SMITH COUNTY, Texas — While a lot of lovebirds opted for flowers and chocolate on Valentine's Day, for others, it was the perfect day to say, 'I do'.
In Smith County, Valentines' Day marriages are something those officiating them have come to expect and enjoy.
“For the whole month of February, I’ll probably do about 50 weddings,” said Smith County Judge Quincy Beavers Jr. “Usually, on Valentine’s Day, I have 25 in one day, so this was a slow day.”
One couple who was ready to make that lifelong commitment today is Antonio Medina-Santoyo and Silvia Espinosa.
The couple, as so many do, decided Thursday, Valentine’s Day 2019, was their perfect day to exchange vows.
“About a year and a half ago, I moved from Chicago, and I thought, ‘this is it’, but he came to visit in December and he proposed,” said Espinosa.
Getting married on Valentine’s Day has its perks. Love is already in the air, and there's likely a guarantee that you'll never forget your wedding anniversary.
But there are those people who say jumping the broom on this holiday is not such a good idea.
“I thought it was very romantic,” said Espinosa. “It’s a very special day, and I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day.”
In a 2018 study, researchers found that those who marry on February 14th are 37% more likely to split, and they're nearly 50% less likely to make it to their third anniversary.
Those findings don't worry the now, Mr. and Mrs. Medina.
“I hope not. I hope we’re together for the rest of our lives, and I hope that’s not true.”
The couple is one of three marriages performed on Thursday by Judge Beaver, who’s served as a Justice of the Peace for more than 20 years.
“I can be in the drug store, grocery store or downtown and someone can stop me and say, ‘judge, you married me 20 years ago',” said Beavers. “Most of the time, they stay together. Every now and then, there will be the ones who try to get a divorce, and I explain to them that I don’t do the divorces, I conduct the marriages.”
Last year on Valentine’s Day, Beavers helped seven couples tie the knot, and tomorrow, he has 10 weddings in the book.