Couple unhappy about thwarted Snake Alley wedding

BURLINGTON (AP) ? A Burlington couple thought one of the most crooked streets in the world would be the perfect spot for their small wedding.

But after a day of twists and turns that left the ceremony pushed to a sidewalk, they?ve changed their minds.

?I handled it pretty well at the moment,? bride Carrie Krieger said. ?But the more I think about it, the madder I get.?

The Burlington Hawk Eye reports Carrie and her husband, Jeff Krieger, didn?t want to get married in a typical spot and thought Snake Alley would be perfect. The 275-foot-long brick lane winds up a hill and has been deemed the world?s most crooked street, though most think San Francisco?s Lombard Street merits that title.

The couple paid a $50 city rental fee months ago that allowed them to use the street as long as traffic wasn?t blocked.

But everything fell apart Saturday afternoon when Carrie Krieger got a call from her niece Kendalyn Davolt, who was setting up chairs.

?Carrie,? she said. ?The cops are here.?

The problem came when Davolt and others preparing for the ceremony parked a truck to unload chairs.

First they had to move for a carload of visitors from Indiana. Then a group of bicyclists wanted to ride down the slope.

Officers arrived and initially seemed satisfied by the rental fee receipt and city contract, but then police sought an official word from parks superintendent Ryan Gourley, who called off the event.

Gourley said he thought the ceremony would be on one of several adjacent grassy knolls, but the contract didn?t specify.

The wedding was moved to a concrete platform in front of the First United Church of Christ, overlooking the street.

The Rev. Shane McCampbell, a member of the Burlington City Council, conducted the marriage and was disappointed the couple had to move.

McCampbell said he?s conducted other weddings on the street and never had a problem.

?And I don?t even think they went through the steps these people did,? he said. ?I was kind of upset about that.?

The city likely will return the $50 fee, but it will take a few weeks because the City Council must approve the refund.

Carrie Krieger said she thinks the city should cover the costs of her invitations, chair rentals and anguish.

Gourley said one thing is for sure. There will be no more weddings on Snake Alley.

?It?s kind of disappointing, but we can?t have this happen again,? he said.