The first couple to tie the knot in Pori next month reserved the date one year ago. With officials fully booked for the 12.12.12 date, authorities have not been able to accept new marriage requests for months.
“We will marry 18 couples during the course of the day. I have agreed to marry some of the couples at intervals of up to 15 minutes. We’ll have at least three officials to perform civil marriages, or we’ll have four registrars,” said Marianne Kaski, chief registrar for southwest Finland.
Young couples save with registry weddings
In nearby Rauma, the unusual date has not generated the same degree of wedding fever, in spite of an increase in civil marriages in the region.
“Young people in particular seem to prefer a registry wedding, partly for financial reasons. At the same time, people no longer think that a church wedding is the only way to celebrate their union,” said Rauma registrar Jukka Yli-Kauppila.
The number of civil wedding ceremonies has been rising in the province for several years. Up to the end of October this year around 380 Satakunta couples had chosen pledge their vows in a civil registry.
“I would bet than based on last year, we will reach the 500-civil wedding mark by the end of the year,” said chief registrar Marianne Kaski.
