COLUMBUS — A hesitant Jacob Waltermire approached the white storm door on the front of Jimmy and Kim Howell’s home, uncertain how the Columbus couple would react when Waltermire, 29, planned to ask if he and his fiancée could get married on their front lawn.
Waltermire and his fiancée, Olivia Steen, had earlier driven by the home at 3120 31st Street, a winter wonderland adorned in novelty Christmas decorations. Steen, a native of London, England, was awestruck by the array of gingerbread men, inflatable Mr. and Mrs. Claus, dozens of snowmen, illuminated children’s choir, inflatable nutcrackers, Christmas trees and candy canes that consumed the yard.
Jimmy Howell said he and his wife, Kim, both 53, started decorating their home for Christmas when they got married in 1991. Since then, they’ve collected unique decorations and ornaments from garage sales, donations and after-Christmas sales.
Never before had their decorations caught the eye of two young love birds searching for a place to marry each other. That was until Monday.
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“I like things that are niche and tacky,” 26-year-old Steen said. “It’s pretty wild the length people go to here to decorate their houses for Christmas.”
The young couple met just one year earlier via Instagram. Steen is an artist and displays her work on an artistic Instagram account. Waltermire, who Steen called “a fan of her work,” followed her account on social media.
Waltermire’s own photography account caught Steen’s eye and sparked a conversation between the two. The couple met in person for the first time earlier this year during a trip to New York. She has since visited Indiana a few times and traveled back here in November to spend three months with Waltermire.
On Monday, the two felt in their hearts it was time to tie to knot. Just how and where they would do it though was the question.
Waltermire, a Columbus native, remembers driving by the Howells’ home every year, but he never imagined marrying the love of his life in the couple’s front lawn.
“It was very spur of the moment,” he recalled. “We wanted to do something somewhere. We didn’t want to just go to the courthouse or do something at home — that’s not like us.”
Steen remembered driving by the house with all the Christmas lights earlier on her stay here in Columbus and suggested the couple share their vows there.
Kim Howell sat decorating Christmas cookies Monday morning when the Waltermires first knocked at the door. She invited the couple into the home and both Kim and Jimmy Howell were thrilled when Waltermire popped the question: “Can we get married here?”
“Jacob was hesitant to ask, but I said, ‘I think anyone with all that decor would be interested,” Steen said.
The Howells had only one request in return — that Santa and Mrs. Claus could make an appearance at the wedding. Waltermire and Steen agreed.
The soon-to-be newlyweds would return to the Howells’ home at 8 p.m. that same night to officially be named Mr. and Mrs. Waltermire.
In the meantime, the couple made a quick run to Goodwill, where Steen found a 1960s-style white lace miniature dress for just $6.99. Waltermire donned a gray suit with a white dress shirt and striped tie.
The couple created two floral bouquets — one for Olivia and another for Jacob’s 6-year-old daughter, Flynn, who was also a part of the special ceremony — composed of red, white and blue flowers, symbolizing both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Waltermire and Steen were married by Jacob’s ordained friend, Matthew Gorden. Their witnesses? Mr. and Mrs. Claus, portrayed by none other than Jimmy and Kim Howell. The two dress up as Mr. and Mrs. Claus annually to pass out candy canes to families who drive by their home during the holiday season.
“The best part was seeing my daughter standing with Olivia, so as I was getting married, I could look at both of them and be completely unashamed, smiling,” Waltermire said.
Olivia Waltermire recalled her new husband’s face as it beamed with joy throughout the duration of the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, the Howells invited the Waltermires inside for cookies.
“It was magical,” Olivia Waltermire said. “At home, we just put up Christmas trees, but people really go all out here. I love it.”
Olivia Waltermire will fly back to England in mid-January to begin the process of moving to the United States where the Waltermires plan to live as “a proper family.” The couple plan to stay in Columbus for some time, but have no concrete plan beyond that.
