HOUSTON — Love was in the air in downtown Houston on this Valentine’s Day.
The Harris County Clerk’s office had appointments for marriage licenses every 15 minutes, all day long.
“Today we had 203 applications, because it’s the day of love. The numbers are up, they’re increasing. On a typical day we see 25-50,” said Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth.
The numbers have been up for the last year after 2020 put many love stories on hold. The number of marriage licenses in Harris County doubled in 2021.
“What we found out is COVID definitely hurt cupid. A lot of people had to cancel their plans. They had to reschedule and change the date of their marriage license, so we’re excited to see those numbers shoot through the roof,” Hudspeth said.
While there's usually a 72-hour waiting period to get married after receiving a license, some couples found judges willing to waive the waiting period so they could tie the knot right away.
Many happily posed for photos in the clerk’s office to celebrate their love and remember the special day they locked in their Valentine for life.