Chris & Oliver Cinema

A Chicago wedding with a Japanese-Hawaiian vibe–how does that go? It goes a lil’ something like this….

Matt and Melia’s day was layered with a lot of great personal details–they wrote their own vows, their reception would be on the rooftop deck with Chicago’s skyline as a backdrop, and fresh leis were flown in from Hawaii. Beyond these details, a central piece to their story was the “Banzai Toast”. Unlike any other toast we’ve seen or heard, this one called for audience participation. Melia’s dad, in good fun and high spirits, took the time to educate the guests–a full glass was required :]

The word banzai literally means “10,000 years” and is associated with long life. Banzai cheers are given at joyous occasions to express congratulations, encouragement, or celebration. Traditionally, the participants shout the word “banzai” three times in unison, raising their hands in the air each time.

It is customary to deliver two separate banzai cheers at weddings. The first, “Shinro shimpu, banzai!” means “long life and happiness to the bride and groom.”

The second, “Raihin no minasama, banzai!” means “Long life and happiness to all the guests!” In Hawaii, these wedding banzai cheers are often given as a special toast, with participants raising their glasses with each shout of “banzai!”

I don’t know if it was their intention, but I do remember Matt and Melia saying something about wanting the afternoon to be a relaxing and enjoyable one. They wanted to share the city they love with friends and family, but they wanted to celebrate with that chill, island-vibe. Passing out fresh leis was certainly a nice touch, as was the pineapple/passion fruit wedding cake. I think what sealed the deal though, was the participatory nature of the banzai cheers :]

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | The Wit
photography | Pen Carlson
leis | flown in from Hawaii :)

Chicago boasts some very impressive architecture. The iconic Wrigley Building, eccentric finds like the Emil Bach House by Frank Lloyd Wright, historic Kinzie Street bridge, and the Board of Trade building–a dramatic backdrop featured in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight–are just a few of the pieces that characterize “The City of Big Shoulders”.

The Rookery Building is no exception.

This is hands down one of my favorite buildings in the city. At only twelve stories tall, it’s not the most impressive building, size-wise. What stands out, however, is its geometry, texture, and sheer attention to detail. It’s stunning.

Jessica and Aaron’s wedding would be the first we ever filmed in The Rookery. We almost didn’t get to use our stabilization [monopods, tripods] until we could prove and plead our case to the building’s guards that our rubber-tipped gear would not harm the historic ceramic tile. Interestingly enough, they don’t seem to put stiletto heels through the same scrutiny ;)

Speaking of firsts, this is the first edit where we used the Father of the Bride’s speech as a major piece for our narrative. We didn’t realize it at the time, but as he addressed the guests, and then turned his attention to his daughter and son-in-law, we were capturing the defining moment where a father realizes that his little girl is all grown up. It was simply too good not to include in their story.

We know you’ll enjoy this one. Chicago, its architecture, and especially The Rookery have their history, but it’s merely the backdrop for the people at the end of those historic stairs.

Cheers,

Chris

location | Chicago, IL
ceremony.reception | The Rookery Building
photography | Kenny Kim
event planning | Clementine Custom Events
flowers | Scarlet Petal
design | Art of Imagination

Hello, friends. Sure is good to see you again :]

We’ve kept ourselves pretty busy these days. Over the course of the next few weeks, we hope to share with you all the stories we’ve heard, the people we’ve met, and the places we’ve been.

For starters, let’s say hello to Jalpa + Khilan.

We have to give some major kudos to Jalpa for coming prepared when she sat down to meet us. Of course we spent time getting to know her, and getting to know Khilan through her [the two had a long distance relationship as he was working out on the east coast at the time]. Jalpa took the getting-to-know-us phase to a new level by schooling us on Southeast Indian wedding culture. We still have that multi-page printout, Jalpa!

Prior to this meeting, what we knew about Indian weddings was that most spanned several days, some involved live animals, and all were very festive. After meeting Jalpa…well… Mendhi, Vidhi, Pithi, Garba, Raas, Jaan, Vidai–oh, she taught us well.

It was our first three-day Indian affair and it did not disappoint. Beautiful colors, festive ceremonies, live music, and a horse. We couldn’t think of a better film to start things off than this one.

Cheers,

Chris

location | Schaumburg + Itasca, IL
reception venue | Westin Chicago Northwest
photography | Joseph Kang