Payton Baggett Reporting
pbaggett@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – When Scarlet Jenkins walked into the Westgate Christian Center on Valentine’s Day, she was expecting to pose for a bridal photo shoot. In reality, she was unknowingly walking into her own wedding.
Blindfolded and dressed an ivory gown with red accents, she was led to the aisle by Ms. Lynne of Essence of Elegance Bridal Boutique. As her eyes were uncovered, she took in the sight of her friends and family, who had all successfully kept the wedding a secret.
“I was totally shocked,” Scarlet said. “It was just mind-blowing.” She and her husband Shawn have been married for just over two years, though they never got around to celebrating their marriage with a ceremony.
Shawn, a minister at Westgate Christian Center, spoke about the idea, saying, “It was something that God placed on my heart…I wanted a wedding, we never had a wedding.”
Guests wore red and white to compliment the Valentine’s Day theme of the occasion, which was complete with a sand pouring ceremony to signify the couple’s bond as a family. They each bring four children to their marriage – Shawn has one daughter and three sons, while Scarlet has a son and three daughters.
See Scarlet’s reaction to the surprise wedding and photos from the event below.