Humboldt Park couple becomes Cook County's first marriage of 2026
Congratulations to the newlyweds in the new year. Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon made it official on Friday morning, signing the very first marriage license of 2026, and presiding over the happy couple's wedding.
It's an annual tradition at the clerk's office.
Love guided them together, but good luck brought Elizabeth Branske and Melissa Nunez to the Cook County Clerk's office. The couple from Humboldt Park won the county's annual lottery to become the first married couple of the new year.
"They called us, and they were like, 'The first people dropped out, and you won! And we were like, 'Oh! Okay!'" Branske said.
Nearly 1,000 couples entered the contest, the most in the 35-year history of this New Year's tradition.
"She doesn't like being in front of cameras, so the fact that she's doing this is really … shows a lot of love" Branske said.
"Yeah, putting myself out there," Nunez said.
The happy couple planned to have a wedding photographer, but not an entire phalanx of television cameras and newspaper photographers, but the couple just had to say yes to a chance at making history.
Gordon said it's the first time the first marriage license of the year has gone to two brides.
"I believe in forever love, and I'm looking at you two, and I'm like, this is going to last forever," Gordon said.
"We share so much love together, and it's such an honor to be able to share that love with everyone else, and be the first marriage of 2026, and be able to start the year off on such a positive note for us and for everyone else," Branske said.
Their marriage license signed, and vows exchanged, Branske and Nunez were sent off with some special gifts donated by Chicago-area businesses, including a one-night stay at the Ritz Carlton, strip steaks and lobster tails from Whittingham Meats, a basket of sparkling wines, wedding dance lessons and tickets to a comedy show.
The first couple of the new year really lucked out in love.
"I can't wait to go get pizza. Then we're going to go home later, and watch ourselves on the news, and be like, 'That's us!'" Branske said.