A Prince George couple is getting hitched next weekend — at the hockey game
Every year, Amanda Chandler, marketing manager for the Treasure Cove Casino, meets with Andy Beesley, vice-president of the Prince George Cougars, to plan the casino and WHL team's joint Vegas themed event.
However, at this year's meeting what started as a joke about trying to outdo last year's event by putting on a Vegas-style wedding at the CN Centre arena, quickly turned into reality.
"He was like, 'Too bad, we don't know anybody that's getting married in 2020,'" recalled Chandler, who has been engaged for two years.
She and her fiancé, Chris Holmes, had been planning to have a "very small" and "very, very casual" backyard wedding.
After getting Holmes' buy in, the couple agreed to get married by an Elvis Presley impersonator next Saturday at the arena, which has nearly 6,000 seats,
"The Prince George Cougars have always looked for what we call outrageous and crazy ideas to do at our games," said Beesley.
In the past, he helped organize an elaborate wedding proposal at the arena, but never anything as large as a wedding.
"[It's] really quite amazing that we're going to be actually pulling it off," he told Radio West host Sarah Penton.
"On the one hand, we want to have fun and it's going to be funny and there's gonna be some laughs and it's gonna be quirky and strange and even a bit weird, but we are also deeply respectful that they've chosen to get married at one of our hockey games."
Wedding planning
The actual ceremony during the first intermission on the ice will be about 10 minutes long, but there's been a lot of planning so far, said Beesley.
"It's a tremendous amount of hours of work and meetings that have gone into this for a few short minutes, but we also want to make it perfect not just for Amanda and Chris, but also for our fans."
There will be a photographer, videographer and a Marilyn Monroe impersonator singing the anthem.
Taking a step back from planning and allowing the hockey team to plan the wedding is not something the bride is used to.
"It's kind of funny, because it's in my nature to be the planner," said Chandler, who has been an event manager for eight years.
"I plan everything right from my professional life down to my kids' birthday parties."
Both Chandler and Holmes have been previously married. Compared to Chandler's first wedding, planning this one "is a breeze."
"It's so amazing it's coming together. It's been so easy," she said.
The Cougars have had a rough season, having lost 31 of 42 games so far, so both Chandler and Beesley hope the wedding builds some excitement.
"We're hoping that people will come out to the game, not only to support the Cougars, but then just to say 'hey, I was at a hockey game and I actually saw people get married on the ice by Elvis,'" said Chandler.
