Couples Line up to Wed on Iconic 12-12-12 Date

RIVERSIDE - Dozens of lovebirds will be lining up today at the Riverside County Assessor-Clerk-Recorder's offices to tie the knot in celebration of the iconic 12/12/12 date.

''We're sold out, you might say,'' said Assistant Assessor-Clerk-Recorder Michelle Martinez. ''We have 32 ceremonies scheduled in Riverside. That's as much as we can handle.''

The number of ceremonies scheduled at the assessor-clerk-recorder's Indio office was similarly high -- 19 -- but not yet at the maximum 21-per-day cap that the office observes, Martinez said.

She noted that Tuesdays and Wednesdays are typically the slowest for civil ceremonies, but excitement over the triple-12's -- which won't be seen again for a century -- put midweek in high demand this time.

''It's really something to see this level of interest,'' Martinez said. ''One thing's for sure -- it's an easy anniversary date to remember.''

Each civil ceremony takes anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes, and up to 25 guests are permitted inside the clerk's ceremonial room to watch, according to Martinez.

Couples who prepaid all expenses well in advance will be saving a little money. Effective Dec. 7, the cost of a marriage license went from $68 to $90, and the cost of a weekday marriage ceremony performed by a county official went from $65 to $75.

The higher rates were among a slate of rate modifications that the Board of Supervisors approved last month in response to a request from Assessor- Clerk-Recorder Larry Ward, who said the hikes were necessary to offset rising operational costs.