Love is in the air at Glen Cove City Hall

This Valentine’s Day, the City of Glen Cove is giving couples a unique opportunity to reaffirm their love with a Vow Renewal Ceremony at City Hall. Taking place at 10 a.m., the event will be officiated by Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck and promises to be a celebration of love, connection, and community.
“It’s Valentine’s Day,” Mayor Panzenbeck said. “I think it would be a really nice thing for the community. A lot of people don’t think about renewing their vows until it’s put up and offered to them, and we just hope to have a lovely little ceremony. We’re looking to do something nice, bring people into City Hall, and have a nice experience.”
The ceremony will include Panzenbeck’s signature vow renewal officiation, enhanced by her personal insights from decades of marriage and as a grandmother of seven. “I do weddings from time to time, and they’re very nice,” Panzenbeck shared. “I try to treat everybody special and meet with them, so it’s not like a city hall celebration. We try to make it very personal and nice. I give my long-time marriage tips.”
The event, organized by the city’s special events committee, will feature a slideshow of wedding photos submitted by participants, romantic decorations, and light refreshments. Roni Jenkins, Public Relations Officer for the Mayor’s Office, and member of the special events committee, explained the vision behind the ceremony.
“It’s just like a little extra romance, a little love-filled moment,” she said. “Joining again to say ‘I do’ and celebrating the journey, whether it’s been a year or fifty years. Whatever it is, we’re just trying to help strengthen bonds and our community, and really just honor the connections people have.”

Jenkins shared that the inspiration for the event came while brainstorming activities for February.
“Obviously, Valentine’s Day and love are a big part of that,” she said. “We see so often the mayor having these wonderful ceremonies in her office, so I just thought, why not create something for renewing vows, not just getting married? Other communities like the Town of North Hempstead and Town of Oyster Bay do something similar, so we thought, why not? Let’s try it out.”
Couples who attend will receive commemorative certificates as keepsakes of the special day. The event will also include music, a reading of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poem “How Do I Love Thee?”, and an opportunity for mingling and celebration afterward.
“We’re going to try and put together a nice slideshow,” Jenkins said. “If we can gather original wedding day photos or even family pictures from those who’ve been married a long time, we’d love to include them. It’s free to attend, and we’ll have coffee, tea, pastries, and a little celebration.”
The ceremony is expected to last approximately 45 minutes, with plenty of time for couples and families to continue the celebration afterward.
“We think love deserves to be celebrated,” Jenkins added. “We’re hoping people take advantage of it. It’s about love, laughter, and community, and celebrating it amongst friends. This is a chance to say ‘I do’ all over again. It’s about renewing that journey and celebrating the love that binds us together.”
Couples are encouraged to RSVP by Feb. 11, by calling the Mayor’s Office at 516-320-7861 or 516-320-7865. Walk-ins will be welcomed if space allows, but early reservations are requested to make the day extra special.