Haley Grooms and James Pratt won a free wedding from MacRay Harbor in Harrison Township.
By: Alyssa Ochss | Mount Clemens-Clinton-Harrison Journal | Published November 20, 2025
HARRISON TOWNSHIP — Through hardship and long distance, this couple has stayed together. The icing on the cake? They won a free wedding at MacRay Harbor in Harrison Township.
Haley Grooms and James Pratt, who goes by Riley, were informed they won the wedding around six months ago and have been planning for their Nov. 21 wedding date ever since.
A press release tells their story.
Grooms worked three jobs while completing a degree at the University of Michigan. The release stated she faced extreme financial and personal hardship when she met Pratt.
“After losing her late partner in a tragic accident, Haley never imagined she would love again — until a chance encounter with James rekindled her hope,” the release stated. “Their relationship has since endured long deployments, time apart, and countless sacrifices, yet their devotion never wavered. When James proposed on their anniversary at the Detroit Riverfront, the couple began planning their dream day — only to be met with the news of another deployment just months later.”
MacRay Harbor partnered with Elite Wedding Co., Viviano Flower Shop, Christine’s Cakes and Pastries, and Ackerman & Co. to give the couple a wedding. Kelli Matthes, MacRay Harbor sales manager, will officiate the wedding.
Pratt has been in the United States Navy for around seven years. He and Grooms said they met at a bar. Pratt got a ride from Grooms, and she said he was begging for her phone number and told his friend he was going to marry her.
“I didn’t know her name,” Pratt said. “I think I might have said maybe one, two sentences to her the whole night, but when we got in there something in me knew.”
Grooms said she and Pratt are the same person in different genders.
“We do everything together,” Grooms said.
They bowl together and go everywhere together.
“We really are each other’s biggest teammates, biggest supporters,” Grooms said. “If you find me, you find him.”
Pratt said he had a “deer in the headlights” moment when he found out they won the wedding. Grooms said she started crying, stating it’s not something that usually happens to her.
“I’ve never experienced so much joy, and it was really overwhelming,” Grooms said.
Grooms said her dad cried when he found out about the free wedding. It’s a big deal for her whole family as her grandparents are nearly 90 years old. She didn’t think they’d be there for her special day.
Pratt said he’s excited to see Grooms walk down the aisle while Grooms is excited to dance the night away. Pratt and Grooms also said they’ve taken dance classes for months to surprise their friends and family with a choreographed first dance.
Grooms said their story is one of resilience.
“It really shows that love can find you in some really unpredictable places, and never give up, not just on yourself, but on relationships, and push through because there’s always going to be a light at the end of the tunnel,” Grooms said.
She went on to say even when you think you’re not deserving of love, there will be someone out there who will prove you wrong. Pratt said they’ve been together almost three years.
“We’ve had over long distance, the hard conversations and the high-stress situations, but we always knew we were each other’s rocks throughout,” Pratt said.
Grooms advised couples to not go to bed angry.
“That’s just a recipe for disaster,” Grooms said. “Trust and communication is huge. I mean, don’t stress over small things because they’re not going to matter in five, 10 years from now.”
Maybe even a week or two, Pratt added.