Santa Cruz County Clerk

Marriage Licenses & Ceremonies

WHO CAN PERFORM YOUR MARRIAGE CEREMONY

No particular form for the ceremony of marriage is required for solemnization of the marriage, but the parties shall declare, in the presence of the person solemnizing the marriage and at least one witness, that they take each other as husband and wife.

Marriage may be solemnized by any of the following who is of the age of 18 or older

• A priest, minister, or rabbi of any religious denomination.

• A judge or retired judge, commissioner of civil marriages or retired commissioner of civil marriages, commissioner or retired commissioner, or assistant commissioner of a court of record or justice court in this state.

• A judge or magistrate who has resigned from office.

• Any of the following judges or magistrates of the United States:

  1. A justice or retired justice of the Unites United States Supreme Court

  2. A judge or retired judge of a court of appeals, a district court, or a court created by an act of Congress, the judges of which are entitled to hold office during good behavior.

  3. A judge or retired judge of a bankruptcy court or a tax court.

  4. A United States magistrate or retired magistrate.

• A legislator who is an elected member of the California Assembly or Senate

• A constitutional officer of this state, who include:

  1. Governor

  2. Lieutenant Governor

  3. Attorney General

  4. Controller

  5. Insurance Commissioner

  6. Secretary of State

  7. Superintendent of Public Instruction

  8. State Treasurer

• Members of the State Board of Equalization

• A member of Congress (who represents a district within this state)

For each County, the County Clerk is designated as a Commissioner of Civil Marriages.

The Commissioner of Civil Marriages may appoint Deputy Commissioners of Civil Marriages who may solemnize marriages under the direction of the Commissioner of Civil Marriages and shall perform other duties as directed by the Commissioner.

The persons listed below are authorized to perform marriage ceremonies on weekends or holidays for a fee. If they perform a marriage on a day other than a weekend or holiday, they may not accept a fee nor donation or gift of any kind.

1. Yvonne Mager 831-475-2350 (ESPAÑOL OR ENGLISH)

2. Otilia Barrales 408-723-1707 (ESPAÑOL OR ENGLISH)

3. Kathy Wolf 831-688-4257

4. Lorena Camacho 831-459-9945 (ESPAÑOL OR ENGLISH)

5. Tricia Webber 831-471-2816

6. Tom Graves 831-234-8444

Each weekday, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Office of the County Clerk will perform civil marriage ceremonies in the office. Couples must schedule the wedding by calling the office at 831-454-2060 or in person at 701 Ocean St., Room 210, Santa Cruz

The cost is $75.00. Couples must have already obtained a marriage license, and have at least one witness present. Requests for ceremonies at other times will be accommodated if possible.

The County Clerk’s Office can also swear in a "Deputy Commissioner of Marriage for a Day.” The commissioner must be 18 years of age. There is no residency requirement, and the marriage ceremony can be performed anywhere in the State of California.

The commission is valid for one specific day for one specific marriage. The cost is $120 and applicants must appear in person at the County Clerk’s Office, show appropriate identification, complete a form indicating the name of the bride and groom as it will appear on the marriage license, and the exact date of the marriage ceremony. The applicant will then be sworn in to serve for that day, and will be given a Certificate.

Other persons qualified to perform marriage ceremonies can be found in the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory.

Click here for the sample ceremony

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