Every bride knows that it’s tradition for her to have something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue on her wedding day.
Well, Addison Township resident Tracy Kramm has definitely got the ‘something blue? part covered ? and then some.
She and her husband-to-be, Craig Garrett, will exchange their vows Saturday, Aug. 25 on the famous synthetic blue turf of Oxford High School’s football stadium.
‘We’re getting married on the ‘O? at the 50-yard line,? Kramm said.
Ironically, neither Kramm nor Garrett is an OHS graduate.
In fact, both of them graduated from Lincoln Park High School in 1988.
They just wanted to do something different for their wedding.
‘I had never wanted a traditional wedding,? Kramm said. ‘We joked around about how we could do it casually. We kicked around (doing it in) Vegas. Then we talked about a kegger. That turned into a tailgate party, which turned into doing it on the football field.?
Some readers may be wondering how much it costs to rent the famous field for a private function such as this.
‘They told us to just make a donation (to the turf fund),? said Kramm, noting they contributed $1,000. ‘It was up to us how much we wanted to donate. We decided to become one of the 300 Club members.?
The 300 Club refers to a special fund-raising project for the turf. The idea was if 300 people contribute $1,000 each, the turf’s $300,000 private debt would be satisfied.
Although they’re not Wildcats, being married on the gridiron is definitely appropriate for Kramm and Garrett, who are both huge football fans.
‘That’s the sport we watch together,? she said.
Their favorite team?
The Detroit Lions, of course.
Kramm admitted she looked into having the wedding and reception at the Lions? practice field in Allen Park.
‘They don’t allow alcohol on the practice field and I just assumed the other one (Ford Field) would be a little too crazy to have the reception there,? she said.
In keeping with the football theme of the wedding, all of the guests were invited to wear apparel celebrating their favorite team, be it high school, college or professional.
Instead of the traditional white gown and tuxedo, the bride and groom will be sporting custom jerseys, made by Tool Sport & Sign in Oxford Township.
‘They’re royal blue with white trim,? Kramm said. Hers will have Team Kramm printed on it, while his will say Team Garrett.
However, after the ceremony’s over, she’ll rip off a thin piece of fabric to reveal she’s been traded to Team Garrett.
The best man and maid of honor, along with the bride and groom’s parents, will all be wearing custom jerseys as well. The numbers on the bride, groom, maid of honor and best man’s jerseys will together form the wedding date ? 08, 25, 20, 12.
But the football theme doesn’t end there.
The invitations to the wedding were designed to look like stadium tickets. The ticket stub was the RSVP.
As many as 120 guests could attend the wedding. After the ceremony, everyone’s going to pile onto the Wildcat bleachers for a group photo. They’re all going to form a giant letter ‘G? for Garrett.
The reception, which will take place at American Legion Post 108 in Oxford, will be decked out in all the colors representing family and friends? favorite football teams.
‘We took all of our family’s mascots and team names, and we made our own pennants,? Kramm said. ‘We going to have color-coded tablecloths to go along with whatever their school (or pro team’s) colors are. We’ll have green and white for Michigan State and Lake Orion. Blue and yellow for U-M. They’ll be a blue and gray for the Lions.?
Sweet & Savory Bake Shop in downtown Oxford created a special gridiron-themed cake for the couple’s big day.
A half sheet cake ? decorated like a football field with end zones that say Kramm and Garrett ? will form the main part of it. Clay caricatures of the couple wearing their jerseys will be standing on the frosted field.
Surrounding the field cake will be bleachers filled with delicious cupcakes, who will serve as the spectators.
‘We did three tiers of stadium seating and it goes on three sides of the cake,? Kramm said.
From the jerseys to the reception hall to the cake, everything about the couple’s wedding was purchased in Oxford. Even the rings came from Mark A. Young Jewelers in downtown Oxford.
‘We always try to buy local,? Kramm said.
Kramm and Garrett have been seeing each other for a little over three years. Even though they knew each other in high school, they never actually dated back then ? although both of them wanted to. They just never could get the timing right.
‘He worked at McDonald’s and I worked at Burger King and he gave me a Grimace (toy),? Kramm said. ‘I kept that thing and I still have it to this day. He doesn’t even remember giving it to me.?
Fortunately, years later, the stars aligned perfectly and the couple was reunited at a street fair.
Now, Kramm and Garrett will forever be a part of Wildcat history as the first couple married on the blue turf.
Congratulations to Team Garrett as it scores a touchdown for love.
Remember, there are no time-outs in marriage.