CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) -- Even in an emergency, Charleston just can't say no to love. It's a lesson that a Kansas City couple learned Saturday with the help of a city councilman, a College of Charleston student photographer, her friend, the military and a TV news crew.
When Britney Mysinger and Jason Houdek booked their wedding weekend in the Holy City's downtown, they never expected it to be overshadowed by a stalled front dumping nearly a foot of rain on the Lowcountry.
Their wedding journey in Charleston started a week ago with their arrival. Over the days, as the storm front took shape and fell into place, family members flew into Charleston expecting a wedding.
By Saturday morning, photographers, make-up artists, and the officiant all had to back out because police had shut down access to the peninsula. The groomsmen were stuck on the Isle of Palms. Even the marriage license was outside the peninsula.
Fortunately, the bridesmaids were all downtown with the bridge and groom at the Doubletree Inn.
"If anyone in the area can actually marry us, an officiant, that would be greatly appreciated," Mysinger said during a live interview on a special broadcast of ABC News 4. "We're just trying to say 'I do.'"
And sometimes the stars align.
City Councilman Mike Seekings, who was touring parts of the city and happened to see the Houdek's plea, picked up the phone. He called ABC News 4's Jon Bruce, who couldn't answer his phone because he was anchoring four hours of special coverage. So he called reporter Stacy Jacobson who put him in touch with the ABC News 4 newsroom who, in turn, put him in touch with reporter Rob Mallia.
Mallia handed his phone to Mysinger, who spoke to Seekings, who is qualified to marry couples. Her smile gave her away before she could announce the good news: "We're getting married."
They had a willing officiant.
"Here you have a young couple who has come all this way with their families, they're here at the Doubletree and looking for a wedding to happen. There couldn't be anything more exciting than being part of that," Seekings said. "Charleston is ready, willing, and able when something breaks out, we're ready to go."
The wedding day couple then set their eyes on a photographer.
Stuck at home on a rainy day watching the weather coverage, Hannah Summer saw the plea for a wedding photographer and knew she could help. So she picked up her phone, tweeted the couple, and became a wedding photographer.
"Wow, it's raining on their wedding day, not only raining but flooding. I could take their pictures," Summer, the College of Charleston photography student said. "It's kind of a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
She employed the help of her roommate as a second photographer and they called in a member of a local a capella group to DJ the reception.
Now Mysinger and Houdek had a photographer and a DJ. Someone even donated food for the reception.
But the groomsmen were still on the Isle of Palms. That's when the military stepped in to help.
"They got so far and a military Humvee picked them up and drove them a mile and a half to get them in the city," said Randy Houdek, the father of the groom.
What was supposed to be an outdoor wedding was moved into a ballroom -- but everyone was finally in place just in time to cue the flower girl.
Hours of turmoil gave way to silence as Mysinger stepped into the hall in her wedding gown. With vows and rings, a promise to each other, the Houdeks said their "I dos."
"This never would have happened anywhere else. It's luck -- must be all the rain," Mrs. Houdek said.
Charlestonians would probably agree.
"It was an amazingly fun event to be part of," Seekings said. "The peninsula of Charleston is shut down for business, and in the middle of a big storm a beautiful wedding broke out."
Without a doubt, the Houdeks are heading off into the world as a married couple with a Charleston wedding story that's impossible to beat.
"With everyone just putting everything together we appreciate it so much, and it feels great to finally call this man my husband," Mrs. Houdek said.
Source: Charleston's historic flood: The story of Mr. and Mrs. Houdek's wedding
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