The story of how Ted met Laura on what was supposed to be their wedding day will be featured on an upcoming ABC “20/20” show, with footage supplied by Dave Monk’s Brave New Pictures.
Their non-marriage climaxed a contest cooked up by WTMX-FM 101.9 morning show hosts Eric Furguson and Kathy Hart, to find out how much looks mattered to lasting love.
Apparently a lot.
Laura, in full bridal finery, called off the wedding upon meeting Ted in person for the first time, just minutes before what would have been a full blown ceremony and reception at the River East Arts Center on East Illinois St.
“20/20” will run an edited version of Monk’s 20 hours of behind-the-scenes capture of the “Eric and Kathy’s Two Strangers and a Wedding: Is Love Blind?” contest that started in March and ended with the April 12 non-wedding.
WTMX hired Brave New Pictures to document the entire experiment at the start in March, said Monk. Two crews, using Beta SP and DVcam, shot multiple segments that were edited, encoded and posted on the WTMX website for viewing within hours after the broadcast.
The site attracted 4.3 million hits in less than 48 hours — more than double its normal traffic in a month.
The bride was selected by Internet and text voting and she in turn chose a groom.
Intrigued by the story, “the ?20/20′ producers decided there was enough material to build a feature on,” Monk said, and worked together on additional supportive footage.
The airdate is pending and Monk doesn’t know if it will be six or seven minutes or 15-minute piece.
While the station was thrilled with the response, not all their listeners approved. Critics called the stunt “totally bizarre,” and a degrading, trivializing insult to the institution of marriage.
Both Ted and Laura agreed that the experience was not a waste of time. They liked each other, and while not in love they would date. One of their dates would be attending a Cubs game, thanks to a pair of tickets Monk gave them as a wedding gift before the split.
Brave New Pictures, Inc. is located at 2953 W. Eastwood Ave.; phone, 773/509-0932; Email office info@bravenewpictures.com. See www.bravenewpictures.com
