Lexington police officer, fiancée marry in July 3

 ‘Holiday Dream Wedding’ at Mitchell House

   Earron Sturges, a police officer with the City of Lexington, and his fiancée Holley White were married at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 3, at The Mitchell House and Gardens.

                The couple were the winners of the “Holiday Dream Wedding Contest,” given by The Mitchell House.    Open to service professionals and volunteers, the event was the fourth free wedding awarded by The Mitchell House since December 2008. The wedding business created the competition when the economic downturn was causing many brides and grooms to postpone their weddings.

“We decided then that we could offer at least one lucky couple a free wedding,” said Phyllis James, owner of The Mitchell House. “During the 18 years that we have been in business, we have enjoyed helping brides and groups have the weddings of their dreams. The first wedding contest was so much fun for our staff that the competition is now part of our wedding tradition, and we give away a wedding in July and in December.”

The wedding package for Earron and Holley included a free wedding and reception for 100 guests, flowers, a custom wedding cake, champagne toast, planning sessions with one of The Mitchell House wedding consultants, wedding candles, and other special services, including those of a wedding director. They were interviewed by WIS-TV after the wedding.

 Earron and Holley, who met five years ago, became engaged on Christmas Eve 2009 and considered having  a destination wedding. But their families wanted them to have a wedding so that their family and friends could be part of their special day.

“We talked about getting married, but never had made official plans,” Holley wrote in their contest entry.  “On Christmas Eve, I got the shock of my life. After all the presents were opened and our families were gone, Earron told me that I had one more present to open … He had a little burgundy ring box that he pulled from behind his back. He asked me to marry him. What a wonderful surprise!”   

               
Patsy Kiser, vice president for The Mitchell House, said the business decided to open the July 2010 contest to couples in service professions, such as law enforcement, the military, education and healthcare, as well as volunteers who give unselfishly of their time to help their communities.

“Earron’s work as a police officer with the Town of Lexington represents the dedication of those who keep our hometowns safe. Our police officers put their lives on the line for us and are committed to our communities. We were proud that we could have this wedding for such a lovely couple,” she said.

The Mitchell House and Gardens will announce the fifth “Holiday Dream Wedding Contest” this summer for a wedding that will be held in December when The Mitchell House and Gardens is lavishly decorated for Christmas.

                The next competition will be featured on the Web site: www.themitchellhouseandgardens.com. For more information about The Mitchell House and Gardens, call 803-359-5325.