Love pervaded the atmosphere and Valentines Day was ready for it. So was Linda Bobrin, Esquire, Bucks County Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans’ Court.
Bobrin’s Vows and Valentines (Weddings for Heroes) was so successful last year that it bore repeating on Feb. 14 with the second annual Vows and Valentines wedding and vow renewal ceremony. The event took place in the third floor rotunda of the Bucks County Courthouse Administrative Building in Doylestown at noon. Ceremonies were officiated by Judge Brian T. McGuffin, Cantor Neil Schnitzer and Rev. Dr. Susan Sciarratta, Pastor, Parkland Community Church.
Bobrin opened the program with an overview of what to expect.
“The couples will be married first as a group and then separately,” she said.
McGuffin performed the single vow renewal between Kristen and Ryan Soltis, who met in an electrical supply house 10 years ago, followed by the first group ceremony.
“What better time to do a wedding than Valentines Day,” McGuffin commented. He spoke of marriage in terms of “an esteemed institution, loyalty, caring, and fulfillment of longing for connection.”
Sciarratta took the second group using both humor and poetry.
“7-Eleven is the place you can find a Slurpee and also a mate,” she said in reference to the initial meeting of one couple. She then turned to a more serious side quoting Maya Angelou’s poetry saying, “Love recognizes no barriers.” She ended with, “I now pronounce you legally wed.”
Cantor Neil Schnitzer injected humor into his homily through the words of humorist Erma Bombeck, who once noted, “Marriage has no guarantees — if that’s what you’re looking for go buy a car battery.”
Over 200 were in attendance with a goodly amount of the color red seen floating around the rotunda in honor of Valentines Day. This year’s group surpassed the number of couples wed last year.
Couples received bridal flowers, boutonnieres, photography services, a wedding video, catering, live music and wedding gifts. Services were donated by local businesses. Participating local vendors include Courtney Kanig Photography, Doylestown Wedding Studio/Cortineo Creative, Fleurish Floral Design by Bucks-Mont Party Rental, James Best Videography, The Novel Baker, Love Salon Southampton, and Piccolo Trattoria.
In addition to the wedding program and reception at the old courthouse, several Bucks County district judges offered wedding ceremonies on Valentine’s Day. Participating judges included: Judge Gary Gambardella, Judge Stacy Wertman, Judge Maggie Snow, Judge Regina Armitage, Judge Mick Petrucci, Judge Corryn Kronnagel, Judge Dan Finello, Senior Judge Joanne Kline, Judge Dan Baranoski, Judge Terry Hughes, Judge Kevin Wagner, Judge Frank Peranteau, Judge Michael Gallagher, and Judge Joe Falcone.
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