Tropical Storm Ophelia didn’t stop one couple from getting married, despite it making landfall near their wedding venue.
Bride Ashley Trexler and groom Mark Smith were married Saturday, just hours after Ophelia struck near Emerald Isle, NC, according to NBC affiliate WXII-TV.
The couple tied the knot at Merrell Estate and Gardens in Salter Path, NC, according to their wedding website. Salter Path is located in the same area where the storm made landfall.
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Smith said he found out about the storm through a text message from one of his best men and “thought it was a prank at first.”
“When I found out, I was like, ‘What the hell?’ ” the groom recalled, according to WXII-TV.
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At one point, the storm knocked out power in the area. More than 70,000 homes and businesses lost power in North Carolina and Virginia due to Ophelia, according to CNN.
But the bride and groom didn’t let the power problems get in the way of enjoying their special day.
Their patience eventually paid off when the lights “miraculously came on” later in the day, Smith told WXII-TV. “[The storm] it just makes this day even more memorable,” said the groom.
“We can’t wait to spend forever with each other,” added the happy bride.
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Ophelia was the 15th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Weather Service. It reached tropical storm strength before making landfall on Friday and was downgraded to a tropical depression the following day.
Many areas in North Carolina affected by Ophelia saw between 4 and 6 inches of rain, although others received more than 8 or 9 inches, the NWS said. Storm surge flooding occurred along the Neuse, Pamlico and Pungo rivers, as well as in the Greenville area, with wind gusts reaching 72 mph.
No one died as a result of the storm, it is reported The Washington Post.
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