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Newlyweds’ kiss photobombed by 1,000-foot Great Lakes freighter

Apr 09, 2019 08:38AM ● By Editor

Caitlin and Jake Olson do a dip-and-kiss while the Paul R. Tregurtha glides past. Photo courtesy of Through Laura's Lens Photography.


By Tanda Gmiter | [email protected]

It’s not every day a 1,013-foot freighter photobombs your wedding pictures.

But for Caitlin and Jake Olson, having the Paul R. Tregurtha – known to ship enthusiasts as the “Queen of the Lakes” - glide into the harbor in Duluth, Minn. as their wedding party was getting photos taken on the docks Saturday was kind of perfect.

“It was awesome,” Caitlin Olson said. “We saw it coming and we ran down there so we wouldn’t miss it.”

A photo of the newly-married couple embracing and the Great Lakes’ longest ship in the background has quickly made the rounds on social media in the last couple days.

Caitlin and Jake Olson married April 6 2019 in Duluth Photo courtesy of Through Lauras Lens Photography

Caitlin and Jake Olson, married April 6, 2019 in Duluth. Photo courtesy of Through Laura's Lens Photography.

While the newlyweds didn’t know which freighter it was at first, living near the busy port of Duluth, they both love watching the big ships come in under the Aerial Lift Bridge. This Duluth landmark has a deck that lifts high in the air, allowing freighters from Lake Superior to go underneath and access the bay for cargo loading and unloading.

The couple, who have been together five years, met in Duluth and love going to that city’s Canal Park to watch the ships.

On Saturday, they were saying their vows on the second-floor rooftop deck of the Pier B hotel in front of 185 guests from across the country when the Interlake Steamship Company’s flagship freighter started making her way into port.

Wedding photographer Laura Plys quickly assembled the couple and the wedding party on the dock below for some waterfront group photos.

The dip-and-kiss with the PRT behind them turned out to be a winner.

“I grew up in Duluth and it never gets old,” Plys said of people’s fascination with the big freighters. “There is something so magical about the shipping industry and the bridge and the lake. It’s such a draw.”


To read more on this story and see related reporting follow this link to them mlive.com website.  https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/04/newlyweds-kiss-photobombed-by-1000-foot-great-lakes-freighter.htm...

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