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The bride’s wedding bouquet was a white napkin stuffed inside a wine glass. Their short ceremony was officiated by a veteran pilot. And their first walk as newlyweds was single file, down the narrow aisle of an American Airlines 757.
But what can you expect for a spur-of-the-moment wedding at 30,000 feet?
The former Kim Daley, 50, and Anthony Nimmo, 43, of Trempealeau, Wis., had planned a March 15 beach wedding in St. Lucia.
But the island requires the bride and groom arrive three business days before the wedding or they’re not allowed to marry, Kim said. Their resort was booked for weddings after their date, so it was their only option.
The couple was scheduled to depart La Crosse at 7:40 a.m. March 10. Then the flight was delayed, they missed their connection and struggled with other canceled flights and lost reservations.
They snagged the last seats, two in first-class, aboard an American Airlines flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico. From there, they would catch the plane to St. Lucia.
Pilot John Brunke told the couple they were scheduled to arrive in San Juan only 15 minutes before their departing flight to St. Lucia.
Then he offered an intriguing suggestion. “He said, ‘The worst thing that could happen is I marry you over international waters,’” Kim said. “I said that might be a fun thing to do.”
Her fiancé agreed.
Brunke told the couple in 23 years as a pilot he had never performed a ceremony, which he said he was authorized to do over international waters. Kim wasn’t sure if the marriage was recognized in Wisconsin.
“The stewardess came out and said, ‘He can do it,’ and I said, ‘Well, let’s do it then,’” she said. “The captain offered it and we thought, ‘How cool.’”
By now, the 20 first-class passengers were preparing for the ceremony, and those in coach came forward to watch.
The tiny bathroom didn’t allow enough space for Kim
to slip on her white
wedding dress, so a red shirt and white pants would have to do.
Besides, that matched her husband-to-be’s outfit.
The comb had fallen off Kim’s veil, so a female passenger, Christy Linders, volunteered bobby pins plucked from her hair — and became maid of honor. Her husband, Clark, was appointed wedding photographer.
Anthony grabbed his new best man, Larry Liebovick.
The pilot shook with nervousness as the ceremony started, Kim said.
It was broadcast to the 187 passengers over the sound system.
The airborne nuptial was held about 8:10 p.m., an hour off the coast of San Juan. It was a short ceremony, with the couple exchanging rings and “I dos.”
The happy newlyweds poured champagne in plastic glasses and threw airline mints for wedding favors.
“Everyone in the plane was just going nuts,” Anthony said. “We did the march all the way back to the plane, and everyone clapped.”
“We were both just grinning,” Kim said. “We said we were smiling so much our faces hurt.”
When they landed, the pair said a quick “thank you” to the pilot and bolted for their St. Lucia flight.
It was gone.
The couple spent the night at a San Juan hotel, celebrating the wedding night with fellow passengers. The best man even treated the couple to dinner.
Ironically, they made it to the Sandals Halcyon Beach resort in St. Lucia in time for their wedding.
It was held as planned, just the two of them, toes in the sand, with an ocean breeze.
They spent six days on the island in post-married bliss before returning Monday.
What’s the plan for their first anniversary?
“We’re going back to St. Lucia,” Anthony said.
Anne Jungen can be reached at ajungen@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8224.
