Peep-TSD (Easter Bunny Challenge)

Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s almost time for warm nights and campfires! Well, we decided to get a jump start on a campfire game with our Easter-themed version of “chubby bunny” using marshmallow Peeps! The competition is fierce, and choosing a winner comes down to splitting “hares” with how close it gets!

Sure, we get a little choked up, but we thought it would be a colorful way to say “hoppy” Easter! And trust us…it gets awfully colorful with all this sugar. But in all seriousness, we at ShadowShine Pictures hope you have the sweetest holiday this Resurrection Sunday!

Happy Easter friends!

World Water Day 2017: WasteWater

Today is World Water Day, a day focused on bringing attention and awareness to the global water crisis. Despite the many advances in technology, a rapidly expanding global economy, and various social justice initiatives in just the last decade alone, there are still 1.8 billion of the world's population who use a source of drinking water contaminated with waste, putting men, women, and countless children at risk of contracting deadly diseases like cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and even polio.

Since 1993 World Water Day (formally World Day of Water) has chosen a theme centered around this crisis to help educate the global community on how we might together work to end the injustice of unclean water which is a key contributor to extreme poverty. This year's theme is WasteWater, a growing and systemic issue which is threatening the environment and putting future generations at even great risk than they currently already are at. Wastewater comes largely from our homes, the cities we live in, and from both industry and agricultural development which then flows back into the natural world without being cleaned, treated, or reused first.

According to the UN Water council, by reducing the amount of our wastewater, and then also reusing it in our homes, gardens, city green spaces, and so on we as a planet can create even more sustainable water habits and bring this crisis one step closer to being a begone era.

In response to the crisis of unsafe drinking water there are many organizations and non profits who are working diligently and tirelessly to bring access to this safe water to everyone around globe by 2030. Just a few of these organizations include:

• Unicef
• CharityWater
• UN-Water
• WaterAid
• Water

With our support, from people like you and me, we can make that goal a reality and not just a benchmark. Together through partners such as these we can bring an end to the water crisis in our life time and provide safe and clean drinking water for billions of children the world over.

Out of Luck: A St. Patrick's Day Story

St. Patrick's Day is here! It's time to wear green (don't pinch too hard those who forgot!), enjoy a beverage or five, and pretend to know the history of the holiday. Even if you're not Irish, you can partake in the festivities - but be careful: luck can be a fickle thing. 

Here at ShadowShine, we were planning to give you a pot of gold worth of photographs, but...as you can see from the video...our rainbow wasn't so lucky. Watch our new St. Patrick's Day video and good luck out there today!

Shivani + Neal: The Bhagat Wedding Trailer

We cannot express how much we love these two, nor how wonderful it has been getting to know them over the last several years. We first met Shivani at her cousin, Amity's, wedding back when we had just begun filming weddings, and a couple years later Shivani introduced us to Neal at yet another wedding. Before we knew it the two of them were engaged and were calling us to ask us to join in their wedding weekend and be their cinematographers. Obviously that was a no brainer for us and we instantly said yes!

Honestly, getting to know their families, and specifically the Modys, over the years has been one of the greatest highlights of our entire wedding cinematography adventures. They always greet us with so much love and joy and they are such fun to be around and celebrate with! In many ways every wedding is a new excuse to go see old friends we've grown so fond of, and the fact that it was Shivani and Neal's turn to get married made the weekend all the more amazing.

You can't really sum up their weekend into just a word because there's really no description that could do it justice. The gorgeousness of all the details washed over us and left us speechless, Shivani's radiant smile and exuberant personality glowed the entire weekend, Neal's sense of humor and chill style kept us laughing, and both the Bhagats and the Mody families came together to celebrate this beautiful moment in these two's story together.

In complete seriousness, if we could relive this weekend over and over again we'd jump at the chance. We'll never forget this weekend or how much we are in love with these two, and we'll always be their biggest fans!

Wedding Planer: Rajul Pillai

Wedding Decorator: Colonial Party & Event Planner & Ankita Modi

Photographer: Ray Anthony Photography & ShadowShine PIctures

Florist: Bellisario Florist

Hair and Makeup: Raimonda Pejez and Tammy Pore 

DJ: Sandeep Hans "DJ Sandman" 

Wedding Cake: Sweet Dreams Bakery

Linens & Chivari Chairs: Modern Art Party Rental

Catering & Bar: Rangoli & Krishna Catering

Henna: Neeta Desai

Wedding Gown: Aishwarya

Grah Shanti Gown: Aishwarya 

Henna Gown: Asopalav

Reception Gown: Paras

Venues: Diamond Center, Canton Hindu Temple, & Mody Residence 

Shadow|Shine Singles

Love is in the air. Sure, the naysayers will tell you how Valentine's Day is a made-up holiday to sell greeting cards and make people feel bad, but here at ShadowShine Pictures, we're feeling the love.

Check out our singles video where you'll meet a variety of individuals looking for that special someone! We've got a hopeless romantic ready to make your dreams come true! We've got a rough-around-the-edges fella hunting for the perfect lady to mend is broken heart. We've got an elf prince looking to be your fantasy! Or maybe an experienced lady looking for a good time that doesn't come in a bottle? We've got a respectful man who wants to see your smile, and a lady who is ready to commit! And there's Alan too.

Ready for some romance? Give ShadowShine Singles a try. Who knows? True love could be just a phone call away...so press play. Happy Valentine's Day!

Margaux + Derek: The Lercher Wedding Trailer

They say opposites attract and that could not be more the case for Margaux + Derek. One of the first things they told us when we met them was that they are complete opposites on just about everything, but despite that, they both fell head over heels for each other when they met in St Louis, Missouri. Margaux fell in love with Derek’s humor, laugh, and goofy but albeit adorable personality, and Derek was enraptured by Margaux’s creative, bold, and graceful spirit. While from the outset they may seem like polar opposites, they without question form a perfect pairing, and you can see it in the way they look at each other – so much care, so much joy, so much contentment.

We were well in love with these two well before we ever got to their day, but little did we know that all of us would have quite the extraordinary day and grow closer and more in love with these two. The morning of their wedding at the picturesque Centennial Barn we could all see storm clouds gathering in the distance. For the most part that was a note that didn’t seem all that concerning at the time, but within just a couple hours we all realized the storm was much worse than anticipated. After tornado sirens went off we all were rushed into the storm shelter where we waited out the weather. No one was quite certain how the rest of the day was going to go but all you had to do was look at Margaux and Derek and you would know everything was going to be just fine. They weren’t perturbed, they weren’t worried. They had waited for this day, and no matter the weather, nothing changed the fact that this was a day of celebrating their love.

At one point Margaux said that she didn’t care if it was pouring rain, she’d still stand outside and recite her vows to Derek because that was how much he meant to her. Needless to say we swooned, HARD, at the moment. While being in the storm cellar there was plenty to be worried about given that a tornado was touching down just a few miles from us, but there was an unwavering sense of calm. These two people, Margaux and Derek, had a love so strong, not even the worst of mother nature could shake their confidence or love in each other. 

Eventually the worst of the storm passed and though we spent most of the day drenched after getting rained on at least another two times, this was one of the most memorable weddings we have ever had the privilege of sharing in. Margaux and Derek are already a beautiful couple that it doesn’t take long to fall in love with, but on top of that they faced a literal tornado and didn’t back down because they knew everything was going to be okay as long as they had each other by their sides. There’s nothing else that we could say that would stand as a testament to their love and their commitment to each other. 

Here's to Mr+Mrs Derek and Margaux Lercher!

Photographer: Willow Noavi Photography

Florist: En Gedi Bridal Floral Design

Wedding Dress: The Ultimate Bride| St. Louis' Finest Bridal Salon

Hair and Makeup: Olivia Riley Design

Wedding Cake: Holland Cakery & Sweets

Catering & Bar: The Vault, Bars by Butch

Vintage Rentals: Something Borrowed Vintage Staging & Rentals

Venue: The Centennial Barn

DJ: Underbite Entertainment

Bye Felicia... I mean, 2016

2016 has in the most literal sense been one heck of a year. Both with high points and moments of moruning and sorrow. For our team we celebrated 5 years of storytelling and had the opportunity to help tell so many stories of some wonderful and amazing people around our world. While some days were more difficult than others (as that's just life some times) we each enjoyed the many lessons we learned along the way these past twelve months. But if we are being honest, nothing can quite sum up how excited we are for all the promise and hope held within 2017! Here are just a few of the things that our team is looking forward to this coming year...

In 2017, I am looking forward to new creative endeavors... to growth, discovery, and wonder. I look forward to connecting with old friends and making new ones. To learning more about myself and the world around me. And not least of all, trying new local pizzas!

-Alan

The fresh start of a new year is what I am most excited for in 2017. Most people fear the unknown, but I am excited for the opportunity that it brings. The opportunity for growth and change. We can't go backwards, but here's to going forward and all the stories that lie before us!

-Kristin

While I'm without a doubt looking forward to the bigger things 2017 has lined up, like traveling to new places, finishing up projects that I'm eager to show to the world, and creating new ones that are just ideas as of right now. I find myself almost being more excited for the quiet moments- walks through the forest, movie nights, grabbing a cup of coffee, and doing so with the people that have grown very near and dear to my heart.

-Andrea

The things I'm looking forward to the most in 2017 are watching films I've never seen, hearing songs I've never heard, reading books I've never read, and creating more stories about love and hope, all with friends or in solitude. Newness, that's what I'm looking forward to the most. Oh, and the new Chik-fil-A locations within short driving distance.

-Adam

This past year has been quite the adventure, both in good ways and not so amazing ways also. But through it all I am thankful for the blessings that I was able to receive and the lessons that I learned. More than anything I  am looking forward to the many ways that my passions, my art, and my faith will be stretched in 2017. Growth isn't always easy, but it is necessary. While I am uncertain all of what this year will bring with it, I pray that 2017 would continue to teach me ever more what it is to care for my neighbor both here and abroad.

-Matthew

In 2017, I’m most looking forward to exploring new places, meeting new people, learning about other’s passions, deepening the relationships I’ve already been so blessed with, and taking time to ponder more. I’m also equally excited and terrified to be graduating and figuring out how to be a real person too I suppose. Onward and upward!

-Noah

2017 is going to be great, because my eyes will see new places, my heart will bond with new people, my ears will hear new music, my hands will experience new art and new stories and new connections, as well as hold my very first college degree, which means that I will be in the beginning of a new stage of my life. 2017 is going to be great, because it's a fresh opportunity for all things new!

-Chloe