Occupy Detroit Wedding
Channel: OccupyDetroit
Date: 2011-10-24

OCCUPY SUPPORTERS WED AT GRAND CIRCUS PARK
filmed  by Ameerah Gillespie,  edited by Jeff Jablonski, Occupy Detroit Media

DETROIT-  Earlier today Stan (41) and Brook Guarnelo (40) took a vow
to spend the rest of their lives together. The wedding ceremony was
held at Grand Circus Park  at two o'clock in Downtown Detroit. The
couple walked their way down the park isle surrounded by best man
Kevin Watson, and matron of honor Susan Hallaman. Ordained minister,
Mack Kelly, officiated the ceremony surrounded by around 300 Occupy
Detroit supporters cheering them on blowing bubbles and playing music
provided by the Occupy Band.

The Guarnelo's are both from Dearborn Heights, Michigan and first met
24 years ago at the age of 17. They were working together in a shadow
cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Seeing each other on and off over several decades, they eventually
re-connected three years ago through Myspace. They have been
inseperable ever since. "I found his senior picture and contacted
him," Brook said. "My message straight out to Stan was 'I found you.'"

Stan said they chose to have their wedding at Occupy Detroit because
they couldn't afford a wedding previously planned due to finicial and
medical hardships.

Stan works part-time as a graphic designer and his wife, a
photographer, is currently unemployed.
 
Stan's mother, 83-year-old Corra Mae Guarnelo, said it was her idea to
have the wedding at Occupy Detroit."We help in this country and we
need jobs," Corra said in support of the Occupy Detroit movement."I'm
all for it."

After the wedding, celebrations continued with a three tiered homemade
cake, sparkling Welch's juice and a giant cardboard card with the
words "Congratulations" given to the couple signed by the Detroit
occupiers. "We wanted to bring something positive to it, give a little
hope maybe," Stan said speaking about the Occupy Detroit movement.

"We didnt know what to think, and for everybody to come out and be so
nice and supportive and understand where we stand with our lives at
this point," Brooke said, "This is better than what I've ever thought
of."

Honeymoon plans for the couple will consist of a local trip to
Greenfield Village, around Halloween.

"We just wanted romance, and honestly this was very romantic for us."