A Philadelphia couple has set a Guinness World Record by becoming the world’s oldest newlyweds. Bernie Littman, 100, and Marjorie Futterman, 102, married earlier this year, their combined age being an extraordinary 202 years and 271 days, as confirmed by Guinness World Records on Dec. 3.
The love story of this centenarian couple began in a senior housing facility in Philadelphia, where they both lived. They met nine years ago at a costume party held on their floor and soon developed a romantic relationship. Their journey together ended on May 19 in a wedding ceremony held at the same place where their relationship began.
Both Bernie and Marjorie lived rich and fulfilling lives, married to their respective spouses for more than six decades before becoming widows. Despite attending the University of Pennsylvania together in their youth, they did not see each other until fate brought them together in later years. Bernie became an engineer, while Marjorie pursued a career as a teacher.
When announcing the centenarians’ wedding, Litman’s granddaughter, Sarah Sicherman, told the Jewish Chronicle, “With so much suffering (and) fear in the world, it’s nice to be able to share something that brings people joy.”
She shared in a post: “Today my 100-year-old grandfather married his 102-year-old girlfriend! Bernie Littman and Marjorie Futterman live on the same floor of a senior living facility in Philadelphia. They’re both in their 60s. It was more like marrying your first spouse and finding love again at the age of 100!”
“Most of the couples I marry these days meet on some kind of dating app,” Rabbi Adam Wohlberg, who officiated the wedding, told Fox News. I like the old ways better. You live in the same building, you bump into each other and fall in love.
The couple’s bond deepened through their active participation in community events, including shared meals and theatrical productions. Bernie attributes his longevity and happiness to his love of reading and staying informed, while Marjorie attributes the secret to her long life to buttermilk.
The wedding ceremony was a private affair, attended by four generations of Bernie’s family. Under a traditional Jewish chuppah at their senior housing facility, the couple exchanged vows in the presence of loved ones and well-wishers. Both Bernie and Marjorie were wheeled to the ceremony in their wheelchairs, beaming with joy as they began this new chapter together.
