Hot Love And Emotion, Endlessly...

Separately, such rad people, but together, it is like home - comfort - your happy place. Spending the windiest day in the history of the World together brought so many surprises our way, but you never lost focus of what this day was all about, the celebration of deciding to hang out forever, crushing life together. I kinda love the way these two met - you will have to watch to know what I'm talking about... it is a sign of our modern times, but shows that even in this fast paced numbers game, you can find the one. This love is real, and solid as a rock - scratch that, STEEL.

So glad we could be a part of this with you, we love you!



KP and Ryan, you two are legends. Did you guys peep their incredible steeze - Katie's BAE pin on her one of a kind dress? Dying.

xx
Maria

Love Trumps Everything...

On a day that for some isn't that great, devastating even, I wanted to share something that will make you feel joy in the purest form. No matter what you believe in, you can always believe in the power of love.

Ben and Matti are really special to us. We didn't know them personally before they came to us to shoot their wedding, but it feels like we have known them all of our lives - like family. They are incredible. They also did something that humbled us beyond belief, and told us that they had had a "Nick and Maria jar" they kept since before they were engaged! Beyond - I could literally sob, I'm not kidding.

Now back to them.

Guys, the kind of love, respect and admiration these two have for each other is remarkable. It actually makes me wonder if they have ever had a fight, because they are THAT perfect together, and it doesn't surprise me that they love so beautifully, as their parents are all kinda the greatest humans on the planet. Let's just say, this group of people have it figured out, and we are so lucky to be a part of it. This is officially one of my favorite weddings ever - intimate, emotional, fun, and sooooo beautiful. Guys, you killed it!

Just watch, and let any sadness leave your heart, even for just a couple of minutes.


xx
Maria

Losing Time...

This is a lesson to boys everywhere - if you find something special, go after it, and never give it up. Sara and Chris met on their first day of college, and became fast friends - nothing ever happened, and there were a few missed opportunities, but Chris always continued to make an effort to be near Sara and show her gestures of thoughtfulness. He even sent flowers to her family home during their first Christmas at college! What boy even does that, especially when you aren't even dating?! Chris does. And he is a G.

This is the trailer for their insanely fun and beautiful wedding. I know I say it all the time, but we get the coolest brides and grooms! Thank you for bringing us into such an amazing story, and Carly - love you, girl!



Thank you to Stacey and Leslie from Peony Events Co. for all of your help and for the laughs!!! And of course, to our dope second shooters, Matt and Paul for killing it as usual.
xx
Maria

Dancing In The Wind...

"And even when we become stardust, we will still be dancing in the wind together..."

Today is the day for Libby and Ryan's full film, and guys, it's magic. I don't really even know what to say, other than please watch it - it will make you feel happy, it will make you laugh, it will almost certainly make you cry, and it will reaffirm your belief in love and forever.

This is a beautiful story, filled with beautiful people - not just on the outside, either. Weddings are about the people, about embracing the day - everything that happens - the silly less than perfect moments, the word stumbles, the happy accidents, the real tears, the rawness of the emotions, and the absolutely pure unimaginable joy felt by two people.

Ok, I won't say another word, just press play.

password is: studio 1208


xx
Maria

Blog Feature - Bridal Musings Best of 2016...

Happy Freaking New Year, Everyone!!

Wow, 2016 has been a doozy... so much good stuff happened, a lot of weird stuff, and some just downright shitty stuff too. I am really trying to get it together enough to do a personal post to round out 2016, but until then, I wanted to share what one of our favourite (and let's be honest, one of the best) wedding blogs out there had to say about their faves of the year. Thank God someone has their shiz together!

It is always really extra awesome when members of the wedding community recognize your work as some of the best out there, and to get chosen as one of the best in 4 out of 5 of their categories is next level awesome. It always feels like you didn't do enough every year, like you might suck at your job more than you realize and that this is the year you will fall apart and lose it all, but then something like this happens, and you think to yourself, well, I guess we will survive, and people still like us. Phew!

Thank you to Elizabeth and Claire from Bridal Musings for always believing in our work, and for giving us the great honor of being among some of your favorite wedding visual goodness from 2016 - we are humbled and stoked!! Here's to 2017 and more badassery! Click on the links below to see the full posts, and check out what the fuss is all about!

Best of BM 2016: Weddings

Best of BM 2016: Wedding Films

Best of BM 2016: Most Unique Ideas

Best of BM 2016: Styled Shoots

xx
Maria

Find Your Husband Sundays...

YOU. GUYS. (I apologize for the over use of all caps and parentheses in this post)

This wedding is SO good, I mean, SO SO SO good. We went to Rhode Island for this one, and met these great people (obvs. fell in love with them), and had the best party ever. Not only did we fall in love with them, we fell in love with their coordinator, Elizabeth Lutz of Glass Event Boutique (a goddess), their floral designers, Greenlion Design (geniuses), and their prop stylist, Caylin Harris (yes that's a thing, and it's amazeballs)!

Anyway, Kira and her bestie, Jourdan devised a plan called "Meet your husband Sundays", and they would get dolled up, hit the bars that supported their local teams (to give each side a chance), and pretend like they cared about football. HA! Genius! And you know what, it worked... Kira and TJ met at the bar that supported the Buffalo Bills (Jourdan's home team)... are you still with me?? Long story short, Kira and TJ met, they fell in love, and now they are married - and they are the best. I almost forgot to mention this, but Kira also DESIGNED AND MADE her dress with her best friend Anokah, and it is NEXT LEVEL.

I can't wait to share some images with you all, it is an eyegasm for real! Enjoy this, and watch for my cameo in the trailer on the dance floor (duh). Also, go check out their Instagram cut on our page @Studio1208!


xx
M

follow the dope vendors on Insta:
@GlassEventBoutique
@GreenlionRI
@CaylinHarrisCreative
@ConfectioneryDesigns

and if you don't follow us already, then hit us up too @Studio1208

I Will Follow You Into The Dark...

GUYS. This wedding, these people. OMG.

Many of you will remember that we did a huge contest (#HookUpWithStudio1208) giving away free photo and video to a couple last year, and Libby and Ryan were our seriously deserving winners. They smashed it with all of their entries - their friends and family came out of the woodwork to support them, and we were blown away. Fast forward, and we are beyond grateful to have met them, and to now call them (and their friends and family) ours. They are part of our tribe - just the best people you could ever hope to meet, and I can't think of a more appropriate post to share on this day of thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and love each other a little more today.


xx
Maria

Through All Of Our Years...

This is what it looks like when you marry your best friend - the one who brings you out of your shell, makes it possible for the best in you to shine brightly, and who shows you that life can be the most beautiful, magical thing in the world.

Jessie and Chaz were married at her family home in Hammonton, New Jersey - home of Penza Pies (seriously, you need to eat one...it will change your life). We loved watching these two in the moments in-between... that is where the magic happened, and when you watch this, you will see exactly what I mean!


xx
Maria

Trying To Find The In-between...

Laura and Beau are cool AF. Some might call them hipsters, but we call them cultured, artistic people with an appreciation for the finer, thoughtful, handcrafted things in life. Basically, they are the best, and we love to be around them - I want to learn about obscure things from them, and try all the coffee...and I want to go and talk about art. It is so cool being around people with such an appreciation for art, because they treat you like you are special, that it is a privilege to work with you, and that they are genuinely excited to see what you create for and about them. These people inspire the shit out of us, and we were so happy to collab with them.

Here is their wedding film trailer - complete with all the things that make a wedding story great, starting with the people. Can't wait to show you more of this, and can't wait to see these two again for some good times in London!


xx
Maria

It's Not Bitter, Just Oh So Sweet...

Anna and Johnny. How do I explain these people? Well, it's easy... the most electric, fun, wild, generous, badass, chic, amazing people ever. That is no joke or exaggeration either - they are incredible, and the people around them are just the same. Never a dull or boring moment with them, and they want everyone to have fun, not just themselves. We love them for this (and so many more reasons)!

Their wedding was in France - the South of France, Provence to be exact. It was pretty much friends only, outside of the small handful of family in attendance, and this wedding reflected everything that they are above. We had the time of our lives celebrating the time of their lives - we never wanted it to end. This also marked the first destination wedding that we brought our whole Studio 1208 squad to (more about that in another post to come), and they smashed it, BIG TIME!

So, the only thing left to do is watch...you won't be disappointed. And her dress... holy moly!


xx
M

But If You Close Your Eyes...

We shot Katie Perry's wedding!

It's true! Maybe not THAT Katy Perry, but this Katie didn't let us down - she was beautiful, fun, and I'm not sure if she can sing, but she can definitely dance! Luke wasn't too shabby himself... he is one of the coolest, most down to Earth people ever, and his personality is totally engaging...you just want to be around him AND his dance moves! I was so happy that the rain went away for these two and ended up giving us the most spectacular light later in the day - I'm 100% sure someone was watching over these two, and it was absolute magic - they deserved every second of it.

I know I say it all the time, but we really do have the best brides and grooms - not to mention their families and friends, who end up ours. I'm not sure how we have managed to attract all the best people in the world, but thankfully they come to us, and we are beyond lucky to tell their stories and give them the gift of family heirlooms on such a special day.

I love this trailer - it shows how much fun these guys are, and also makes me tear up every time (I am seriously emotional about my people!) Enjoy!


xx
Maria

Midnight City...

Colette and Marcello know how to throw a party!! They chose the most magical venue - Aynhoe Park, in Oxfordshire, served the most delicious food, catered by Marcello's family restaurant - San Carlo, and wowed everyone with incredible musicians, dj's and a fireworks display to end all fireworks displays by Sirotechnics!

We had such a good time with them, their banter is off the charts with each other. I love seeing two people so well matched, and their gorgeous boys, Luca and Matteo make them the perfect foursome.

So excited to share this trailer - the wedding was pure magic!


xx
Maria

I Think That We'll Float...

This is one wedding that I was absolutely beyond gutted that I didn't get to be a part of... You see, I was only 11 days from my due date with Jones for this one, so we decided that it wasn't the best idea for me to head to Scotland to shoot a wedding. Nick and I have known Lucy for quite a while now - she and her sister, Cheryl, are the owners of Premier Wedding Planners, Scotland - the most high end coordinators in Scotland - these women are INCREDIBLE. They have brought us along on a few weddings, and we were so excited (and beyond flattered) when Lucy came to us to shoot photo and video for her wedding! Fast forward to 9 months pregnant, getting the photo part covered, and Nick heading up to Scotland (with all of us crossing our fingers that there would be no baby arrivals whilst he was gone...!), we were all experiencing a nervous anticipation for this one!

When Nick showed me the footage from this wedding, I was in tears! Everything was so beautiful and turned out perfect (duh), but the greatest thing of all, was how absolutely present these two were on the day. Their connection was electric - so much so, that even someone who wasn't there and had never met Andrew (me), could physically feel it. Just watch, and you will see exactly what I mean! I smiled with them, I cried with them, and I wanted to faint when I saw Lucy's hair and dress!

Still gutted that I wasn't there with them, but happy to report that baby Jones didn't arrive until the day after his due date. :) Can't wait to show you all the full film, which will have you even more emotional! Enjoy and a huge congrats to the Barrowmans!!


xx
Maria

UNICEF #EndChildMarriage

Everyday, millions of little girls from all over the world are forced to marry adult men. Many of them will die in childbirth, from sexual trauma, or abuse.

We are so proud and honored to be a part of this powerful ‪#‎EndChildMarriage‬ campaign with UNICEF and BridalMusings to help shed light on this disturbing subject. We made a powerful film to help spread the word, and are really hoping that it will go viral.



So today, on International Women's Day, we are the voice of the voiceless, and we hope you will be too. Please share this with your friends and family to help spread the word. Can you imagine sending your own daughters, sisters or nieces into the arms of a 40 year old man at just 11 or 12 years old?

To learn more about this and how you can help, please visit the full write up over on BridalMusings

A huge thank you to all of the talented creatives who came together to make this project happen:

Art Direction: Elizabeth & Claire of Bridal Musings / Assistant Stylist: Gemma Hallett / Shoot Coordinator & Stylist: Always Andri Wedding Design / Photographer: Claire Graham Photography / Videography: Studio 1208 / Video Music by SuRie & Nick Bentley of Studio 1208 / Venue: Nonsuch Mansion / Special Thanks To: Coco Wedding Venues / Stationery: Kate Ruth Romey / Cake Designer: Olofson Design / Wedding Dress: Rock the Frock Bridal / Suit: Alexandra Wood Bespoke / Bridal Accessories: Kelly Spence / Florist: Elizabeth Marsh Floral Design / Linens: Table To Dine For / Hair and Makeup: Jo Irvin Love Hair / Aisle Runner & Chair Covers: Stress Free Hire / Our fantastic models who we could not have done this without!

x
Maria + Nick

Take A Trip To Mexico...

GUYS! This wedding is so sweet. A very intimate wedding in Mexico that is so thoughtful and well suited to these two people. Both living their lives in the spotlight, it was almost extra special that they almost ran away to get married in front of a handful of their closest friends. In that company, they truly came alive - they whole-heartedly connected with this event and most importantly, with each other.

We are so lucky to get to go on these magical trips. Not only because the destinations are often what dreams are made of, but because we leave there with some of the richest life experiences, and the coolest new friends. We get to tell stories of people experiencing the best that life can give, and we not only get to watch, we get to be a part of it.

I am so proud to call these people friends, and so honored that they chose us to tell their very unique and special story. Watch their full film below, and if you missed Eden and Ryan's trailer, you can watch it HERE

To view the film, simply type: 'studio 1208' below


x
Maria

It's You That I've Been Waiting To Find...

Starting off the first wedding of the year right!

Eden and Ryan are artists - their creative energy just flows through them, and lights up a room like you wouldn't believe. When they are together, it's like the whole world doesn't even matter or exist. This love is the kind that would stop traffic, and it stopped us all in our tracks during their intimate ceremony when they were so connected, it was electric. They are fun, beautiful, and deep people. They are our friends, and we are so happy to have been with them on this part of their journey together.

Can't wait to show you the rest of this beautiful wedding in Mexico!


xx
Maria