County Clerks Ready to Go After Supreme Court Refuses to Halt California Weddings

Written by L.A. Chung

It was a momentary cloud over the giddy, joyous weekend that resounded from the San Francisco Bay, over the pink triangle installed Friday on Twin Peaks to Ocean Beach in San Francisco. 

The sponsors of Prop. 8 had filed an emergency petition Saturday with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, challenging the lifting of the stay on same-sex weddings by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Friday. The stay had been the last thing standing in the way of weddings resuming in California, following the U.S. Supreme Court's historic decision Wednesday that took no stand on the merits of California's ban on same-sex marriage, leaving a lower court's decision that overturned Proposition 8 to stand.

By Sunday morning, when Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy refused to hear that last-ditch appeal to halt the weddings in California, the weekend of celebration was complete.

On Monday, the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder's Office in San Jose will open at 8 a.m., the first full day of business since Friday afternoon's lifting of the stay. 
Residents wishing to obtain their marriage licenses in Santa Clara County can prepare by making sure they have the requisite information at the ready, and have filled out an online form ahead of time.

Here's what couples need to know about getting marriage licenses and wedding ceremonies at the clerk's office in Santa Clara County.

The office has deputized employees to perform weddings and will call on community volunteers for backup if there is high demand. There are 27 windows at the clerk's office that can be used.

In anticipation of a high volume of marriages, the county is also offering a new service, an "express marriage ceremony" beginning July 1 that allows couples to walk in and have a ceremony performed at a service window without an appointment. The new service costs about $120 in fees, while a regular ceremony costs about $80.

Two wedding chapel facilities in the county building have been added to complement the existing chapel. This will allow up to 17 ceremonies per day at each of the three chapels.

The Highlights

• Couples can apply for marriage licenses at the Clerk-Recorder’s Office - 70 W. Hedding St., 1st floor. (Free one hour parking in the West Wing parking lot at the corner of Hedding and San Pedro streets)

• The County of Santa Clara Clerk-Recorder's Office currently performs civil marriage ceremonies officiated by deputy marriage commissioners appointed by the Clerk-Recorder. On average, 12 civil marriage ceremonies are performed on a daily basis.

• The fee for the ceremony is $79 and must be paid in person before the date of the ceremony.

• Marriage licenses can be issued the same day as the ceremony.

• A standard Marriage License is $79; Confidential Marriage License is $83.

• Ceremonies can be scheduled for weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.

• Beginning July 1, walk-in couples who do not want to wait for an appointment will be accommodated through the new Express Marriage Ceremony Service. They may purchase a license to have their ceremony performed at the service window for a fee of $110, plus an additional witness fee of $10.

• The County has one wedding chapel for marriages, but will make two additional chapel facilities temporarily available to accommodate overflow. Up to 17 ceremonies per day could be performed at each chapel, if needed. The Wedding Chapel holds 22 people and is located on the Lower Level, 70 W. Hedding St., both elevator and stair access is available. (NOTE: The wedding chapel is in its final stages of remodeling. The ceremonies are currently at the Clerk-Recorder’s “designated” chapel on the first floor.)

• To schedule an appointment to be trained as a Deputy Marriage Commissioner to perform civil marriage ceremonies, call (408) 299-5688.