12/12/12 lucky day for some: 'Magical' day for weddings, babies and buying lottery tickets

  ABC 7 Reporters John Garcia and Michelle Gallardo

December 12, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Many couples rushed to tie the knot Wednesday, December 12, 2012 -- 12/12/12. And there were others who are feeling just plain lucky.

• STORY: 12/12/12 brings weddings, celebrations across world

With a kiss, John and Sarah Fern sealed their wedding vows. They wanted to marry on this day for luck.

They are already the lucky winners of a wedding and reception complete with carriage ride, worth almost $50,000.

A long line of happy couples waited for hours at City Hall to tie the knot on 12/12/12.

"The date just seems magical," said Melody Patterson. "It's the last time you'll have numbers in a row like that."

"It makes it easier to remember on anniversary time. Something you can't forget," said Sean Jones.

There were so many couples banking on those numbers for that little something extra that two additional judges had to be brought in to conduct the ceremonies.

"For years I knew something good would happen on that day," said newlywed Maria Fataliyev.

From marriage, to the miracle of life, What better luck could anyone ask for on 12/12/12 than to have a perfectly happy and healthy newborn baby?

"That's all you want. No matter what the birthday is," said new dad Ken Lyons.

Just a few hours old when ABC7 met her, Kirsten Lyons is among several babies born at Northwestern Memorial Hospital on Wednesday.

For Lyons and his wife Heidi, the date is just the icing on the cake.

"Any day is great to have a daughter" said Lyons. "It's kind of neat for her. When she's older it will be fun for her."

Twelve is also a lucky number for little Lexie Hernandez- times five! She arrived in the world at 12:12 p.m. on 12/12/12.

Thousands of lottery players were counting on the lucky combination of numbers to pay off. In fact lottery officials had to cut off sales of pick four tickets with 1-2-1-2.

"You never know. You never know. Lucky luck. I like luck. I want luck," said Markeeba Butts.

12/12/12 is the talk of the town and the Illinois State Lottery was out on Michigan Avenue Wednesday giving away scratch-off tickets to those willing to have a little fun.

As it turns out, the numbers were awfully popular Wednesday with people playing the Pick Four.

"People are playing those numbers," said Illinois State Lottery's Victor Golden. "Any combination of ones and twos. We've seen an increase in our liability up to $16 million."

Get more Local »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•