Clerk of Court offering group nuptials outside courthouse
BUNNELL — Tom Bexley wants to make this Valentine’s Day especially memorable for several Flagler County couples who want to get married.
Bexley, Flagler County’s clerk of the circuit court and comptroller, is planning a group wedding ceremony on Feb. 14 at the Government Services Building in Bunnell. As of Monday, Feb. 5, 10 couples have signed up for the ceremony.
"We’re inviting couples to sign up to get married by purchasing a license for $86, which is required by law, or giving them the opportunity to renew their vows for free," Bexley said recently.
The ceremony will begin at noon outside the courthouse and Bexley said it will include music, wedding cake afterwards and a professional photographer to take wedding photos at no cost. Bexley will perform the ceremony.
Zenovia Mills and Smail Louis of Palm Coast will be one of the couples getting married on Feb. 14. They have been together for six years, Mills said, have known each other for 10 years, and just bought a house in Palm Coast.
"I’m not one of those girls who’s been dreaming of a wedding all their lives," Mills said. "We just decided to do something simple. If we want to do something fancier later, we can."
Mills and Louis will be joined by Cyan Reed and Steverson Jean-Louis, also of Palm Coast.
"We already knew we were going to be together forever," Reed said, "so there was no point in us being engaged for years when we already know what we want."
One reason Bexley is looking forward to the ceremony, he said, is that "it’s a good way to link to the public in a less business way."
"One of the only truly happy things we do is to issue marriage licenses," he said.
Another reason Bexley is excited is that his parents will be celebrating 50 years of marriage by renewing their vows. Bexley said he hopes he doesn’t get too emotional, but he's excited that "we get to do something that’s also really meaningful to me."
Anyone interested in participating in the Valentine’s Day ceremony has until Feb. 9 to apply for a marriage license. Visit the clerk’s website at flaglerclerk.com for more information.