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Birmingham - Alabama [Wedding Technology / Jun. 28, 2008]
 Yes,
that's Ruben & Zuri Studdard in the photos!
I got a request through our
website a while back from a "Zuri McCants in Birmingham Alabama",
and after calling her and talking for a while, I asked her what her
fiance's name was. It was quite a shocker to hear her say, "Ruben
Studdard".
Of course I was skeptical, and I had to get her to clarify
things for me in case my ears weren't working. "The Ruben Studdard...
The American Idol guy?"
You see, I knew who Ruben was! (He's the only person on
American Idol that I've actually voted for. Sonia watches and votes
all the time, but even so, Ruben was her favorite Idol too - so far).
So I tired to not act star struck and just stick to business
with Zuri... Besides, Zuri was so nice and polite, and her southern
accent was so sweet and charming, it was a pleasure just to continue
talking with her!
Even though we got the booking and set the date, I don't
think it ever really sank in until the American Idol finale in LA
and I saw Ruben and Zuri in pubic for the first time. (There was complete
secrecy about their engagement and wedding date, so nobody had really
seen them together before that.)
A few days before the wedding, a tux shop leaked out the
secret and things got crazy fast. News and media companies were all
trying to get their guys to cover the event and we started feeling
the squeeze of the big time! Originally, we were to be the exclusive
photo and video team to cover the date, but with all the instant exposure
and overwhelming pressure from the media outlets vying to get coverage,
there wasn't any way to keep us exclusive anymore.
Sonia actually got in the way of the Fox video team while they were
trying to catch Ruben & Zuri leaving the church. Click
here to see the clip.
Because we were doing both photo and video at all the
functions, Sonia stuck predominately to the photography, using a large
low light zoom to stay close to the action while the twins and I tried
to monitor the action on video.
The rules of the church were very stringent and we had
to follow those guidelines under penalty of death by tar and feather.
(The guests weren't allowed cameras at all.)
We weren't able to use flashes or any artificial light.
We had to stay in the balcony at the far end of the church and blend
into the carpet if possible. Oh, and if there was anything else that
made our job harder to do, that was probably another rule they just
forgot to mention! :) ...But seriously, I totally respect their wishes
in keeping the wedding as formal and respectful as possible. It's
refreshing for me (and I'm sure the guests as well) to not have to
deal with flashes, cell phones cameras, beeps and clicks, and all
the other things that are distracting and irreverent.
The reception was a total blast! The food and drinks were
fantastic, the cakes were beautiful, the DJ's were great and their
music was thumpin'... (Seriously, the DJ's actually brought sub woofers
in their system so the music sounded -and felt - wonderful.)
I think Ruben and Zuri were the cutest couple on the dance floor too!
It's obvious that they are in love... You could just see that they
make each other totally happy.
Afterwards Ruben and Zuri departed on their honeymoon
for parts unknown... :) |
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