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LOS ANGELES - Couples who plan to say "I Do" in Los Angeles County should prepare to pay more for their marriage license beginning next month.
What we know:
Add the cost of getting married to the list of things that are becoming more expensive.
On Tuesday, the LA County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to increase the cost of marriage licenses, civil wedding ceremony and ceremony witness services.
By the numbers:
The new fees are expected to take effect in 30 days.
- The cost of a standard marriage license will go from $90 to $176.
- The cost of a confidential marriage license will go from $85 to $220.
- The cost of a wedding ceremony fee will go from $35 to $44.
- The cost of a ceremony witness fee will go from $20 to $26.
"The proposed fee increase is significant as approximately 42% of this increase is attributed to cost-of-living adjustments for LA County employees since 2009, with the remainder reflecting several operational enhancements and mandated changes that have significantly impacted workload and administrative costs," Logan wrote in his letter to the board.
According to Logan, his office conducted a survey of marriage fees charged in San Diego, Orange, Riverside, Contra Costa, San Bernardino, San Francisco and Ventura counties. The average fee for a marriage license in those counties is $100, and $107 for a confidential license. The highest current license cost in those counties is in San Diego, which charges $129 for a standard license and $144 for a confidential one. Orange County charges the least, at $61 and $66, respectively.
In a letter, Logan said it'll increase revenue by roughly $5.1 million.
The other side:
"This decision is catastrophic," said Alan Katz, owner of the Cute Little Wedding Chapel in Long Beach. "It will drive couples out of Los Angeles County to neighboring counties like Orange, where marriage licenses are just $61 and $66. That means fewer ceremonies here, fewer couples able to afford to wed, and ultimately the closure of many local wedding chapels."
LA County issues a statement
What they're saying:
"Los Angeles County is committed to providing accessible, high-quality marriage services while also ensuring fiscal responsibility. The recent fee adjustments are based on a comprehensive cost study reviewed by the Auditor-Controller and approved by the Board of Supervisors. These adjustments bring our fees in line with the actual cost of providing services for the first time in more than a decade and align with state laws that seek to ensure these services do not pull resources from other essential public services," LA County said in a released statement.
"Los Angeles County continues to be a destination for marriage services due to the size and diversity of our population, the availability of services across multiple locations, and the convenience of appointments and ceremony options. Our focus is on long-term sustainability to ensure that marriage services remain available and supported for all couples who choose Los Angeles County," they added.
The Source: City News Service contributed to this report. This story also used information from a press release from Cute Little Wedding Chapel.