Jo-Ann Raia Hosts Huntington’s Annual Marriage ‘Marathon’
/By Chris Mellides
info@longislandergroup.com
Each Valentine’s Day for just over two decades, Huntington Town Clerk Jo-Ann Raia has welcomed couples to Town Hall for the annual Valentine’s Day Marriage Ceremony Marathon.
“This is love’s greatest holiday,” Raia, the town’s marriage officer since 1989, said.
On Sunday, the town board room was once again transformed into a wedding hall in celebration of 11 couples that were joined in marriage before loved ones and friends.
“The joy I feel is making the couples happy,” Raia said.
An assortment of Valentine’s Day decorations including red paper hearts and cupid cutouts lined the walls, while flower bouquets were tastefully arranged in the corners of the board room.
In the center of the auditorium, an altar was erected where Raia greeted the couples before performing each civil marriage ceremony.
Katherine Kuntz and Jacob Deegan, both volunteer firefighters for Halesite and Greenlawn respectively, were among the couples at this year’s ceremony.
“What the town has done for us today is a lot more than we ever expected,” Kuntz said, adding that she and her husband dated for three years before their special day. They were amazed at the level of professionalism and organization at the event.
“It doesn’t feel like we’re in an auditorium at all,” Kuntz said.
This year’s festivities marked the 21st year that Raia, the event’s organizer, hosted the marathon. During that time, she has performed over 600 marriage ceremonies.
“They each get their own time slot and I thought it was a nice way to celebrate for the couples,” Raia said, adding that there is no charge for the ceremonies, and that the couples are free to invite guests to the reception. “It took a couple of years to really catch on, but I’ve had as many as 16 ceremonies on one Valentine’s Day, and over the years our merchant list has really expanded, which is really wonderful for the couples.”
Those local merchants included florists, bakeries and supermarkets, which donated flowers, cookies, cakes and gifts to make the event as festive as possible for the newlyweds.
The full list of this year’s merchants can be found below:
FLORISTS
Fashions in Flowers
809 Fort Salonga Road, Northport
Debi Triola, owner
15 nosegays for the brides
Beckman’s Florist
354 Larkfield Road, East Northport
Lisa Ketcham, owner
1 floral arrangement
Bunny’s Floral
31 Schwab Road, Melville
Judy Johnson, owner
1 floral arrangement
Funky Flower Shop
388 New York Ave., Huntington
Ricky and Michelle Von Hoffman, owners
15 individually wrapped red
carnations w/ baby’s breath for brides
Floras Avenue
233 Main St., Huntington
Akvile Zilinskis, owner
1 floral arrangement and
15 individually wrapped red roses
The Flower Petaler
550 New York Ave., Huntington
Meredith Russo, owner
Arch w/ flowers, 2 pedestals
silk flowers on top (on loan)
Flowerdale by Patty
1933 New York Ave., Huntington Station
Ana Patricia Flores, owner
1 floral arrangement
Decker Florist
841 Pulaski Road, Greenlawn
Victoria Domino, manager
1 floral arrangement
Hengstenberg’s Florist
39 Main St., Northport
Terry Folcarelli
15 individually wrapped red rose
in a tube w/ baby’s breath for brides
Laura’s Floral Elegance
2027 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport
John and Laura Merlein, owners
1 floral arrangement
Main St. Nursery & Florist
475 West Main St., Huntington
Bob McKean, owner
3 floral arrangements
BAKERIES
Hummel Hummel Bake Shop
572 Larkfield Road, East Northport
Susan Fruendt, owner
10” square cake and tray of cookies
Reinwald’s Bakery
495 New York Ave., Huntington
Carole and Richard Reinwald, owners
15 trays with mini heart-shaped
cake and assorted cookies for couples
Wild Flours Bake Shop
11 New St., Huntington
C. Arcario and M. Mucci, owners
15 oversized chocolcate chip
cookies with a heart in chips
for couples
A Rise Above Bakery Shop
333 Main St., Huntington
Mary Murray-MacDonald, owner
Tray of assorted cookies
Copenhagen Bakery
75 Woodbine Ave., Northport
Stace and Fleming Hansen, owners
Three 8” heart-shaped decorated cakes,
Two 2-pound trays of assorted cookies
Everbest Bakery
396 Larkfield Road, East Northport
John Calabrese, owner
½ sheet cake
PHARMACIES
Value Drugs
349 New York Ave., Huntington
Peter Pastorelli, president
15 gift bags with assorted gifts
for couples
Rite Aid Pharmacy
391 W Main St., Huntington
Liliann Hallenbeck, manager
15 boxes of boxed Valentine
chocolates for couples
CELEBRATORY TREATS
Sweeties Pies On Main
181 Main St., Cold Spring Harbor
Judy Hogan, owner
15 $20 gift certificates
Bon Bons Chocolatier
319 Main St., Huntington
Mary Alice and Susannah Meinersman
15 gift boxes containing
assorted
gourmet handmade chocolates
for couples
Herrell’s Ice Cream
46L Gerard St., Huntington
Cathy and Rick Meuser, owners
15 $10 gift certificate for couples
SUPERMARKETS / FOOD STORES
Good2Go Deli
147 Woodbury Road, Huntington
Michael Abatemarco, owner
Tray of sliced pound cake
Wild By Nature
369 W Main St., Huntington
James Speedling, manager
½ sheet cake
Stella Blue Bistro
188 New York Ave., Huntington
Jeannie Vivona and Robert Koopman
Trays of brownies, blondies and
heart-shaped linzer tarts
King Kullen Grocery
Store no. 40, 50 New York Ave., Huntington
Walter Bitz, manager
$25 gift certificate
Stop & Shop
60 Wall St., Huntington
Fred Meyers, manager
½ sheet cake chocolate mousse
w/ vanilla buttercream icing
Marketplace at Southdown
205 Wall St., Huntington
Mike Zotas, owner
$75 gift certificate
MISCELLANEUOUS
A Tisket A Tasket Anything
In A Basket
Huntington
15 gift bags for couples
Cactus Salon & Spa Huntington
445 New York Ave., Huntington
10 $125 gift certificates
