Review is written by Staff @ The Ring and is based on • Interviews with this vendor • Interviews with past brides
JJJ Video Productions Inc., owned by John Cash, offers several things that local brides and grooms want from their videography: budget-friendly pricing, flexible options, a great reputation and a videographer whose level of experience means that he's very difficult to surprise. As of 2013, JJJ Video has been capturing wedding day memories on camera for over thirty years. And while he may have seen the evolution of Beta to S-VHS and S-VHS to digital and now to HD, the things that matter to John have stayed the same - videos that capture the people, the relationships, and the events of the day are still the biggest priorities for most couples, and for JJJ.
And so, working with brides and grooms (who are often referred family or friends of past clients), John keeps it simple. He personally meets with each couple, he shoots alone to maintain control over quality and to keep costs down, he limits his bookings, does all the editing himself, and most importantly, he still loves his job - and according to brides, it shows.
The team at The Ring sat down with John to find out how this gentleman never fails to have a wedding booked on his calendar, a camera in hand, and a smile on his face. Let us explain...
The evolution of JJJ
John would probably admit that he's never had to look very far to find a wedding that needed to be captured on video. He started JJJ Video in 1983, at a time when everything was recorded on S-VHS or BETA and there were only about three wedding videography companies in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph areas. But there have always been brides and grooms in need of the only way to truly record memories as they happen in motion - with video. And over the years, there's been more than enough opportunity to build his reputation and collect more than anyone's fair share of clients and wedding vendors who often refer his company.
John captured a lot of family moments on his first few cameras. In fact, as his family grew up, he shot over 5000 feet of S-VHS tapes of family footage. "Of course, I've since edited the footage and transferred it to DVD...," says John. But even now, John's videography plays a part in family events. Once a year or more, especially around holiday seasons, John puts together clips from 'way back', mixes them with photos or video from the most recent years, and puts together what he calls "the year in review", almost certainly creating one of his family's favourite parts of any get together. Throughout this time, shooting weddings went from being done as a favour for a friend or cousin to being a full time business for JJJ Video. It was a natural progression into a career that allowed him to do what he loved, which included working with people.
JJJ now takes on just enough weddings to keep John happy. It's not necessarily about the money (which you can tell when you see his prices), it's about striking a balance between doing what he's passionate about and not getting overwhelmed to a point where he wouldn't love it anymore.
Cindy Davis could tell from the first time she met John to discuss her wedding videography needs that he wasn't just in the business to make money, but that he does it because he enjoys doing it. In fact, John's friendly service was Cindy's biggest reason for choosing JJJ Video Productions. "After meeting with John for the first time there was no doubt he was hired!" she told us. "His friendly disposition, his organization, his experience, and what he had to offer was difficult to match."
Why local brides (and grooms) choose JJJ
John Cash's philosophy is that brides and grooms should get to have their wedding video the way they want it. JJJ offers your basic, simple ceremony and reception coverage to full day coverage. If you want a feature motion picture, you're probably looking in the wrong place. But if you want a sentimental piece of your family's history, a record of your day, and the people that shared it with you, that's likely what you'll find when you meet John. His personality and shooting style are similar in that both are easy going but focused entirely on the bride, groom and the importance of the day.
Jackie LeBeau was married in May 2011 and hired JJJ for her Service and Reception coverage. Since Jackie lives in B.C but got married in Ontario, she used The Ring to find JJJ and corresponded with John over email. Everything from the wedding day timeline to the contract was done through email, "Our first meeting with John was the week of the wedding when we flew to Ontario to prepare everything. We were a bit nervous about what to expect since we hadn't seen any of his work before but he instantly made us relaxed and he was very friendly. He made sure that all our visions for the day were heard and he covered all of the big moments of the day that we had asked him to. John was our favourite vendor to work with. He is such a friendly person which makes the process stress free and easy to deal with and the final product is unbelievable. He filmed our entire day and put it to our favourite songs which added a personal touch to the film as we watched it. He exceeded all of our expectations and everyone that has watched it just loves it."
Cindy described JJJ’s style as unique. "I really liked the way that he put the video together, including a variety of scenes, pictures, and interviews. He really captured the day!"
JJJ Video appeals to a variety of brides and grooms. The couples we spoke to wanted a videographer that they could like as a person and see spending the day with. They wanted plenty of coverage of the people and the event itself, but usually nothing too over-the-top or expensive (i.e. more 'one-man-show' than 'video entourage'). John shoots and edits all of his weddings himself and his prices are certainly budget-friendly.
August 2008 bride, Monika, told The Ring that all she had to do was see John’s personality and his excitement for the wedding, and she knew, "he would do the best job possible!" Monika did a lot of research before deciding on JJJ. She really liked John’s wedding video samples and had even seen his work before. "A good friend of mine had John for her wedding video, and it was amazing. I loved watching it and wanted exactly that for mine." Monika says she cries every time she watches her wedding video. "It was everything we dreamed the video would be... plus more."
And, except for times when lighting is a necessity to the bride and groom (if they want specific coverage of the bride and groom entering the reception as man and wife for the first time, moments like that), John says that he's as unobtrusive as he can be. "I've had couples tell me they didn't even know I was there." Andrea and Kevin Weiberg say John did a great job mingling with the guests and interviewing them while filming their October 2008 wedding. "He was very social and friendly, which made him seem more like a guest, rather than a videographer."
In fact, in some cases, couples didn't think they wanted video at all - until they met John or saw him in action, that is. For example, Jason and Christina Burke weren’t completely sold on the idea of having a wedding videographer for their September 2009 wedding. However, after meeting John, they changed their minds. By hiring JJJ, they say they were able to see their wedding from everyone else's eyes. "We were able to sit down and watch our special day and live it all over again."
Andrea and Kevin were also pretty sure they weren't going to have a videographer for their. "It wasn’t until we attended a friend’s wedding that we got to see John in action. My husband turned to me and said we definitely need to book him." Andrea and Kevin knew they were lucky that John was available and now say that hiring him was one of the best decisions they made in terms of their wedding planning. "He was attentive, creative and most importantly, he made sure he filmed all of the amazing moments of our wedding. We were so pleased to have John as part of our big day!"
And most of what a bride loves about JJJ is probably done behind the scenes, after the wedding is over and John gets to do one of his favourite parts of the business, the editing of the footage. This is a part of the process that takes the most time and talent to pull together, but after twenty-nine years, John still loves finding the integral moments and putting them together with the bride and groom's favourite song and a few editing effects.
Experience counts
Experience that runs as deep as it does with JJJ Video is hard to find anywhere else. And that has more than a few advantages when it comes to wedding planning and the day-of details (or dramas, as the case may be). If there's a venue that's fabulous for weddings, John has probably shot there. "I like sharing some of my inside tips and tricks with the couples I get to meet with," John told us.
Doing wedding videography for so long has given John the ability to enjoy his work, share his expertise, and always have you covered. It's very difficult to surprise this man, because if it can happen, it probably has on at least one occasion over the years.
Hagit Blumenthal told The Ring she would recommend JJJ Video to any couple getting married, "It's a very professional business where customer satisfaction is number one. John is very friendly and responsible. He answered all our needs and wants."
Candid cameras
When meeting with new clients, John says that they're all are extremely interested in the candid video interviews he does with family and friends throughout the wedding day. Lucky for them, this is one of his favourite parts of the day, too. We also think this is one of the coolest features of JJJ's services. It shows us that John isn't just working at your wedding, but wants to be a part of it. And, if you don't get a chance to talk at length with all of your guests, you'll at least have some of their best wishes on video to watch over and over.
Privacy please
If you're looking for a multitude of video samples of past weddings online, you probably won't find it. John says that privacy is important to the brides and grooms who come to see him. "I tell them they can feel safe in the knowledge that they won't see their wedding video all over the internet or at trade shows."
What you need to know about JJJ Video
Any JJJ wedding video begins with an in-person meeting. That's where you get to view video samples, talk about what you like and don't like, and then go over your options. JJJ Video's Ceremony & Reception packages include no HST and some of the very best prices in the area.
John says this package includes a separate DVD picture collage (for viewing at your reception) plus "best wishes" interviews, candid interviews, coverage of your reception including official dances, speeches, bouquet and garter toss, highlight reel and much more. "You will receive 1 fully edited Blu-ray HD copy, as well as 3 fully edited DVD SD copies."
This special pricing is subject to availability, providing your service and reception take place in the KW/Cambridge/Guelph area. Check his web site www.jjjvideo.ca for special promos.
"I feel that JJJ Video Productions’ prices are extremely reasonable, especially for the service we received," says Cindy. She adds that "John was very easy to meet with and very accommodating. He was easy to communicate with if we had any questions."
But packages or not, John says it's all about you and what you want from your wedding video. Anything can be changed or customized to work for you and your budget. Jason and Christina say that the three package options allowed them to manage their budget as well as pick the package that best suited them. "John was also flexible with the timeline... We wanted coverage for both the bride and groom as we were getting ready," the couple adds.
Even though John admits that some of his wedding shoots go as late as 10:00 or 10:30 at night, his couples say it's obvious he loves what he does. Andrea and Kevin told us that John was always smiling, "...and just so happy. He is truly a great person who loves what he does, and it shines through his work."
Roughly thirty days after your wedding, and assuming you've given John any extra materials that you want to include in your video, you can expect to receive your wedding on DVD/Blu-ray. This quick turnaround is a huge selling point with many brides and grooms. For Andrea and Kevin, the speed and quality of John's work was one of the things they found most impressive.
And once the wedding day has come and gone, you’ll definitely want that video to keep re-living it and we have no doubts that JJJ is perfect for the job. And we’re not the only ones, either, as all of the couples we spoke with said they would definitely recommend John to other couples who are looking for a videographer. In fact, several of them already have, including Monika who says that if you hire JJJ, “You will have the most memorable video, that every time you will look at it, it will bring tears to your eyes.”
Jackie tells The Ring that she would recommend JJJ to anyone planning their wedding, "John made it very easy to plan the day over email and we chatted as though we had been friends for years. There was never one moment where we felt stressed out or frustrated. He made us feel like he was in control of everything and took on the planning so it was one less thing we had to worry about. We honestly would hire John again for anything we wanted filmed. He was perfect!!"
Details, details, details
• JJJ Video takes bookings as close to your wedding date as two weeks ahead, and as far away as twelve months or more.
• To book your video, a deposit of 50% holds your date on the JJJ calendar, with the balance payable on delivery.
• JJJ Video packages are EXEMPT from the 13% HST. This is a sweet bonus for couples choosing them.
• Be sure to check on line for current promotions & pricing
JJJ Video Productions Inc., owned by John Cash, offers several things that local brides and grooms want from their videography: budget-friendly pricing, flexible options, a great reputation and a videographer whose level of experience means that he's very difficult to surprise. As of 2013, JJJ Video has been capturing wedding day memories on camera for over thirty years. And while he may have seen the evolution of Beta to S-VHS and S-VHS to digital and now to HD, the things that matter to John have stayed the same - videos that capture the people, the relationships, and the events of the day are still the biggest priorities for most couples, and for JJJ.
And so, working with brides and grooms (who are often referred family or friends of past clients), John keeps it simple. He personally meets with each couple, he shoots alone to maintain control over quality and to keep costs down, he limits his bookings, does all the editing himself, and most importantly, he still loves his job - and according to brides, it shows.
The team at The Ring sat down with John to find out how this gentleman never fails to have a wedding booked on his calendar, a camera in hand, and a smile on his face. Let us explain...
The evolution of JJJ
John would probably admit that he's never had to look very far to find a wedding that needed to be captured on video. He started JJJ Video in 1983, at a time when everything was recorded on S-VHS or BETA and there were only about three wedding videography companies in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph areas. But there have always been brides and grooms in need of the only way to truly record memories as they happen in motion - with video. And over the years, there's been more than enough opportunity to build his reputation and collect more than anyone's fair share of clients and wedding vendors who often refer his company.
John captured a lot of family moments on his first few cameras. In fact, as his family grew up, he shot over 5000 feet of S-VHS tapes of family footage. "Of course, I've since edited the footage and transferred it to DVD...," says John. But even now, John's videography plays a part in family events. Once a year or more, especially around holiday seasons, John puts together clips from 'way back', mixes them with photos or video from the most recent years, and puts together what he calls "the year in review", almost certainly creating one of his family's favourite parts of any get together. Throughout this time, shooting weddings went from being done as a favour for a friend or cousin to being a full time business for JJJ Video. It was a natural progression into a career that allowed him to do what he loved, which included working with people.
JJJ now takes on just enough weddings to keep John happy. It's not necessarily about the money (which you can tell when you see his prices), it's about striking a balance between doing what he's passionate about and not getting overwhelmed to a point where he wouldn't love it anymore.
Cindy Davis could tell from the first time she met John to discuss her wedding videography needs that he wasn't just in the business to make money, but that he does it because he enjoys doing it. In fact, John's friendly service was Cindy's biggest reason for choosing JJJ Video Productions. "After meeting with John for the first time there was no doubt he was hired!" she told us. "His friendly disposition, his organization, his experience, and what he had to offer was difficult to match."
Why local brides (and grooms) choose JJJ
John Cash's philosophy is that brides and grooms should get to have their wedding video the way they want it. JJJ offers your basic, simple ceremony and reception coverage to full day coverage. If you want a feature motion picture, you're probably looking in the wrong place. But if you want a sentimental piece of your family's history, a record of your day, and the people that shared it with you, that's likely what you'll find when you meet John. His personality and shooting style are similar in that both are easy going but focused entirely on the bride, groom and the importance of the day.
Jackie LeBeau was married in May 2011 and hired JJJ for her Service and Reception coverage. Since Jackie lives in B.C but got married in Ontario, she used The Ring to find JJJ and corresponded with John over email. Everything from the wedding day timeline to the contract was done through email, "Our first meeting with John was the week of the wedding when we flew to Ontario to prepare everything. We were a bit nervous about what to expect since we hadn't seen any of his work before but he instantly made us relaxed and he was very friendly. He made sure that all our visions for the day were heard and he covered all of the big moments of the day that we had asked him to. John was our favourite vendor to work with. He is such a friendly person which makes the process stress free and easy to deal with and the final product is unbelievable. He filmed our entire day and put it to our favourite songs which added a personal touch to the film as we watched it. He exceeded all of our expectations and everyone that has watched it just loves it."
Cindy described JJJ’s style as unique. "I really liked the way that he put the video together, including a variety of scenes, pictures, and interviews. He really captured the day!"
JJJ Video appeals to a variety of brides and grooms. The couples we spoke to wanted a videographer that they could like as a person and see spending the day with. They wanted plenty of coverage of the people and the event itself, but usually nothing too over-the-top or expensive (i.e. more 'one-man-show' than 'video entourage'). John shoots and edits all of his weddings himself and his prices are certainly budget-friendly.
August 2008 bride, Monika, told The Ring that all she had to do was see John’s personality and his excitement for the wedding, and she knew, "he would do the best job possible!" Monika did a lot of research before deciding on JJJ. She really liked John’s wedding video samples and had even seen his work before. "A good friend of mine had John for her wedding video, and it was amazing. I loved watching it and wanted exactly that for mine." Monika says she cries every time she watches her wedding video. "It was everything we dreamed the video would be... plus more."
And, except for times when lighting is a necessity to the bride and groom (if they want specific coverage of the bride and groom entering the reception as man and wife for the first time, moments like that), John says that he's as unobtrusive as he can be. "I've had couples tell me they didn't even know I was there." Andrea and Kevin Weiberg say John did a great job mingling with the guests and interviewing them while filming their October 2008 wedding. "He was very social and friendly, which made him seem more like a guest, rather than a videographer."
In fact, in some cases, couples didn't think they wanted video at all - until they met John or saw him in action, that is. For example, Jason and Christina Burke weren’t completely sold on the idea of having a wedding videographer for their September 2009 wedding. However, after meeting John, they changed their minds. By hiring JJJ, they say they were able to see their wedding from everyone else's eyes. "We were able to sit down and watch our special day and live it all over again."
Andrea and Kevin were also pretty sure they weren't going to have a videographer for their. "It wasn’t until we attended a friend’s wedding that we got to see John in action. My husband turned to me and said we definitely need to book him." Andrea and Kevin knew they were lucky that John was available and now say that hiring him was one of the best decisions they made in terms of their wedding planning. "He was attentive, creative and most importantly, he made sure he filmed all of the amazing moments of our wedding. We were so pleased to have John as part of our big day!"
And most of what a bride loves about JJJ is probably done behind the scenes, after the wedding is over and John gets to do one of his favourite parts of the business, the editing of the footage. This is a part of the process that takes the most time and talent to pull together, but after twenty-nine years, John still loves finding the integral moments and putting them together with the bride and groom's favourite song and a few editing effects.
Experience counts
Experience that runs as deep as it does with JJJ Video is hard to find anywhere else. And that has more than a few advantages when it comes to wedding planning and the day-of details (or dramas, as the case may be). If there's a venue that's fabulous for weddings, John has probably shot there. "I like sharing some of my inside tips and tricks with the couples I get to meet with," John told us.
Doing wedding videography for so long has given John the ability to enjoy his work, share his expertise, and always have you covered. It's very difficult to surprise this man, because if it can happen, it probably has on at least one occasion over the years.
Hagit Blumenthal told The Ring she would recommend JJJ Video to any couple getting married, "It's a very professional business where customer satisfaction is number one. John is very friendly and responsible. He answered all our needs and wants."
Candid cameras
When meeting with new clients, John says that they're all are extremely interested in the candid video interviews he does with family and friends throughout the wedding day. Lucky for them, this is one of his favourite parts of the day, too. We also think this is one of the coolest features of JJJ's services. It shows us that John isn't just working at your wedding, but wants to be a part of it. And, if you don't get a chance to talk at length with all of your guests, you'll at least have some of their best wishes on video to watch over and over.
Privacy please
If you're looking for a multitude of video samples of past weddings online, you probably won't find it. John says that privacy is important to the brides and grooms who come to see him. "I tell them they can feel safe in the knowledge that they won't see their wedding video all over the internet or at trade shows."
What you need to know about JJJ Video
Any JJJ wedding video begins with an in-person meeting. That's where you get to view video samples, talk about what you like and don't like, and then go over your options. JJJ Video's Ceremony & Reception packages include no HST and some of the very best prices in the area.
John says this package includes a separate DVD picture collage (for viewing at your reception) plus "best wishes" interviews, candid interviews, coverage of your reception including official dances, speeches, bouquet and garter toss, highlight reel and much more. "You will receive 1 fully edited Blu-ray HD copy, as well as 3 fully edited DVD SD copies."
This special pricing is subject to availability, providing your service and reception take place in the KW/Cambridge/Guelph area. Check his web site www.jjjvideo.ca for special promos.
"I feel that JJJ Video Productions’ prices are extremely reasonable, especially for the service we received," says Cindy. She adds that "John was very easy to meet with and very accommodating. He was easy to communicate with if we had any questions."
But packages or not, John says it's all about you and what you want from your wedding video. Anything can be changed or customized to work for you and your budget. Jason and Christina say that the three package options allowed them to manage their budget as well as pick the package that best suited them. "John was also flexible with the timeline... We wanted coverage for both the bride and groom as we were getting ready," the couple adds.
Even though John admits that some of his wedding shoots go as late as 10:00 or 10:30 at night, his couples say it's obvious he loves what he does. Andrea and Kevin told us that John was always smiling, "...and just so happy. He is truly a great person who loves what he does, and it shines through his work."
Roughly thirty days after your wedding, and assuming you've given John any extra materials that you want to include in your video, you can expect to receive your wedding on DVD/Blu-ray. This quick turnaround is a huge selling point with many brides and grooms. For Andrea and Kevin, the speed and quality of John's work was one of the things they found most impressive.
And once the wedding day has come and gone, you’ll definitely want that video to keep re-living it and we have no doubts that JJJ is perfect for the job. And we’re not the only ones, either, as all of the couples we spoke with said they would definitely recommend John to other couples who are looking for a videographer. In fact, several of them already have, including Monika who says that if you hire JJJ, “You will have the most memorable video, that every time you will look at it, it will bring tears to your eyes.”
Jackie tells The Ring that she would recommend JJJ to anyone planning their wedding, "John made it very easy to plan the day over email and we chatted as though we had been friends for years. There was never one moment where we felt stressed out or frustrated. He made us feel like he was in control of everything and took on the planning so it was one less thing we had to worry about. We honestly would hire John again for anything we wanted filmed. He was perfect!!"
Details, details, details
• JJJ Video takes bookings as close to your wedding date as two weeks ahead, and as far away as twelve months or more.
• To book your video, a deposit of 50% holds your date on the JJJ calendar, with the balance payable on delivery.
• JJJ Video packages are EXEMPT from the 13% HST. This is a sweet bonus for couples choosing them.
• Be sure to check on line for current promotions & pricing
