Idaho woman woman hosts impromptu wedding for local couple, and the response was overwhelming
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RIGBY (EastIdahoNews.com) — RIGBY — Kristy Kirkpatrick had been planning to host her son’s wedding in her backyard Saturday night, but it was a complete stranger who ended up using it.
The Rigby woman had spent three months and nearly $3,000 planning a perfect backyard wedding for this weekend. There was a family conflict the night before and Kirkpatrick was suddenly left with a totally prepared setting, but no bride or groom.
But rather than cancel the whole thing, and take a loss, Kirkpatrick got creative. She posted on social media offering a complete, affordable wedding package if a local couple could get married that night.
Then she reached out to EastIdahoNews.com for help. Within 10 minutes of posting the story at 4 p.m., Kirkpatrick had a wedding booked for 7 p.m.
“I probably had to turn away 30 or 40 other people,” Kirkpatrick says.
So who was the lucky couple? Jacquie Corona and Angel Soto of Idaho Falls.
Jacquie tells us they had originally been planning to get married in February, but after seeing our story, decided to move up the date.
“It was so last minute. We felt so bad (for members of our family who couldn’t be there)…but we were just like why not?” Jacquie says.
Of the 30 or so people who showed up, only about nine were members of the bride and groom’s family. The rest of the people in attendance were people who saw the story online.
Though Kirkpatrick was set up and prepared for the ceremony, the one thing that was lacking was a dress. But Kirkpatrick helped round one up and the Servant’s Heart Events Center in Idaho Falls even provided a free reception venue afterward.
“The party lasted until midnight…and we were (at the reception) until 2 a.m.,” Jacquie says.
Now that it’s all over, Jacquie says the whole experience was beautiful and she’s grateful for the strangers who helped make the night so special.
“Even though we didn’t know them, they really made our night,” Jacquie says. “We didn’t get many gifts, but we had three gifts in total and they were from the strangers.”
The couple is still planning to go on a honeymoon in February.
“I was amazed at the turnout…for such a last-minute thing,” Kirkpatrick says.
But the good news doesn’t end there. Since last night, Kirkpatrick says she’s gotten numerous offers to plan other people’s weddings.
“It’s been crazy,” says Kirkpatrick. “I’ve got somebody working on a logo and a car right now. We’re working on a business plan.”
On top of the $700 she charged for the wedding, she’s gotten another $200 from others in the community to go towards the $3,000 she originally invested in planning and setting it up.
Even though she didn’t make her money back, she’s confident there will be opportunities to do so and she is overwhelmed with the response from the community.
“We had a lot of fun. I had people messaging me saying it was … so amazing that we were able to turn a bad situation into something so magical,” Kirkpatrick says.
Kirkpatrick and Jacquie also want to thank the officiator Greg West, photographer Tiffany Walker, Caking with Amber for providing the cake and Broulim’s for providing the food.
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Rett Nelsonrett@eastidahonews.com
