Philadelphia’s Reading Terminal Market hosted a unique Valentine’s Day event on Saturday, February 14, 2026, as seven couples exchanged vows in a group ceremony amidst the bustling market stalls. The “Married at the Market” event, relaunched last year by vendor Beth Esposito-Evans after becoming an ordained minister, offered couples a free wedding experience.
The ceremony, held in the Arch Court, provided a distinctly Philadelphia backdrop for the couples. Esposito-Evans, too the owner of Chef Beth’s Kitchen at the market, officiated the ceremony, incorporating both traditional elements and a celebration of the market itself. “What could be more Philly than Reading Terminal Market?” she remarked, according to reporting from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The event offered a package of wedding amenities, including a group ceremony, reserved and decorated space, bouquets or boutonnieres from Market Blooms, a mini 6-inch wedding cake from Flying Monkey Bakery, “Perfect Bubbly” from Mazza Vineyards, two wine flutes, two T-shirts, and a $50 Reading Terminal Market gift card. Digital wedding photos were provided by Russ Brown Photography. Couples were responsible for securing their own marriage license.
For Daysi Morales and David Skillman, the location held particular significance. Morales’s father, Juan Morales, had worked as a security guard at the market before his death from cancer in September 2024. “So there’s a sentimental aspect,” Morales said, as reported by the Inquirer. “It’s a place where I can feel my dad’s presence.” The couple, who met on a Tinder date in 2021, described a quick connection during a conversation at a sports bar.
Reading Terminal Market offered the opportunity to twelve couples initially, but only seven ultimately participated in the event. The market cautioned that the event would grab place during business hours and that media would be present to film for promotional purposes, advising attendees that photography and recording may occur and consent would be implied by entering the premises.
The event, which ran from 10 AM to 12:30 PM, with the ceremony taking place at 11 AM, drew attention from local news outlets. Reading Terminal Market has not yet announced plans for a similar event in 2027.
