Wedding Vendor Highlight – Tommy Kirkpatrick Films

Tommy’s work is timeless.

Tommy is a wedding videographer in the Jackson area, but he is all for traveling to capture your wedding day (even offering a discount depending on the location), so make sure to reach out!

Tommy shared that he is always looking for something fun or different. Whether it’s an extravagant luxury wedding at a stunning venue, a small, intimate wedding in the mountains, or a backyard wedding on family land, he loves the uniqueness of each and every wedding. (ALSO, he has some pretty big discounts for anyone doing a destination wedding at certain locations!!!)

I am always asked about who I recommend for videography and after seeing Tommy’s work (and meeting him) — There is no-one I would recommend more! He captures wedding days so authentically, helping you and those who love you most relive your best day over and over again. Your grandkids will love getting the chance to see your wedding day through his lens, a timeless keepsake that will be enjoyed for generations to come!

I mean, who wouldn’t want to watch their love story play out time and time again.

I am so excited that I get to introduce you to Tommy Kirkpatrick, and I hope that he gets to be a part of telling your story too!

Here is a little bit about Tommy-

I’m a born and raised Mississippian, and have lived here all but 2 years of my life! I’ve been married to a beautiful woman named Jamie coming up on 5 years now, and early last year we welcomed our daughter, Lettie, into the world. I’ve been playing around with video cameras ever since I was 9 years old, so I’d like to say that it was decided long ago that I would end up working in the video world. However, since I spend so much time behind a camera or computer, I love using my free time to get outside. I love mountain biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and pretty much any outdoor activity. My wife and I also love to travel and visit a new National Park every time we have the chance to get away.

Why did you choose wedding videographer?

It’s funny because I never really chose to be a wedding videographer, it just kind of happened to me, haha. Like I said, I had been doing video work as a hobby ever since I was little, but I actually graduated from Mississippi State with a degree in Computer Engineering and went on to work for ExxonMobil as a software developer in Houston, Texas. It only took about a year of working in the corporate world to finally realize I didn’t want to spend my whole career coding. So, I made the plan to start doing freelance work in the video world, saved up for about 6 months, quit my job, and moved back to Mississippi. During that first summer back in 2015, I was asked by 2 different friends to film their wedding. I honestly said yes because I was just taking any job I could get to make sure I didn’t go broke. From there, it just became a snowball effect. Around that time, there was only a small handful of wedding videographers in the state, so that helped me out a ton while I became familiar with the wedding world and learned how I could tell these couple’s stories. Now, here we are 8 years later, and it’s my full-time job. I wouldn’t change a thing!

What is your favorite moment during the wedding day?

My favorite moments during a wedding day are any of those authentic moments that don’t feel posed or scripted. First looks are obviously great for these, but I also love just catching moments between the bride/groom and their family or friends as they happen. Whether it’s dancing to music while getting ready, crying as they embrace mom or dad feeling the weight of the moment, or those incredible seconds immediately after the ceremony where they’re both riding high with emotions from what just happened, I love seeing people just be themselves. Those little moments are so important to capture because they show how real the day is as opposed to so many of the other parts of a wedding day that can feel like you are just going through the motions.

Why is it worth investing in a wedding videographer?

I think investing in a wedding film is so incredibly important because it captures the day in a way nothing else can. Photos are an obvious way to capture everything, but the one thing they can’t do is talk. Being able to look back on that day and hear your voices, listen to words from family and loved ones, and watch the expressions on your faces through all of those incredible moments allows you to relive everything as if you were still there. Ask anyone who has gotten married before and they will tell you that the day went by so fast that it feels like they can barely remember any of it. A film allows you to never forget a single moment. And for that reason, I truly do think that it is so so important.

What is something you offer that brides may not be aware of?

Some of my favorite offerings are different ways of capturing the day. My all-time favorite is always speeches. Whether it’s rehearsal dinner or reception speeches, those words can bring a wedding film to life like nothing else can. It’s always incredible when a couple tells their story through letters or interviews, but hearing from their family and friends gives a whole new perspective on who they are as a couple. I’ll never turn down the chance to capture any speeches. Aside from that, I love bringing along old cameras to throw into the mix. I always bring an old Sony home video camera I call the “Dad Cam” and basically just leave it with the wedding party to film whatever they want. They have captured some absolute gold on those cameras, haha. I also occasionally bring along an old Super8 film camera because it can bring a completely different feeling to the video to show some of those moments through film.

What is your biggest piece of advice for a bride planning their wedding?

My one biggest piece of advice for brides on their wedding day actually has nothing to do with video at all, haha. Get a coordinator!! This is always my number one recommendation when talking with a bride who is still looking at vendors. A good coordinator can take all the stress away from the wedding day, and they are worth their weight in gold, I promise! You deserve to be able to relax on the most important day of your life, so let someone else do that heavy lifting for you.

If you are at all interested in having those moments on your wedding day preserved through film, I would love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out through social media (@tommykirkpatrickfilms), email (tlk@tommykirkpatrick.com), or just fill out the contact page on my website (https://www.tommykirkpatrick.com/contact)!