ORLANDO, Fla. – In a testament of love, twelve couples made a promise to love and cherish each other in front of the Orange County courthouse, family and friends.
“Today it changes,” said Swahily Ortega with a laugh about her new last name. “One thing, he would never forget the anniversary. It’s just the perfect day. The day we celebrate love and friendship. When you sit down and you know that you could just feel at home and be you, don’t have to be fake just know that he’s just gonna be there. No matter what. That’s when you know.”
Since 2015, the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando has been performing group weddings.
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“I’m really happy that like the rest of the people are also like sharing their happiness but honestly all that matters is we’re here together,” Maria Kotegova said.
She met her wife, Sofia, about 7 years ago in Boca Raton, after they moved from Russia.
“It actually happened like over time. It wasn’t like immediate,” Sofia Kropivnitskia said.
Guerry Lubin and his wife Porsha Roddy met 6 years ago.
“It means a lot. It’s a special day. It’s on Valentine’s Day — beautiful day,” Lubin said.
The couple told News 6 they met on Facebook.
“Right off the bat, I was real comfortable with him. I loved being around him. So I mean, everything just fell in place,” Porsha Roddy-Lubin said. “Going forward we just gonna raise the kids and you know, live a prosperous blessed life.”