Love and Smoke in the Air

There was more than smoke in the air at the Barbecues Galore Second Annual Surf and Turf BBQ Classic in Imperial Beach, California, On June 3rd, 2000 – it was love! In an exquisite wedding ceremony following the competition, Mr. Grant McKinstry of the BBQ team Three Men with Nothing Better To Do, took the hand of the beautiful and charming Ms. Karin Krone.

The splendor of the event was truly magnificent! It was a touching ceremony that brought tears to the eyes of the guests, although some of that could have resulted from lingering smoke from the J.R. Enterprises smoker that served as the altar!
The backdrop for the ceremony was the bright blue Pacific Ocean on a sunny afternoon. Just in front of the beach was the J.R. smoker adorned with arrangements of white roses. Two rows of Weber Smoky Mountain smokers distinguished the wedding Isle. Each smoker was decorated with white roses.

The Bride was radiant in her white floor length sleeveless beaded dress and matching pearl accessories. Her bridesmaids, Ms. Nancy Lorch and Ms. Beth Lewis, wore Three Men With Nothing Better To Do aprons over their designer dresses. The bride and her bridesmaids all carried stunning bridal bouquets made of wooden kitchen utensils and a basting mop surrounded by white roses and baby's breath.

The Groom and his groomsmen, Mr. Scott Dawson and Mr. Kevin Lorch were handsome in their black tuxedos. The groomsmen wore red Three Men With Nothing Better To Do aprons over their tuxedos and each of the groom and groomsmen wore basting mop boutonnieres, graciously donated by KCBS.

As the wedding march played from a boombox just behind the altar, the Bride and her bridesmaids made their way down the isle. Waiting for them was the Groom and his groomsmen. Standing on a white ice chest in front of the altar was his holiness, "Killer George" Baroody, the Bishop of Barbecue. The guests were awestruck at the site of this holy man in his traditional red calf-length robe, 18" miter and tennis shoes. When asked, "who gives this bride," Mr. Tony Ress, a close friend of the Groom, responded with "I Will" The Bishop opened the ceremony with a Latin saying, which translates roughly to "pork fat rules". During the ceremony each member of the wedding party was sanctified with some of the Bishop's own holywater, which he kept in the ice chest on which he was standing. The Bishop partook of a shot too, strictly for ceremonial purposes, of course!
When asked for each ring, Kevin, using BBQ tongs, carefully removed them from his apron and placed each one on the spatula held by Scott. The spatula was engraved with a personal message to commemorate the event. The rings were handed to the Bride and Groom with the spatula.

The Bride and Groom exchanged rings and vowed that they would stand by each other in times of sickness and in health, and in times of good barbecue and bad. The Bishop pronounced them husband and wife and danced a ceremonial jig as he led them down the isle and away from the altar

A reception for all was held in the penthouse of the Seacoast Inn. Many guests were welcomed to the reception where they feasted on good barbecue and drink. A splendid time was had by all!

---