STRATEGIC PARTNERS
May 29, 2000
ST. HELENA, Calif. -- Lesa McGill and Laurence Etcheberry got more than cash during an encounter at a Bank of America ATM in the small Napa Valley town of St. Helena, some 75 miles north of San Francisco. The pair's chance encounter led to a love match. On Saturday, the two married where their relationship began -- at the ATM. Their families were caught off guard when the couple said they wanted to get married at the ATM, but later decided they liked the idea. McGill and Etcheberry considered many locations for the wedding, at one time talking about tying the knot in Switzerland. "Then, it just came to me," McGill said. "That's it! We always talk about that first time bumping into each other at the ATM in St. Helena. Let's get married there." Local Bank of America branch manager Pam Rubio and Region Executive Marlene Stante had never fielded such an unusual request from two customers. "We were thrilled to be part of their special day," said Stante, who believes the McGill/Etcheberry wedding ceremony was the first ever at an ATM. The ATM was draped in a floral arrangement donated by St. Helena Florists. As wedding favors, the bank provided souvenir ATM cards reading "Congratulations, Lesa and Laurence." The bride was driven to the wedding in a 1933 Lincoln KB automobile that is owned by the bank. As a special surprise, the bride and groom were given three minutes to withdraw as much cash as possible from their favorite Bank of America ATM. They managed to net $840 for additional honeymoon cash. Etcheberry has been a Bank of America customer since age 10 when his parents opened his first savings account. He uses ATMs most of the time. McGill has been a customer since 1989. She banks almost entirely at ATMs and online.
