13 'newlydeads' tie the knot in haunted HalloWedding on Friday the 13th
The ghoulish grooms and macabre brides said till death do they part.
— -- On Friday the 13th this year, 13 “newlydeads” tied the knot in a haunted HalloWedding event at Six Flags' Fright Fest in St. Louis.
The ghoulish grooms and macabre brides said till death do they part in the Missouri group ceremony that each said meant the “afterworld” to them, for different reasons.
“It meant a lot to us. Her favorite holiday is Halloween,” George Johnson told ABC News of his new wife, Shelby Waid-Johnson. “We never really did anything traditionally anyways, so to get married in such an unorthodox way was very surreal.”
There were also 13 couples renewing their vows —- some of which wed at Fright Fest 15 years ago.
The creepy couples toasted to “love, honor and decay” each other until eternity, and had personalized spiderweb cakes to enjoy as their first tantalizing treat.
They topped off the ghastly night with a spine-chilling roller coaster ride.
Jannea and Alfie Borero of Springfield, Illinois
“It was absolutely amazing,” Jannea Borero, 27, told ABC News of their menacing nuptials. “We’re really into horror movies and we’ve been engaged for almost four years, but it was one of those things where it’s so expensive and we kept putting it off.”
Friday the 13th is Jannea Borero’s birthday, so she decided having a HalloWedding on the same date was “perfect for us,” she said.
The Boreros were dressed as a voodoo priest and priestess, wearing hand-made costumes from materials Alfie Borero’s late mother used in her sewing.
“His mother passed away 11 years ago and we incorporated a lot of her old sewing materials into our outfits,” said the black magic bride. “His vest is completely made out of material she used to use. It was very personal to us.”
She said they always “go full-out for Halloween.”
“We want everything spooky and we always have. That’s how we met, that’s how we bonded,” said Jannea Borero.
Shelby Waid-Johnson and George Johnson of Quincy, Illinois
“We’re getting married the same way my parents got married 15 years ago,” Shelby Waid-Johnson told ABC News of her mom and stepdad, Terra and Jason Heck, who wed at Fright Fest in 2002. “They’re here renewing their vows so it’s nice to share the same experience with them and have the same back story as them.”
Waid-Johnson, 23, said she was “really excited” to share the sinister celebration with her parents.
“It’s really cool we’ll be able to look back and laugh and share those memories together,” she said. “My mom is big on haunted houses and dressing up. She always throws a Halloween party every year. She’s the one who really got me into Halloween.”
Shelby Waid-Johnson and George Johnson dressed up as Jack and Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” for their big day.
“Everyone was treating us like a celebrity. It was great to dress up and be someone else,” she said.
Christina and Michael Pasley of St. Elmo, Illinois
Christina and Michael Pasley were renewing their vows 15 years after they wed at Fright Fest in 2002.
The hair-raising bride said this ceremony was more fun than the first time they got hitched because they were less nervous.
“This one was much more enjoyable. We got to relax and have a fun,” she said. “The costumes have come so far over the years, so it was just better to watch.”
Christina Pasley wore one of her daughter’s old homecoming dresses and Michael Pasley got his suit from a thrift store.
The hauntingly happy couple said their favorite part of the vow renewals was catching up with two other couples who also got married in a ghoulish way with them in 2002.
“We would have not wanted to do our wedding in any way differently. We love it,” said Christina Pasley, 44. “We would do it 10 times again and we hope to be here in 50 years to do it again.”
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