Oh, what a celebration we'll have today! Wicked alum Amanda Jane Cooper married Andrew Bell on April 4. The couple, who met at Church of the City New York in October 2017, had planned to get married on April 25 in Pennsylvania, but they moved their nuptials to April 4 in light of the coronavirus lockdown. The two said "I do" in a ceremony that took place over Zoom."Around mid-March, Andrew and I were really starting to understand the severity of COVID-19," Cooper told Broadway.com. "We had read an article that courts were beginning to close down. We looked at each other and said, 'Should we just go down to the clerk's office right now and get a New York marriage license?'"Amanda Jane Cooper & Andrew Bell (Photo by Alexandra Nurthen)On March 18, the couple hopped on Citi Bikes for the six-mile ride down to the clerk's office. "We were wearing gloves and masks. It was interesting to see a lot of other couples there as well," she said. "We were married in a very short ceremony at the courthouse. At that moment, we were legally married, but we didn't consider each other husband and wife yet." Cooper and Bell decided they wanted to have a more personal celebration with family and friends to commemorate the milestone in their relationship. With the help of their wedding planner Alice Issac, two cell phone hot spots, an iPad, a laptop, two Bluetooth speakers and assistance from neighbors Stephen and Klarissa Chen (who also happened to be in the wedding party), they were able to have their wedding on April 4.The bride and groom donned their wedding day best on the roof of their apartment building. Jon Tyson of the Church of the City New York officiated the ceremony, which included just over 100 of their closest family and friends on the Zoom call; in attendance (from home) were Cooper's Wicked pals Jackie Burns, Jessica Vosk and Emily Koch. Cooper's father walked her down the aisle via FaceTime. Their wedding photographer, Alexandra Nurthen, used her camera to snap photos through Zoom all the way from her home in Annapolis, Maryland; one of them has been converted into a beautiful painting courtesy of Paintru. "This happened in an unexpected way, but what we learned is that there were so many unexpected blessings waiting for us," Cooper said of the happy occasion. The couple plans to celebrate their wedding in person next year. "April 4, 2020 is the date we will always celebrate as our wedding day," Cooper said. "Hopefully, in 2021, should we be able to, that is our great hope: to be able to get on the dance floor with everybody and hug and celebrate."After portraying the popular role on tour, Cooper made her Broadway debut as Glinda in Wicked in 2017. She joined original star Kristin Chenoweth on the Great White Way to perform in Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls. She has also appeared on the New York stage in Letter From Algeria and BUNKED! A New Musical. Her screen credits include Glee, Disney’s Jessie, CSI, Bones, ABC’s Selfie, HBO’s Hello Ladies and Smart People. Bell works as the chief of staff for the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs.
