Brides Desperate to Recover Wedding Videos from Defunct Business - East Idaho News
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Brides Desperate to Recover Wedding Videos from Defunct Business

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camera?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1377866634454Simon Lees/N-Photo Magazine via Getty Images(PHOENIX) — Stefanie Kostewa wanted to cherish her wedding day forever, so she hired a video company to capture the special moments of her March nuptials.

But months afterward, Urbane Wedding Company, the organization that Kostewa and her husband, Rick, had hired to capture their special day, disappeared.

The company’s Phoenix office was abandoned and the phones were disconnected.

Kostewa was devastated.

“You put all this time and money into it and then you have no video,” she said.

ABC News’ Phoenix affiliate, ABC 15, repeatedly tried to contact the company’s former owner. Good Morning America also tried to make contact. All efforts were unsuccessful.

ABC 15 investigative reporter Joe Ducey soon heard from dozens of angry, confused couples from all over the country. In response, he put out a general request: He asked that anyone who may have shot weddings for the company turn the video over to him.

If you worked with Urbane Wedding Company and are missing your wedding video, click HERE to get in touch with ABC 15.

Two former freelancers for Urbane answered the call, delivering three hard drives and piles of DVDs. The material represented at least 170 weddings — ceremonies and receptions. The files had few locations, phone numbers or emails, but each did contain a last name.

With the information it had, ABC 15 went to work. So far, it has already matched 24 couples with their videos.

Cory Hoekstra, who married his wife, Elis, in February, was one of the lucky ones. He was elated.

“Ten or 15 years from now … God willing … we will have children,” he said. “To be able to show them our wedding, that’s special to us.”

Kostewa also got good news from ABC 15. One of the videos turned over to the station was labeled with the name, “Hadland.” That was her maiden name.

She was thrilled to see the recording of her special day.

“It’s like Christmas,” the Phoenix woman said.

 

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