Love is in the air at Bergen County Clerk's office on Valentine's Day as 11 couples marry
HACKENSACK — Tom Moore and Julia Roshberg opted for a "Jersey wedding" on Valentine's Day.
The two were one of 11 couples who chose to tie the knot on Valentine's Day by County Clerk John Hogan, in what has become a tradition at 1 County Plaza.
Julia wore a white sweater dress and carried a small bouquet of pink and white roses dotted with baby's breath tiny white flowers. Tom wore khakis and a sports coat. He grew up in Glen Rock and was excited to be back in Bergen County with his parents and new in-laws.
It was also a homecoming for Julia, who was born in Morris County and moved to Louisville, Kentucky when she was 3 years old. She occasionally visited the New Jersey and New York area to see family, but it was fate when she met her future husband.
The two met in Baltimore at a company training seminar and prevailed through a long-distance relationship before both relocating to New Jersey — back in Morris County about 30 minutes from where Julia was born.
"It's ironic that I met a Jersey boy," she said.
Soon after they wed, Tom said while laughing, that New Jersey "has the best bagels, pizza and diners." He said it is "very special to be back in Bergen County."
Hogan is a pro at officiating weddings in his office, especially on Valentine's Day. Last year, he officiated 1,212 weddings. On average, there are about 15 to 30 weddings in the office, with 39 scheduled for this week..
On Friday, which was Valentine's Day, the office was decorated with paper pink and red hearts and Happy Valentine's Day banners. After the ceremony, the staff brought out a single rose for each bride and took photos for the newlyweds and their families.
Tom beamed with a huge smile during the entire ceremony. Julia's father gushed with pride that it was "because he married my daughter."
The couple were at first skeptical of a Valentine's Day wedding, however, decided it was the perfect day to acknowledge making their nuptials official.
Before they kissed, the family brought up big red ring boxes and it was time for the kiss. Julia joked that it was just a peck, but Tom thought that's what they decided on before kissing again.
The pair embraced in a long hug before Julia looked up and said, "We're married."
Another couple, Min Hoi Song and Yena Jong were married this morning in front of their best friends. The pair met in Seattle at work and recently relocated to Hackensack.
Song said Valentine's Day is a special day for love. "It's the best day to get married," he said. It also helped that his best friend was home from the military and was able to attend.
"It's Valentine's Day so we always want to put on our best presentation for the couples looking for a unique ceremony," Hogan said.
This week, Hogan said he officiated the marriage of a flight attendant in her 50s who needed to catch a flight. Her husband is a private helicopter pilot. Hogan said they were together for the last 20 years but decided to make it official this week.
Another couple, married by Hogan nine years ago, split, however, they returned to the clerk's office to remarry.
"This is the best part of the job," Hogan said. "There's a lot of bad stuff in the world, it's great to be a part of something good and meaningful."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen County Clerk's office on Valentine's Day as 11 couples marry
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