Anchored Films (2025)

01/04/2025

Katie + Paul || Part 2 because WOW am I obsessing over these clips 🤩

🤎 Just Katie being an absolute flawless angel in all that she did 🪽

Some Olive Park magic for EPIC couple portraits 🏙️

A father-daughter first look that had everyone with a lump in our throat 🥹 annnnd a bride and groom first look that we literally all needed a couple minutes to recover from. Probably one of the top first look reactions I’ve ever seen, no joke ♥️

And did someone say glam shot by a white piano?!? 👏🏼 Say 👏🏼 Less! 🎹

Gosh. Just so many soul-stirring, deeply joyful moments from this day!!! Cheers to the newly married Mrs. & Mr. Choi!!!

Vendor *dream* team:
Venue:
Planner: Melissa with
Video: Katie
Photo: (my new bff)
Music: (Katie as DJ)
Florals: Insane work by
Beauty:

Our couple!!!

31/12/2024

⭐️ 2024 RECAP ⭐️ Part I:
This has been a year of great joy, great challenges, lots of stretching and adapting, lots of undeserved blessings, surprises and SOOOO much to be thankful for.

As I reflect on the 2024 year here at Anchored I thought it best to highlight just SOME of our favorite moments & incredible couples in superlative form 😎

🌟 Most likely to be featured on Peaky Blinders: Marty & Megan. Truly being at their wedding was like taking a step into another era 🎩

🌟Most likely to be sponsored by Nike: Oskar and Kelsey ☑️ These two are extra special to me since I went to college with Oskar (go Thunder!) Getting to see their vision and ALL their swag come to life was the BEST

🌟 Best groomsmen entrances / best secret handshake: Sarah + Will 😎🤝🏼 by far one of, if not THE BEST groomsmen entrances we’ve seen. These guys did not disappoint 😂😂😂 also we love a solid bride/groom handshake

🌟Best champagne pop: Shannon + Vincent 🥂🍾 Y’all. This was EXQUISITE. I think even Shannon was surprised at how explosive it was hahahah 😂

🌟 Most likely to get a text from: Ashley + Jerid (in the BEST way). I always tell my brides that they can text me anytime about anything. And I genuinely LOVE it!! I would get the best ideas, thoughts and messages from these two during the whole process. And the BEST most exciting news to put a cherry on top of the whole experience 🥹

🌟 Most INSANE sunset: Elizabeth + Peter 🌅 need I say more?? 🤩

🌟 Most attention to detail: Kelli + Nick 🔍✨ These two had the MOST and just perfectly placed details throughout their whole day including light up cowboy hats and disco balls!! 🪩

🌟Most unique weekend moment: Tatum + Noah 🏃‍♀️👟Ok. I knew immediately that these were my people when they invited me to their family 5K the day before the wedding. And in lieu of a rehearsal dinner; they picked a pancake bfast 🧇. They win 🥇

🌟 Best wedding colors: Madelyn + Eric 🍁🍃🍂 And I don’t mean dresses / suits. I mean the COLORS! An INSANE Fall wedding in Maine set the stage for a weekend that I will legit never forget.

🌟 Most likely to make me cry: Sarah + Zane.(Continued in comments)

22/11/2023

SOOOO much to be thankful for over here at Anchored! We will have to break it down into many parts SO…

PART ONE:
💛 Our incredible team 💛

I can’t talk about our current team before acknowledging the people who made Anchored what it was in the past. We said goodbye to Luis this year 😢 To say we are sad to see him go is an understatement, but truly so excited to see what he accomplishes next. We know whatever he works on will be gold as we experienced his talent firsthand. Couldn’t be more thankful for his service + insane skill/reliability over the years. For our couples who worked with Luis - feel free to drop a little note of praise for him 🧡
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As we look ahead - we celebrate our team entering 2024. 🎉🍾🎊

CHICAGO CREW:
Most of you know our beloved Andrew! (Literally always hear our couples sing his praises) 🫶🏼 Andrew has been with us since 2021 + is one of the most reliable humans I know. He is CRAZY artistic & creative. Whenever I’m editing his work I’m CONSTANTLY inspired. He brings an equally thoughtful and fun energy to all weddings 🤍 Seriously I wish all of our couples could sit down with him & chat because he may be one of the interesting men alive haha

And now we are so excited to introduce our newest member - Kurt!! Kurt joined us this year and will be forging ahead with our couples for 2024. Having Kurt join our team feels like divine timing. He is SUCH a work horse and probably shot double the amount of weddings that I (Katie) shot last year. He, like Andrew, has such an artistic eye. And if you can’t tell from the pics he is a BLAST to be around 🤣 His go-to gear setup is one that would make most jealous (including me). He is always on the prowl for THE shot & always nails it!

Ahh! Just so grateful for our team and how God has blessed Anchored 🙌🏼 so much to be thankful for from 2023 and cannot wait for 2024!!! Especially with this crew 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

24/02/2023

Sooooo we’ve got just a TINY announcement 😅

Welcome our newest team member, Lyla Jane Swider!!

We (Katie + Mikey) were a *little* surprised by her early arrival, but could not be more thrilled to have her in our arms 🥹

HUGE thank you to everyone who celebrated with us, whether it was via text, call, DoorDash gift cards, baby gifts, etc.

Special thank you to all of our couples who have been extra patient with us and delivering wedding films - will NEVER rush your amazing day 😎

We are so close to finishing our 2022 weddings, but y’all are the MVP’s for waiting while we figure out life with a newborn 😅

Another shoutout to our amazing team of filmmakers who have made this past year possible and our 2023 season looking better than ever! Soooo freaking grateful for this team 🙏🏼🤍

Love you all!! And Lyla says HI!!!

PS - huge thank you to .co for the INCREDIBLY thoughtful custom Anchored outfit that Lyla is rocking 😎

AND for for the incredible newborn session she did for us - seriously I stare at the pics every 👏🏼 single 👏🏼 day

30/12/2022

👏🏼 WHAT 👏🏼 A 👏🏼 YEAR!! Here is a look back on our 2022:

⭐️ Our team served 45 INCREDIBLE couples

⭐️ We’ve traveled to 12 states & 2 international locations. Our fave locations this year were Oregon, Colorado + the Dominican Republic 😎

⭐️ Most visited venues were: & a tie between

⭐️ We got to work the MOST with: .lee.photo .co & (let’s keep this trend up) 😉

⭐️ Another one that makes my heart overflow - we had our HIGHEST percent of couples offer a tip or gift after their day 🥹🥹🥹 81%!!!
Y’all I cannot explain how much this means…

💛 Some favorite highlights were:

• The touching & deeply moving details that Jordan + Zach included on their wedding day to honor sweet Emma 🤍

• Standing beside my sister-in-law on her wedding day as our team filmed 🎥

• Adam + Mary’s first dance that went viral on our TikTok 🥹

• Seeing Brooke’s gift giving skills on full display when she made Greg AND his dad cry AND going home with the sweetest spa care package from her. 😱

• Hearing Andrew (our other Chicago lead) talk about how incredible the food was for Yurim + Jae’s elopement hahaha 🤣

• Jenna + Jacob elope in Joshua Tree with the most powerful, Christ-centered vows I think we’ve ever heard. 🙏🏼

• Finding out that Peter knew my father-in-law + laughing SOOO freaking hard when he told me some stories I hadn’t heard before 🤫

• Probably the best dance floor I’ve ever witnessed at Hannah + Derek’s wedding in Colorado. 💃🏼🕺🏽I mean one guy legit ripped his pants

• Laying poolside with Bailey + Sean in the DR after receiving the SWEETEST (& v necessary) welcome bag! That sunscreen was CLUTCH. ☀️
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After what felt like a whirlwind of a year in 2021, this year has proved to be full of blessings & the best people who really made all of us here at Anchored feel so warm + loved.

Thank you to EVERYONE & to our incredible team here at Anchored for making 2022 everything that it was. UGH 2023 please be just like it!!

23/11/2022

FULL OF THANKS || all week and all year really 💛 We have SO much to be grateful for over here at Anchored.

Just wanted to first say a HUGE thank you to all of our incredible 2022 couples. We legit can’t believe that we got to meet you all and be a part of your BEST days!! What a freaking gift it has been. 🥹

This year has felt extra special for me, (Katie) and SO much of that is due to:
1. Our incredible growing team 💪🏼

AND

2. The truly amazing and genuine couples we got to know 🥰

If you are reading this and we filmed your wedding this year - know that we just absolutely adore you. I didn’t think it was possible to feel like close friends and even family for SO many of you!! And for so many of you to reach out / send gifts / and send love with the news about our newest addition coming next year - had me in TEAARSS so many times. 😭

Y’all have set the record for overall most generous, most genuine, and happiest couples we’ve ever had. 🏆

And a HUGE HUGE thank you to our Chicago crew - Andrew and Luis have been with us for YEARS now and I have not done a great job at putting them in the spotlight. BUT that is changing TODAY.

These two have been my go-to filmmakers for SO long and to say that I am grateful for their commitment, skill and craft is the understatement of the year.

You guys are soooo talented it blows my mind. Working alongside you has been one of the greatest gifts. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

To our 2023 couples - y’all are in for a TREAT! Whether it’s me, Andrew or Luis filming, I can tell you that we are such THRILLED to be there and celebrate you. These 2022 couples have been an incredible launching pad as we look ahead to the next year and all the joy that’s coming.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL! I hope you feel all the warmth and love - you deserve it! 🦃☀️🤍

08/11/2022

SO MANY EDITS COMING! We have been SO incredibly swamped (in the best way) with edits and wrapping up almost ALL of our 2022 films. Needless to say - our social media presence has been VERY lacking as a result.

My fellow friend-ors get it. 🤪😅

ANYWHOOOO - here’s a snippet of Maggie + Shay’s wedding from this Fall. SUCH an incredible day with THE BEST! Also - check out the smoooooothest body rolls+dance moves by our GROOM!! I feel like he deserves the best dancer award of the year

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20/10/2022

I mean come onnnnn with these two 😍😍😍

- KIERSTEN + PETER -

💛 Perfect June day
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💛 DROP DEAD GORGEOUS COUPLE
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💛 Their two a👏🏼dor👏🏼a👏🏼ble sons
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💛 Heartfelt vows (where they each ended with the same sentence and didn’t even know it) 🥹
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💛 Stunnnnning venue and decor

Truly could not have picked a more perfect day for these two 🥰

Film dropping soon!!
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Venue:
Video:
Photo:
Floral:
Makeup:
DJ:

21/09/2022

Find yourself someone who makes you *this* happy 🥹

I mean come onnnn with those giggles 🤭

Soooo eager to share more from Jacqueline and Chris’s day 🥰

16/09/2022

Ok y’all have been overwhelming us with love and well wishes!! Seriously just taking it all in and so so grateful for the amazing people who have showered us with love.

Morning sickness and some other surprising ailments have realllly put me behind on edits, but our couples have been the MOST patient and gracious 🥹

Soooo excited to share this film from and day ♥️♥️♥️

Straight out of a DREAM!!!

14/09/2022

📣 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 📣

*flip your phone*

From the owners (Katie + Mikey): Things are changing a LOT over here at Anchored. We are adding a new member to the team!! 🥹

Many of you may have seen this announcement on .swider personal page, so for those who haven’t - go see that post for the full story.

In short - This is a day we have prayed over for years. Actual *years*. When we were blessed with such great news, I KNEW I wanted to capture the reactions of all of the people who have prayed with us, cried with us, encouraged us, + loved us through.

Every announcement was such a clear reminder of the power of prayer & the impact of such
a Christ-centered & loving community.

To say we are thankful to our Lord and Savior is the understatement of the century.

Also - a HUGE shout out to our couples who knew early and were flexible with a WILD ride of morning sickness (which really lasts allllll day 🤪)

Thank you to our team for stepping up in MIGHTY ways and thank you to our couples who have sent well wishes and even gifts to celebrate alongside us!!

We are so flippin blessed by you all and love you dearly. Anchored fam forever!!

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ALRIGHT! Now let’s guess!! Will baby Swider be a BOY or GIRL?!?
👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼

05/08/2022

What an honor it was to film Laci & Max’s wedding!!

Wow it is so hard to describe this day because it was sooo sentimental and beautiful in every way possible 🤍

Not to mention Laci is the sister of two other brides we have worked with!! It was so bittersweet to work with this family one last time 🥲

So thankful for these two and another incredible wedding day to be a part of!!

28/07/2022

The founders of Anchored Films || Katie & Mikey

We celebrate our 4 year anniversary today and are still so moved every time we watch our film. 🥹

It serves as a constant reminder of all the joy and love surrounding that day. How precious to see our closest family and friends come alive over and over again whenever we press “play”.

Watching the day through video truly reignites ALLLLL the emotions from that season.

Just another reason why we love doing what we do ♥️

26/07/2022

Marenth & Erik and their hype crew 😎

22/07/2022

Just WOW 🤩 Charissa and Casey exchanged some of the most beautiful vows in stunning California. These two were sooooo in love!! They had an incredible day with some incredible weather ☀️ the sunshine added to the warmth of the people who came to celebrate!! Many blessings to the happy couple!!

Anchored Films