Three years ago, Chase Padgett was putting himself out there… but not in the name of love.
He was a performer at the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival when a smitten audience member yelled at him in a playful way.
“We met on Aug. 23, 2017 outside of Steel Wheels after the Late Night Cabaret,” Padgett said. “I was the guest musician that evening, and she saw me play.”
The two shared their love story with Global News at their wedding rehearsal Thursday night.
Watch below: Todd James reviews “Chase Padgett: Heart Attacks and Other Blessings”
Christina Garies says their first words that night were funny, but not safe for work.
The two stayed in touch, and after Padgett suffered a heart attack on a cruise ship later that year, Garies reached out.
Since then, their romance has been hot and fast. As Padgett was preparing for his 2018 fringe show, he also had other plans for that year’s festival.
“He proposed to me outside of Steel Wheels where I first yelled at him the year before,” Garies said.
“Yep… I am the king of romance,” Padgett said. “Nothing says forever like Bul Go Gi Pizza.”
It’s quite possibly one of the most Edmonton-Fringe love stories that could ever be told.
“Three fringes, two years and a whole lot of adventure,” Padgett said.
Their love is so deeply rooted at the festival, that they’ll wed there Friday night in a show called Chase Padgett Gets Married!
READ MORE: Fringe Festival performer apologizes after incident at late-night cabaret
“We are getting married but it’s a big fringe cabaret,” Padgett said. “So there’s a bunch of different acts… and one of the acts in the variety show is our ceremony.”
The two will be surrounded by family, friends and complete strangers as they tie the knot Friday — everyone certain to see this love story through in true fringe fashion.
There won’t be an immediate honeymoon vacation for Padgett and Garies.
Padgett chronicles the love story in his one man show Chase Padgette: Heart Attacks and Other Blessings for the last time on Sunday night at the fringe.