Aw, shucks: Couple wed in ‘corny’ ceremony

Limestone couple exchange wedding vows during Herscher’s 50th annual Corn Bowl on Friday, July 10, 2026.

With the summer sun beaming down and heaps of fresh corn hot on the grill, Jeff Pafford and Jana Hartman said their “I-do’s” Friday beneath the bright yellow canopy of Herscher’s 50th annual Corn Bowl. After a brief exchange of vows, the Limestone couple, who have been together 13 years, took a short walk down Main Street to the hardware store they own to sign their marriage license. They then returned to the crowd to share their first dance as husband and wife.

Each holding a beer in one hand and their partner in the other, the newlyweds – dressed in a polo and jeans and a white summer dress, respectively – danced to a rendition of Orleans’ “Still the One,” performed by a live band. While not a typical ceremony, it had everything the couple wanted, including the presence of their family, friends and community. “I wanted to support the town, too,” said Hartman, who is originally from Joliet.

As two transplants to the area, with Pafford coming from New Lenox, the duo have fully embraced small-town life. “You come down here and people are so nice, and I like nice people,” Pafford said. “I love it because I’m a nice person, I think.”

They moved to Limestone 10 years ago and purchased the hardware store, now J’s Home and Hardware, in May 2024. “The community has also embraced us,” Pafford added. “We bought the store; it took six months or so to get it open again.

Once we opened, it was like a flood of support.” Pafford came up with the wedding idea because neither wanted a large, traditional ceremony, as both have been married before. With his fiancee’s approval, he brought the idea to the community and festival organizers, who welcomed it.

Their families also approved. “We said, ‘Isn’t that kind of corny? Getting married during Corn Bowl, in the street?’” noted Debbie Watts, of Joliet, the mother of the bride.

“But then it was like, ‘Yeah, Why not? Everybody we know is there, and we’ll invite family and friends.’” Emilie Mullin, of Dwight, the daughter of the bride, said she is excited for the marriage.

“Jeff was already like a stepdad to me,” said Mullin, a 2021 Herscher High School graduate. “He came into my life and played the role of a dad, even though he didn’t really have to.” The Herscher Lions Club, which organizes the Corn Bowl, confirmed that three pallets containing more than 1,000 ears of corn were prepared during Friday’s festivities, as well as 50 pork roasts.

That’s up from two pallets of corn and 40 pork roasts last year.