If you were in downtown Sapulpa on Tuesday evening, you might have caught a glimpse of an outdoor winter ceremony happening at Martha’s Corner, the quaint but popular park at the corner of Dewey and Water streets. The area is lit up beautifully for Christmas, and it was made even more magical by the light snow that showed up late into the evening.
It sounds like a moment that was too good to pass up for an impromptu outdoor ceremony for Ronnie and Kristyn McClain, who came to Sapulpa from Broken Arrow to be commemorated at the gazebo in Martha’s Corner.
Bridget Finley, of Vows: Oklahoma Officiating Services, said the whole thing was pulled together in about two hours. “I got a message from Kristyn, who asked if I could meet them in a couple of hours, and asked where, and I told them about this.”
The McClains, along with Finley and a photographer were the only ones at the “unity ceremony,” which is different than a wedding in that it’s not legally binding, but more of an outward expression of commitment. The entire ceremony was less than twenty minutes.
Finley says she was ordained three years ago and has only officiated a handful of unity ceremonies, but has done hundreds of legally-binding weddings. “I do a lot of elopements,” she said. Location is pretty flexible too: “We’ve done them at (The University of Tulsa), Woodward Park is pretty popular, but we can do them in their own backyard,” she says.
If you’re looking to end 2020 on a high note, Finley says she’s taking appointments for short “kiss-and-go” weddings at Martha’s Corner on New Year’s Eve. All that’s required is a marriage contract, two witnesses over eighteen who have an ID, and a fee for the officiant, of course. You can find out more information on the Vows OK Facebook Event.
Though these wedding ceremonies tend to be short, Finley says they’re “just as special” as a bigger wedding. “I love what I do and never have a bad day at work,” she says. “Getting to be a part of this special day for all these couples is really what makes it so great.”
