Herkimer wedding taped for broadcast

A Catholic couple has had their wedding ceremony in Herkimer videotaped by a cable network for broadcast on national TV.

"I've always watched 'A Wedding Story,'" Karen Gressler told The Evangelist the day before her Nov. 22 marriage to Craig Rowe. She was referring to a popular daily program on the TLC network that highlights unusual weddings.

A parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Church in Herkimer, she got the idea to contact the network's website because "we have a unique story, and I thought they might consider televising our wedding."

Off and on

The couples' love story began ten years ago when Karen and Craig met at Nazareth College in Rochester. They dated for just one semester and broke up.

After graduation, he moved to Florida and she to Raleigh, N.C. Five years later, she said, "I received a letter from the alumni association. Craig was searching for me. I contacted him, and eventually we started dating again."

When their relationship began to get serious the following year, he re-located to Raleigh. The bride, 28, works as a high school guidance counselor; the groom, 29, is in communications for a private high school in Durham.

Smile, you're on...

The couple didn't hear from TLC until about four weeks ago, spurring a flurry of pre-wedding activities.

"We scheduled a meeting with the crew at the Hotel Utica, where our wedding reception will be," Mrs. Rowe said. "We were interviewed separately and as a couple."

Next, the couple was recorded going through their wedding scrapbook and "ice skating together. That was a lot of fun."

Smooth sailing

During a time normally filled with last-minute stresses, the new bride said that the technical crew seemed to have everything under control, which helped calm her nerves.

"They made all the arrangements for the dinner party for both families at my parents' home in Mohawk," she said. "There were about 15 of us, and we had the nicest time. Everything was organized and orderly. They provided food, pizza and refreshments. Everyone had a great time."

The wedding rehearsal and dinner that followed were also put on videotape. Then the crew left the couple alone until the ceremony.

Professionalism

Rev. Mark Cunningham, pastor of St. Francis de Sales, said that working with the TLC crew was a complete pleasure.

"The production company deals with the church well in advance," he explained. "They made it clear from the very beginning that they don't want to do anything to upset the sacredness of the wedding ceremony. Apparently, they are well aware of the importance of this special day, not only for the bride and groom but also for the families and the church staff. Everything was completely organized. They were cooperative, professional and very accommodating. They were nothing but wonderful to work with."

Mrs. Rowe was also very satisfied with TLC, saying, "They were very accommodating, cooperative and unobtrusive. Basically, they told us they just wanted everyone to enjoy [himself or herself]. They planned all the activities with the various businesses. They even got our shoe sizes and rented the ice skates for us!

"All we had to do was, basically, show up. The experience has been wonderful, a real memento of all our wedding plans. I would recommend this to anyone."

(TLC's coverage of the Gressler-Rowe wedding is scheduled to air on "A Wedding Story" sometime in the spring.)

(11/27/03) [[In-content Ad]]