thedrifter
02-15-07, 08:20 AM
Military couple wins Fantasy Wedding package
By: PATTI MAGEE - Staff Writer
FALLBROOK -- When Jessica Russell and Marine Sgt. Raymond Skillman first set eyes on each other at the Stampede Dance Hall in Temecula as a Keith Urban song played in the background, they probably never imagined they would win an all-expense-paid wedding.
However, that's what happened Wednesday when the Fallbrook Fantasy Wedding Committee met with the couple at the Grand Tradition and gave them the good news: The pair are the recipients of a $25,000 wedding package that the group awards each year to a local military couple.
It turns out they were the only couple to apply.
"I'm in shock," Russell said after the announcement. "I'm so happy. I appreciate this so much."
Russell, 25, said she is especially thrilled because she has always dreamed of getting married at the Grand Tradition and arriving at the gazebo to meet her bridegroom in a horse-drawn carriage.
She said she attended a wedding at the popular and picturesque Fallbrook venue when she was a child where the bride arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. In addition, Skillman took her for a carriage ride the night he proposed.
Russell is a Fallbrook native now living in Escondido. Skillman, 25, lives in Vista but was born in Liberty, Mo.
Both have had their share of challenges. Both were raised by their grandparents; Russell's grandmother, Elaine, died from heart disease six years ago.
Russell said Skillman was facing another deployment in 2006 and they contemplated eloping, but decided to wait until he returned late last year.
"I loved him so much I could hardly bear to see him leave," she said. "We knew, however, that if our love was true we could persevere through another tour of Iraq and plan on having the special day we both dreamed of when he returned."
This wedding means so much because it shows how much the community appreciates what the military does.
"It's awesome; often they don't get appreciated enough," she said.
She added faith has kept them strong and enabled them to face challenges.
"We have the same beliefs," Russell said. "We're Christians: We believe in God and in serving God."
"We also talk a lot and that helps," she added.
Throughout her fiance's deployment, she sent him frequent letters and packages filled with candy, cookies, fudge, personal care items, pictures and other treats from home.
It was hard to keep in contact by e-mail where he was stationed, so letters were important. She kept them coming.
"I never knew if it was going to be the last time, so I wrote and I called when I could," she said.
Skillman said he is not certain if he is going to make the military a career. One option he is considering as he returns to civilian life is becoming a city of San Diego firefighter.
Russell teaches preschool.
Michael Cartwright, a nondenominational minister and chairman of the Fallbrook Wedding Council, said it's unusual to have only one applicant for the Fantasy Wedding. He speculated the reason may be because of all the activity in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Still, that didn't take away from the enjoyment of awarding the gift to Russell and Skillman.
"They seem devoted to each other; you can't ask for more than that," he said. "They're planning a future; they're planning on starting a family."
Besides the horse and carriage ride, the wedding package includes coordination services, the ceremony at the Grand Tradition performed by a nondenominational minister, reception at Pala Mesa Resort, wedding services including flowers, cake, invitations, photography, videography, white dove release and music, which will include the couple's special song, Urban's "Making Memories of Us."
The ceremony is set for June 10.
-- Contact staff writer Patti Magee at (760) 731-5797 or pmagee@nactimes.com.
Ellie
By: PATTI MAGEE - Staff Writer
FALLBROOK -- When Jessica Russell and Marine Sgt. Raymond Skillman first set eyes on each other at the Stampede Dance Hall in Temecula as a Keith Urban song played in the background, they probably never imagined they would win an all-expense-paid wedding.
However, that's what happened Wednesday when the Fallbrook Fantasy Wedding Committee met with the couple at the Grand Tradition and gave them the good news: The pair are the recipients of a $25,000 wedding package that the group awards each year to a local military couple.
It turns out they were the only couple to apply.
"I'm in shock," Russell said after the announcement. "I'm so happy. I appreciate this so much."
Russell, 25, said she is especially thrilled because she has always dreamed of getting married at the Grand Tradition and arriving at the gazebo to meet her bridegroom in a horse-drawn carriage.
She said she attended a wedding at the popular and picturesque Fallbrook venue when she was a child where the bride arrived in a horse-drawn carriage. In addition, Skillman took her for a carriage ride the night he proposed.
Russell is a Fallbrook native now living in Escondido. Skillman, 25, lives in Vista but was born in Liberty, Mo.
Both have had their share of challenges. Both were raised by their grandparents; Russell's grandmother, Elaine, died from heart disease six years ago.
Russell said Skillman was facing another deployment in 2006 and they contemplated eloping, but decided to wait until he returned late last year.
"I loved him so much I could hardly bear to see him leave," she said. "We knew, however, that if our love was true we could persevere through another tour of Iraq and plan on having the special day we both dreamed of when he returned."
This wedding means so much because it shows how much the community appreciates what the military does.
"It's awesome; often they don't get appreciated enough," she said.
She added faith has kept them strong and enabled them to face challenges.
"We have the same beliefs," Russell said. "We're Christians: We believe in God and in serving God."
"We also talk a lot and that helps," she added.
Throughout her fiance's deployment, she sent him frequent letters and packages filled with candy, cookies, fudge, personal care items, pictures and other treats from home.
It was hard to keep in contact by e-mail where he was stationed, so letters were important. She kept them coming.
"I never knew if it was going to be the last time, so I wrote and I called when I could," she said.
Skillman said he is not certain if he is going to make the military a career. One option he is considering as he returns to civilian life is becoming a city of San Diego firefighter.
Russell teaches preschool.
Michael Cartwright, a nondenominational minister and chairman of the Fallbrook Wedding Council, said it's unusual to have only one applicant for the Fantasy Wedding. He speculated the reason may be because of all the activity in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Still, that didn't take away from the enjoyment of awarding the gift to Russell and Skillman.
"They seem devoted to each other; you can't ask for more than that," he said. "They're planning a future; they're planning on starting a family."
Besides the horse and carriage ride, the wedding package includes coordination services, the ceremony at the Grand Tradition performed by a nondenominational minister, reception at Pala Mesa Resort, wedding services including flowers, cake, invitations, photography, videography, white dove release and music, which will include the couple's special song, Urban's "Making Memories of Us."
The ceremony is set for June 10.
-- Contact staff writer Patti Magee at (760) 731-5797 or pmagee@nactimes.com.
Ellie