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Couple picks interesting wedding

Daniel Hackett and Jill Chandler of Portales will make themselves part of Clovis’ Pioneer Days in a special way Sunday — they plan to get married during one of the balloon launches scheduled for the celebration.

Hackett, a graphic designer at the Portales News-Tribune, said he and his fiancee will exchange vows at 6 a.m. Sunday on board the hot air balloon “Cricket’s Dream.”

They’ll stand in the balloon’s gondola with its pilot, while the preacher, best man and maid of honor stand on the ground. Once the formalities are complete, they’ll go up, up and away — at least for a short ride.

Hackett said he owes the idea for the unusual wedding ceremony to Pat Free, a marketing representative for the News-Tribune. Free already had a pass for Sunday’s balloon ride and offered it to him, jokingly saying the two might want to get married in the balloon, he said.

“(Getting married) is a once in a lifetime thing; you might as well make it memorable,” he said.

 
 
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