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| Couple with ties to Titanic to wed among ship's artifacts |
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| Written by CARRIE ANTLFINGER, Associated Press Writer |
| Tuesday, 12 May 2009 15:41 |
 MILWAUKEE (AP) - A couple with a special connection to the Titanic plan to marry among the ship's artifacts at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Melissa Vartanian, 28, and Vache Mikaelian, 31, will wed Friday at Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.Melissa Vartanian's great-grandfather, David Vartanian, was fleeing Turkish occupation in Armenia when he boarded the Titanic. He planned to later send for his new bride, Mary. When the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912 - Vartanian's 22nd birthday - he survived by hanging on the side of a lifeboat. It took him about six years after he recovered to find his wife by searching through newspapers, churches, orphanages and sending numerous letters to Armenia, Melissa Vartanian said. Then it took another five or so years for the couple to be reunited. Melissa Vartanian said her great-grandparents died before she was born, but she grew up hearing about their story, which she called "the greatest love story I've ever known." "This is amazing," she said. "This would be a great tribute to this amazing love story and great tribute for my family." Viewers picked the couple as the winners of a wedding contest run by WTMJ-TV and its morning talk show. The television station paid for the rehearsal dinner, reception, honeymoon, bride's dress and other costs. About 1,500 people died when the so-called "unsinkable" ship sank after striking an iceberg on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in 1912. The Milwaukee exhibit runs until May 25. Visitors receive boarding passes for someone who was on the ship, along with some biographical information, and at the end of the exhibit, they learn whether their person survived. David Vartanian's boarding pass will be included in the wedding programs for their 100 guests, Melissa Vartanian said. The rehearsal dinner also will have a Titanic theme. A local restaurant will provide a four-course dinner once served on the ship - beef consommé, oysters, filet mignon and Waldorf pudding. Vartanian said she and her fiancé have visited the Milwaukee exhibit along with other Titanic exhibits in other cities. She said some people might think it's a bad omen to get married among Titanic memorabilia, but she doesn't. "The Titanic doesn't symbolize death and destruction," she said. "It was a journey toward a better life, even though it had challenges." Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP-CS-05-10-09 1243EDT |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 May 2009 08:15 |
