WAY, way back in March of this year, I learned about some Marrying Father Christmas filming going on in Abbotsford, via the What’s Filming website.  (as always, thanks guys!)  I was excited because a) who doesn’t get excited to watch filming take place, and b) David Winning would be there.   Did you catch that?  David Winning, the director.  Convenient Groom?  Unleashing Mr. Darcy?  Tulips in Spring?  While You Were Dating?  A December Bride?  Falling For Vermont?  Yup, the list goes on and on…..and ON!!!  THAT guy, that director, David Winning.   It’s no secret that I do love me a good celebrity encounter, but what is equally (if not more) thrilling, is the chance to meet a director whose work I love.  And for someone like me who usually shows up long after the crew has packed up and moved on, it was SO cool to catch a bit of film making in the works.

The day was perfect, cooler temps and sunny, ideal for Christmas moving making!  I arrived on Montrose Ave., a very popular street for Hallmark filming.   We have scene it many times before, so many that I really should put a post together just on Montrose Ave. It was a featured location in both Finding Father Christmas and Engaging Father Christmas, so it makes perfect sense that we would see it again in Marrying Father Christmas.

I stood across the street from where the video village was set up. Crews were prepping for a scene on the street, and I was scanning the crew, looking for him.  I spotted him fairly quickly and began to make my way across the street.  I called out to David, who turned his head towards me, and I asked if he had time for a quick photo.  He seemed a bit surprised, smiled, and said of course.  He had a crew member snap some pics of us and we talked for a few minutes.

I told him I was a big fan of his work and rattled off a few titles, and he was very gracious.  David is a soft-spoken man and although there was chaos all around him (I mean, they were literally filming a MOVIE!), he focused on me and spoke directly to me, which to this day, still blows my mind.  He asked me if we were friends on Facebook, which almost made me laugh out loud because, well, David is a well-known director……and I’m like….NOT!  I asked David if I could hang around to watch some filming and he said, and I quote, “By all means, yes”.  To say I was shocked would be an understatement. He told me to send him a friend request and also asked me to email him a photo of the two of us.

Within minutes, who should appear but Erin Krakow and Niall Matter, taking their places for a scene.  What was incredibly surreal for me was that the evening before, I was glued to my TV, along with millions of others, watching Erin’s character, Elizabeth, become Mrs. Jack Thornton on Hallmark’s When Calls The Heart.  And now, the very next morning, here she was right in front of me, playing another role familiar to me, that of Miranda Chester in the Father Christmas movies.  Seriously, what a totally crazy life!

After they completed four takes of the same scene, (and yes, I watched it all) I called out to Erin and asked for a quick photo.  She was super friendly and upbeat, and asked if I wanted Niall in the photo.  Of course, I said yes!  After the pictures, Niall took off and Erin and I chatted for a just few minutes.  I mentioned the wedding from the night before and told her I was leading tours at Jamestown.  I also mentioned my blog and that I had just met Lori Loughlin a month earlier, while she was shooting in the fort.  Erin was genuinely surprised by that.  I thanked her for her time and just like that, she was gone.

A couple of guys got busy re-packing the snow Hallmark Christmas movies are famous for and the rest of the crew were getting things set up on the other side of the street.

I was ready to take off.   I still had some locations to photograph and was meeting with someone later.  But before leaving, I wanted to be sure and thank David once again for giving me this incredible memory.  I found him quickly, amid the chaos of busy crew members, shook his hand and thanked him.  His response?  Again, I quote, “You’re leaving already?”  I laughed and explained I had other stops while I was in town and that I lived in the states.  And then I gave him my card and told him about my blog.  I quickly told him I wouldn’t be mentioning the movie or sharing my photos until the week of the premiere.  David said he didn’t mind at all and took a genuine interest in my blog.  Turns out Mr. Winning loves locations too!  We talked about that for a bit and discovered we’ve been to a couple of the same locations in L.A., and he really encouraged me with my blog.  David was kind, sincere, respectful, and gracious towards me.  He has a very special way of putting you at ease, making you feel like you’re talking to an old friend.  Seriously, he is just an incredible human being.

So there you have it, the tale of “When Kerry met David”.   My deepest thanks to David Winning, for making our encounter so memorable.  I cannot wait to see the movie this weekend and watch the scene I witnessed being filmed.

More Marrying Father Christmas

Coming up later this week, I will be sharing the real-life Whitcomb home from the Father Christmas series.   This is a gorgeous property and I still cannot believe I got to visit!  I can’t wait to tell you all about it, including its history on the screen.  (in other words, we’ve scene it before!!!)  Stay tuned.  This weekend, you do not want to miss the premiere of Marrying Father Christmas on Sunday, November 4 on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Channel.  New movies are premiering on Hallmark Channel this weekend too; check your local listing for times.

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As always, thank you so much for your continued support!  I will be back again later in the week, with an all new Hallmark location!

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