On 12/12/12, they say 'I do'
On 12/12/12, they say 'I do'
THERESA CAMPBELL | Staff Writer
theresacampbell@dailycommercial.com
An easy-to-remember date -- 12/12/12 -- noted as the last triple number sequence of the century, spawned lovebirds across the world and even in Lake County to say "I do" on Wednesday.
A total of 17 civil marriage ceremonies were performed by clerks throughout the county, officials said.
"This feels awesome," said Carlos Nicholls, 21, of Clermont, immediately after he married Samantha Carr, 21, his school sweetheart of six years, dressed in a white satin gown.
"She's beautiful, intelligent, nice and sweet," he said of his bride, the woman he first met in middle school.
"We are best friends," she said of the man she wants to be with for the rest of her life. "I think he is the funniest guy in the world."
The couple tied the knot shortly after noon at Minneola City Hall in a ceremony performed by deputy clerk Cynthia Akins while surrounded by both of their brothers and proud, camera-clicking parents.
"This is a very special date today," said Maria Nicholls, mother of the groom.
Teresa Carr, mother of the bride, suggested the 12/12/12 wedding date to the couple who had initially planned to get married on the November anniversary of when they began dating.
It wasn't hard to convince the pair of the uniqueness of 12/12/12.
Karen Parent, 68, and Lamoine Jensen, 74, were the first couple to get married on the triple-digit date at Minneola City Hall, where they became husband and wife at 9 a.m.
Parent recalled it was Jensen who proposed the 12/12/12 date.
"He said, 'Do you want to get married on 12/12/12?' and I said, 'It sounds to me this is a man that is terrible about remembering dates.'"
The couple met at Royal Highlands, the Leesburg retirement community where they both lived. They were among a group of six couples that would golf and go on outings together. After their former spouses passed away in 2005 and 2008, they consoled each other and their friendship blossomed into romance.
"She feels so good to wrap my arms around," Jensen said of his bride.
"He's the right guy and a good guy," Parent said of what she admires about the groom. "Both of our families think the marriage is wonderful."
Deputy clerk Joette Hilton performed the ceremony and also served as the photographer for the pair before they took off for a honeymoon in St. Augustine.
"We see that a lot in retirement communities," Hilton said of older couples who marry their friends after their former spouses pass away. "It's real sweet."
David Purvis, 20, Nikki Storer, 20, both of Clermont, were among the 17 couples in Lake County who chose to marry in a civil ceremony, while they were surrounded by their parents and the bride's 3-year-old son, Dylan as they recited their vows: "With this ring, I thee wed in love and truth."
Little Dylan capture the attention of his grandparents as he smiled for the camera throughout the ceremony.
"It's cool that it's 12/12/12," the groom's father, Bob Purvis, said of the wedding. "I won't forget their anniversary."
Deputy clerks Hilton and Akins have already eyed the 2013 calendar to see what the next big wedding day will be for civil weddings, besides Valentine's Day.
"We're thinking next year a big wedding date will be 11/12/13," Hilton said. "That's a Tuesday and we will be busy that day."
Friday, December 21, 2012 - www.dailycommercial.com/21dec2012wed