ONEONTA _ Fourth of July festivities in Neahwa Park provided the setting for a wedding ceremony.
The groom, 31-year-old Frank R. Allen, of Davenport, said he has worked the event as a volunteer firefighter from the West Oneonta department for a number of years and decided "it would be nice to be on the other side," at least for one year.
So, he said, he contacted the Central New York Radio Group and set the plans in motion.
Meanwhile, the bride, Jessica Soules, 20, sat inside her brown SUV before the ceremony, surrounded by family so the groom wouldn't see her, she said. She said she was a little nervous about holding the ceremony, which started at about 6:15 p.m., in front of so many people.
But she said it was a good idea because "we wanted it to be unusual."
Oneonta police estimated the witnesses to be several thousand.
Her father, Bob Soules, of Laurens, said he was very happy for his daughter.
She works as a showroom representative for 21st Century Pools and Spas in Oneonta. Allen, who is West Oneonta Fire Department assistant chief, is a supervisor at Delaware Valley Spring Water in Davenport. Among those in attendance was his child from his previous marriage, he said.
The couple, who have known each other for three years, will be honeymooning in the Adirondacks and will be living in Davenport.
The civil ceremony lasted about 10 minutes and was conducted by Oneonta Justice June Sheehan.
This type of public ceremony is not unusual, she said.
"It's lovely that the couple wanted to share the ceremony with so many people," she said.
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