Monongahela group sets Guinness world record for largest wedding cookie table

It’s official — the Monongahela Area Historical Society on Sunday established a new Guinness World Record, that of “largest wedding cookie table.”

Christina Conlon, Guinness adjudicator, said that by late afternoon, it was clear the tables set up in Chess Park held more than 50,000 cookies.

“We know that you have set a new world record title. We are only a third of the way through (counting), and you already are over the record, so really amazing,” she told the cheering crowd.

“Our favorite record attempts at Guinness World Records are those that bring people together not only to make history and achieve something officially amazing but also to strengthen and give back to the community as a whole,” Conlon said. “Today’s attempt is the perfect example of such an activity … and will also serve to make it a better place, as these cookies will be used to fundraise money for the historical society as well as be donated to local charities and first responders, bringing smiles to thousands of faces.”

Going for Guinness gusto

“For new record titles, our records management team does extensive research to locate a minimum that needs to be achieved in order to set the record,” said Rachel Gluck, Guinness spokeswoman.

“In this case, there must be at least 18,000 cookies on the table. If the upcoming attempt is successful, anyone who wishes to break the record would need to surpass however many cookies are on the table when the record is set,” she said.

The 18,000 number was achieved at a Youngstown, Ohio, wedding in 2016, Conlon said, but no record was established at that time.

Sunday’s attempt was the brainchild of Laura Magone, Monongahela Area Historical Society president and founder of the Facebook page “The Wedding Cookie Table Community.”

She announced the event earlier this summer and welcomed bakers from her group and individuals to contribute cookies.

A Pittsburgh-area tradition

Often a wedding reception’s first course, the cookie table is a Pittsburgh-area wedding tradition. It’s a gift to guests from moms, sisters, grandmas and professional bakers, a decorated flat surface groaning with ladylocks, peanut butter blossoms, heart-shaped cutouts and thumbprints cradling centers of colorful frosting.

Among those baking was former Penn Hills resident Laraine Schultz, now residing in Florida. She contributed her own cookies, including chocolate truffles and Italian butter cookies, along with those of Kerry Moran, owner of Sue Ann’s Bakery of Melbourne, Fla., also formerly of Pennsylvania.

Carnegie Science Center’s demonstration theaters team contributed 41 kinds of cookies from 13 bakers totaling 1,900 cookies, said Maila Jill Rible, science educator.

The team included a pastel tray of cookies spelling out the periodic table of elements and a demonstration of dry ice to keep the peanut butter blossoms cold.

“This was an opportunity to interact with the public and do some really fun science,” Rible said. “Bakers have to know their chemistry.”

Diana DiVito, Kathy Zukowski and Rose Cerceo stood before a table including wedding photos and pink ribbon cookies. They represented the volunteer group Dignity Robes of St. Louise.

“We make robes for cancer patients at area hospitals,” DiVito said.

Tying the sweetest knot

And what’s a wedding cookie table without a wedding? Or in this case, three renewals of vows and three brand new brides and grooms, who ascended the steps of the park’s gazebo to be united in marriage and remarriage by Monongahela Mayor Bob Kepics.

Brett Humphrey, 22, and Breanna Silvers, 20, both of Somerset County, decided to take the plunge Sunday after being engaged for a few years.

They learned about the wedding ceremonies from Silvers’ mother, Stacy Antal.

“I just knew we were going to get married at some point,” Humphrey said. “We probably won’t have an opportunity like this for a while, so we thought let’s do it now.”

Danielle D’Amato, 33, and Samuel Craig, 35, of Poland, Ohio, were high school sweethearts who were planning to be married next year.

“My dad is 90,” D’Amato said, and the two decided not to wait.

“We have the cookie table tradition in (nearby) Youngstown, Ohio,” she said. “I found my dress in July, and in August, here we are.”

Herb Humphreys, 60, and Lisa Humphreys, 56, of Finleyville, learned about the event on Facebook.

“We had always talked about renewing our vows every five years,” Lisa Humphreys said.

The couple will celebrate their fifth anniversary Aug. 16.

Hundreds looked on and checked out the cookies, awaiting Conlon’s decision regarding the world record.

Then, in a somewhat orderly fashion, they descended on the tables of cookies serving as the joint reception.

Cookie boxes were sold to benefit the historical society, with buyers choosing their favorites to take home.