The sign inside of the church directed guests to the Big Top.

Colorful balloon bouquets replaced flowers, even for the flower girl.

Everyone in the wedding party, and about a dozen guests, dressed in clown garb, clown antics included.

And as all attention turned to the bride coming down the aisle, chuckles bounced around the room. She carried a bag of flour instead of flowers. Her train was just that - a wooden train (the kind with wheels and a whistle).

The ceremony began with "Ladies and Gentlemen, and children of all ages."

Clowns Bob "Mulligan" and Karen "Flower" Smith renewed their vows Saturday at Community Christian Church in Moline.

There were all kinds of giggles.

But the vows were all serious.

Love. Honor. Cherish.

Mulligan and Flower are having health problems. He has diabetes and heart troubles. She is battling breast cancer. So the two decided now was a great time to celebrate their marriage and their love with close family and friends.

"It lets everyone know we're going to make it together no matter what," said Flower, who told the tale of how Mulligan shaved his head when she lost her hair. He talked about how she was at the hospital no matter what while he recovered from a toe amputation and heart attack.

The two met in 1998, on the Quad-Cities Singles Line, 797-DATE. They married a year later. A year after that, she dressed up as a clown for a church festival. He had been clowning since 1984.

They are now members of the Quad-City Clown Troup together.

Hiccups the Clown was a bridesmaid and is a close friend of Flower's. The Smiths take care of each other, she said.

"She is the most caring person you could ever meet," she said before tearing up.

It's hard to see a clown cry.

Groomsman Doodles the Clown was a most enthusiastic member of the wedding party. Because Doodles is a mime clown, it's impossible quote him about that enthusiasm.

It can be said, however, that he has a really funny handshake trick.

The Rev. Louis Cheek acknowledged that maybe not every pastor would agree to a ceremony with clowns. He chooses to look at ceremonies such as Saturday's as events that should reflect the couple, within reason.

Clowns were quite reasonable in this case, he said.

"They love each other dearly, and they enjoy what they do," he said while talking after the ceremony.

His suit had clown make-up on it from all the hugs.