Among those taking part in a group wedding vow renewal Sunday in Pittsburgh were, front from left, Tracy Pellegrino, Dacia Como, Polly Wilbert, Cheryl Cavaliero, Joy Bernhard, Nicki Lillie, Jennifer Walters and Laura Pellegrino. Rear, from left, Brian Pellegrino, Ron Como, Ed Wilbert, Brad Cavaliero, Mike Bernhard, Bob Lillie, Dennis Walters and P.J. Pellegrino.The eight Butler County couples were part of an effort to set a new record for most couples renewing their wedding vows at one time. The event was part of Pittsburgh's 250th anniversary celebration.

PITTSBURGH — Eight couples from Butler County were part of a potential world record setting effort Sunday night as they all renewed their wedding vows.

Ed and Polly Wilbert of Butler Township were part of a carpool caravan that ventured out into the cold for a night in Pittsburgh and a wedding renewal service of more than 600 couples.

"We had a great time," Polly Wilbert said. "It was nice to see that there were so many willing to do that."

The pair met the other seven couples at a friend's house Sunday afternoon for pictures. They traveled to Pittsburgh for dinner before the ceremony at Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland.

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl officiated. It was his first time in such a role. The ceremony was part of Pittsburgh's yearlong 250th birthday celebration.

Each couple was required to present a marriage certificate for the Guinness Book of World Records in an effort to beat the mark of 272 couples, set in September in Australia.

Guinness has not determined exactly how many couples participated Sunday or if the record has been broken.

At the beginning of the event, each couple stood and a marriage countdown began. Couples who had been married one year or less were asked to sit down after being recognized, then couples who were married five years and so on were asked to do the same.

Finally, it was down to one couple who was married for more than 60 years.

Some couples dressed in their wedding attire, some in military uniforms and one in Pittsburgh Penguins' jerseys.

"It was really fun to see all the people in what they chose to wear," Wilbert said. "Many of us in our group don't fit into our wedding dresses anymore."

Her husband of almost 20 years wore his kilt since one of his latest hobbies is playing the bagpipes.

Cheryl Cavaliero of Center Township and her husband, Brad, who are going on 22 years of married life, were also part of the group and were "dressed to the nines."

"I rented a tux on my wedding day, but I have a tux now so I'll be wearing that. It's a velvet tux," Brad Cavaliero said Sunday afternoon. "(Cheryl) is wearing a purple gown. She didn't wear purple that day, but it's her favorite color. You don't get to wear purple for a wedding but you can do it for the renewal.

"It's pretty much the neighborhood gang," he said. "We try to keep in touch with and do things with each other, so we're making a day of it."

"Very rarely are we all dressed up like that," said Laura Pellegrino of Center Township, one of the group. She and her husband, Patrick, have been married for nearly 12 years.

"We were looking at each other and we said, 'Hey, we clean up pretty well,'" she joked.

All the couples received gift bags, cake and a champagne toast. Many won prizes, even gifts as extravagant as second honeymoons.

Each couple submitted a story about their wedding day and the most unique and funny were read aloud.

While Cheryl Cavaliero admitted she wanted to help set the record, she also said it was about friendship.

"We just wanted to do something with our other friends who were also still happy in their marriage, just to kind of show we're still together, and we're still in love," she said.

Others in the group felt the same way.

"I did it because it was a unique opportunity to let my spouse know that I'd do it again," Polly Wilbert said. "And to do it with friends made it even more fun."