‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Tells Ken Jennings She Is Getting Married Straight After Show

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What is… wedding bells? A Jeopardy! contestant told host Ken Jennings that being on the game show wasn’t the highlight of her day because she was going to get married straight after her episode.

Polly Bethea,  from Athens, Texas, played against two-day champion Shannon Leigh Godwin and new contestant Harshish Chitkara on October 27. She didn’t win, ending with a final total of $4,608. The creative director ended in second place, going home with $3,000. Godwin, an interior designer, won her third game.

Despite Bethea losing, she went home with something better — a husband. During the anecdotes, Bethea told Jennings that right after she filmed this episode, she and her fiancée were going to get married in California.

“A creative director who is on Jeopardy! today, and I’m told this is not even the highlight of your day,” Jennings said.

“I’m getting married,” she shrugged.

“You’re getting married tonight?” the host asked.

“Well…” Bethea nodded and shrugged. Jennings asked her how it all came together, if she had the wedding scheduled before coming on the show.

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“Actually, it’s because of Jeopardy!, kind of,” Bethea said. “We’ve been together for almost two decades, but we’re procrastinators, and we never got around to doing it for real.” Jennings laughed. “It started off as a joke. While we were planning the trip out here, we were like ‘While we’re in Los Angeles, let’s get married.”

“The joke started making a lot of sense, so we landed, we went to the courthouse, we got our marriage license. After this, we’re heading out. I brought my dress. It’s in the green room,” Bethea said.

“Hold on! I didn’t get you anything,” Jennings said. “That’s amazing. Congratulations!” The show then panned to the groom in the audience, who waved. “We’re honored that you chose our day to do it.”

Fans reacted to her story on Reddit. “Your wedding after your game story was almost surely the best post-game plan I have heard in over 38 years of watching Jeopardy!” one said.

“Thanks! It really was an excellent day!” the game show contestant replied.

There is no public photo of Bethea and her now-husband’s wedding or of her dress.

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