More than 1,000 couples gather for event at Miami
Guinness World Records has announced that Miami University officially broke the world record for the most couples renewing their wedding vows. The event took place during Alumni Weekend on June 20, 2009. The official count is 1,087 couples, breaking the previous record of 624 couples who renewed their vows in Pittsburgh in 2008.
The announcement comes as Miami is sending Valentine's Day cards to the university's 26,472 Miami Mergers, or alumni who are married to each other. More than 14.25% are married to each other, believed to be one of the largest percentages of married alumni at any university. Miami has been sending out special Valentines to Miami Mergers since 1973.
Miami set out to break the world record during its bicentennial year by first recruiting Miami Mergers, then inviting Miami Acquisitions (alumni married to non-Miamians), Miami parents, faculty, staff, friends and community members.
The Merger Moment ceremony, officiated by Oxford Mayor Prue Dana, took place at the Upham Hall Arch on campus where it's fabled that a couple who kisses under the arch will get married. After the ceremony, couples were invited to walk through the arch for a kiss. The ceremony included Miami's oldest Merger, Robert ('38) and June ('39) Frame of Cincinnati, Miami head basketball coach Charlie Coles ('65) – whose immediate family includes four Miami Mergers – and former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine ('69) and his wife Frances ('71).
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More information about the Miami Merger program and Merger Moment.
OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE
