Happily ever after

The crowd that gathered for the one o’clock show at the Garland Theater on Oct. 25 sported fancier duds than the usual Saturday matinee throng.

Some gentlemen wore suits and ties, and many of the ladies wore dresses and heels. That’s because the afternoon’s special feature was the wedding of Amy Keppler and Randy Elkins.

“We love movies,” said Keppler. “And we love the Garland – mostly for the popcorn. It’s the best in town.”

Keppler and Elkins, both 24, met 3 1/2 years ago at Spokane Falls Community College. Elkins said Amy’s beautiful grin attracted him. “She was always smiling and seemed like an extremely fun person.”

For their memorable first date, they strolled across all the bridges in downtown Spokane. On Aug. 25, 2007, the couple celebrated 900 days of dating. Elkins marked the day by proposing on a trail overlooking Liberty Lake.

The couple searched for a unique venue for their nuptials, and while watching a movie at the Garland, the idea occurred to them: Why not here? Elkins said as a child he enjoyed lots of movies at the theater. Now, it has even fonder recollections for him. “It’s a special place for Amy and me. There are a ton of great memories there for us.”

According to theater owner Katherine Fritchie, the wedding is a first for the 1945 North Side landmark. However, romance seems to be in the air at the Garland. Fritchie said, “We just had a wedding proposal onscreen.” A hopeful boyfriend created a slideshow for his girl that ran during the movie previews. His big-screen proposal was answered with a resounding yes.

On Saturday, Keppler and Elkins’ story also played out on the movie screen in the form of a slideshow. Cups of popcorn were offered to arriving guests, and candy overflowed from a bowl in the lobby.

Keppler said she and Elkins wanted their guests to have fun at the ceremony. The laughter and excited whispers that filled the theater proved their wish was amply granted.

Soon the red velvet curtains closed, and soft music began to play. In keeping with the theme, Keppler’s attendants wore chocolate gowns – chocolate-colored gowns, to be exact. Two flower girls, attired in golden dresses with glittery golden shoes, sprinkled rose petals down the long aisle.

At last the bride appeared, luminous in her billowing champagne-satin gown. As Pastor Tim Beal exhorted the couple to define their lives by their relationships, and reminded them that love is marked by giving – not getting, the beaming bridegroom lifted Keppler’s hand to his lips and softly kissed it.

Despite the unconventional setting, their vows were solemn and rich with meaning. Keppler’s voice grew tremulous with emotion as she promised to be Elkins’ “constant friend, faithful partner and one true love.”

The bride and groom eschewed the traditional unity candle. Instead, to illustrate their new life together they each grabbed a paintbrush and a small pot of paint and turned to an easel. As the strains of “Just in Time,” echoed through the theater, the couple blended their individual colors together and painted a large heart.

Beal then pronounced them man and wife. In lieu of a formal recessional, the wedding party skipped down the aisle, as the curtains parted and the closing credits played on the screen.

Guests lined the sidewalk outside the theater, cups of popcorn in hand, and the newlyweds walked through a popcorn shower to their waiting limousine.

“We’re definitely not the traditional here-comes-the-bride-in-church type of couple,” Keppler said with a laugh. “So this was perfect for us.”