đź’š Love on parade | Morning Newsletter
And a day in Philly’s Marriage License Bureau.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
It’s Friday, Philly, and a glorious one, as we celebrate both Valentine’s Day and the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade.
Our top story today is a mashup of these joyful occasions. Meet the Philadelphians who got engaged after the game on Sunday, including one couple getting married at the parade.
And take a peek inside Philly’s Marriage License Bureau, the DMV for long-term commitment — then meet “The Officiant Jawn” who has seen it all, from a pajama wedding to a no-show groom.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
P.S. Friday means games! Our latest news quiz includes questions on the Tush Push, Kansas City bets, and more. And Birdle, our twist on another popular word game, is here for one last day in honor of the Birds’ big win. Can you guess the Eagles-related word of the day?
🏆 Still need a copy of Monday’s newspaper? The “Big Easy” front page is being reprinted in a 20-page Super Bowl commemorative section that you’ll find in today’s Inquirer. You can also buy Monday’s paper at Wawas while supplies last. If your store is sold out, order your copy online at Inquirer.com/store.
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With love and victory in the air, what better place to pop the question than a post-Super Bowl celebration?
đź’š Several Philly couples got engaged after the big game, whether amid strangers on Broad Street or with family during a watch party.
💚 Yes, backup plans were in place in case the night turned out less spectacularly. Even so, “I’ve never been more nervous for a football game,” one proposer told The Inquirer.
đź’š One pair who got engaged Sunday night is doubling down on their Birds-centric declaration of love by tying the knot during a self-uniting ceremony at the parade today.
More parade prep:
From government services to grocery stores, here’s everything that’s closed for the parade. When getting around, heed SEPTA’s warning to be patient. Post up at one of these bars’ all-day parties afterward. And if you’re staying home, stream the festivities here.
What does the parade mean for restaurants on Valentine’s Day? Most say they’ll deal with it. And will anyone in Philly get work done today? Some companies are calling Friday a holiday, while others are encouraging remote work or PTO use.
Meet the father-and-son event planners in charge of putting together today’s festivities.
If you’re getting married in Philadelphia, your wedded journey begins at a fluorescent-lit office in City Hall.
Seven couples visiting the Marriage License Bureau on the same day earlier this month shared their romance stories with The Inquirer. They met via OkCupid and at the gym; some have newborns or are on their second and third marriages. But what unites them all is love — and bureaucracy.
Zoe Greenberg reports from a day inside Room 413, a.k.a. “the happy office.”
Also in the business of love: Northeast Philly’s Jaclyn Rodriguez, who has presided over nearly 250 weddings as “The Officiant Jawn.”
She conducts ceremonies in both English and Spanish, filling a “huge need” in the region. And she’s seen all kinds of weddings, from a ceremony conducted in the visiting room at SCI Chester to a divorced couple’s remarriage.
Stephanie Farr spoke to Rodriguez about her wildest — and sweetest — tales from the job.
What you should know today
A 63-year-old man was charged with murder in the fatal shooting of another man Wednesday in Wildwood Crest, officials said Thursday.
A Philadelphia man who stabbed two security guards at the Center City Macy’s in 2023, killing one, was sentenced Thursday to 30 to 60 years in prison.
At the sentencing of a 17-year-old who fatally shot two Philly teens in 2022, the victims’ mothers hugged each other — as well as the parents of the accused killer.
A longtime Atlantic City political operative pleaded guilty Thursday to fraudulently obtaining mail-in ballots and submitting them on behalf of unsuspecting voters.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman called on President Donald Trump to rescind his executive order that paves the way for a ban on transgender troops.
Gov. Josh Shapiro filed a lawsuit over the Trump administration’s freeze on nearly $2 billion in federal funding to Pennsylvania, stepping over the attorney general to do it.
The New Jersey state Senate introduced a ballot redesign bill Thursday that critics said undermines the effort to create a fairer voting ticket.
School officials want to add 900 teachers of color to the city’s workforce in the next five years.
A group of Philly men dubbed The Brotherhood know what it takes to stay out of prison. Now they are helping others do the same with bail money and mentorship.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.
This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from 2019 on how to get married in Pennsylvania, where Quaker tradition allows couples to perform self-uniting ceremonies (like one Birds-loving couple mentioned above). That means they can be wed without an officiant, just witnesses.
But how does that work, legally? And can someone who was ordained online officiate your wedding? Here’s the full explanation.
Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.
🧠Trivia time
The Federal Communications Commission has opened an investigation into Philly-based Comcast and its subsidiary NBCUniversal over what?
A) Financial mismanagement
B) Violations of universal service requirements
C) Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
D) Unauthorized construction of broadcast facilities
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
đź’• Expressing: Our true love with this Eagles valentine card maker.
🚢 Wondering, again: If this is the day the SS United States finally leaves South Philly.
⛓️‍💥 Remembering: This week in Philly history, when “Slick Willie” Sutton escaped — on his sixth try — from a Philadelphia prison.
🔬 Considering: How cutting federal funding for pharmaceutical research endangers patients.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Monday
DISNEY DEPARTS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Lorre Chavez, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Chubby Checker. The South Philly-raised singer behind “The Twist” could be headed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Psst, this might have been our most popular anagram ... ever?)
Image of the day
🦅 One last illustrative thing: Twenty-five eagles are hidden in this (absolutely adorable) Where’s Waldo-style map of the city. See if you can find them all.
Enjoy your weekend, and go Birds. I’ll be back with you Monday.
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