Couples marry, renew vows at Willis Tower Skydeck after winning Love on the Ledge contest

In an annual February tradition, some couples had the honor of exchanging or renewing vows on Sunday morning at the top of the Chicago skyscraper that was once the tallest building in the world.

Skydeck Chicago hosted weddings and vow renewal ceremonies 1,353 feet above Chicago's streets Sunday morning. The participants were the winners of the annual Love on the Ledge contest, which is now in its 10th year.

The winning couples were:

• Austyn and Chris Conroy, who renewed their vows as they approach their 10th wedding anniversary. The couple met in Baton Rouge and moved to Chicago in 2024 following a profound personal loss.
• Mario Contreras and Nadia Caceres, who renewed their vows Sunday. The couple met in Chicago and married in a small courthouse ceremony, having had to forgo a Skydeck wedding when they won the Love on the Ledge contest previously while expecting their son, Gabriel.
• Angela and Erin Bautista, high school sweethearts since 2003, also renewed their vows. They have navigated life's ups and downs together and have raised their son together from a young age. They are now entering a new decade of life.
• Zaira Torrejon Torres and Raúl José de la Puente Esparragoza, who held their wedding ceremony. The couple found love unexpectedly and formed a partnership "built on patience, laughter, and choosing each other every day," Skydeck spokespeople said.

The couples won their slots for ceremonies on the Skydeck by entering sweepstakes through Facebook or Instagram between Nov. 11 and 9. They each enjoyed a 15-minute ceremony with romantic florals, décor, and guests.

The couples also won a night before their ceremonies at the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop, right across the street from the Willis Tower.

The Willis Tower, originally the Sears Tower, was the tallest building in the world when it opened in 1973. The skyscraper lost the title to the Petronas Towers in Taipei in 1996 despite still having the highest occupied floor, and lost the title of tallest building in the U.S. to One World Trade Center in 2013 — but only after a ruling that the needle on top of One World Trade could be counted while the Willis Tower's TV masts could not. The Willis Tower has now fallen to No. 25 among the world's tallest buildings.

The Love on the Ledge competition has been held since 2016.