Frequently asked questions

Are these marriages legally recognized in the United States?

Yes, if all the outlined requirements are met, the marriage is legal according to Utah state law and therefore throughout the United States. Remote online marriage is still new, so the Utah County Clerk's office has prepared a letter describing remote ceremonies and their justification under Utah law. The letter is available to interested parties on Utah County letterhead.

Are these marriages legally recognized outside the United States?

While valid in the United States, acceptance or recognition of the marriage by foreign governments or immigration officials is not guaranteed. (It should be noted that several couples living in Spain have been married online and have successfully apostilled their marriages with the Spanish government.) If marriage candidates outside the United States are concerned about legal recognition of their online marriage in the country where they reside, they should contact their local government officials or an immigration or family law attorney.

How does a Utah online wedding work?

There are three steps: 1) the marriage license must be obtained; and 2) the wedding ceremony must be performed by an officiant licensed and authorized by the State of Utah. The wedding is generally performed via Zoom. The marrying couple, at least two witnesses, and the officiant all need to see and be seen, hear and be heard by each other in real time (which can be online.) The officiant must be physically present in the state of Utah during the ceremony. Finally, 3) the officiant files the required wedding information with Utah County. Utah County then emails the couple a digital marriage certificate and requests that they provide a mailing address to where the physical marriage certifcate is mailed.

Can it be done completely online?

The entire process can be completed online, signed digitally and paid with a debit/credit card. The system uses third-party identification software to verify the names, dates of birth, and identities of the marrying individuals. The state of Utah has no residency or citizenship requirements for marriage licenses.

What documentation is required to get a marriage license?

Each applicant must upload a government-issued photo ID that clearly shows their name and date of birth. The online system can automatically verify most driver’s licenses and passports. The marriage candidates will be asked to upload pictures of their ID and a photograph. These documents will be manually verified by Utah government officials when processing the order.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the wedding depends on the amount of assistance the couple requires to complete the legal & documentary requirements and the amount of flexibility & customization they desire in their wedding ceremony.

Skep Foundation is able to answer questions and assist couples in their native language to resolve difficulties with documentation, ids, mailing of certificates, etc. Skep pays the Utah County marriage license fee for the couple. Skep also pays wedding officiants authorized by Utah County to conduct the wedding ceremony in the couple's native language. Following requirements established by Utah, these officiants are generally able to accomodate most couple's ceremonial preferences and wedding dates/times. To cover the cost of providing these enhanced services, Skep asks for donations of $220 USD from those who would like to help a couple establish a strong family by getting married online.

Utah County currently charges $185.13 USD for the marriage license and an online, generic wedding ceremony in English with firm 30 minute time slots scheduled by appointment up to 30 days in advance. Any difficulties with documention, ids, etc. must be resolved by the couple. The wedding ceremony is performed in English and all correspondence is in English.

Who can help interested couples complete the online process and make the payments?

Skep Foundation is a charitable organization that was originally formed to help Africans gain the training and skills they need to become self-reliant and provide for their families. That purpose has been expanded to help couples form stable families by getting married legally. Skep provides support to committed couples to complete the online marriage process and make the required payments. Creating a legal marriage is valuable to the family involved, therefore Skep always asks the couple to pay as much of the cost as they can. If you would like to assist a needy couple to pay the cost of their online marriage, you can make a tax-deductible donation to Skep Foundation on its website. If you have questions, please contact leon@skepfoundation.org or call +1 480 202 4008

How long does it take?

It takes about an hour to complete the online marriage license application and to upload the photo ids. Once the donation to Skep Foundation has been made, the wedding generally can be scheduled to be held within 3 to 5 days. (Note that once the online marriage license application is begun, the license fee must be paid within a couple of weeks or else Utah County will delete the application for inactivity. Also, once the marriage license is issued, the wedding ceremony must be completed within 32 days or the license will expire.)

Does Utah County issue marriage certificate and how does the couple receive it?

Yes, Utah County will print and issue an actual marriage certificate on official letterhead that will be mailed by Utah County to the address indicated by the couple within a few days after the officiant submits the final paperwork to Utah County documenting the completion of the wedding ceremony. The marriage certificate issued for online weddings is identical in wording and appearance to those produced for in-person weddings.

Does the couple have any input into how the Skep Foundation wedding ceremony is conducted?

Yes. After the marriage license is issued, an officiant will be selected to perform the ceremony and file the required paperwork with the State of Utah to make the marriage official. The bride and groom will communicate with the officiant to express their wishes regarding the exchange of vows, rings, dates, times, and other wedding details. Within the legal limitations set by Utah County, the officiant will generally be able to conduct the ceremony in a manner that pleases the couple.

Steps for a Skep-assisted online marriage

Step 1

Complete the online marriage license application including the uploading of your government-issued photo ids. Click here to start.

Step 2

After you have completed the online application as best you can, email the URL of your application to leon@skepfoundation.org. Also include in that email your whatsapp or phone number so that Skep can review the application for any obvious errors or omissions and contact you to complete any missing or next steps.

Step 3

Make a donation of $220 to Skep Foundation to cover the cost of the marriage license and the marriage officiant. (Use the 'Make this donation in honour or in memory of someone' of the donation page to identify the names of the couple to be married or the names of the missionaries helping the couple.) This is the link where the donations can be made: Donation link

Step 4

Skep will pay the marriage license fee to Utah County. Utah County will immediately issue the marriage license, sending it via email to the couple. (NOTE: The wedding ceremony must happen within 32 days of the issuance of the marriage license.)

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Skep will find and assign an authorized officiant who speaks fluently the preferred language of the couple. Skep will send an email to the couple and to the officiant with each other’s contact information so that they can connect to decide on the details and the date/time of the wedding ceremony.

The officiant will perform the wedding ceremony in accordance with Utah law and submit the required documentation to Utah County. Utah County will mail the marriage certificate document to the couple at the physical address they specify.

Skep will pay the officiant for performing the marriage ceremony and submitting the wedding documentation to Utah County.

Skep Foundation’s marriage support services do not include apostilling the marriage with foreign governments. Click here for Apostille Information that might be helpful. Please note that several couples in Spain have been married online through Utah County and have had those marriages successfully apostilled by the Spanish government.

Step 8

Helpful Links

Utah County Marriage Website

Utah County Online Marriage FAQ

Start Your Marriage License Application

Skep Foundation Website

Donate for Online Weddings

Video Explanation of Skep's Marriage Support

"Thank you very much for all your attention and service, we enjoyed a very nice ceremony."

"Infinite thanks for all the support you have given us to strengthen our relationship and therefore the family as the basis of society."