First couple to marry in Cook County this year originally met at Chicago bus stop

CHICAGO - They first met at a Chicago bus stop and on Tuesday, they became the first couple to be married in Cook County in the New Year.

Angelica Rodriguez and Alfonso Arroyo tied the knot after winning the lottery to receive the county's first marriage license of 2024.

The couple met while waiting at a CTA bus stop on the way to Navy Pier.

"We just pretty much hit it off with a conversation waiting for the bus because you know how buses drive. They say a time and then it's never accurate," Alfonso Arroyo said.

As part of their celebration, the couple also got some gifts from several Chicago-area businesses, including wedding dance lessons and champagne.

The couple got engaged last August in Florida. Rodriguez said she was surprised they won the lottery.

"It was out of nowhere," she said. "I just saw it and I was like ‘Oh well, I’m going to try. What the heck, let's see what happens.' I never win anything, so I [figured] I might as well."