"All my brides love Alex Tomek's DVD's," Tosca told me. "He seems to do something different from most videographers." To find out more about Alex Tomek's work, I met him in a local coffee house. Alex talked about his company, Lumitone, which he is very proud of. The name means light and sound. In 2003, he and his fiancee planned their own wedding. Alex, with a film degree in his pocket, was particular picky when it came to videography. "I can do better," he thought, and two years later he started his own wedding video company.

Since day one, the company has been using top-of-the-line HD cameras and equipment. Alex knows they were one of the first, if not the first, video businesses in our area to use these cameras, editing equipment and Blue Rays DVD's. He is also proud of his employees -- a creative, highly skilled team, each of whom has a film degree. Alex is an avid reader of trade magazines, always seeking information on the latest technologies and concepts in video production. He is an active member of Weva, the famous wedding video organization, and he never misses an opportunity to enhance his knowledge by participating in their conferences.

One of Lumitone's specialties is same-day production of the highlights of the wedding day, shown immediately after the cake cutting. To make this possible, a Lumitone editor accompanies the filming crew. A truck in close vicinity of the venue serves as the studio in which the editor creates a beautifully composed short video from the footage filmed throughout the day.

You can imagine how well this service is received by the bride and groom and their guests. "This is my best advertisement," Alex told me. "Future brides among the guests can see my work right then and there." These edits are posted to his Internet site no later than two days following the event so that they can be shared with relatives and friends who could not attend the wedding. Real-time broadcasts can be organized; however, this depends on the venue's Internet connection.

Another option I fell in love with was the 3D slide show. It is very complex and not inexpensive. Instead of simply showing childhood pictures of the bride and groom, digital cut-outs of the couple are placed in front of a variety of moving backgrounds. The result is an amazing and entertaining slide show.