GIRARD - The Shiloh Full-Gospel Church in Girard is scheduled to be filled May 6 with a wedding party dressed in Scottish-style clothes along with a bagpiper playing the wedding march.
Niles residents Brenda and Timothy Culver have been waiting for their friends Mary-Ellen Edmonds from Chelmsford Essex, England, and John Ronald Bunyan from Glasglow, Scotland, to arrive for a ceremony.
The couple arrived in late April. They were scheduled to arrive earlier, but due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland their plans were delayed. Theirs was among flights all across Europe that were delayed for more than a week in mid-April.
Culver said Edmonds and Runyan arrived safely April 28.
The Culvers met Edmonds and Bunyan four years ago on the Internet and have invited the couple, whom they consider among their best friends, for three prior visits to America.
"They found a church here, thousands of miles away, for their wedding," Culver said of their home church in Girard.
When the Culvers renewed their wedding vows dressed as pirates at the same church, Edmonds and Bunyan were there.
Edmonds and Bunyan planned a traditional Scottish wedding in Scottish attire. Warren area bagpipes player Brian Crites is set to perform as the bride walks down the aisle.
''Our pastor is also going to dress up for the wedding,'' Culver said.
Pastor Nicholas Furrie said he will wear a Royal Stewart tartan kilt, which is the groom's clans' colors.
Furrie met the couple a few years ago, and the couple asked if he would marry them. He was also looking forward to the wedding this week, but believes everything happens for a reason.
"I believe God has a plan for it or it wouldn't have went the way it did and it's a reason that it's going to be later," Furrie said of the slight change in wedding days due to the volcano.
Culver said the couple chose the Girard church because ''whenever they come to visit, we always take them to church. They tell us the church is like a big family to them. They fell in love with our church family.
Edmonds told her the wedding in England would be much smaller with just a few people and the vicar.
''Mary Ellen told me the wind shifted with the smoke from the volcano being directly over the flight route they would have to take to Canada. She told me they can't wait until their feet are on American soil,'' Culver said.
Culver was able to get in contact with everyone to let them know the wedding date is May 6.
Lorraine Lewis of Vienna, a member of the church who was preparing food for the wedding reception, said the delay was necessary for the bride and groom's safety.
''We want them to be safe coming here so a delay is necessary,'' she said.
Lewis said the wedding should be quite interesting with men wearing Scottish kilts and everyone dressed up in Scottish style attire.
''Everyone is so excited and can't wait for the wedding,'' Culver said.