A marathon of weddings and vow renewals, church bells and high flying bridal bouquets will change the unlucky vibe of Friday the 13th, at least for a day. For the second year running, the North Chapel at Liberty Station and KyXy radio station are teaming up to give away 30 free weddings or vow renewals during a ten-hour marathon of “I dos” from 9 am to 7 pm on Friday, Feb. 13th. The radio station will also webcast the event live from www.kyxy.com. One of those winners was a Point Loma resident named Lennie Austria, who was quite beside herself on her selection. “When we got married it wasn’t a big production: no flower girls or any of the other whole nine yards. I wore my mom’s Sunday dress as my wedding gown.” That was nearly sixteen years ago for Lennie, and this wedding marathon will allow her and her husband, Jay, to make good on a promise they made to each other to renew their vows someday under better circumstances. That day has finally come. Each of the 30 winning couples were selected by KyXy radio staff based upon essays they had submitted to the radio station. Roughly 200 applicants participated this year, more than double from the year before. The jam-packed day calls for a leader of special talent and endurance, and Reverend Gregory “Egg” Pratt is elated to preside over the day’s ceremonies. “It’s going to be a long day, I know that…and maybe afterwards I’ll be changing my mind, but right now I am excited,” Rev. Pratt said. The reverends’ energy was palpable, but just in case he needs to take a break during the wedding marathon, he has associates there to rotate with him. The reverend foresees the day going by quickly. “Everybody brings a different story to the table, and no two are exactly the same,” he said. “It will make for a lovely day.” The winners will receive a one-of-a-kind ceremony that will include a chaplain, decorative flowers placed throughout the restored chapel and the traditional wedding march played on the chapel’s pipe organ by professional organists. A wedding reception will follow for the couples at the donation of nearby restaurants like Panera Bread & Bakery, Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza and Solare Restaurant & Lounge. The North Chapel can seat up to 300 friends and family members coming to support and take part in the joyous ceremonies. The chapel’s architecture is in the Spanish Colonial Revival-style, and was ambitiously restored at a cost of $1.35 million and reopened in 2007 by C.W. Clark, Inc., a La Jolla Based real estate development company. The 14 stained glass windows inside the chapel are all nautically themed. The two-story, non-denominational chapel was originally built in 1942 and used primarily by the San Diego Naval Training Center. The Chapel was closed by the Navy in 1997 along with numerous other military buildings, and sat vacant until the restoration. To take part in these “lucky in love” ceremonies, come to the North Chapel at Liberty Station starting at 9 a.m. For more information, visit www.thenorthchapel.com.
