Valentine’s walk-in weddings offered in SoCal

NORWALK – Amorous couples looking to tie the knot on Valentine’s Day were able to obtain a marriage license and get hitched all in the same location today at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office in Norwalk, and nearly 80 newlywed couples took advantage of the offer.

Same-day marriage licensing and civil wedding ceremonies were offered at the office’s Norwalk headquarters at 12400 Imperial Highway from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

According to the clerk’s office, a total of 78 couples took advantage of the same-day services. Another 99 couples were married Wednesday at other clerk’s offices throughout the county, for a total of 177 weddings on the day.

The county charges $35 for a civil wedding ceremony. A marriage license costs $91, but a confidential license costs just $85.

On Valentine’s Day last year, 140 couples took advantage of the same- day licensing and ceremonies in Norwalk — where usually about 30 ceremonies are performed on a normal day. Another 73 couples were married on Valentine’s Day 2023 at the various registrar-recorder offices across Los Angeles County.

Same-day marriage licensing and civil wedding ceremonies were offered at the County Clerk’s Office on Valentine’s Day. FILE PHOTO/For illustration only

In Orange County, the county Clerk-Recorder offered extended hours at offices in Anaheim, Laguna Hills and Santa Ana, where civil ceremonies were
offered until 6 p.m. A final number of civil ceremonies performed in Orange County Wednesday was not immediately available.

The OC Clerk-Recorder’s office has conducted 628 marriage ceremonies on Valentine’s Day since 2019. In 2019 there were 114 ceremonies; 194 in 2020; 17 in 2021 during the pandemic; 150 in 2022; and 153 last year.

The numbers of marriage licenses issued in Orange County on Valentine’s Day have been: 154 in 2019; 258 in 2020; 21 in 2021; 215 in 2022; and 188 last year. The OC record on Valentine’s Day was 2014, when 310 marriage licenses were issued and 266 civil marriage ceremonies performed.

“Valentine’s Day is one of our most popular days of the year, and I am excited to increase accessibility of our marriage services with extended hours. Our department’s priority is to create a memorable start to the new chapter of each couple’s love story,” Orange County Clerk-Recorder Hugh Nguyen said in a statement.

In Orange County, a public marriage license is $61, and a confidential license is $66. The civil ceremony costs $28.

In San Diego, the County Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk issued 129 marriage licenses and performed 101 wedding ceremonies over its four offices.

Valentine’s Day is traditionally one of the most sought-after wedding days for the ARCC offices throughout the county. In 2014, the office set a county record, issuing 266 licenses and performing 242 ceremonies.

As a special nod to couples looking to enter matrimony, the Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation covered the costs for the first 20 weddings at the County Administration Center. The initiative included payment for marriage licenses and associated fees.

“My dad loved Valentine’s Day and always looked for ways to spread joy on this special day,” said Miles Himmel, founder of the Larry Himmel Neighborhood Foundation. `

Jordan Marks, the county assessor-recorder-county clerk, also serves as county commissioner of civil marriages. The ARCC has five offices around the county, and is responsible for issuing marriage licenses, birth and death certificates, as well as registering business names and recording all legal real estate documents.

On average, the office provides nearly 25,000 marriage licenses and performs more than 11,000 weddings annually. Nearly half of customers who request a marriage license also hold their wedding ceremonies at the Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk’s office. (CNS)