Local couple’s passion for music leads to wedding that went all the way to ’11’

IDAHO FALLS — Love often blossoms from shared interests. For Madi Danger and Jay Aspen of Idaho Falls, that interest was music. Music helped to draw them to one another. They bonded over music while getting to know one another and falling in love.

“We are both each other’s first relationship and we started dating in high school,” Madi told EastIdahoNews.com. ”When we first started going out, both of us were pretty into 80s metal. We both really liked Metallica at the time. That’s kind of what we bonded over.”

“That was it,” Jay added. “As soon as I found out (Madi) was into Metallica and saw that she writes her ‘m’s the way she does, I thought ‘She’s not one of those ‘Oh, I kind of like the ‘Black Album’ fans. She was the type to say ‘Let’s listen to ‘Ride the Lightning’ and headbang down the street.’ In this area especially, it was rare to find someone who likes what I like about Metallica but also happened to be female.”

The couple dated for nine years, sharing the music they love with one another the whole time. While Madi introduced Jay to goth bands like Vision Video, Jay got Madi into bands like Nine Inch Nails and Rammstein.

“I joked recently that part of our dynamic is that I’m the ’80s and he’s the ’90s,” said Madi. “We both like some of both decades’ music, but I listen to a lot more ’80s goth and metal and he listens to a lot more ’90s music. I think we both bridge gaps there, which is kind of fun.”

When they decided it was time to tie the knot this past December, their passion for music led them to plan a totally rockin’ ’80s-influenced wedding. They chose to get married at Trinity United Church in Idaho Falls because to its Tudor-Gothic architecture and exchanged guitars instead of rings.

“We were looking at guitars because we’re both guitar people,” said Madi. “We both have always liked the Gibson Explorers. So we were looking at them for fun one day and I joked about it. I was like ‘We could do wedding guitars. (Jay) could get the white one and I could get the black one and that would kind of fit us.’”

Further thought convinced the couple that exchanging guitars instead of rings was actually a good idea. Not only would it be a reflection of who they are as a couple, but it was also a great reason to buy each other expensive instruments they wouldn’t normally splurge for.

The couple also chose plenty of rock music to serve as their wedding soundtrack. They walked down the aisle to the organ intro of Ozzy Osbourne’s Mr. Crowley. Songs by The Cure, Sisters of Mercy, Van Halen and Helix also played as part of the event.

Even the wedding cake got a rock-n-roll touch.

“We went up to my grandma’s house for the reception,” said Madi. “She had gotten us a black cake that I didn’t know about. It turned everybody’s mouths completely black. It was pretty fun.”

After the wedding, Madi, who has a large following on TikTok and Instagram, posted a video from the event. It spread like wildfire and before too long, Madi and Jay’s story was popping up in online heavy music outlets like Metal Hammer, Loudwire and The Pit. Their story even ran on Guitar World.

“That was really weird,” Madi said. “I knew (the video) would get some attention because people follow me online. But I didn’t expect it to become the most popular video I’ve ever made. For a while, like every day for weeks, I’d wake up and find out I was in a new article somewhere. I wouldn’t know until someone would tag me in it.”

You can keep up with what Madi Danger’s up to by following her social media at:

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