Couple wins free wedding in USC contest

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Their first date was on the Horseshoe, and he proposed there two years later. Now, Brian Morris and Jillian Owens will receive a free wedding from the University of South Carolina’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management.

Owens is a USC graduate. She and Morris have been selected by students in the college’s wedding planning class to receive the 40^th UofSC Love Story Wedding. Everything from dresses to tuxedoes, even the honeymoon, is provided for free — but Owens and Morris have to trust USC students to make all the planning decisions.

More than a dozen couples from across the state applied for the wedding, which will be held later this fall. Owens and Morris were selected by the students because of the emotions they stirred with their application essay, their love for USC and their demonstration of a need for a free wedding, according to a news release from the university.

Students said the couple’s connection to USC is what led to their selection. After the couple met on the Horseshoe for their first date, Morris, a Navy veteran, proposed in the same spot on their anniversary two years later. The couple, who live in Columbia, often walk their dog, Douglas, on campus.

Although an exact date has not yet been announced, the wedding will be in November at a location to be determined by the class. Students have no budget for the wedding, as community businesses and vendors provide everything at no cost.

The USC hospitality management degree program was ranked seventh in the country in a recent poll.