Nova Scotia couple surprises family and friends with mall wedding

Jessica Stevens and Walter MacDonald love to surprise people, and pulled off their greatest shocker last week when they got married in a unique way and kept it a secret for a full day.The couple hosts a Christmas party for their families on Christmas Eve, and Walter suggested they get married during the party. But the next day he got an even better idea. While visiting his father, a friend stopped in and began talking about the costume portrait shop at the Highland Square Mall.

So on Dec. 23, they got married in a simple ceremony held at Costume Portraits by Miss Emi and Mr. Bill, and surprised their families and friends with the news at the party on Christmas Eve.

"It’s really like us," said Jessica. "When we moved in together, we didn’t tell anybody, and when we bought our house we didn’t tell anybody, then announced it."

During the party, with about 50 family members in attendance, the MacDonalds played a video of the ceremony to let everyone know about the wedding. Many thought it was a joke while some realized it was the real thing.

"My mom was in shock right until Christmas Day," said Jessica, adding that everyone was "ecstatic" when they found out it was a real wedding.

Jessica wore an old west wedding dress, while Walter was dressed as a gunslinger. The justice of the peace who performed the ceremony wore period costume as well, and they had two friends witness the exchange of vows and take a video.

The pair has been together for seven years and was fairly certain no one was going to believe them; several years ago when they took a trip to Cuba, they told people they eloped when in fact they hadn’t.

"She’s been joking for years that we should have a surprise wedding," said Walter, who added that he had previously been against getting married because he wasn’t interested in a big wedding.

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Along with informing family members at the party, they changed their Facebook status to "married" and posted an announcement. Many friends didn’t believe them while others offered up congratulations.

The best comment came from a good friend who initially told them that "Santa doesn’t come to liars," – later posting, "If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am right now."

They wanted to do something unique, even considering getting married at the Wharf Rat Motorcycle Rally in Digby, so taking their vows at the mall appealed to them.

Walter’s idea for the costume portrait shop nuptials came only three weeks beforehand, and within 48 hours they had the entire wedding planned – rings bought, marriage licence obtained and bouquet ordered.

"I’m the most unstressed bride ever," said Jessica. "He arranged everything. I just had to get my hair done and show up."

The only moment of alarm occurred when they went into the mall with Jessica’s hair done and Walter carrying the bouquet in a sweater, and they saw someone they knew. Luckily, he was talking to someone else, and the secret stayed safe. "I panicked a bit about that part," she said.

While costume portrait shop proprietors Bill and Emmi Bourgeois have taken plenty of portraits of people in wedding attire during their many years in business, it was the first time they had an actual marriage take place at their studio.

"What a thrill to be thought of as the location," said Emmi. "They thought it was the perfect location for a wedding shoot. The wardrobe is provided, the atmosphere is provided, the photographer comes with it, and it’s all done in an hour."

The MacDonalds believe they are the only people who have ever held a wedding ceremony at the New Glasgow shopping mall.

"We made it about us. For me it was never about a huge wedding – it’s about the commitment," said Jessica. "Overall it was wonderful. We wouldn’t have done it any other way. It was unique and different and memorable for us because it was so intimate. We weren’t wrapped up in the stress and planning."

Jessica said she also wasn’t interested in a church wedding without her father there to walk her down the aisle, as he passed away in 2014.

"Christmas Eve is extremely significant for me, so to get married around that time is extremely special," she said, adding that the Christmas Eve gathering was her father’s favourite party of the year.

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