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In love & war: Couple unites 1860s style
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
POLAND
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue took on real meaning at the Civil War-themed wedding of Christopher Mulidore and Heather Franklin on Saturday during the Celebrate Poland event.
The wedding ceremony, which began at 4:30 p.m., took place in Poland Memorial Gardens west of City Hall under the pergola — the bride adorned in a new Civil War-style satin gown and the groom wearing borrowed Union blues.
Continuing the Civil War theme, the couple’s parents also wore period clothing. The bride’s father, the Rev. Thomas Franklin Sr., wore Confederate grey because his daughter was born in Nashville, Tenn.; and the groom’s father was in Union blue.
Members of Confederate and Union re-enactment units — the 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry Co. D and the 4th Alabama Infantry Co. B — also took part in the wedding, lining the walkway to the pergola before the ceremony and providing crossed rifles with bayonets and swords for the newlyweds to pass beneath after their marriage.
The Rev. Bob Quaintance of Good Hope Lutheran Church officiated, assisted by the Rev. Mr. Franklin.
Deborah Owrey and Christina Douglas, both of Youngstown, were matron and maid of honor, respectively.
The bridesmaids were Rachel and Shannon Mulidore, both of Youngstown, and the groomsmen were Sam Mogul and Dwin Moran, both of Youngstown, and Paul Hartman of Liberty.
The ring bearer was Austan Franklin, and the flower girl was Haylee J. Franklin.
The groom, a 2003 graduate of Liberty High School, said he and his wife had been considering a nontraditional wedding, and when the Civil War- period wedding opportunity came along, they thought it would make a good memory.
“I’m interested in history, and this wedding has a historical feel to it and is probably the closest you can come to the real thing,” he said.
Also, Heather has a family connection to the Civil War. She has participated in re-enactments, and her great-great-grandfather, Pvt. George Ackerman, a member of the real 61st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, is one of 125 Civil War veterans buried in Poland’s Riverside Cemetery.
Christopher, 25, and Heather, 31, both work for Wendy’s. He has a bachelor’s degree in information technology from Youngstown State University and plans to return to YSU in the fall to pursue a master’s degree. Heather is about a year away from a degree in gerontology and sociology at YSU.
Christopher and Heather were chosen to have their wedding be part of the Poland event through a contest conducted by the Celebrate Poland committee, said Terri Windsor, who organized the wedding with the help of Sheree Bosze.
Heather’s gown was donated by Jacqueline’s Bridal, and she and Christopher spent their first night as a married couple at Inn at the Green in Poland, a home that was built in 1876.