City Forestry Supervisor Weds At City-County Building Christmas Tree

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- One man has a special connection to the Christmas tree at the City-County building in downtown Pittsburgh.

Roger Abbott, the city forestry supervisor, has put up the annual tree for 32 years, but he had a personal reason to be there Thursday.

He married his fiancée, Marlene Schoenhardt, in front of the blue spruce.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl lead the ceremony. The couple met 10 years ago when Marlene was a waitress and served Roger's table at the McKnight Road Eat 'N Park.

The wedding by the tree was Marlene's idea.

"It is so beautiful," she said. "Because we come down four times in a week just to look at it, because we absolutely love it, so I said we could get married at the Christmas tree."

Alice Rhodes of Hazelwood donated the spruce tree planted by her son and husband 45 years ago. Both are gone now, but their tree will make new memories.

"If it makes them as happy as it made me for 45 years, I'm happy for them," Rhodes said.