Here come the brides -- at 30 mph

Shanise and Dominic Bowden of Minneapolis and 14 other couples were married on a roller coaster at the Mall of America.

By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

Last update: April 15, 2009 - 10:32 PM

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It didn't take long for 15 couples to find out that marriage has its ups and downs.

They were wed this morning on a roller coaster at the Mall of America's Nickelodeon Universe theme park.

The mass wedding was performed on the Orange Streak by the Rev. Tairie Starr, a non-denominational minister with the Chapel of Love.

The couples were loaded into the cars, they exchanged vows and rings, and then pulled away from the platform for a couple of loops around the track.

The 15-car Orange Streak climbs and drops among trees, passes through a mountain and travels around the entire 7-acre indoor theme park. It can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

Among the loopty-loop newlyweds were Shanise and Dominic Bowden of Minneapolis. The bride, in a traditional white gown, said they decided on this venue because they met about four years ago when the two worked in neighboring stores at the mall.

"It just kind of completed the circle," the 20-year-old bride said within the first hour of wedded bliss to her 28-year-old tux-wearing groom.

The couple's parents attended the nuptials and were understanding about where the wedding was held. "They kind of know that we're untraditional people," Shanise said.

As for the honeymoon, Shanise said it's off to Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing.

--Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482