REAL-WEDDINGS

Real Columbus Wedding: Marie Lance and Keenan Kimbro Marry in a Dignified Fashion

Newlyweds Marie Lance and Keenan Kimbro sweetly incorporated their late fathers into their wedding day, including honoring them through a “Tribute to Fathers” read during the ceremony.

Columbus Monthly

The happy Lance-Kimbro couple on their wedding day

Who: Marie Lance and Keenan Kimbro

When: Dec. 11, 2022

The story: Marie and Keenan knew each other in middle school and high school. (Keenan was on the same wrestling team as Marie’s brother.) They both went off to college, ending up working a job together over one summer. From then on, they started “hanging out more and more.”

The proposal: In fall 2021, Marie reached out to the couple’s wedding photographer, Amy Tannenbaum of Amy Ann Photography, to schedule fall pictures so the couple would have Christmas card photos to send out. “When we got to the photo shoot, Amy posed us for the first shot and asked Keenan what he loved about me,” Marie says. “I thought nothing of it as I’ve seen this used as a photo prompt before, [but] then he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring!”

The wedding: The couple got married in winter 2022 at Strongwater Event Venue, remarking that walking into their reception with everyone cheering for them was the ultimate highlight. “It was so lovely to have the support and excitement of all of our friends and family,” Marie says.

The couple found several ways to incorporate their fathers and their memories into the wedding day, as they both passed away several years ago. “We saved a seat for them with pictures and boutonnières and had a ‘Tribute to Fathers’ read during the ceremony,” Marie says.

Another special and memorable touch was their first dance as a married couple. Marie and Keenan took dance lessons “specifically so we could have a nice first dance,” thinking they were signing up for the basics, but ended up doing a snazzy swing dance, thanks to the Columbus Dance Centre, compliments of Svetlana, their instructor.