This was the wild scene at this year’s L Street Brownies polar plunge

A wedding and subsequent chilly dip was just one highlight of the venerable South Boston tradition.

Matthew McConnell embraced his bride Christina Nardone after the two tied the knot right before taking the plunge into Dorchester Bay during the L Street Brownies annual New Year's Day polar plunge Wednesday. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff

By Peter Chianca

January 2, 2025

2 minutes to read

Just when you thought the L Street Brownies polar plunge couldn’t get any wilder, along comes Christina Nardone and her fiancé, Matthew McConnell.

Or should we say, her husband — the Wakefield couple got married just before diving into Dorchester Bay on Wednesday.

“We decided we wanted to do it super untraditional. So we picked this,” Nardone told the Boston Globe, which reported that the pair has been doing the annual plunge ever since they met 13 years ago.

The couple’s participation seems an appropriate addition to the storied event. Since 1904, the L Street Brownies polar bear club in South Boston has held the annual polar plunge on the first day of the new year. Hundreds of people run into the chilly cold water of Dorchester Bay on the morning of Jan. 1 in various stages of dress or undress, from traditional swimwear to unique costumes. (And now, a tux and bridal gown.)

This year’s event featured the usual wackiness down at M Street Beach, plus some fun additions (besides the newlyweds) — most notably a recreation of the movie “Jaws,” complete with character lookalikes, a “Beach Closed” sign, and a faux shark. The classic film, filmed on Martha’s Vineyard, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

See below for a glimpse of this year’s polar plunge.