Nov. 11, 2011 is turning out to be a notable date for two reasons: The fact that it will be celebrated in the U.S. as Veteran's Day and because when it is written numerically it comes out as11/11/11.
The date is also proving to be a big one for weddings.
For Boston couple Scott Pittman and Liz Magro -- who will be marrying each on Nov. 11 after 25 years together -- the unusual sequence of numbers calls for an equally unusual wedding ceremony.
At their wedding reception on Friday, though it might get confusing for caterers and guests alike, the couple plans to mark every table as "11" to keep up with the theme. They're also planning a breakfast for family and friends at 11:11 a.m. And even though the wedding is taking place in mid-autumn, Pittman says the DJ will play Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring."
"There's one measure [in "Rite of Spring"] that features 11 quarter notes all at once," he said. "No one knows why he did that."
Magro, a recording engineer, stresses that she and Pittman won't be goingcompletelyoverboard with the "11" theme.
"We won't be serving finger sandwiches paired up like the number 11," she laughed. However, they will be honeymooning in Sicily on property owned by her father. "I believe it's 11 acres."
Want more info on quirky wedding ceremonies? Check out our wacky weddings gallery below:
Elvira Performs Firstever Wedding
LeeAnna and Cameron Vamp decided to get hitched with the help of Elvira on Oct. 3 at Knott's Scary Farm.
Wacky Weddings and Proposals
Robert Darling, 56, lives in Bradley Beach, N.J., but goes to New York three times a week and holds up signs like these in hopes of finding his future wife. He's been doing this for 10 years and has one date to show for it -- and she just wanted him to marry her friend for a green card.
98-Year-Old Wears 1938 Dress, Again
Agnes Anderson, 98, walked the aisle in her 1938 wedding dress for a second time. The West Michigan woman put on the vintage gown -- which she wore during her wedding 73 years ago -- for a fashion show featuring classic bridal gowns at a church in Muskegon.
Wedding Craze
Dressed to the Nines: Sept. 9, 2009, sure was a popular day to get married across China and Malaysia. The number 999 is considered lucky in Asia, so hundreds of couples tied the knot on the special date, as shown here at the Thean Hou temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. As luck would have it, all couples appear to be dressed to the nines for their big day.
Couple Renews Vows For 99th Time
Lauren and David Blair renewed their vows in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Oct. 2, 2011. It was the 100th time they tied the knot and in the process, they set a Guinness World Record for "Most Marriage Vow Renewals by the Same Couple."
Dancing Carrott Proposal
In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, a total of 49 people dressed in giant carrot costumes dance on a square before Pang Kun, one of the 49 carrots, proposes to his girlfriend in Qingdao in east China's Shandong province. According to Chinese news reports and photos posted online Pang has spent three weeks and 100,000 yuan ($15,000) for his wedding proposal to his girlfriend, assisted by his 48 friends, on China's Valentine's Day which fell on Aug. 6.
Roller Coaster Of Love
On Feb. 12, 1999, 13 couples boarded the Ghostrider Coaster at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, Calif., for the ride of their lives. They happily said "I do" while zipping through the air, experiencing their first run of the ups and downs that come with being married. Wonder if they got to cut in line for the ride?
Runners Marry At Boston Marathon
Marriage Marathon: Marriage isn't a race, it's a marathon, and no one understands that better than Aaron Russell and Pattiann McAdams of New York. The sporty duo were married while running the Boston Marathon on April 16, 2007, and took a breather from the race to say "I do" on Heartbreak Hill in Newton, Mass. To be comfortable for the race, the groom sported a tuxedo shirt, while the bride opted for an all-white running ensemble.
Hockey Wedding
Atlanta Thrashers season-ticket holders David and Cindy Pritchard are married on the ice during the first intermission of the game between the Thrashers and the Boston Bruins at Philips Arena on Dec. 30.
Red Roses, Red Cars
Love Blossoms: Talk about love in bloom. On Aug. 15, 2010, groom Xiao Wang and his bride Xiao Liu were married in Chongqing, China, surrounded by 99,999 red roses. Wang spent an entire year's salary on the flowers, which had to be transported to the wedding ceremony by a fleet of 30 cars, all adorned with the blossoms. In China, the number 999 is considered good luck, so here's to hoping their union continues to grow.
Larry Allen Austin
A judge sentenced Larry Allen Austin an Oklahoma man to four years in federal prison on a firearm charge, then minutes later performed a marriage ceremony to wed the new inmate and his longtime girlfriend. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman)
McDonald's Wedding
Kelvin Kwong, right, and Ashley Tse kiss during a Valentine's Day engagement party at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant in Hong Kong on Feb. 14. Thrown as a surprise by the groom, the function was the first of its kind for McDonald's, which hopes that its "Wedding Party" will appeal to loved-up couples looking for a bride with their Big Mac. For around $1,300, potential customers can expect food and music for up to 50 guests.
NASCAR Wedding
Gentlemen, Start Your Engines: When lovebirds Damon and Heather Landry were in need of a best man for their wedding, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch took the wheel in a flash. The duo wed at the Las Vegas Motor Speed Way on Feb. 27, 2009, and Busch was there to hand off the rings and wish them well. According to ESPN, Busch pulled double duty that day, partaking in the wedding and logging his first victory of the season right afterward.
Underwater Wedding
On July 17, 2011, diving instructor Alberto Dal Lago, 41, and real estate agent Karla Ysunza, 43, attempted the world's largest underwater wedding off the coast of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The two needed 260 other divers to participate in order to break the record set in June 12, 2010, by Francesca Colombi and Giampiero Giannoccaro of the coast of Elba Island, Italy, but only got 205 total.
Wedding In German Ice Chapel
Icy Reception: German couple Klaus Grunenberg and Anita Bolik got one icy reception at their wedding -- and they loved every second of it. The couple married on Jan. 4, 2009, in a chapel made entirely of ice in the ski resort town of Kitzbuehl, Austria. Grunenberg built the chapel specifically for the affair over the course of four days and vowed to let other couples use it for their own weddings until it melted that spring.
Klingon Wedding
One couple has boldly gone where no other has gone before by tying the knot in Britain's first Klingon wedding ceremony at a Star Trek convention to celebrate the much-loved TV series in London in October 2012.
Hot Air Balloon Wedding
Full of Hot Air: This bride and groom were full of hot air on their big day in Berlin. Christof Galuschka, right, and Evelyn Neew locked lips on July 22, 1998, aboard a hot-air balloon that was set to take off during their vows. Unfortunately, just two days before the wedding, authorization for their sky-high nuptials was yanked, bursting the bubble on what would've been Germany's first-ever hot-air balloon wedding. The couple went ahead with the prop, knowing their ceremony wouldn't be valid, and vowed to make their union official later.
A couple in a hot-air balloon wave to spectators during a sky wedding ceremony at the Daming Palace Ruins Park in Xian of Shaanxi Province, China. Fifteen couples rode in hot-air balloons to celebrate their wedding ceremony. (China Photos / Getty Images)
Married On 11/11/11
Liz Magro and Scott Pittman are getting hitched on November 11, 2011 -- or 11/11/11 -- in part because 11 is their favorite number. The couple plan to sit everyone at a table marked "11," and will have the DJ play at least one song in 11/4 time. They plan to honeymoon in Sicily, where Mongro's Dad has 11 acres of land.
Wacky Weddings
Diving instructor Alberto Dal Lago, 41, and real estate agent Karla Ysunza, 43, are attempting the world's largest underwater wedding on July 17 off the coast of Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. The two will have 260 other divers to participate in order to break the record set in June 12, 2010, by Francesca Colombi and Giampiero Giannoccaro of the coast of Elba Island, Italy.
Beekeepers Wedding
Oh, Honey: This love was simply meant to "bee." On July 16, 2010, beekeepers Li Wenhua, left, and Yan Hongxia were married in Ning'an, China, while covered in a swarm of 10,000 bees. The honies have worked with insects for more than 20 years, so the nuptials were a perfect fit. To create a buzz for their ceremony, the bride and groom each held a queen bee, which lured the rest of the swarm onto their clothing.
Balloon Wedding Dress
Vicky Levett wearing the Kate Middleton wedding dress that her mother Thelma Levett made out of balloons. Thelma Levett lives in a balloon world. She has spent the last 15 years making everyday objects out of balloons. She has just mad a Kate Middleton wedding dress out of 5000 balloons.
Couple Marry In Industrial Freezing Box
Chill Out: Czech polar explorer Vaclav Sura, right, took his cool hobby to new levels by marrying his bride, Martina Kolouchova in an industrial freezing box in Jirny, near Prague, on July 21, 2007. The temperature during their ceremony was a crisp minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit, but nothing Sura couldn't handle since he'd conquered an expedition to the North Pole two years prior to tying the knot.
Bridal Couple On Bus
Bridal Bus: For this Chinese couple, their wedding was a public affair. They wed aboard the top level of a double-decker bus in Hangzhou, China, on April 23, 2005. The public bus route took the pair around the West Lake region of the city, a pretty, scenic place for a wedding.
Wedding At Manila Jail
Old Ball and Chain: On Dec. 8, 2008, 14 inmates at a jail in Manila, Philippines, took a time out from being locked up to marry their old ball and chain. The group ceremony was sealed with a kiss, and it looks like the grooms sprang for fancy attire rather than their standard prison gear for the special occasion.
Valentine's Day Aquarium Wedding
Aquarist James Oliver, left, slips a ring onto Kathryn O'Connor while a giant green turtle swims by during an underwater blessing on Valentine's Day in the Ocean Reef Display in the London Aquarium on Feb. 14. Celebrant Daniel Winchester conducted the ceremony from the other side of the glass using placards to communicate with the couple. The couple, neither of whom believe in a formal wedding, dressed in wedding finery and breathing apparatus and received their blessing surrounded by giant green sea turtles, cownose rays and shoals of colorful fish.
Leap Of Faith
On Feb. 14, 2009, a couple in Thailand took a leap of faith into wedded bliss -- literally. Here, Kunanan Jantri proudly holds his new bride and their marriage certificate while having their wedding ceremony in midair. In an eastern province of Thailand, it's become tradition for couples to rappel off cliffs on Valentine's Day.
One Wedding And A Funeral Home
Mozelle Wales, 72, married Gene Kincheloe, 66, on Feb. 14, 2009, at a funeral home in Twin Falls, Idaho. The couple met at a grief-support group there a year earlier after they both lost their longtime spouses and decided to begin anew together.
Cake Shaped Like The Bride
This bride looks good enough to eat. Chidi Ogbuta, right, and her husband, Innocent, cut into an amazing cake -- a life-size version of Chidi in her wedding dress. The 5-foot dessert was served at a celebration after the couple renewed their wedding vows. It contained 200 eggs and 7.5 liters of amaretto, and weighed 400 pounds.
Shark Underwater Wedding
Diver Down: This couple is really taking the plunge. April Pignataro and Michael Curry married on June 6, 2010, at the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium in Riverhead, N.Y. The bride wore a white scuba suit, and her attendants included a couple of moray eels, sand tiger sharks and a huge Queensland grouper. A crowd of 75 aquarium guests cheered from behind glass.
Underwater Wedding
There wasn't a dry eye in the house during the underwater wedding of Bob Woodberry and Emily Johnson in the Florida Keys on Aug. 22, 1998. The lovebirds dove into holy matrimony in the depths of Key Largo, right next to a bronze 'Christ of the Deep' statue. Amen to that.
In The Market For Love
It's a woman's two favorite things in life: commitment and shoes. Lisa Satayut and Drew Ellis wed at the T.J. Maxx store in Mount Pleasant, Mich., on Aug. 3, 2010. The couple tied the knot in the shoe isle -- Satayut's self-professed "happy place" at her favorite discount retailer.
Getting Married At Halftime
What better way to tackle marriage head-on than to get hitched during a football game? On Oct. 22, 1995, a mass wedding was held for 200 couples during halftime of a game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. Billed as the largest wedding in NFL history, the couples wore anything and everything to their big day -- from traditional formal wedding attire to more casual garments such as cut-off jean shorts and sombreros.
It sounds lucky to marry on a day with multiple elevens, but not necessarily, according to numerologistHans Decoz,who says the date may not be as lucky as some people are presuming.
"Yes, there are lots of 11s, but all the numbers added together equal 8," Decoz told The Huffington Post. "The energy from '11' is very family-oriented and it conflicts with the '8' energy, which is more financially-oriented.
As a result, Decoz claims emotions will be running high on 11/11/11, bringing about a tendency to be possessive or melodramatic.
"Our feelings will be floating right on the surface, so they could take a turn for the worse at any moment -- small misunderstandings can turn into huge catastrophes if we don't keep this in check," he said. "Definitely, don't deal with money any more than necessary."
While the numbers game makes for a good story, Eric Carlson, a physics professor at Wake Forest University and an admitted numerology skeptic, has a number of reasons why 11/11/11 is not particular special, other than the fact that writing it out numerically might look neat.
"There is nothing supernatural about this date," he emphasized to The Huffington Post. "Our brains are just pattern matching machines, so we tend to notice patterns like that. If you happen to glance at the clock and it's 11:11, you will remember that --these patterns stick in our minds. But I don't think there is any mystical significance to it."
Still, Professor Carlson does concede there are two significant aspects about 11/11/11 that can be construed as lucky even by people like him who don't believe in numerology.
"It is a Friday -- a day hailed by workers," he said, adding that many people will have the day off because of the Veteran's Day holiday.
Even Decoz concedes that numerology probably isn't the real reason why some couples are picking the wedding date.
"I think they just want a date that's easy for the man to remember," he said.
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