceremony, the bride and groom left in a Rolls Royce to get back to “their ” mansion and take some fun and fabulous bridal party and family photos. My friends, photographers Ulysses and Jenni outdid themselves in finding stunning backdrops and locations for Courtney and Matt to pose for their formal pictures. Check out their blog!

On to the party….it was incredible! Matt & Courtney barely left the dance floor all night and just really had the time of their lives. They were last minute-video converts and I’m so glad that they invited me! ( and my camera).

Congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Maron.

-jen

Catlin Gardens Inn opens today!

I’m so excited to be heading to Slate Hill today to help the Stack family celebrate the grand opening of their incredible new Catlin Gardens Inn! The hotel is spectacular and elegant and I can’t wait to have lunch at Jack’s Pub!

Congratulations to Jack, Jenn, John and Stephanie and their families and staff.  It is beautiful and you should all be so proud!

Debbie and Rob at Patriot Hills

Ceremony & Reception: The Clubhouse at Patriot Hills

Photographer: Lori O’Toole

Perfect day – perfect couple!

I first met Christine when she was the maid of honor in my famous wedding blogged as, “Most excited groom ever” (Also know as Kristy and Ron Ferrante).

Last Saturday was HER turn as the bride and Kristy’s turn as the maid of honor. She picked the most beautiful day of the Summer to have her outdoor tent ceremony on a friend’s lawn in Riverdale.

The highlight of the touching ceremony, for me, was the exit music, as the string quartet played Cold Play’s “La Viva Vida”.  It was just so unique and I’m sure that Christine and Michael were on such a high coming back down that aisle, that they didn’t even notice! 

Christine was so beautiful in her lace gown with a pretty taupe sash highlighting her tiny waist. She wore a cathedral veil and check out the gorgeous Kate Spade shoes!I had the chance for the first time to work with Westchester photographer Kelly Vasami. What a pleasure! We took the couple to the Riverdale Yacht Club for some breathtaking photos on the water. Oh, did I mention that a sailboat just happened to breeze by while we were there, adding a picture perfect backdrop to their professional stills.I haven’t even gotten to the best part yet…the party! What do you get when you combine 230 guests, big Irish families, bagpipers and the New York City Police Department? A fabulous night at the Westchester Rennaissance Hotel.

Christine and Michael added so many special touches to their day.  Christine surprised her husband with a groom’s cake..an exact replica of his NYPD badge in honor of his 20 years of service to the department.  The guests found their assigned tables with the help of table cards set in wine corks of bottles enjoyed by the bride and groom over the years. It was also Christine’s dad’s birthday and a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” was played by the NYPD bagpipers. Michael and his new bride took a turn on the dance floor to an Irish jig played the pipers  – they were so good it almost looked choreographed!(Christine, you can DANCE!)

I had so much fun at this wedding and I really felt like a part of the family. Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Dowd for inviting me!

-jen

GRAND wedding at the Grandview!

Everything about Christina and Nick’s wedding was GRAND!

 The guest list (over 350), the food (too much to mention), the bridal party (30),the venue(The Grandview) and most of all…..the RAIN! The weather let up only for the bride arriving at the church, then it never stopped. It put a halt to Nick’s only request for the day; a trip down the river from Kingston to Poughkeepsie on a small yacht with his new wife and their bridal party.

Althought the mode of transportation went from yacht to Rolls Royce, that didn’t dampen the spirits of these two, who were more than happy to get their party started a little earlier than planned! And what a party!

The Grandview went above and beyond in terms of the food and service.  They really made the guests forget about the downpour outside, and focus on the outpouring of love and friendship inside. I had the pleasure of working alongside Lori O’Toole who worked her photography magic in less than perfect conditions. It wasn’t hard – Christina was absolutely stunning in her custom fit Monique Lhuillier gown on her teeny tiny frame. She and Nick did not stop smiling all night.  Such a joy to work with such a natural couple.

A Greek band rocked the dance floor well into the night and the money was flying! Guests came from as far away as Cyprus to join the Kyriacu family as they celebrated the marriage of their only child, Christine. Alyssa and I were honored to join them from as far away as Port Jervis!

 BIG hugs and kisses to Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Krzywonos!

-jen