Alaska Couple Marry in Swimming Pool

[March 25, 2008]  NIKISKI, Alaska (AP) -- Mark Confer and Joanne Wainwright took the plunge. Literally. The two were married Saturday in a swimming pool. They didn't exactly jump in with both feet; instead, both came whooshing around and down the 136-foot water slide into the pool.

The couple then bowed their heads while Scott Coffman, senior pastor at College Heights Baptist Church, blessed their marriage.

They then sealed their union with a passionate wet kiss.

Confer and Wainwright are dedicated to physical fitness. Confer's passion is downhill skiing, while Wainwright has swum competitively and coached high school swim teams most of her life.

"I always would tell my students if I ever got married in Alaska, I was going to get married at the Nikiski pool," Wainwright said.

Even the traditional tiered wedding cake with a bride and groom on top got a new look for this wedding. Their cake was in the shape of a swimming pool with the bride and groom coiled on the diving board, ready to dive in.

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Information from: Peninsula Clarion, http://www.peninsulaclarion.com/ 

[Associated Press]

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