Monsoon: Soon-to-open Chandler coffee roastery sheltered newlyweds during massive storm
AZ couple had 'stormy' start to their marriage
It was set to be a day of celebrations for one couple in Chandler, but a massive monsoon storm disrupted those plans. Not all was lost, however, as a soon-to-open coffee roaster stepped in to help. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.
CHANDLER, Ariz. - Talk about a rather "stormy" start to their marriage!
As a massive monsoon storm moved through the Phoenix area on Aug. 25, Becca and Jaime were getting married at a courthouse in Chandler.
When the newlywed went outside, a massive wall of dust emerged, and wedding bells were replaced by emergency alerts on their phones.
What they're saying:
At first, Madisen Ruehle thought this would make for great photos.
"30 seconds after I said that, we’re in the dust storm and we’re running down here," Ruehle said.
That was when Paul Roupas came to the rescue, in a sense. He is the owner of Aristocrat Coffee Roasters, and while the Downtown Chandler business doesn't even open until September, Roupas saw the newlywed walk by in their wedding best.
"Just checking out the storm and all of a sudden, I see a wedding party walking," said Roupas. "I tell them, ‘Hey, get inside,’ because the storm was about to break loose and get nasty."
Dig deeper:
A place to hide from the storm became so much more than that. While the business is not officially a wedding venue, a barista inside put the newlyweds' names on the wall, made them coffee with hearts, and even provided a wedding dessert.
"They ended up toasting each other with vanilla ice cream," Roupas recounted.
But it was their first dance that might have taken the cake.
"It was really special," Ruehle said.
The couple even left a "thank you" message on a napkin following the monsoon weather.
"Thank you for keeping us safe from the storm. The Hamms," Roupas said, reading the note.
"I think it really means something that this turned into something so big," Ruehle said. "It was meant to be."