Amanda + Max Blog — Salt + Pine Films

Brandi + Jonathan

The Highlight Film

The Vibe
A music festival wedding film, inspired by Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Waltz”.

The Season
Spring

The Location
Full Moon Resort
Big Indian, NY - The Catskills

“Seven years is a long time on the road…”

Brandi + Jonathan’s journey together started with Doris, their beloved RV, as they toured the country for seven years. From national parks to small towns, they created memories that most people only dream of. When it came time to take the next step and settle down, they knew that their wedding had to reflect the same sense of adventure and community they’d built on the road.

Enter Swanfest—a two-day wedding festival set at Full Moon Resort in the Catskills, inspired by the spirit of Woodstock and crafted to be an unforgettable celebration of love, music, and friendship. With four live bands and a surprise performance by the couple themselves, Brandi and Jonathan gave their friends and family the gift of music, joy, and connection. A wild weekend that honored the free-spirited energy of their lives on the road.

This film was always intended to be much grander than just a “wedding video”

When Brandi and Jonathan first reached out to us, they had a vision. They wanted their wedding film to feel like the 1978 Scorsese rock documentary The Last Waltz—a story about the final performance of a band after years of touring.

The similarities were so obvious. It’s a film about friendships, adventures, endings, and beginnings. Using that film as a foundation informed our creative decisions. For one, we wanted to shoot on anamorphic lenses to capture that vintage cinematic feel. We also chose to do more traditional “sit down” interviews for the documentary aesthetic. This story was so big and interesting we wanted it to be in Brandi + Jonathan’s own words. We open with scenes of bucolic suburban life: a glass of wine, a vibey doormat, the RV getting stowed away. It’s the end of life on the road and the start of nesting at home. And then it’s just a long take of Jonathan explaining why they wanted a festival over a traditional wedding day. What I love about this film is how it embraces the longer format, but in doing so we are rewarded with so much more personality and heart and real true moments of candidness.

“So…where did we start?”

Brandi and Jonathan’s story session gave us the perfect chance to lay the groundwork for their wedding films. They’d already created such a clear vision for their wedding weekend, and we wanted to make sure their story was woven through every detail. From the vintage vibe to the intimate setting of their home, we focused on capturing the effortless flow of their conversation—moments that felt like a natural continuation of their time spent together on the road. These conversations weren’t just about the past; they were a reflection of the deep, authentic connection that would carry through to their wedding day, and beyond.

The Teaser

Swanfest wasn’t just a wedding—it was the grand finale of one chapter and the opening act of another. After years spent chasing adventure on the road, Brandi and Jonathan brought everyone they love together for one unforgettable weekend, a celebration that felt less like a wedding and more like a once-in-a-lifetime music festival. From the electric energy of live performances to the quieter moments of reflection, their story unfolded like a classic rock documentary—fueled by music, memories, and the people who made it all meaningful.

Just like The Last Waltz captured the spirit of a band’s final show, this film became something more than just a wedding video. It was a love letter to a life well-lived, a road well-traveled, and the people who made every mile worth it. And just like any great performance, it left us all chanting for one more song.