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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview with Jo Ann Schwartz Woodward

Aired August 09, 2003 - 09:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The RSVPs are in, the chairs are being put out, the flowers set up with care. The bride and groom have the typical prewedding jitters. But in this case, the groom will be floating down the aisle, literally.
This morning, we bring you details of tomorrow's big event, the first-ever space wedding.

Jo Ann Schwartz Woodward has the job of organizing this out-of- the-world wedding. She joins us live now from Houston. Good morning.

JO ANN SCHWARTZ WOODWARD, WEDDING PLANNER: Good morning.

COSTELLO: OK, this is kind of wacky. Cat Demetria (ph) is going to marry Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malencenko (ph), which is not unusual, except he's on board the International Space Station, and she's on earth at NASA. Why?

WOODWARD: Well, they decided that they had met five years ago, and they reconnected and remet, and at that time, they knew that it was magic, and there were sparks. And after he proposed, they made the decision that they would get married now as opposed to waiting.

COSTELLO: But why? Why not wait until he lands on earth?

WOODWARD: Well, you know, as things have really changed since 9/11, and you have to realize that he has an extremely high-risk job. But many couples today are deciding not to put their lives on hold, and just to move forward and not to wait. And that's what Cat and Yuri decided to do.

COSTELLO: Well, we can certainly understand that. So how is this all going to work? She's going to be at NASA, he's going to be on the International Space Station. So how will this ceremony be performed?

WOODWARD: Well, we're going to actually have a traditional wedding ceremony, where she will walk down the aisle after her bridesmaids and her groomsmen. We will have the ceremony performed by Judge Bill Yeoman (ph), who will be officiating. The groomsman and her -- his best man will be with Yuri in space, playing the wedding march, which is extremely exciting. And they will be able to see each other by video satellite uplink.

COSTELLO: OK, I was just going to ask you, video satellite uplink. That's how they're going to communicate. But what if that goes down?

WOODWARD: I'm sorry?

COSTELLO: What if that goes down?

WOODWARD: Well, we then have what is called a proxy. And the proxy, Mr. Harry No (ph), would then stand in and say the I-do's. But we're not hoping that that happens.

COSTELLO: Oh, I hope not, because that would be just awful. Hey, what is he, what is Yuri going to wear up in space to get married in?

WOODWARD: He's wearing a tuxedo.

COSTELLO: Oh, he is?

WOODWARD: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: I didn't know they had space outfits as, you know, that would double as a tuxedo.

WOODWARD: He had the special attire sent up to him.

COSTELLO: Oh, I can't wait to see this. Do you have a preview for us? I wish we could see it right now.

WOODWARD: I don't. I'm so sorry.

COSTELLO: But there was going to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE), like, NASA wasn't really all that behind this, was it?

WOODWARD: You know, I have to say that NASA has been incredibly supportive, and they are doing everything to make Cat's dream come true. And we're just really focusing on the wedding, the love story, and what's important is the two of them say I do.

COSTELLO: I know, there's an American on board the International Space Station. Will he play a part in this wedding?

WOODWARD: A very important part. He is the best man...

COSTELLO: Oh, great.

WOODWARD: ... and he also will be playing the keyboard, playing the wedding march.

COSTELLO: I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. I had some feedback in my ear. What did you say? So he's going to be the best man...

WOODWARD: Ed Lou (ph) will be the best man, and he also will be playing the keyboard up in space.

COSTELLO: How is that possible?

WOODWARD: You know, with today's technology, there's a lot of things that are possible.

COSTELLO: Well, our congratulations to Yuri and Cat, and we can't wait to see some of the pictures from the wedding tomorrow. Thank you so much for joining us today.

WOODWARD: Thank you.

COSTELLO: That's just amazing.

CALLEBS: I want to know how they got the tux up there. They said they shipped it up there. I mean, it's not like UPS or FedEx.

COSTELLO: I think they preplanned that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CALLEBS: Yes, without question.

COSTELLO: I can't wait to see it, though. I'm very excited.

CALLEBS: It should be good.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired August 9, 2003 - 09:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The RSVPs are in, the chairs are being put out, the flowers set up with care. The bride and groom have the typical prewedding jitters. But in this case, the groom will be floating down the aisle, literally.
This morning, we bring you details of tomorrow's big event, the first-ever space wedding.

Jo Ann Schwartz Woodward has the job of organizing this out-of- the-world wedding. She joins us live now from Houston. Good morning.

JO ANN SCHWARTZ WOODWARD, WEDDING PLANNER: Good morning.

COSTELLO: OK, this is kind of wacky. Cat Demetria (ph) is going to marry Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malencenko (ph), which is not unusual, except he's on board the International Space Station, and she's on earth at NASA. Why?

WOODWARD: Well, they decided that they had met five years ago, and they reconnected and remet, and at that time, they knew that it was magic, and there were sparks. And after he proposed, they made the decision that they would get married now as opposed to waiting.

COSTELLO: But why? Why not wait until he lands on earth?

WOODWARD: Well, you know, as things have really changed since 9/11, and you have to realize that he has an extremely high-risk job. But many couples today are deciding not to put their lives on hold, and just to move forward and not to wait. And that's what Cat and Yuri decided to do.

COSTELLO: Well, we can certainly understand that. So how is this all going to work? She's going to be at NASA, he's going to be on the International Space Station. So how will this ceremony be performed?

WOODWARD: Well, we're going to actually have a traditional wedding ceremony, where she will walk down the aisle after her bridesmaids and her groomsmen. We will have the ceremony performed by Judge Bill Yeoman (ph), who will be officiating. The groomsman and her -- his best man will be with Yuri in space, playing the wedding march, which is extremely exciting. And they will be able to see each other by video satellite uplink.

COSTELLO: OK, I was just going to ask you, video satellite uplink. That's how they're going to communicate. But what if that goes down?

WOODWARD: I'm sorry?

COSTELLO: What if that goes down?

WOODWARD: Well, we then have what is called a proxy. And the proxy, Mr. Harry No (ph), would then stand in and say the I-do's. But we're not hoping that that happens.

COSTELLO: Oh, I hope not, because that would be just awful. Hey, what is he, what is Yuri going to wear up in space to get married in?

WOODWARD: He's wearing a tuxedo.

COSTELLO: Oh, he is?

WOODWARD: Absolutely.

COSTELLO: I didn't know they had space outfits as, you know, that would double as a tuxedo.

WOODWARD: He had the special attire sent up to him.

COSTELLO: Oh, I can't wait to see this. Do you have a preview for us? I wish we could see it right now.

WOODWARD: I don't. I'm so sorry.

COSTELLO: But there was going to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE), like, NASA wasn't really all that behind this, was it?

WOODWARD: You know, I have to say that NASA has been incredibly supportive, and they are doing everything to make Cat's dream come true. And we're just really focusing on the wedding, the love story, and what's important is the two of them say I do.

COSTELLO: I know, there's an American on board the International Space Station. Will he play a part in this wedding?

WOODWARD: A very important part. He is the best man...

COSTELLO: Oh, great.

WOODWARD: ... and he also will be playing the keyboard, playing the wedding march.

COSTELLO: I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. I had some feedback in my ear. What did you say? So he's going to be the best man...

WOODWARD: Ed Lou (ph) will be the best man, and he also will be playing the keyboard up in space.

COSTELLO: How is that possible?

WOODWARD: You know, with today's technology, there's a lot of things that are possible.

COSTELLO: Well, our congratulations to Yuri and Cat, and we can't wait to see some of the pictures from the wedding tomorrow. Thank you so much for joining us today.

WOODWARD: Thank you.

COSTELLO: That's just amazing.

CALLEBS: I want to know how they got the tux up there. They said they shipped it up there. I mean, it's not like UPS or FedEx.

COSTELLO: I think they preplanned that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CALLEBS: Yes, without question.

COSTELLO: I can't wait to see it, though. I'm very excited.

CALLEBS: It should be good.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com