Twenty-three couples gathered at Loveland’s Sweetheart Winery Friday afternoon to tie the knot or renew their vows in the 9th annual Valentine’s Day Group Wedding.
Krystal Stanczyk and CJ Krause said their decision to get hitched on Friday was about as spontaneous as it gets. The couple, who met as athletes in professional Strongman competitions, learned of the event just two weeks ago and had little time to plan. In fact, Stanczyk said her dress was still being altered into the wee hours of the morning.
“But I mean, honestly, other than the couples that are here today, how many people can say they got married on Valentine's Day in the sweetheart city at the Sweet Heart Winery? That's rare. It's cheesy and cute,” Stanczyk said.
For Todd and Susan Mitchell, it was a good alternative to a justice of the peace. “We are so excited. This is a beautiful place,” Todd said.
The couple was looking to secure their love legally after Todd experienced a series of accidents that resulted in surgeries. Now that he’s healed up, they were eager to make things official. The couple met on Facebook dating and shared a 12-hour-long first date that began with a simple dinner.
“But then, it was getting dark and we just weren’t ready for things to end,” Susan said. And, so, things didn’t and they’ve been together ever since.
“We've been together for three years now. We've never argued, we laugh every day,” Todd said.
The ceremony is just like a traditional wedding with a grand entrance, live music, and the exchanging of rings and vows. The couples, however, are standing with 45 other people at the altar.
“Certainly saying vows with other people is kind of unusual,” said City Commissioner Christine Forester, who organizes the event each year. “But the vows themselves were custom-written by us with all of the couples’ input. And all of the music throughout the entire evening are songs the couples voted on.”
Todd Harding, a longtime northern Colorado radio personality, has acted as the officiant each year.
“Some people might think that this is just a gimmick,” he said. “That it’s kind of silly getting married on Valentine's Day in Loveland, but marriage is something I really believe in. We take this seriously and you can feel the love in the room.”
For Walter and Michelle Peterscheck, who renewed their vows in Friday’s ceremony, that sentiment is certainly true. “It's just so special to be with my best friend,” Michelle said. “After nearly 30 years, that’s what’s important.”
Their advice for a successful marriage? Keep at it and stay open.
“You've got to put each other first,” Walter said. “You can't treat a relationship as an economic transaction. And I'm an economist, so I should know. Realize that it's a long-term investment. There are going to be ups and downs and you have to put the other person first. If you do that, then it all works out in the end.”
Forester said in the past, couples have traveled from all across the country to get married in the Sweetheart City on Valentine’s Day, but this year everyone participating was local to Colorado.
“It’s fun to hang our hat on the fact that we've married over 400 couples,” Forester said. “That just feels big and special and we love embracing love and being those that help give this special opportunity to those who might not otherwise afford a really expensive wedding.”
