Lansing's Batman to wed Capital City's Wonder Woman in 'epic' ceremony: You can attend
Update, July 7, 2022: Hundreds of guests are expected for Sunday's chaotic and charismatic wedding of Lansing Batman and Capitol City's Wonder Woman (the alter egos of Shamus Smith and Katie Whittaker).
It's a real wedding, with vows, marriage license and true love.
It will also be a real event, with hijinks and twists and turns to be expected.
The 2 p.m. Sunday wedding is open to anyone attending the Capitol City Comic Con at the Lansing Center (Sunday tickets are $20, kids under 14 are free).
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The wedding will cap the largest Capitol City Comic Con, which hasn't run since 2019. The comic con had previously brought a single voice actor, this year it's becoming a multi-day event and bringing a big slate including comedian Tom Arnold and panels of actors from 1986's "Aliens" as well as voice actors from Peanuts, many comic creators and others.
Smith and Whittaker met while in costume, but will tie the knot in more typical fashion, although their suit and dress will have some nods to their other identities.
The couple told The Lansing State Journal they want to make everyone happy.
They are part of The League of Enchantment, a group of around 100 costumed crusaders in several states who go to places of need, like children's hospitals and cancer walks, to bring smiles to kids and adults.
There are activities at the convention for families throughout the weekend in addition to panels and vendors, said Tim Hunt, one of the comic con organizers.
LANSING — If there's any doubt Katie Whittaker's and Shamus Smith's wedding this July will be anything but ordinary, just look to the couple's "save the date" announcement for reassurance.
"Wonderbat the Wedding, 07.10. 2022," reads the large, white script on what appears to be a poster for the latest blockbuster superhero movie.
"The League proudly presents a wedding of legends!" the announcement reads. "Starring Shamus Smith and Katie Whittaker, along with their herd of children. A film loosely based on actual events. Look for it live on stage at Capital City Comic Con on July 10th, 2022, in Lansing, Michigan."
A photo of Whittaker, the Capital City's Wonder Woman, and Smith, Lansing's Batman, both dressed in full costume, is front and center.
"The epic crossover you have been waiting for," the card announces.
Before Whittaker, 35, walks down the aisle and onto the main stage at the Lansing Center dressed in a Wonder Woman-inspired gown, expect theatrics.
A Batmobile and Wonder Woman's invisible jet will be part of the wedding-day decor. Marvel heroes Star-Lord, Spider-Man and Captain America will serve as "flower dudes" and try to crash the ceremony before three Amazons step in. They'll clear the way for the processional as Smith, 47, waits on stage wearing a Bruce Wayne-inspired suit.
Hundreds of Whittaker's and Smith's family and friends are invited, but anyone with a ticket to the three-day comic con can attend their wedding.
The event provides a fitting start to Whittaker's and Smith's union. They met five years ago at a comic con event in Grand Rapids and went on to create The League of Enchantment. The Michigan-based nonprofit is made up of nearly 100 cosplayers who work with hospitals and organizations to bring hope and smiles to children.
A traditional wedding was never in the cards for the couple, they said.
"There was no other way for us to do this," Whittaker said.
Building a nonprofit together
There's a quote at the very top of the couple's wedding announcement. "The longest slow burn," it reads.
Whittaker and Smith said it aptly describes their relationship.
"Hey, Batman!" Whittaker yelled when she first saw Smith in costume in 2017.
It was her first outing in full Wonder Woman regalia. Whittaker, of DeWitt, an operations manager for a construction company, had put on the outfit 45 minutes earlier.
But Smith, of Rives Junction, already had experience portraying Batman.
In 2015, he struck a preschool boy who had darted out in front of his vehicle. The boy survived and Smith wasn’t at fault in the crash, but he felt guilt and grief. Dressing up as Batman and visiting with children in hospitals and at events has helped him heal, he said.
The League of Enchantment was in its infancy then. It became what it is today after Smith met Whittaker. The couple became fast friends and bonded over their shared enthusiasm for the development of the nonprofit. Today Smith is the group's president, and Whittaker its vice president.
"We ran with it and it exploded," Whittaker said.
Christina Gentile, of Delta Township, said the group's visit with her son Vincent in 2018 during his birthday party brought him joy while he battled an aggressive form of eye cancer.
"It was amazing," she said. "I guess that's one word that I can say. He was so happy."
Now 9, Vincent is recovered.
"Our mission is to help kids in the worst moments of their life to regain their smiles, their happiness and their lives, and to be able to move forward from those traumatic events with a positive attitude," Smith said.
Friends first
Whittaker and Smith were friends for more than three years and hadn't considered each other more than that.
Then in 2020, both of their longtime marriages to other people fell apart. Up until then, Whittaker and Smith hadn't spent much time alone together.
Those boundaries fell away during their divorce proceedings, Whittaker said.
"We sat down for coffee multiple times because we were going through this horrible time together," she said. "I think during that time our friendship got so much closer than it was allowed to get before."
They started dating six months later after a heartfelt discussion that ended with Smith writing "relationship" and "friendship" on a piece of paper and handing it to Whittaker.
"You need to pick," he told her.
Smith proposed in December 2021 at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, getting down on one knee while both were in costume.
Whittaker's engagement ring is one-of-a-kind, designed to look like Wonder Woman's lasso is encircling the center stone.
'They just fit'
Their relationship makes complete sense to the people who know them, said Jenn Jones, who first met Whittaker at a local event in Grand Ledge.
She was dressed as Wonder Woman then, Jones said, and made a devoted fan out of her daughter Falin, then 3.
Today, both Jones and Falin, age 6, dress in costume and participate in events with The League of Enchantment. Cosplayers get so much out of giving back, she said, and Smith and Whittaker lead the group by example.
"I think that we could see it coming to fruition before they realized it was coming to fruition," Jones said. "They just fit."
Falin will serve as a flower girl during the wedding, dressed as "little Diana." Jones plans to dress in costume, too.
"I assumed that we would be wearing costumes to this wedding," she said. "It would almost feel awkward not to."
Bryan Harris, co-owner of Capital City Comic Con, said the upcoming wedding at the event has drawn a ton of interest from both comic fans and artists and exhibitors.
"People are contacting us wanting to know details and wanting to buy tickets and we've had people call about hotels," he said. "They want to come because Katie and Shamus are getting married and they want to be here for it."
Whittaker and Smith are happy to share the day with people.
"We're getting married that day, but we want everybody to enjoy this," Smith said. "It's not just us. It's a celebration."
More about The League of Enchantment
Learn more about The League of Enchantment online at www.leagueofenchantment.org or through their Facebook page at "League of Enchantment."
More about Capital City Comic Con
Capital City Comic Con is scheduled for July 8 to 10 at the Lansing Center. Learn more about the event, including how to get tickets, at www.capcitycomiccon.com . Follow the Facebook event page at "Capital City Comic Con."
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Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ .
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Lansing's Batman to wed Capital City's Wonder Woman in 'epic' ceremony
