When you think of a non-traditional wedding, you think destination...Sun, sand, and a tropical reception.
But for Ray Villegas and Stacy Tabor, a non-traditional wedding meant something a little closer to home.
"I think it was her idea, mostly," said groom Ray.
"We wanted to go laid back, non-traditional," added his bride, Stacy. "We thought, what's better than to have people wear jeans and jerseys?"
The couple had a Detroit Lions-themed wedding on Saturday, September 15.
They figured if they love their team as much as they love each other, they had to include the Lions in their special day.
Their love for the team and football goes back to when they first met almost eight years ago.
"I used to run the football squares at work, so I saw her and asked if she wanted to get in on the football squares," said Villegas. "I think the first time, she won, right off the bat."
Now, you would think that a wedding this unique would raise some questions. For those attending, however, they just got a double-dose of Lions football that weekend.
"They really like it, because they don't have to dress up," said Tabor.
"Everybody we've talked to, they say 'this is great!' They've never heard of anything like this before," said Villegas.
"We're doing everything different," said Tabor. "There're no flowers, nothing that's traditional."
In place of a bouquet, a penalty flag. Instead of a garter, a football that some may not want to catch.
Despite Detroit's atrocious outing on Monday against the Jets, things were still scheduled to go as planned.
"We've had people ask us that too: "Are you still going to wear that Lions stuff?" said Villegas.
"We stuck with them through 0-16, we'll stick with them through that," said Tabor.
And just like their loyalty to a team that's seen so many rough years, Ray and Stacy will be loyal to each other, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, and through one grueling football season after another.
the tables
the flower girls
