MARIETTA - It won't happen again for 100 years, so some people are taking advantage of today's date, 12-12-12, to do something special - like get married.
"I have two weddings (today). I think it's just because of the unique date - and one of those couples is getting married at 12:12 (p.m.) on 12-12-12," said Cindy Mollohan, owner of Village Cakery in Vincent.
Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz will preside over at least two weddings today.
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Photo by Evan Bevins
Jan Shepherd, floral designer with Two Peas in a Pod on Front Street in Marietta, arranges a bridal bouquet for a wedding scheduled for noon today.
"The first will be at 9 a.m., and the second at 2:30 p.m.," he said. "It's the 12-12-12 date they were looking at, and I was surprised neither couple wanted to be married at noon."
The Marietta Municipal court docket includes one marriage today that will be performed at noon by Judge Janet Dyar-Welch. The ceremony will take place in the community building at Lookout Park.
"Realizing the significance of that time frame, I've set my phone alarm at 11:45 a.m. to be sure I won't be late," Dyar-Welch said.
Fact Box
About Dec. 12, 2012
* It is believed that the date 12-12-12 brings luck and good fortune, which is why many couples have chosen to be married today.
* A survey by David's Bridal indicated 7,500 brides will wed today, a 1,446 percent increase from Dec. 12, 2011.
* At 12 minutes and 12 seconds past noon today the numerical date will be 12-12-12, 12:12:12. It will also be 12 days before Christmas.
* The next date with repetitive numerals will not occur for another 88 years-on Jan. 1, 2101.
Source: The Associated Press
That's good news for the couple - Brian Herron, 37, and Niccole Burkhart, 32, of Marietta.
"We haven't been planning the wedding for long, but thought Dec. 12 would be a neat time to have it," Herron said. "And I thought it would be an easy date to remember for our anniversary."
Burkhart said it will be a small wedding.
"We're expecting about 50 people to attend," she said. "We just thought being married on Dec. 12 would be something different to do."
The Two Peas in a Pod florist on Front Street in Marietta isn't often asked to provide flowers for a wedding in the middle of the week in December.
"I said, 'Well, when is the day?'" recalled floral designer Jan Shepherd, when she received a call about wedding arrangements. "She said, 'Wednesday, 'cause it's 12-12-12.'"
The couple is scheduled to tie the knot at noon today.
That just goes to show a wedding date - like the flowers, decorations and other aspects - aren't limited to the traditional, Shepherd said.
"Weddings can be whatever you want," she said. "You don't have to stick to the normal."
Emily Smith, sales and marketing director for the Blennerhassett Hotel in Parkersburg, said the hotel will be hosting one wedding tonight for a couple who purposefully slated the event on Dec. 12.
"I think it's just naturally happened because this is the last year we'll have this (repetitive) date for some time," she said. "And some people think it's a lucky day."
In Columbus the 12-12-12 date is being marked with a noon mass wedding event dubbed "A Celebration of Love." Bernice Potter, of Columbus, is assisting coordinator Nikki Ransom with the event to be held at the King Arts Complex in the city.
"This was her idea, but we've been friends since high school and I volunteered to help," Potter said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, both for newlyweds or those who just want to renew their marriage vows."
She said as of Tuesday nearly 100 couples had registered for the event, the first of its kind in the Columbus area.
"It's a full-blown wedding, but with one pastor presenting the marriage vows," Potter said. "There will be one featured couple, but everyone will participate and all of the couples will get a special cake."
She added that some government officials are also expected, including Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman.
As for 12-12-12 birthdays, Marietta Memorial Hospital Director of Marketing and Public Relations Jennifer Offenberger said there is the possibility of two children being born at the hospital today.
And Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg expects to deliver more than twice that many today.
"It looks like we're going to have the possibility of about five babies being born on Dec. 12," said spokesman Tim Brunicardi.
Although that number of births is a bit unusual for any one day, he did not believe any of those babies' births had been planned for 12-12-12.
According to the Associated Press, there won't be another repetitive date, where all three numerals are the same, for more than 88 years, on Jan. 1, 2101 - or 01-01-01.
However, there is hope for those who want an easy-to-remember anniversary date. The date 11-12-13 is less than a year away.
Evan Bevins contributed to this story.
