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Dressed in
their best pirate duds — a white shirt, black skirt,
black boots and blue veil for her, a tan shirt, cropped
pants and a gold bandanna for him — the couple tied
the knot in a ceremony any pirate bride would envy, replete
with old-time traditions, a towering wedding cake, and a
bit of cannon fire thrown in for good measure.
“It really
is a great day,” the new Mrs. Gomer said. “This
is just what I pictured.”
A Pirate Tradition
The wedding
was the brainchild of the Plankhouse Crew, a band of pirate
impersonators based in Marcus Hook dedicated to preserving
and protecting the history of the borough. The couple joined
the group several years ago, taking on the roles of Gypsy
Laura Rose and Gaff with an ulterior motive in mind.
“When
Gaff first joined the Plankhouse Crew, he kept asking if
I would marry them as a pirate,” said borough resident
Michael Manerchia, who plays the role of Blackbeard in the
Crew. “It was a wish he’s had for the past three
years.”
Gaff’s
dream to have Blackbeard marry the couple was derailed in
November, when Manerchia lost the mayoral race to James
“Jay” Schiliro and thus couldn’t legally
perform the ceremony.
Schiliro stepped
in, offering to marry the couple on the steps of the Plank
House.
“They
wanted to do the whole thing legally, and the mayor was
gracious enough to go along,” Manerchia said.
Saturday, the
Plankhouse Crew — along with pirates of two neighboring
brigades, the Sons of the Waves of Christiana, Pa., and
Recreating History of Claymont, Del. — gathered at
the Plank House, long alleged to be the 1700s home of Margaret,
one of Blackbeard’s mistresses.
They started
the festivities across the street, forming a “round
robin” circle that, according to legend, signified
that regardless of rank or duties, each pirate was equal
to the next.
One by one,
they each signed the “articles of marriage,”
acknowledging that they were present to witness the ceremony.
Then, Manerchia
bound the hands of the bride and groom with rope, signifying
that they were to be bound together forever.
“It looks
more like a noose,” Commodore Marie Horn said.
“A noose?
We can do a noose,” responded another pirate, Paul
Stoltis, of Sons of the Waves. “It’s just like
a noose — it gets tighter and tighter every week,
until it strangles ye, lad.”
The couple
laughed, then led a procession across the street to the
Plank House — “They do this for hangings, too,”
said Manerchia — and took their places on the steps
before Schiliro. There, Manerchia gave away the bride, and
the couple vowed to love and comfort each other, in sickness
and in health.
As Schiliro
pronounced the couple man and wife, the crowd broke out
in a hearty “Huzzah!”
“When
do we get to kiss the bride?” Stoltis shouted.
In another
pirate tradition, the couple kissed over the top of a wedding
cake made from layers baked by borough residents —
their ability to do so despite the height of the cake signifying
a long and happy marriage for the pair.
As they kissed,
three pirates from Sons of the Waves fired their cannon
— once, twice, and then a third time — the deafening
blast drawing residents from their home to see what the
commotion was about. They were met with another round of
“Huzzahs” from the pirates.
“Now
it’s a party,” one pirate shouted out.
Gypsy Laura
Rose and Gaff
It was a long
road to the Plank House for Rodgers and Gomer. The couple
met 25 years ago at a bar, and have been together ever since.
“I love
him so much,” Rodgers said, minutes after the couple
tied the knot. “We’ve got four children together,
and we’ve been very happy.”
After a quarter
of a century together, the couple longed to make it official
— but were willing to wait until the Crew could celebrate
it with them. Once the decision was made, the plans came
together in a matter of weeks.
Their four
children — Joey, 23, Teri, 20, Jesse, 17, and Luke,
12 — were on hand for the ceremony, along with Gomer’s
two sisters.
Rodgers, a
former assembly machine operator, and Gomer, a landscaper,
plan to leave soon for their honeymoon, although they’re
not quite sure where they’re headed yet.
“We just
got done putting the ceremony together,” Rodgers said.
“We’ll get to the honeymoon next.”
Celebrating,
Pirate-Style
Following the
half-hour ceremony at the Plank House, the couple and their
guests journeyed to the Star Bar and Hotel to celebrate
the union with a few drinks, a feast of food, and two impressive
wedding cakes — one a treasure chest, complete with
pirate’s booty, and the other a model of a pirate
ship.
“I can’t
tell you how I made them,” said Patricia Love, the
cakes’ designer. “Pirate secrets.”
About an hour
after the ceremony, the guests of honor appeared, having
changed into formal wear for the event. Rodgers wore a sparkly,
floor-length black gown; her husband, a dark gray suit.
Dancing to Elton John’s “Rocket Man,”
they smiled and kissed as they crossed the floor.
Fresh from
officiating the wedding, Schiliro said he had jumped at
the chance to perform the ceremony.
“It was
an honor,” he said. “The Plankhouse Crew is
all about the history of this town. It’s always good
to bring back a part of history like this.
“Plus,
a wedding is better than a hanging, don’t you think?”
For hours,
guests mingled, pirate crew with pirate crew, showing off
hooks and swords and beards.
When it came
time to offer advice to the newlyweds, the guests had plenty
to give.
“Drink
a lot,” Manerchia said. “And stay away from
the constables.”
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