Published Friday, February 14, 2003
and Sherris Moreira-Byers
Herald Staff Writers
A Valentine's Day contest to find the most unique wedding ceremony in The Herald's readership area showed the creativity of some of our readers' nuptials and a good sense of humor by our winners.
A quick trip to Maryland to get married over the weekend turned into a bit of a nightmare, to use their own words, for a Volant-area couple, William and Pearly Adams, 966 Leesburg Station Road, Springfield Township.
"After working an afternoon shift, my sweetie decided that we should go to Maryland and get married. He had heard you could get married in one day. That way he'd be back in time to go to work Monday morning.
"So we threw some clothes in a suitcase and drove all night to Maryland. When we got there they told us there was a three-day waiting period before we could get married. They told us you could get married in one day in Virginia, so we got back in the car and headed for Virginia.
"Now with bloodshot eyes and a two-days growth of beard, we were on our way. As we were driving, we hit this very large skunk. He got us good. We couldn't hardly stand ourselves. We got to Virginia and looked like something the cats dragged in.
"It was 11:30 a.m. They told us we would need to go to the hospital and get bloodwork, (and) wait three hours for the results. (We were directed to) bring the courthouse the results and be at the justice of the peace before 5 p.m.
"There were 12 other couples ahead of us. We didn't have time to change our clothes or clean up. So at 4:50 p.m. after nine other couples had been married, we stood in front of the justice of the peace, dressed in our smelly clothes and uncombed hair. We became man and wife.
"We went back to the motel and celebrated with a chunk of bologna and sweet onion and fell into a deep sleep. We have been married 22 years and between his, mine and ours, we have 10 children and 17 grandchildren. The secret to our marriage is to let God be a part of your family's life."
As the contest winners, the Adamses were treated to a $50 gift certificate to the Springfield Restaurant Group, a box of chocolates from Philadelphia Candies in Hermitage and movie passes.
For their second marriage -- to each other -- Daniel and Melissa McKinney of Mercer opted for Native American nuptials. With the help of new friends Spirit Buffalo and Wind Walker, owners of the Crow's Nest in Hermitage, they coordinated a traditional Native American wedding that included dream catchers, dance sticks and feather fans for the guests. McKinney even made his wife's white leather dress and his fringed lambskin shirt and pants for the ceremony, which was held Nov. 16 at Brandy Springs Park in Mercer.
"As we stood by the side of the lake, we were joined by Spirit Buffalo and his wife, Wind Walker, who so gratefully and legally joined us in our second chance at a long and happy life together," Mrs. McKinney said in her contest-entry letter.
The McKinneys, for placing second in the contest, won a box of Philadelphia Candies chocolates and movie passes.
Ten years ago on Halloween, Sheryl Moore of Mercer and her husband, Ronnie, took their vows. But since it was her second marriage and his third, they decided to give their wedding a little twist by dressing up as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. All their guests came in costume, including Mrs. Moore's 69-year-old mother, who came as Raggedy Ann.
The punch had dry ice floating in it, while the decorations consisted of cobwebs and spiders. A circuit judge performed the ceremony.
As third-prize recipients, they received a box of Philadelphia Candies chocolates.