Their nuptials postponed due to COVID-19, a Midland couple is now hoping to enlist some support at the polls.
Wanda Luoma and Marty Burton are one of six couples selected from three different countries vying for a chance to win a $5,000 honeymoon as part of a contest hosted by an Australian wedding planning firm called 5K Wedding.
The pair had originally planned to get married in Cuba last month two years after becoming engaged. But with that option cancelled, Luoma noticed a Facebook post about the contest and entered on a whim.
They made the final six and are now joined by another Canadian couple and two couples each from the United States and Australia hoping to win the grand prize as well as having their virtual wedding live-streamed around the world.
“We were in the lead for a while but they are an Australian company and probably promoting the Australian couples more,” Luoma said.
Luoma and Burton first connected six years ago on Tinder and have been seriously dating for the past five.
“I knew in our first conversation that he was different from the average Tinderite,” she noted. “He was a kind soul. We are the most loving couple that love doing things together.”
They moved to Midland two years ago and between them have seven sons in total from their first marriages.
Luoma, who works as a registered massage therapist, said she and Burton, who works as a fibre-optic splicer, fell in love with the town quickly after frequent visits from their previous hometowns of Barrie and Newmarket, respectively.
While the canceled Cuban wedding was expected to be decidedly low-key, Luoma said Burton is gradullay warming up to the virtual-wedding concept.
“He’s very shy so this whole live-stream thing is kind of new,” said Luoma, who is originally from Sudbury. “He is a shy introvert and I am a full extrovert and together we are affectionate, touchy feely and perfect for each other.”
In their profile on the voting website, they're described as a big-hearted couple that have been through a few bumps in the road on their journey to love.
“They have a lot of fun together and are lucky to even survive date one after Wanda became sick from eating Marty's cooking,” the post reads.
“Turns out he didn't try to poison her after all, Wanda just had a tummy bug.”
Voting closes Friday. A link to the ballot can be found here.
