A senior couple in Illinois quite literally took the plunge when they got married in the same swimming pool where they first met.
Edward LaRue, 82, and Marlene Parsons, 78, were introduced during a water aerobics class at their local YMCA, according to First Alert 4. So when the time came to plan their wedding, they chose the most meaningful venue they could think of: the pool at the Collinsville Maryville Troy YMCA in Maryville, where their friendship first turned into something more.
On Nov. 12, the pair exchanged vows while standing in the water, surrounded by a small circle of friends and family — and watched over by a lifeguard. The ceremony was officiated by Alie Morgan, the center’s aquatics director, who also knows the couple from their time in class.
LaRue wore a tuxedo-style shirt, swim trunks and a black top hat, while Parsons opted for a white bridal swimsuit with a tulle skirt and a veil. Photos shared by the YMCA on Facebook captured the couple holding hands as they walked down the pool steps, saying their vows waist-deep in the water and sealing the moment with a kiss. Parsons held a small bouquet as they were pronounced husband and wife.
“What a beautiful day for a wedding in our pool!” the YMCA wrote in its Facebook post, congratulating “Ed and Marlene” on their marriage and noting that they were “surrounded by family and friends.” The message ended with a warm wish for “years of love and happiness.” LaRue later replied in the comments, writing, “Great time was had by all. Especially the bride and groom.”
Speaking with First Alert 4, Parsons remembered her first impression of LaRue back in their water aerobics days. “I liked him,” she said, adding that their connection was flirty and fun from early on. “We splashed each other in the pool,” she recalled with a laugh. The pair went on their first date in December 2023.
Both had lost their previous spouses six years earlier, and at first they were unsure whether they wanted to marry again. “We really didn’t want to get married because we had both lost someone,” Parsons explained. LaRue proposed last August, and Parsons took a full year before giving him her answer. When she finally said “yes,” the couple agreed to take the next big step together.
Morgan was the one who suggested that they embrace their love story’s origins and hold the ceremony in the pool itself. After earning her minister’s license, she told them, “Hey, you guys met in the pool, you should get married in the pool. And I can marry you because I have my minister’s license.” She later admitted to First Alert 4, “I didn’t think they would take me seriously.”
Their aquatic wedding still included time-honored traditions: there was a bouquet dance, a first dance and cake for everyone to enjoy after the ceremony. Looking back on the unconventional celebration, LaRue summed it up simply: “It was great.”
