Come on Fort Worth Ugh!!!....Wedding banned from TCC campus.... (Arlington: to rent, how much)

[Exult.Q36]

We paid $185 million for our new county college on the bluff downtown.
You'd think we'd be welcome there.
No such luck for one would-be bride.
With her Army boyfriend suddenly deployed to Afghanistan, county tax office worker Rosie Enriquez Martinez wanted to use the riverfront overlook at the edge of campus Sunday for a small wedding.
But Tarrant County College police chased them away.
Instead, Rosie and Sgt. Phillip Martinez Jr. of Fort Hood exchanged vows on a windy downtown sidewalk, wondering why he can fight for American freedom in Afghanistan but not peacefully enjoy a public campus downtown.
After working for 15 years at the voter-friendly Tarrant County Courthouse, the bride was surprised.
"I was shocked somebody wouldn't welcome the public," she said.
She put on her white dress and rounded up a fake rose bouquet for the informal 20-minute ceremony before what photos show to be about 25 relatives and friends.
Trinity River Campus President Tahita Fulkerson wrote by e-mail that the wedding drew a crowd of 70 and needed a permit. But a spokeswoman wrote later that the college prohibits nonschool events.
Officers forced the wedding upstairs to busy East Weatherford Street, where the soldier and his bride took their vows near the curb as traffic whizzed past.
Read more here: Wedding banned from Tarrant County College downtown | Bud Kennedy | Fort Worth, Arlington, No...

[jbb303]

While it seems ridiculous to run them off, I can't fathom why someone would attempt to do something like this without making arrangements in advance with the college.

[loves2read]

yes--having 70+ people show up for a "spontaneous" event seems contradictatory
I am sorry they were embarassed--and he is a standup guy for serving his country
I think yes--the college is more public than private and is on a dramatic placement that might lend itself to events like outdoor weddings but anytime you have 80 people show up for anything it is not really "small" or "private" anymore...or likely last minute either

she works for the city/county -- she knows there are rules about using public property and most of the time the use involves a fee--
maybe they were trying to avoid having to pay to rent the space they would use--which I think is probably a factor that they did not disclose since that makes their decision less spontaneous than budget-driven
maybe she called around and found out how much it would cost to have it at the Botanical garden or other venues and they thought heck--lets just try to get in/out at TCC before anyone is the wiser

while the story is definitely turned in their favor, the reporter may have been used to embarass TCC officials as a turn-about
after all--the reporter probably came in after the event and got most info from the bridal party or close friends
I doubt that TCC was the one who called up...

call me dubious

[LuvsFW]

Bud Kennedy is not a reporter. He's an opinion writer for the Star-Telegram. His job is to find a controversial topic and stir up discussion about it. He is very good at what he does! He's got people talking about it all over Facebook and other discussion forums too.

I'm sorry for all parties involved...the couple and TCC...but Bud has succeeded at what the Star-Telegram pays him to do!

[CzechGrazer]

So, I can have a wedding or get-together or family re-union or keg party on TCC property without notifying anybody for free? How about 100 attendees? 200? 500? Is it ok on all campuses?
Why is his veteran status mentioned? The rules that apply to everyone else should not apply to him?
Where do you draw the line? And, yes, there does have to be a line.
What the wedding party did was wrong.... You don't just show up unannounced with 70 of your closest friends on TCC property for a free wedding ceremony. They made no effort to ask anyone or make sure it's ok.

Not to say I don't feel sorry for them... I do. But they need to do a little homework and ASK permission.

[Exult.Q36]

According to the Chancellor TCC was in the wrong not the married couple.

But college Vice Chancellor Reginald Gates interrupted her.
He said, "No, wait -- I came to apologize."
With a handshake, Gates began rebuilding the good will that campus police wasted Jan. 22 when they told Martinez and her Afghanistan-bound soldier husband, Phillip, to move their vows off the Trinity River Campus.
Working in the county's Arlington tax office Friday, Martinez thought Gates was a resident with a tax question.
When he introduced himself, Martinez said that she wasn't trying to break TCC rules and that she thought the plaza was public like the courthouse lawn next door.
Instead, Gates "apologized and said the college belongs to residents like me who pay our taxes," she said.
"He said TCC is for the public. I told him I understand. I work for the public too."
Read more here: TCC wedding gaffe elicits apology from vice chancellor | Arlington | News from Fort Wort... (http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/01/28/3695417/tcc-wedding-gaffe-elicits-apology.html#storylink=cpy - broken link)

[hypocore]

Follow up article in today's Star Telegram:

TCC wedding gaffe elicits apology from vice chancellor | Arlington | News from Fort Wort... (http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/01/28/3695417/tcc-wedding-gaffe-elicits-apology.html - broken link)

The vice chancellor found the bride and apologized and told the reporter that they 'blew it'.

[naterator]

This could have all been avoided had they simply asked permission. What, did they meet at the Red Goose the night before and decide to get married the next day? Seriously.

[FW transplant]

The vice chancellor looks worse now for apologizing for something he didn't need to apologize for. The bride and groom should've asked in advance for permission. Mentioning the groom's military status was obviously used by the couple/columnist to gain sympathy.

On the flip side, the school may now realize the desire by brides to use the beautiful campus by the river for small weddings, etc. I see it as a chance for the school to make some money. What school doesn't need money these days?