© 2024 WUKY
background_fid.jpg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

WUKY StoryCorps: Power Couple Kept Engagement, Wedding Casual

Kathy and Alan Stein

By WUKY Staff

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-971193.mp3

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Before they were a central Kentucky power couple, state Senator Kathy Stein and Lexington Legends President Alan Stein were two young professionals who struck up a whirlwind courtship.

They met at a holiday party on December 19, 1987. Three months later, Alan was ready to propose at Lynagh's Irish Pub on St. Patrick's Day.

"My buddies had gotten a table kind of toward the back of the place. And Alan came in with a green carnation," recalls Kathy. "He said, Kathy Hancock will you marry me?' And I said well of course I'll marry you!' And all my friends swooned."

Alan remembers having a lot of vodka and grapefruit juice that night.

Not long after their engagement, Kathy and Alan were married during an informal ceremony at the downtown Lexington gallery ArtsPlace. It was May 15, 1988.

Alan says the casual set up of the event actually caused a great deal of stress for both his mother and Kathy's mother.

"The invitation that we sent to folks basically said 2-5p.m. There was no real time on it. But of course many of the people who were of the previous generation assumed that meant that there would be a wedding at 2 o'clock."

Kathy didn't show up until around 3:15 p.m.

"Both of our mothers were freaking out because the bride had decided not to show, they thought," laughs Alan.

Alan says by then he was used to Kathy's "sense of calendar."

Kathy and Alan Stein shared their memories at the StoryCorps mobile recording booth in Lexington. Their conversation will be archived at the Library of Congress. Listen for other local StoryCorps recording's Tuesday's at 8:35 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. on WUKY.