County of Santa Clara Offers Valentine’s Day Civil Marriage Ceremony Options
No-appointment Required Express Marriage Service or Wedding Chapel Nuptials
WHAT:
Valentine’s Day continues to be a favorite day to get married, with dozens of couples expected to exchange vows at the County of Santa Clara Government Center on Thursday, February 14. The Office of the Clerk-Recorder is making it easier than ever for couples to exchange their marriage vows through civil ceremony options, including Express Marriage Ceremony Service at the customer service windows (which doesn’t require appointments) and nuptials in the County’s Wedding Chapel with up to 22 family members and friends in attendance.
“The Clerk-Recorder’s Office performs twice as many marriage ceremonies on Valentine’s Day than other days of the year,” said County Clerk-Recorder Gina Alcomendras. “We are ready help couples celebrate this special day.”
Leading up to their nuptials, couples can save time by filling out and submitting their marriage applications online before coming to the County Clerk-Recorder’s Office. The online application is available at www.clerkrecorder.org (click Marriage Services and Applying for a Marriage License) or http://bit.ly/MarriageApplicationsOnline.
WHO:
Office of the Clerk-Recorder staff
Couples getting married in the wedding chapel
Couples getting married at customer service windows on the first floor (through the Express Marriage Ceremony Service)
WHEN:
Thursday, February 14, 2019, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Media Availability)
(Note: wedding chapel ceremonies and express service marriages will be conducted most of the day. Clerk-Recorder’s Office staff will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for interviews and questions, and to assist media with identifying couples who are getting married at the express windows).
WHERE:
Office of the Clerk-Recorder, First Floor, East Wing
County Government Center, 70 W. Hedding St., San Jose
WHY:
The County offers civil marriages as a service to the community. On a typical day, the Office of the Clerk-Recorder performs about 20 marriages. This nearly doubles during Valentine’s Day; there were 39 marriages on Valentine’s Day 2018. In 2018, the Clerk-Recorder’s Office issued 10,355 marriage licenses and scheduled 1,431 marriage ceremonies throughout the year. Some couples come alone; others come with the pageantry of a full wedding party.
MARRIAGE LICENSES AND CEREMONY FEES:
A standard marriage license is $80; a confidential marriage license is $83. Marriage licenses can be issued on the day of the ceremony. Walk-in couples may choose the Express Marriage Ceremony Service to have their ceremony performed at the service window for $120, plus the marriage license fee. Express ceremonies are paid at the time the marriage license is issued.
The County has one Wedding Chapel for marriages. The fee for the ceremony is $80 and must be paid in person before the date of the ceremony. Up to 17 ceremonies per day can be performed in the chapel. The Wedding Chapel holds 22 people and is located on the Lower Level, 70 W. Hedding St.; both elevator and stair access is available. Ceremonies can be scheduled for weekdays, 10:30 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
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About the County of Santa Clara, California
The County of Santa Clara government serves a diverse, multi-cultural population of 1.9 million residents in Santa Clara County, the sixth largest county in California. With a $7 billion budget, more than 70 agencies/departments and 20,000 employees, the County of Santa Clara plans for the needs of a dynamic community, offers quality services, and promotes a healthy, safe and prosperous community for all. The County provides essential services including public health and environmental protection, medical services through Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, parks, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and scores of other services, particularly for those members of our community in the greatest need.
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Media Contact: Laurel Anderson/Marina Hinestrosa, Office of Public Affairs, (408) 299-5119.