Operation Marry Me Military is offering free North Carolina weddings to military couples across the nation.
The organization, started by Alecia Geddings of Oak Island Photography & Weddings in Brunswick County, offers completely free weddings to military couples, regardless of where they’re stationed, as long as they’re willing to be married in North Carolina on Veteran’s Day and apply by July 30.
“No exceptions,” said Geddings, the child of a former Army service member, of the Nov. 11 wedding date.
Operation MMM started as a $3,000 wedding package offered by Oak Island Photography in Brunswick County last year, but quickly grew to over $200,000 worth of donated goods and services for five couples across the state. Geddings said this year’s eight participating counties are already set to surpass last year’s totals.
“I wanted to make a difference in the lives of our service members,” Geddings said. “Never in a million years did I think it would grow to this.”
Wake County is offering an $85,000 wedding package to a lucky military couple this year, and Brunswick County will be hosting a wedding worth $100,000 to include a honeymoon on the shores of Eastern North Carolina.
At least six other counties will be participating this year, but Geddings said her personal goal is to have all 100 counties in N.C. offering free military weddings by 2021.
“What people are more deserving to get a free wedding than our military?” Geddings asked. “They’re out there fighting for our freedom so we can have a life, and to give them a new life together is my duty.”
Each county’s package includes, at the very minimum, a place to stay for three nights for the bride and groom, a ceremony, reception, hair and makeup artist for the bride, photographer and caterer for up to 50 people — for free.
Geddings said some counties will offer brides a dress as well, but others prefer the bride has the opportunity to choose her own. In Brunswick, Geddings’ studio is lined with donated wedding dresses for brides who don’t currently have a dress and would rather not purchase one.
“Sometimes you only wear the dress for an hour during the ceremony,” Geddings said. “So we’ve had women donate their wedding dresses for brides ... Any bride who wants to use them can.”
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