What a story we have here…So Im sitting in my studio one Saturday afternoon and I got a call from Sidney inquiring about wedding video services. We chatted for about 10 minutes..she was getting ready for a lunch date with Ahmed. We discussed later that they were residing in New York, and were coming to Michigan to get married. Ahmed was from Detroit. She described the ceremony venue to me and sent some pics of it’s renovation that was in progress. Little did I know that this Historical Church was the Trinity Episcopal Church on Martin Luther King Blvd in Detroit…a historical landmark, built in 1890 and had their last service in 2020. The new owner was in the process of remodeling the church and had plans of turning it into a Historical Church Venue for weddings.
The vibe here was amazing…The original Pipe organ was still in the Church, and with some renovations done over the years, it wasn’t really in that bad of shape…in fact, the aesthetics and cosmetics added to the overall feel of the Church. Once this is finished, this will be a dream come true for many brides. I was immediately geeked…seriously..geeked…what an opportunity for our business to film a wedding here. Sidney KNEW exactly what she was doing…how she planned for her wedding, and what she was looking for. When the wedding day came…I got with the Photographer and her second shooter, and also met the new owner…and we all had the same story…we had no clue how Sidney found us, and why she chose us…but it was coming together a bit more clearer as time moved forward.
Then, once I arrived in Detroit, there was a huge car show with virtually NO parking anywhere in downtown. I spoke with Sidney and her and Ahmed got ready at 2 different hotels that were also booked up and were getting some prep photos. So I just headed to the reception venue to get some early photos of that and the decor…and another huge surprise unfolds…
Upon arrival..I walk in, and see this historical building and get the feeling that this is another first…and I was right. I googled the address, and found that this was the building owned by Jim Handy back in the 1940’s. It was the production studio for the original animation of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer….Now im super geeked and stoked too. Turned event center, and now called the Jam Handy Wedding Venue, I just started snapping away and recording video. I spent litterly all day and into the late evening hours celebrating their wedding and filming all of the events and day’s speeches and special dances…When I got home, it was about 1:45 am and I immediately started editing their highlight film..and produced it by 6 am..and posted it on Sidney’s facebook page that morning…..
Later, we learn that Sidney appears on the editorial Opinion section of the New York Times…..
So, the moral of this story is, sometimes the universe aligns, and you are placed in the middle of an opportunity that just keeps your business rolling forward..this was one of those times….
I said my goodbyes to Ahmed and Sidney…and informed her in one of my last conversations with her after her wedding…”I’m gonna make a ton of money with your wedding video…and so far, I have booked more brides from this story, than any other we have. When I first posted this information on facebook groups, there were a few photographers laughing and mocked my story calling it false….I just laughed..and now you know why.
