Couple Who Met During Emo Karaoke Marry in Church from My Chemical Romance’s ‘Helena’
Imagine meeting the love of your life at an Emo Karaoke night and then marrying in the same iconic church featured in a My Chemical Romance music video! That’s exactly what happened for Vanessa and Jordan, a couple who recently made headlines for their unique wedding at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, California.
This couple’s love story is just as unique as their wedding. Vanessa and Jordan met a few months before the pandemic, thanks to their mutual friends. It was during a night out with these friends that Jordan was introduced to Vanessa at an Emo Nite karaoke event.
Vanessa admits she was a bit worried that her outgoing personality might have scared Jordan off. “That night, it was all me talking and him sitting there with his drink, not saying much. I thought, ‘This guy doesn’t like me,’ but his friends later told me, ‘No, he’s just very nervous. He said you were cute,’” Vanessa shares.
Despite the quiet start, Jordan mustered up the courage to ask for Vanessa’s number, and they soon found themselves on a memorable first date at a Korean barbecue restaurant. This particular restaurant has since become a yearly stop for the couple to celebrate their special day.
On one anniversary, Vanessa noticed Jordan acting strangely and suspected he might propose. Though the day didn’t turn out as expected, a few weeks later, right before Vanessa went in for a major surgery, Jordan proposed. “I’m sitting there crying, and the nurse is like, ‘No, no. Don’t put the ring on her,’ because I was already prepped for surgery,” Vanessa recalls with a laugh. “He put it on my hand before I woke up afterward.”
When it came time to plan their wedding, they reminisced about past conversations. “When we first started talking about the wedding, I joked, ‘What if we get married in the ‘Helena’ music video church?” Being a big My Chemical Romance fan, Vanessa had previously attended events at the Immanuel Presbyterian Church, the same place that featured prominently in the ‘Helena’ video.
Beyond its musical fame, this iconic church has also appeared in films like The Amazing Spider-Man, John Wick, Sister Act 2, and Legally Blonde 2. Initially, the couple thought booking the popular venue might be out of reach, but fortune favored them when their dating anniversary date was available.
“We had already decided we only wanted to do a ceremony because we have so many family members and friends, but not many that we see often or are very close to,” Vanessa explains. They contemplated eloping but ultimately wanted to find a way to include everyone. This venue felt like the perfect compromise.
The journey from engagement to wedding day wasn’t without a few jitters. “At first, it didn’t seem real. Then we went to the church for the walkthrough and saw everything, including the suites. I remember walking out of there and sitting in the car and asking Jordan if this was for real,” Vanessa recounts.
The couple worked tirelessly to make the venue resemble the ‘Helena’ video, incorporating numerous DIY elements. On the big day, however, they were met with unexpected rain, reminiscent of their first date. “We got to the church to set up and put down our flowers. Friends helped, and slowly, it started to come to life like in the music video. I started to cry because it was too perfect,” she says, her joy evident.
Most of their guests were unaware of the church’s musical connection. Vanessa crafted pamphlets styled similarly to those in the video, and inside was a photo of her and Jordan, designed to resemble the demolition lovers from My Chemical Romance’s ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’ album cover. She aimed for subtle yet meaningful details throughout.
One cherished touch was the Lovers table, showcasing wedding photos of family members and celebrating the relationships that paved the way for Vanessa and Jordan’s love story. “We had photos of his grandparents, his great-grandparents, his parents, and we had pictures of my great-grandparents, my parents, and my grandparents all on their wedding days,” she shares.
Their wedding photos shared on TikTok quickly went viral, much to Vanessa’s surprise. “It’s been a little bit crazy. I had one person say, ‘Oh she’s living the generation’s dream.’ And it was really special to me, as a big My Chemical Romance fan, with a husband who was on board and loved it as well. I love that it’s been so positive and that people are so happy for us,” she says, beaming with pride.
