UNIQUE CEREMONY

Most people go to work, do their job, then go home. Now and then, somebody does something a little different at their place of employment — like getting married.
Brandon Belew, The Morning Sun’s online specialist, married Katharyne Silva at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Morning Sun composing room.
“We met on Yahoo Personals, and we’ve been unconventional from the start,” the bride said.
“We wanted to get married on paper for logistic reasons,” her new husband said. “Another employee suggested doing it at The Morning Sun and we just went with it.”
The newspaper has been the site of retirement and birthday celebrations many times, but, as far as anyone can recall, this was the first wedding on the premises.
Belew grew up in Pittsburg and Fort Scott. His wife was born in Virginia Beach, Va., but lived in Olathe before coming to Pittsburg.
She will graduate May 17 from Pittsburg State University with a bachelor of science in social work, and plans to become a social worker.
“The day after I graduate, I’m leaving for Europe for two weeks,” Mrs. Belew said. “I’m on the National Dean’s List, and this is part of their International Scholars Laureate Program. I think Brandon wanted us to get married before I left. He’s going on a business trip to San Francisco, so he won’t be too lonely.”
As of April 30, the couple has been together for two years.
“We have a vicious Siamese cat named Cuddles,” Mrs. Belew said. “She’s our practice child.”
The couple plans a more conventional wedding on May 23, 2009, in Frontenac.
“That will be our big family wedding,” Belew said. “Then we’ll have a tropical honeymoon. Now we’re just going to Joplin.”
So which date will they celebrate as their anniversary?
“I think we may take May 8 as an average between April 30 and May 23,” Mrs. Belew said.
Performing their wedding ceremony was Jessica Tims-Seeliger, The Morning Sun’s managing editor.
“Legally, in Kansas, there aren’t many rules about who can do weddings,” she said. “You don’t have to be ordained, but I did get ordained five years ago. When my father asked me why, I told him that you never know when somebody may want a spur-of-the-moment wedding.”
This was the first wedding Tims-Seeliger had done, but it won’t be the last.
“Kyle DeRodes, a former Morning Sun photographer, has asked me to officiate at his wedding in June,” she said.
However, that wedding won’t be held at the newspaper.
“It’s going to be held in Topeka,” the managing editor said.