By Christine Harkinson/Staff
Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz officiated wedding ceremonies for six couples during her traditional Valentine’s Day weddings day.
Schwartz typically officiates about 200 weddings each year and she always makes herself available for officiating weddings on Valentine’s Day (and other holidays and special occasions such as Halloween, the Burlington County Farm Fair and Bordentown’s annual Pride parade). Next month, she also plans to perform weddings on St. Patrick’s Day for the first time.
“My husband died 10 years ago on Valentine’s Day, so as a tribute to him, I’ll (officiate) weddings on Valentine’s Day,” Schwartz said. “In honor of him, I always make sure to (officiate) weddings on Valentine’s Day.”
The special ceremonies occurred in the county’s Historic Olde Courthouse. Built in 1796, the courthouse is one of the oldest courthouses in America and still operating as a courthouse. The building’s architect is Samuel Lewis and is a virtual identical twin of Congress Hall and Old City Hall, the buildings flanking Independence Hall in Philadelphia. The courthouse’s bell was removed from Burlington County’s first courthouse in Burlington City when that building closed. It is the same bell that rang for independence in 1776 after the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Schwartz officiates weddings on Valentine’s Day in honor of her husband, who passed away 10 years ago on the day.
Weddings officiated by Schwartz are scheduled mostly every Wednesday in the county’s historic Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences in Mount Holly. Weddings are by appointment only.
Built in the 1830s, the building was home to the Langstaff family and became the original Burlington County Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences in the 1860s. Most recently, the building was home to the Mount Holly Library until being purchased by the county in 2013.
Schwartz has also officiated weddings at Historic Smithville Park, the Burlington County Prison Museum and the Burlington County Agricultural Center.
“We try to highlight all the wonderful things Burlington County has to offer,” Schwartz said. “There’s just so much here that people might not be aware of and by doing weddings at all of these venues, we’re able to remind people that we have all these wonderful places in this county that you can go see and be a part of.”
