Delaware, Ohio — Nine couples were married Friday inside a former county jail in central Ohio that was decorated for Halloween.
The vows were exchanged at the 18-cell prison facility in Delaware County, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of Columbus.
These days, the 1878 structure is owned by the Delaware County Historical Society, but until 1988 it served as the county jail.
Andrea Bates and Jessica Scales decided to tie the knot about a month ago, and Bates had previously decided that if she got married, she would do so on Halloween.
“I feel like I have a weird relationship with Halloween,” she said. “My daughter’s name is Salem, so it’s my favorite. I love that spooky atmosphere and the vibe of that time.”
Halloween is also a favorite holiday for Nicole Bond and Jacob Beatty, who tied the knot after being together for a decade.
“I think we were looking for an excuse to get married, and this opportunity came up and we took it,” Beatty said. “It was a great experience, unique and kind of right up our alley.”
Bond said they had good plans for the after-party.
“Eat some lunch, take a nap, then go trick-or-treating,” she said.
Court officials in Delaware County hold weddings every Friday, and when they realized Halloween fell on a Friday this year, they began planning weddings at the prison.
Court officials wore costumes and decorated the place with pumpkins and spider webs. Couples were provided with a way to take mugshot style photos.
Organizers limited the number of weddings to 10 and nine couples attended. There is no information on whether the bride and groom who did not attend were spooked.
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Associated Press writer Mark Sulforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed.