Couple get married at grocery store

WAUTOMA - Between the frozen treats, the beer and wine at the Copps grocery story in Wautoma, Denise Irvine and Marty Czarnecki came together to get married.

The two chose aisle 9 since this is where they met last year, when Marty, an employee at Copps provided a little customer service.

"I was working in the liquor aisle and Denise came in to buy her wine, and we got talking," said Czarnecki.

After getting engaged on Valentine's Day they tossed around ideas on where to tie the knot. Best man Richard Schwantes came up with the plan.

"People thought it was a joke when I brought it up but I was serious," explained Schwantes.

Some family members were surprised by the choice.

"You got to be kidding," was the reaction from Czarnecki's father, Marty Sr.

But the non-traditional approach worked well for Denise.

"Oh yes, something different. I'm not a normal person. I don't do things traditionally," said Irvine.

So in the midst of a busy double coupon Wednesday, decorations were put up by family and friends, and today's store special turned out to be something really special.

Customers stopped their shopping to take it all in.

"I didn't know I was going to be at a wedding," said Thyra Dahlstrom, a tourist from Milwaukee. "I would have dressed differently."

Rings were exchanged and true love was sealed with a kiss. Then the celebration began.

"Clean up on aisle nine," shouted members of the wedding party after toilet paper streamers flew threw the air over the wedding couple.

Mary Kunasch from the local newspaper turned into the official photographer. She has seen it all, saying it's not the first wedding at a local store.

"No, we had a wedding in McDonald's here in Wautoma about 4 or 5 years ago," said Kunasch.

So after a little cake and champagne, the liquor aisle was open once again.

"It worked out great. Everybody was cooperative," said Copps store manager Dale Albrandt. "I think it worked out real good."

"So it'll be something we will always remember," said Czarnecki.

The happy couple plans to honeymoon down the road at a local hotel for a couple days of swimming and fun, because Marty's back on the schedule at Copps come Friday.

Copps officials say this is the first wedding to take place in one of their stores.