Bethlehem Couple Weds on 11-12-13

Lillian Nieves and Reggie Cora didn’t set out to get married on 11-12-13. It just kind of worked out that way.

But the happy Bethlehem couple made the unique and memorable date their official anniversary on Tuesday, when District Judge Joseph Barner pronounced them husband and wife in front of more than a dozen relatives and friends in the judge’s courtroom in Lower Nazareth Township.

Three more couples tied the knot at the office of District Judge Donna Butler’s office in Emmaus on Tuesday. At least one wedding expert, clothier David’s Bridal, predicted there would be at least 3,000 weddings on Nov. 12, 2013.

Nieves, 47, and Cora, 54, were already planning a large wedding party in May, but they decided some time ago they didn’t want to wait that long to be officially married.

“We don’t want to be just boyfriend and girlfriend anymore,” Nieves said. Tuesday just happened to be the first date available with Barner, who has a connection to both families.

Nieves was a secretary in the Bethlehem Township administrative offices while Barner was police chief. Cora’s father was a detective in the Northampton County District Attorney’s office—following a long career in the Bethlehem Police Department.

Nieves now works as a counselor with troubled youth at Dieruff High School. Cora is a laborer for Express Services. Both are graduates of Bethlehem Catholic High School.

They both laughed when asked how they met. To make a long story short, Cora explained, they met through Facebook. To make it slightly longer, they had known each other for decades and recently reconnected through the social networking Website.

Nieves had her five daughters and five grandchildren along to witness the ceremony. Though it is not the first wedding for Reggie and Lillian, both said simultaneously that it will be their last.

How do they know?

“We just know it,” Nieves said.