Utah County’s marriage bureau is surprisingly tech savvy

Bring on the remote weddings! With a fully online marriage portal, virtual wedding ceremonies, and digital marriage licenses stored using blockchain technology, Utah County is ahead of the curve

 

 

 

Utah County has been ahead of the marriage-meets-technology curve several times in the last few years, earning it a reputation as one of the most tech-savvy marriage bureaus in the country. 

 

In early 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the first county in the country to offer virtual wedding ceremonies. When AMM reached out to the County Clerk’s office in Provo at the time, a clerk told us that they’d launched their fully-online marriage portal months before the pandemic even started!

 

And it’s one of the few places where virtual remote weddings are still easily available as things return to pre-pandemic practices, making Utah State a hotspot for creative online weddings. 

 

Related: A Guide to Virtual Wedding Ceremonies in Utah: For Officiants & Couples

 

The county made headlines again later that year, when it became the first place in the world to allow virtual Zoom weddings for international couples living in different countries. 

 

At first just a valuable tool for couples abroad who were forced to navigate rapidly-changing COVID travel restrictions, the county’s unique electronic marriage system later became a safe, legal option for couples banned from marrying in their own country – including Israel. 

 

In Israel, civil marriages are illegal and people non-Jewish residents are not allowed to marry, but Utah County’s fully-online marriage portal offered a way for these couples to marry virtually in the U.S. without leaving home.

 

Related: Israeli couples used Utah’s online marriage portal to avoid discrimination, creating a legal battle back home

 

Now, Utah County is back in the news – this time for using popular blockchain technology to digitally store and authenticate marriage records: When a Latter-day Saints couple lost their paper marriage license right before a scheduled temple sealing, they were able to obtain a digital copy from the Utah County Commissioner's office within minutes. 

 

Other counties, including Washoe County, where Reno, Nevada, is located, have relied on these so called ‘smart contracts’ and digital record keeping for a few years now. And cities like New York, with its Project Cupid portal, have found ways to streamline the online application process. 

 

But surprisingly, few counties have implemented as many tech-forward policies as Utah County despite their popularity with couples.

 

What’s next for the Utah County marriage bureau? Time will tell! But as the need for convenience, speed, and secure personal data recording increases over the coming years, we’ll probably see more online portals and technology-forward licensing systems like theirs pop up in other places in the country. 

 

 

Visit the Utah County Marriage Bureau here. 

 

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Want to perform a remote wedding ceremony in Utah?

 

• A Guide to Virtual Wedding Ceremonies in Utah: For Officiants & Couples

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Get ordained in Utah! 

How to Become a Wedding Officiant in Utah

 

Friends and family members can perform wedding ceremonies in Utah if they’ve been ordained. Get ordained online with AMM to get started.

 

 

 

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• 3 Terms Every Officiant Should Know in the Virtual Wedding Era
   

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