NEW YORK, Feb 14: When Caroline Bochnia lost a firefighter cousin in the World Trade Center rescue effort on Sept 11, she hesitated to go ahead with her planned wedding to Rob Driscoll in New York.

But a memorial service in the ruins known as “ground zero” inspired her to say “I do” on Valentine’s Day in the 80th floor Sky Lobby of the Empire State Building, once again the city’s tallest skyscraper since the collapse of the 110-story twin towers.

“Everything worked out perfect,” Bochnia, of Danbury, Connecticut, said on Thursday after she and Driscoll exchanged vows. “We got married here because we love New York. It is just a magical place to be.”

They are among 12 couples from as far afield as Scotland and Canada who are marrying or renewing vows, sipping champagne and braving below-freezing temperatures on the 86th floor observatory.—Reuters