May 5, 2005

Street Talk by Carol Rosen

What is your impression of the bride who got cold feet and took off four days before her wedding, sparking a nationwide search? Have you ever known anyone who got cold feet before the wedding?
(Asked at Almaden Center)

“I think she’s very immature. I don’t think her fiancée should marry her. She should pay restitution for the cost of the search. I’m appalled that she would put her family through that. I think everyone gets cold feet. But I don’t know anyone who ran away. Everyone gets nervous before they get married.”

Carrie Morton, 41
Almaden / Housewife and personal trainer

“She should have thought very carefully before agreeing to the wedding. It’s irresponsible of her to run away without telling anyone and then lie about it. I don’t know anyone that got cold feet before their wedding, but [I know] lots of people that had regrets afterward and their marriages didn’t last long. People seem to say yes [about getting married] without thinking it through very carefully.”

Elizabeth DeBruin, 41
Almaden / Chiropractor

“If you go on the Internet, there’s a picture of a goofy looking girl. Why is this even newsworthy? The whole thing is ridiculous. I got cold feet [before I got married], but I went through with it and hence there was a divorce.”

Susanne Hovis, 43
Almaden / Writer

“I think the whole thing was preplanned and the young lady needs emotional and psychiatric help. She should be forgiven, but she also should be given community service, because you don’t reward sin. She lied to the police, to her fiancée and to her parents. She needs to pay for that. Why, she could have given her mother a heart attack. She bought the ticket six days before she left, she probably got the idea from that movie “Runaway Bride.” Now she’s probably going to write a book about it and make all kinds of money. She should have told people what was going on. Many people get cold feet and either put off or break off the wedding. I know of at least 100 weddings that have been put off. What she’s done is reprehensible, I feel sorry for her husband to be.”

Emanuele Cannistrace, 72
Almaden / Bishop at Gateway City Church and AMI International

“My impression is that her husband to be is making a big mistake, and that he will see similar behavior further down the stretch. If ever there was a sign that something isn’t supposed to happen, this is it. What is so hard about telling the love of your life that you don’t think you’re ready [to marry] yet. There is some major underlying psychology problem going on. To tell you the truth, I got cold feet, but went ahead with the wedding anyway. It was too hard to let my parents down since they had planned such a big wedding and a big reception. So I can relate to what she did. But I went ahead to satisfy the needs of my family and because I didn’t want to disappoint people.”

Nancy Wilson, 50
Almaden / Social service

“It’s OK to get cold feet, but it’s not OK to involve the entire community. She should be held financially accountable for the police time, the search time. She has taken valuable time from people’s lives and worried her family. I think she should pay for that time or at least do community service. I don’t know anyone who got cold feet.”

Dave Gold, 49
Almaden / Soccer pro and owner of Go for Gold