The most elaborate island wedding ceremony of the young year united a Boca Grande deli owner's daughter with a Fort Myers man.
Capt. Emmett Shane of Pirate Boat Taxi at the Helm ferried roughly 200 attendees to Palm Island for the Feb. 13 wedding of Kimberly Ann Quirk, daughter of Gill's Grocery owners Grant and Lorry Quirk, and Jason Adams Grant of Fort Myers. The wedding was held at the Quirk's home.
"There was not a dry eye in the house when the father-daughter dance began," Lorry Quirk said. "It was great to see a healthy Grant lead his daughter in their dance 'Through the Years.' " The 72-year-old Grant Quirk has been battling cancer successfully.
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Newlyweds Kimberly Ann Quirk and Jason Adams Grant share a laugh on the dance floor.
The groom's parents are Marie Taylor of Tampa and Maurice Grant of Philipsburg, Mo.
Suzanne Miles, the bride's cousin from Newport Coast, Calif., conducted the fun-filled ceremony, the Quirks said. The ceremony concluded with two traditional cannon blasts, which signaled the start of the party.
Afterward, the newlyweds left for a 10-day honeymoon cruise of the eastern Caribbean islands on the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
The newlyweds planned and designed their own ceremony with the help of many islander friends and family members such as Perry Lawrence, Dave Witters, Marcia Wilkins of Our Island Designer, Robin and Wendy Dalzell and Jan Brown.
Grant is a Collier County deputy sheriff. His new bride is a dental hygenist for Dr. Dennis Dalton of Cape Coral and Dr. Joseph Diciano of Cape Haze.
The wedding party included maid of honor Jaslyn Morgani of Fort Myers and bridesmaids Jennifer Doss of Fort Myers, Jennifer Evans of Fort Lauderdale and Mariah Wallingford of New York.
The best man was Chris Cousins of Naples. Groomsmen were Justin Grant of Buffalo, Mo.; John Grant of Alva, Mo.; and Eric Grant of Greensburg, Pa.
Hairdressers Jo Smith and Nicole from All About You groomed the bridal party. Photographer Heidimarie Burke of Photographic Images shot the event. Tim Delaney of Fort Myers played for the wedding ceremony and cocktail hour where the newlywed couple's signature "Pink Passion" drink was served.
Sarasota Catering Co. served guests prime rib, macadamia-encrusted red snapper and tropical chicken.
"The infamous Boca Bande kept everyone dancing right up to when the last barge left the island at midnight," Grant Quirk said. "It was a great wedding."
