Fayetteville, N.C. — The Cumberland County Magistrate's Office has had as many as 90 weddings on previous Valentine's Days, compared to five or 10 on a typical day. But at one wedding on Wednesday, the newlyweds had a added sense of urgency.

Alex and Tiffany Prewitt walked down the aisle -- well, a sidewalk -- straight into the Cumberland County jailhouse on Wednesday. Their holy matrimony began by paying $20 to a no-nonsense magistrate.

Alex Prewitt is an Army man who will soon deploy to Iraq.

"I just had to make sure with all the stuff that's coming up, we get this taken care of before,” he said.

Alex popped the question Thanksgiving Day, and the couple decided to have the wedding on Valentine's Day.

"It's a day I wouldn't forget,” Alex said.

The newly-wedded couple are planning a formal ceremony on March 3, but that date doesn't come with chocolate reminders.

"You get a lot of discounts at this time for jewelry,” Alex said. “It's a lot cheaper, also."

"It's him,” Tiffany Prewitt said. “It's typical -- a date so he won't forget. I'll always remember."

So it went on a romantic day in a decidedly unromantic hearing room.

Also in attendance was Chris McGougan and his fiancee, ready to say their “I do's” in front of the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina. But with their wedding, there was no deployment urgency.

“Just decided to go ahead and smooth it out,” McGougan said. “Walk in, say “Yes I do,” and come out of here."

Wednesdays was an unusually slow Valentine's Day for the Cumberland County magistrate's office. As of 5 p.m., only 16 weddings had taken. But an official said the rush might happen Thursday, when it’s payday at Fort Bragg.