LOWER BURRELL, PENN. — It was a match made in aisle 13.

Becky Smith was just doing her job, cleaning the shelves at Community Supermarket in Lower Burrell, when a customer walked up and gave her a piece of paper with his name and phone number on it.

That customer was Larry Spiering, and it turns out he had his eye on Smith for quite some time before he got the courage to ask her out.

After one date, their fate was sealed.

“We’ve been seeing each other ever since, and it’s been 10 years now,” Smith said.

So when they decided they would get married, the only appropriate place was that aisle where they met so many years ago.

“It seemed to fit,” she said. “It was truly just a joke at first.”

On Easter Sunday — after Smith had worked her morning shift — they were married in front of about 30 people, including family, friends and loyal customers.

They walked down the aisle together, she in a white dress and carrying an Easter bouquet, and he in camouflage with an Easter boutonniere, as a customer sang The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun.”

The pair said their vows under a simple paper wedding bell strung between the snack crackers and packaged desserts — but you’d never know it.

All eyes were on them, and it was perfect.

Cheers and applause erupted as the couple completed the ceremony with their first kiss as husband and wife.

Although they admit having their wedding on Easter wasn’t ideal, they chose April 1 because they wanted to be able to keep all their important dates straight.

“We picked April 1 because April 2 is his birthday and April 3 is my birthday,” Smith said.

Spiering will celebrate his 69th birthday Monday and she will mark her 62nd birthday Tuesday.

District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr. performed the ceremony — his first wedding at a grocery store.

“I think it’s great,” Pallone said. “Wherever somebody wants to get married, I’ll be glad to perform the marriage.”

Customers Janet and Tony DiGirolamo said they always try to get in Smith’s line when they’re checking out and she’s become a friend over the years.

“She’s been our cashier here since we moved here 17 years ago,” he said. “We talk every week.”

Spiering’s best friend, Michael Sypulski, stood next to him during the ceremony, keeping the rings safe.

“I’ve known him about 36 years now,” he said. “They’ve just been very good together — they both deserve each other.”

The store’s owner, George Thimons, said Smith has been a dedicated employee for more than 20 years and he’s happy for the couple.

“I was just glad she picked a day that wasn’t super, super busy,” he said, laughing. “We’re glad to accommodate it.”

As they left the grocery store to head to their house for a small reception, they felt a mix of emotions.

“Relief — and happy,” Spiering said as he gave his new wife a kiss.

“It’s just what we wanted — something nice and easy,” Smith said.

Source: TribLive