Roses are red, violets are blue, why wait to say, ‘I do’? 15 couples married at Tallahassee event
"Why not” was a common theme at the inaugural Valentine’s Day group wedding ceremony at Goodwood Museum & Gardens, especially for reunited high-school sweethearts — Desha Blue Edwards and Aaron Edwards.
“I just thought it was a great idea. It's Valentine’s Day, like why not?” Desha said. “Love is already in the air.”
The collaboration between the Leon County Clerk’s Office and Goodwood will now serve as a core memory for 15 couples, all coming in as strangers but walking away closer than ever as they share a wedding none of them will ever forget.
The couples ranged in age, but love was in the air for all as they exchanged vows in front of one another, shared a first dance to a mashup of songs including The Righteous Brother’s “Unchained Melody” and Ed Sheeran’s “Photograph” and ended the afternoon together in the carriage house — decorated in pink, red and gold — for cake.
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The ceremony couldn’t have been at a more perfect time for the neighbors turned couple, Craig and Angel Harrold.
The two lovebirds met when Craig moved into a duplex next to Angel’s along Conner Boulevard just a little over a year ago. In January, they decided they wanted to get married.
After seeing the announcement for the Valentine’s Day group event, they knew “it was meant to be,” Angel said.
“It was God intended. When I saw that this was available and what they were doing, it just felt right,” newlywed Angel said.
Other couples share the same sentiment as the Harrolds that, when you know, you just know, including Demetrius Antone Coley and Joi Laila Lang, who met on the social dating app, BLK, last December.
Demetrius super liked Joi’s profile on the app on Christmas Day, and the next day they were heading out for their first date. Despite their short time together, the long-distance couple is making it work with Demetrius here in Tallahassee teaching and preaching and Joi in Orlando, where she works in real estate.
“We’ve been back and forth between Tallahassee and Orlando,” said Demetrius. They’ll figure out what’s next for them as they prepare for a second official ceremony in November.
“As long as he’s here, I’m here,” Joi said.
The ceremony came together with Clerk Gwen Marshall Knight spearheading the idea and the rest of the community coming together to make it happen including getting marriage licenses, helping decorate the reception area, providing music and donating cake toppers for the happy newlyweds.
Democrat Writer Kyla Sanford can be reached at ksanford@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Group wedding in Tallahassee marries 15 couples on Valentine's Day
