When Crystal Holmes and Isaiah Hope of Kincheloe, Michigan entered the Castle’s Heroes Wedding Giveaway last fall, they figured they had little chance of winning their dream wedding. “We first started looking for wedding venues nine years ago,” Crystal said. “That’s when we fell in love with Castle Farms.” “A Salute to our Soldiers” Heroes Military Wedding Giveaway, sponsored by Castle Farms and local vendors, was open to couples all across northern Michigan and the U.P. with one (or both) active military or veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Crystal didn’t enter them in the Heroes Wedding Giveaway until the very last day. Five finalists were announced on Nov. 6th, and voting took place Nov. 7 – 11 through the Castle’s Facebook page. Crystal and Isaiah were announced as the winners on November 11th, Veteran’s Day.
“Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable,” Crystal said after learning that she and Isaiah had won. “People started voting for us. People we didn’t even know. It didn’t really sink in that we were the winners until we got the phone call.” Crystal and Isaiah were overwhelmed by the community support. “The people of Kincheloe and all over Chippewa County were voting for us, and we’re so grateful to everyone. Castle Farms is our dream wedding spot.”
The couple, who met in high school, has been together ten years. They wanted to get married right away, but every time they began planning the wedding, something came up. Isaiah, who was on active duty in the Army from 2002-2008, through the National Guard, was sent to Iraq for a nineteen month deployment. After his return, the couple again began looking at wedding venues, but quit after learning that Isaiah was once again being deployed, this time to assist during Hurricane Katrina. As the years passed, two children, full-time jobs and Crystal’s college career kept the couple busy with other things rather than planning that long overdue wedding.
Now they’ve won the Heroes Dream Military Wedding Giveaway, the couple has no plans of letting anything get in the way. Crystal and Isaiah are on active duty countdown for their July 2015 wedding at Castle Farms.