There was no big church, no elaborate reception, no first dance when Marine Mike Hallman married his bride Amanda Howie in June. That's because the couple was thousands of miles apart when they wed. Military.com reports the couple decided not to let distance be a barrier to their marriage when Hallman's planned leave home was canceled. They wed via Skype - with Hallman overseas and Howie in Tybee Island, Georgia. (Military.com would not divulge Hallman's rank or where he's deployed because of security reasons.)
Katie Koch of the website TheKnot.com tells the Air Force Times that simple ceremonies and elopements between servicemembers and their spouses-to-be are on the rise. The focus is on the marriage, not the wedding, says Koch:
To watch a video (courtesy of WSOC-TV) about how Hallman and Howie met, and decided to wed via Skype, click here.
