Vegas Weddings Abound As Numbers Align On 9-9-09

OSKAR GARCIA

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Two years after Las Vegas chapels hit the wedding date jackpot with lucky sevens, it's all eyes on the nines for 9-9-09.

Wedding officials in Sin City and elsewhere staged a marathon set of nuptials and vow renewals on Wednesday during what was anticipated to be of the busiest days of the year — the quirky date of Sept. 9, 2009, or 9-9-09.

The New York City Clerk's office said 200 couples had wed by midday at its refurbished marriage bureau — about four times the Wednesday average. Nine couples in Hollywood spent 99 cents each to get married at a 99 Cents Only store on Sunset Boulevard.

Jessica Skrutvold of Las Vegas said she and her husband-to-be Chad Lyons were expecting nine guests for their 9 p.m. wedding, which coincidentally celebrates her favorite number.

"The easiest day for my poor memory to remember was 9-9-09, and we've been doing everything last-minute ever since," said the 31-year-old who works for a local insurance agency. "It was easy, and both of us can remember it and never forget."