Love In the Land of Pigs

The Lehigh Valley IronPigs held their second annual “Ballpark Wedding” last night, making one thing abundantly clear: when it comes to Minor League nuptials, there’s no team that does it better.

(Note to other teams: do it better!).

In case you need a little background, here’s the write-up of the event that appeared in this week’s “Promotion Preview” column:

One lucky couple — Kelly Johnson and Matthew Stoudt — have been
selected to receive an all-expenses-paid wedding within the festive
confines of Coca-Cola Park. The team’s players will wear special tuxedo
theme jerseys, and the couple’s reception will be incorporated into the
in-game entertainment. Thus a robust crowd of nearly 10,000 fans will
witness the couple cutting cake, hamming it up on the “Kiss Cam,”
throwing garter-wrapped soft-toss balls into the stands and enjoying
their first dance.

But it’s one thing to catch the attention of a sycophantic Minor League yes-man such as myself. It’s quite another to end up with your promotion on SportsCenter’s Top 10. And that is precisely what occurred. Click Here, and pay special attention to #9.

As is there wont, the anchormen waxed snarky. The direct quote: “I don’t think you want to get married at the IronPigs game.”

I understand that ironic detachment (or would that be arch insincerity?) is the default setting for 21st-century media types, but I think the question should instead be posed thusly: “Why wouldn’t you want to get married at the IronPigs game?”

I mean, check this out:

But that’s not the only photo I possess. In fact, thanks to IronPigs director of community relations Sarah Marten, I have a virtual mountain of them. To Have and Behold: