DIVE TIME By Tim Grollimund

Nuptials in the realm of Neptune

Weddings are more relaxed underwater

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Posted - Friday, September 16, 2011 09:40 AM EDT

Years and years ago, in my film-camera days, I used to shoot a wedding now and then. I never really liked it. Not my cup of tea. One of the Moms was seemingly always on the warpath. Given many a bride’s attitude, I was often glad I was not wearing the tuxedo that day. The grooms usually were so nervous they went into zombie mode. Even saw one faint.

In his case, I didn’t blame him. I knew the bride from college and I would have run away instead of collapsing at the alter. Less embarrassing, and you have a bigger lead on the getaway.

I always thought shooting the reception was the most enjoyable part of the event. It was a chance to see people doing unrehearsed things. I guess that’s why I have such a great time in the water. Just about everything under the surface is unrehearsed, even with a dive plan. At the reception, the unrehearsed parts seemed to have a direct correlation with the amount of liquids flowing through the crowd. That more than made up for the posed photos of the wedding party and the family, and the nervous energy running through the day.

So about a week ago I get a call from my buddy, Frazier Nivens, who asks, “What are you doing next Sunday”? My standard answer, as always, is, “Diving, I hope.” And diving it was.

We had the honor and privilege of shooting an underwater wedding. What a hoot! William (Billy) Engel and Laura Karol took their vows on the City of Washington, presided over by Captain Slate. In attendance were Laura’s brother John and his wife Kate. John witnessed the event snorkeling above us, while Kate peered through the glass bottom of Slate’s boat. Our thanks also go to Gene, as mate and chief steward for the day.

This was by far the most fun I ever had shooting a wedding. We did have a slight glitch when Laura’s veil floated away. Frazier had to retrieve it as one of the resident goliath groupers was homing in on it. I bet he thought it was already time for the reception and he was going to get what must have seemed like the biggest ballyhoo he’d ever seen. No harm, no foul. Veil intact. Laura handled it much better than any wardrobe malfunction I ever saw in a landlubber’s ceremony.

It was great having the City of Washington pretty much to ourselves, although at one point I thought the grouper wanted to sign on as a witness. He came into the middle of the group to make sure the ring portion of the ceremony was conducted properly. I think Captain Slate set that up during his Creature Feature earlier in the day. The grouper hit his queue right on time.

After the vows and exchange of rings, the reception line was opened and a bucket of ballyhoo was served. Although the big green moray did not attend the ceremony, he sure didn’t have a problem hawking the buffet line at the reception. Some people are like that. Why sit through the vows when you came only for the food? What an attitude! But since his teeth were the sharpest in the group, we let him have his way.

The wreck became the grand ballroom, and Billy and Laura moved around in a gliding, unrehearsed tango, guided by Captain Slate, grouper by his side. Hand in hand, the happy couple completed the tour, and ascended to the world of light and air to begin their new life together.

The couple does most of their diving in New York, specifically in Far Rockaway and Cuttouge, Long Island. When I asked Billy and Laura what their thought process was for the event, he replied, “Originally, I was thinking of the Caymans. I have not been there since 1996. But we decided to spend our money in the U.S. And I didn’t have to get the consulate involved to get the marriage legal. Laura has relatives in Florida, so all those things combined led us to Florida. We then went looking around at underwater weddings, and Captain Slate is the best of the best. Plus we definitely wanted to do the Creature Feature dive.”

And Laura added: “We chose an underwater wedding because Billy has loved diving for a long time, and although I had never thought of it — on our first valentine’s day together and not long after we began to date, he started telling me about underwater weddings and how much he wanted one (if he were to ever marry). At the time, he did not know I could dive. Once I told him, he said that I was his mermaid and we have been diving partners ever since. And now I can put ‘marriage’ right after ‘shark kissing’ in my log book. Billy became a shellback in the Navy and wanted to make his marriage official since he was already a member of King Neptune’s Realm.”

No spilled drinks, no complaints about the seating arrangements, and no guests staying beyond their time. Even the moon jellies gave us our space. All is well on the City of Washington, both the grouper and the eel had their fill of the buffet, and the bride and groom had a unique experience in a place near and dear to their hearts. Chalk another great experience up to the City of Washington. I have always liked that wreck, and each time I dive there from now on I will remember this terrific day.

Here’s to you Billy and Laura Engel-Karol. May the waters of your life have only small ripples for waves.

Tim Grollimund is a freelance photographer and PADI divemaster based in Key Largo. He can be reached at tim@timgimages.com or through his website, www.timgimages.com.