Love Triumphs Over COVID:  Impromptu Wedding in Auto Dept. Of Illinois Blain’s Farm & Fleet

Oglesby native and front-line nurse, Mary Kate Vollmer, tied the knot with her fiancé, trial attorney, Evan Sloan, at their local Blain’s Farm & Fleet in Montgomery, IL. The couple made the spur-of-the-moment decision after Evan’s 90-Year-Old Grandmother received a COVID-19 Diagnosis.

Evan and Mary Kate put their wedding dreams on hold during the pandemic, but when they heard that Evan’s beloved Grandmother had been diagnosed with COVID-19, they knew they could not wait another day. They enlisted the support of their minister, Kerry Ervin, and headed to an unconventional venue, their local Blain’s Farm & Fleet Store. Originally, the couple planned for the impromptu ceremony to be held in the parking lot, but the weather that day was not favorable, so they decided to head inside. The couple spoke their vows in the Blain’s Farm & Fleet Automotive Aisle in front of a limited audience: their minister and as a witness, their store’s assistant manager, Scott Ervin.

When Grandma Beth heard the story by phone later that day, she could not have been more thrilled. “After Evan’s grandmother was diagnosed with the Coronavirus, we knew that our texts and emails to Grandma Beth were now a lifeline for her and we wanted to do something special for her,” says Mary Kate Vollmer. “As a nurse, I see firsthand the loneliness among the elderly at this time – isolated from their loved ones when they need family around the most. Getting married has brought much needed joy to Grandma Beth and our whole family and provided us a cherished memory in our favorite place, Blain’s Farm & Fleet.”

There is a reason Evan and Mary Kate chose Blain’s Farm & Fleet as this uniquely Midwest store has been a part of many special moments in both of their lives. When Mary Kate was a child, her father would take her to the store for their favorite candy, nuts and special treats. Evan and Mary Kate often choose Blain’s Farm & Fleet for their outings, taking their dog with them on shopping trips to see the baby chicks. Blain’s is also where the couple spends time together shopping for items like scrubs for Mary Kate or Evan’s favorite Sprecher’s Root Beer which he credits with getting him through law school. Because of this connection, getting married in the Blain’s Farm & Fleet Automotive Department made perfect sense as the couple celebrated great memories there and “getting hitched near the hitches” has created a sweet new one.

“We are honored that Mary Kate and Evan chose to celebrate this moment in our store, and we wish them a lifetime of love and happiness,” says Jane Blain Gilbertson, Owner and President of Blain’s Farm & Fleet, a Modern General Store with 43 locations in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Michigan. “Though the in-store wedding came as a surprise to us, we’re thrilled to have played this small role in bringing joy to the Vollmer and Sloan families.”

Through photos, and video-call retellings, Mary Kate and Evan brought happiness not only to their families, but to the whole community, which Mary Kate finds to be an important tool for healing those who are scared, lonely or ill at this time. “After the pandemic is over, we look forward to reenacting our wedding with the whole family, but, for now, we’re proud to have said, “I do” with masks on, at our Blain’s Farm & Fleet,” says Mary Kate. “We just wanted to bring joy to people’s lives during this time, and our favorite store was the perfect place as it is woven into our family’s history—and for us, Blain’s is our extended family.”

Founded in 1955, Blain’s Farm & Fleet is a family owned retailer with 43 locations throughout Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The company remains steadfast in its commitment to offering customers high quality products, competitive prices, and reliable service. Visit farmandfleet.com.

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