Wedding Held in Harley Bike Shop
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Sharing a mutual love of Harley motorbikes, Becky Robbins and Howard Stoll decided that saying their vows in a bike shop would make their wedding that little bit more special and fitting to them.
The couple who met while they worked at the Daimler Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Michigan had been dating for just over a year when they decided to tie the knot and make their relationship permanent while on holiday.
Howard, 57 had been married before and Becky, 53 was widowed by her first marriage. Neither of them was interested in having a traditional wedding service and being a free-spirited couple they chose to hold the ceremony while travelling down to Daytona Beach in Florida.
Stopping halfway on their journey in Wytheville they visited the town’s motorcycle shop to finalise details before obtaining documentation needed to hold the ceremony.
Howard said “It just kind of popped up. We said we need to get married with a bunch of bikes around us and Virginia’s for lovers, right?”
Married in Blue Jeans
While waiting for Becky to make her appearance in the showroom, Howard who was dressed in blue jeans with a short sleeved matching shirt was very much the typical nervous groom. The formal touch was visible with a buttonhole of a single red flower.
Becky surprised Howard by wearing a black dress her friend had altered for her with an added swatch of orange and red flames on the back. She was wearing a Harley-Davison hat with a flowing orange and red flamed fabric which included a lace border. She carried a bouquet of mixed red, yellow and orange flowers and her shoes finishing off the outfit by having a flame strap added.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Stoll said after the ceremony about his reaction to Robbins’ attire. “It was definitely Becky.”
Rings Made of Rubber
The ‘best man’ and ‘maid of honour’ was a pair of black and white Harleys standing on either side of the couple while one witness stood by the couple and held up a mobile phone to enable Becky’s mother who was back home in Michigan to hear the ceremony.
While saying their vows, the couple exchanged ‘wedding rings’ of O-ring rubber gaskets, more commonly used on the motorbikes.
When given permission to kiss the bride a toot from the Harleys horns was blasted to signal they were man and wife and Becky giggled to her mum “Ok, we’re done” before turning off the phone.
Photographs were taken by the Harley-Davidson employees and customers were wondering in and out of the store and purchasing goods while the ceremony was taking place.
The newlyweds then went on to look for what they called a two-person reception which consisted of a beer and a sandwich before resuming their now honeymoon trip down to Florida.
Becky and Howard said their ceremony was the way they wanted it and the motorcycles were just a perfect of an audience as they had imagined.
“I can’t explain it to you,” Robbins said “It’s a Harley.”
Dane Little, Wythe County Magistrate and who performed the wedding ceremony said he’s married people in unusual places before, but never in a Harley store.
“I said, ‘That’s cool,’” Little recounted regarding his reaction when the couple called him about their idea.
