Washington

Arlington Fire Crew Helps Couple Marry After Winter Weather Strikes

A group of northern Virginia firefighters are used to being called heroes. Now they're being called romantics.

The crew at Fire Station 105 in Arlington County helped a suburban Washington, D.C. couple get married after winter weather thwarted their plans three times.

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Marc and Camille Bethea wanted to marry before the groom-to-be, a Marine Corps reservist, got deployed. Plus, 25 wedding guests had flown in.

The Betheas' wedding venue called Friday to say its roof had caved in. A second venue canceled after its parking lot got snowed in Saturday. And then the pastor canceled.

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With the help of a bridesmaid, the couple found a new pastor, who suggested they try calling police and fire stations for the ceremony.

Camille Bethea tried several fire houses before reaching Capt. Chuck Kramaric at Fire House 105 around 6 p.m. Saturday, asking if they could get married there that night.

Kramaric agreed, and his crew was soon mopping floors, setting up chairs and rigging a makeshift altar out of a table.

The crew also attended the ceremony, with one firefighter humming the wedding march and another turning on a ladder truck's warning lights for ambience. Another turned on a radio station afterward for some dancing.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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