Wedding planning is a fun and hectic time. There are dresses to try on, cakes to taste and select, floral arrangements to choose and a myriad of other tasks. For most couples there is also the need to take time off from work or school to show up in person in a government office, fill out forms, pay a fee and get a marriage license. This piece of paper must be brought to the ceremony, filled out (usually by hand), signed and finally returned to the county office. A week later the couple might receive the certified copy of their marriage certificate and finally have legal documentation for their relationship.
The Utah County Marriage Clerk’s office decided there had to be a better way. When they didn’t find a better way they used innovative technology to make one.
Couples can now apply for and pay for a marriage license online. It is done at their convenience at a time and from a location that fits their schedule. Uploaded images of government-issued IDs are automatically verified by the system to establish age and identity. The couple is provided with a unique URL to provide their officiant. Following the ceremony, the officiant uses the URL to finalize their marriage license and the couple immediately receives a digital, certified copy of their marriage certificate. A paper certified copy is issued within two business days.
With surprise they ask, “Is it really that easy?” Our response, “Getting and submitting the license really is that easy. Save the hard work for creating your successful marriage.”
Couples love the ease of the Utah County process. So do the officiants, including the recorders of the Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The automation frees our staff from tedious data-entry, allowing them to provide better customer service and increasing their capacity to facilitate more passport applications.
It has been a privilege to be a part of this innovative use of technology and see the lives that have been positively impacted through its use. I will take my experience from this office and use it to continue to build a culture of customer service through innovative technology for all divisions of the Clerk’s office.
