The dance floor was packed and Taralynn Smelzter was having the time of her life.
That’s when the lights went out.
The 25-year-old newlywed would soon learn that a power pole fell on a guest’s car and that the live wires from the pole would keep 11 guests’ cars unreachable outside Paris Caterers, her wedding venue in Berlin, Camden County.
The pole snapped about halfway up, dropping a transformer and live wires onto the wet parking lot, according to Berlin police Lieutenant Joshua Smith. The transformer was leaking fluid and had live wires attached to it, he said.
Police arrived about 7 p.m. and put up caution tape to section off the 11 cars in the unsafe section of parking lot, Smith said. Police directed folks away from the unsafe portion of the parking lot until it was deemed safe at 10:47 p.m., Smith said.
“It was upsetting,” said Smeltzer, the Maple Shade native who recently relocated to Texas with her husband, Jacob Smeltzer.
It’s unclear why the pole fell. A message sent to Atlantic City Electric wasn’t immediately returned Sunday. Nor were messages left with the Berlin police and fire departments.
The fallen pole totaled the maid of honor’s boyfriend’s car and damaged others, Taralynn Smeltzer said.
The air conditioning and main power went out, although the DJ had a backup system to keep music playing and some of LED lights operated on battery power.
The ceremony, cocktails and best man toast had been completed when the power went out. The venue was booked from 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. So when guests wanted to leave, some of them couldn’t get past the caution tape, Smith said.
The venue extended the DJ and cocktails for an extra half hour.
But there was confusion over what was happening outside, the bride said. She said she was told none of the guests could leave the venue safely. She said she was told the guests would have to leave their cars overnight, although Smith said the guests were free to leave whenever they wanted. Smith and Smeltzer agreed that some guests decided to get rides home rather than wait until the wires were safely moved.
Messages left with Paris Caterers were not immediately returned Sunday.
Smeltzer said the night was admittedly overwhelming. Already dealing with the nerves of becoming a new bride, now she was concerned about the welfare of their guests and their cars.
But she made the best of it.
“People were still dancing and having a good time. So I tried my best to go out and talk, and, luckily, we did really have a good time,” she said.
She’s grateful first responders arrived in time to prevent anyone from getting harmed.
Now she has her sights set on San Francisco, where she’s headed early Monday for her honeymoon.
The Smeltzers will always remember their wedding, both for its personal significance and the chaos.
Maybe they’ll even laugh about it someday.
“At least give it six months,” Jacob Smeltzer said.
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