Skyping the wedding

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with a man in Denver who’s exchanging wedding vows tomorrow with a woman in China. Joe Sinisi and Liu Shu had planned their wedding in Denver, complete with 158 guests. But the bride got held up when her visa was delayed. Still, the wedding will go on, thanks to the internet software Skype.
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MARCO WERMAN: Planning a wedding can be stressful, there’s family, flowers, and food to arrange, but what if you add immigration to the mix. That’s what tripped up Joe Sinisi [PH] and Liu Shu [PH], he’s a US citizen, she’s Chinese. They were actually married last October in China, and they planned to celebrate with a big July 4th wedding reception in Denver. Everything’s ready except one thing, Shu won’t be there. Her Visa hasn’t come through, but the wedding will still go on tomorrow. 158 guests will watch in Denver as Joe and Shu recite their vows via a video link. Shu will be on Skype at an Internet cafe, in Changchun, China. We spoke to Shu on the phone earlier today, and Joe joined us from Denver. Joe says they never expected the Visa process to take this long.

JOE SINISI: All the information out there is it should take about six months, so I thought, alright, lets plan our wedding eight months out, that should be alright. So I filed all the forms early November and there it sat for about six months, and I began to get concerned. And after several inquiries and a lot of sweating it out, homeland security did grant their permission to give her an immigrant visa in mid May. And, we’re at the point now where all the documents they need are at our US consulate in Guangzhou, and they could call Shu in any day, have a final interview, and give her the Visa, just, they have not, despite numerous inquiries.

MARCO WERMAN: When did you realize this wedding was gonna happen without Shu?

JOE SINISI: It came realistic this week, and it was far too late to call off the wedding, so we decided Skype was be a way we’ll do our vows. And it’s gonna be festive, but of course, you know, there’s a definite sadness that the bride is not here.

MARCO WERMAN: I guess the only consolation is that Shu could have opted not to show up on her own, instead it’s some other forces that are working against you.

JOE SINISI: Certainly better than getting jilted at the alter. [BOTH LAUGH] At least I’ll see her lovely face via Skype.

MARCO WERMAN: Nevertheless, it’s been incredibly stressful. Shu, how are you coping with all of this.

LIU SHU: I don’t know, I feel really sad about that because I’m far away from my husband, and I just worried.

MARCO WERMAN: So, Joe, you and the 158 guests will be in Chinese restaurant in Denver. Shu, where will you be in Changchun?

LIU SHU: I will be inter cafe.

MARCO WERMAN: And will you have any friends or family next to you while you are exchanging vows with Joe?

LIU SHU: No, actually I will celebrate with my family, but only in the home.

MARCO WERMAN: How long are you gonna stay on the Skype connection with Joe after the vows?

LIU SHU: Maybe another hour, two hours. I wanna see how they are celebrate and just try to enjoy.

MARCO WERMAN: Right. Are you going to get dressed up? Are you going to wear a wedding dress to the Internet cafe?

LIU SHU: I think I’m not to wear the wedding dress because I feel this not really like a wedding day for me.

MARCO WERMAN: Yeah.

JOE SINISI: The internet cafe’s in China are public places where it’s usually inhabited by chain smoking video game players that are there 24 hours a day, so it’s not the most romantic location. [LAUGHS]

MARCO WERMAN: Yeah, you don’t want to put the wedding dress into mothballs after sitting in a smoky Internet cafe for a couple dozen years, do you?

LIU SHU: No.

JOE SINISI: 14 hours later than Denver, so it’d be the morning for her. Our Saturday night will be her morning, Sunday morning.

MARCO WERMAN: Joe, when will you get to see your wife next, do you know?

JOE SINISI: That is entirely up to the vicissitudes of the department of State. It could be next week, it could be thanksgiving, there’s no rhyme or reason, and you’re not allowed to ask why. And I’m just one of tens or hundreds of thousands of people. There’s a lot of people like Shu and I that are married and for no good reason are just waiting indefinite amounts of time.

MARCO WERMAN: Well, we wish you the best of luck tomorrow, and in the future, Joe and Shu. Joe Sinisi, director of marketing and sales at Access China Tours in Denver. Liu Shu works for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Their ceremonial wedding vows will take place tomorrow, via Skype. The best of luck to both of you.

JOE SINISI: Thank you Marco.

LIU SHU: Thank you very much, and please help us.

JOE SINISI: Shu, are you still there?

LIU SHU: Yes, I’m still there. I just waiting for Joe say bye-bye.

JOE SINISI: I’m very sad but thank you for doing this, maybe this will help us so we can be together sooner.

LIU SHU: Yeah, I hope so.

JOE SINISI: Okay, go on, go to sleep, I know it’s after midnight.

LIU SHU: Yeah. Bye.

JOE SINISI: Zai Jian.

MARCO WERMAN: And you can see photos from Joe and Shu’s wedding reception in China at theworld.org

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