BAY AREA CEREMONIES
Personalized … Exceptional … Innovative
Dr. Richard A. Kaplowitz, Officiant
About Rick Kaplowitz, Contact Form, & Links
OFFICIANT FOR WEDDINGS,
BABY-NAMINGS, MEMORIAL SERVICES
Dr. Richard A. Kaplowitz brings a personal warmth, a sense
of humor, and an appreciation of the varations among us all
to his work as an offiant.
This personal depth and maturity are enriched by his experience
as a counselor, consultant, writer and manager.
Rick's has widely explored California’s broad spiritual diversity,
and he's delved into a multitude of cultures during his time in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.
He also completed a focused study/ internship with Canda’s premiere marriage officiants, helping him to be even more able
to develop a unique ceremony with and for you.
Rick will understand the range of your particular family needs,
and he'll then work collaboratively with you to design an appropriate and welcoming context.
Ordained as a lay chaplain, Rick is recognized to officiate
at ceremonies of all kinds, and, in particular, to solemnize
weddings in California [and in most of the rest of the world].
He works with you to personalize and build your own humor
into each ceremony in a warm, friendly, upbeat manner that ensures a truly memorable occasion for you, your families, and your guests. He also integrates his ceremonies well with your other wedding professionals.
His extensive experience and relaxed style provides a reassuring presence and confidence throughout
the ceremony that puts everyone at ease.
~~ ~~ ~~
Like many others, Rick’s path to this spiritual calling
has been personal and evolutionary,
in parallel with his professional development.
After earning his doctorate, Rick served as dean and
vice president in colleges and universities on both
the east and west coasts, including as V.P. at a
graduate School of Psychology and as Dean at
a school of funeral service and grief counseling.
He has also worked as a director and a vice president in
high tech and construction industries.
Rick has served on the boards of community agencies
that focus on mental health, mental retardation, and adolescent counseling. He is a trained neighborhood disaster response team member.
Rick and his wife, author Geri Spieler, live in Palo Alto, California,
midway between San Francisco and San Jose.
__________________________________________________________________________
Contact Rick
If you are on the web,Rick can be contacted using the form at the bottom of this page.
(Sorry, the form may not appear on mobile versions --
please email or call.)
Or send your names, wedding date and location by email to
Rick@bayareaceremonies.com
Or phone Rick, at 650. 852 – 9700.
__________________________________________________________________________
LICENSE INFORMATION
Links to county-specific marriage license information follow after the general California information.
These excerpts and summaries of California state law on getting your marriage license are presented solely as informational, not as legal advice.
You will both need to go, together, to apply for the license. [If one person is in service overseas in a war zone, you can use a power of attorney process.]
Each applicant for a marriage license is required to present authentic photo-identification acceptable to the county clerk as to name and date of birth. Most folks use either a driver's license or a passport.
Those IDs provides verification of the personal data of each party being married.
You will also be asked for the following information
[paperwork verification not required -- just the information]:
date of birth,
full given name at birth or by court order,
birthplace,
mailing address,
names and birthplaces of each party's parents,
last names at birth of each party's parents,
your marital status,
the number of any previous marriages,
prior or alternative names used,and the new name, if any, selected by each party for intended use
upon solemnization of the marriage.
Information and validation about previous divorces may be required [divorce judgment]. Usually that only applies if divorce was within the past 6 months.
A mailing address used by an applicant can be a residential address, a business address, or a United States Postal Service post office box.
The marriage license shall include an affidavit, which the applicants shall sign, affirming that they have received a brochure from the county clerk that covers the topics of genetic diseases and tests, AIDS, domestic violence, and name-change information.
For Domestic Partnerships – requirements are common residence; not married or domestically partnered with anyone else; and either of same gender or at least one is over the age of 62.
A marriage license expires 90 days after its issuance.
A license for a marriage anywhere in California can be secured from any County Clerk's office in California.
Confidential license: When the confidentiality of a marriage date is important, a confidential license may be requested. Certified copies of the license can only be requested by either of the named parties, with proper identification [or released by court order].
LINKS to specific Bay Area county clerks' offices:
Click on the county name to go to the page
SANTA CLARA COUNTY SAN MATEO COUNTY
SAN FRANCISCO
Note: Marriage licenses in San Francisco are issued by prepaid appointment only.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY MONTEREY COUNTY
ALAMEDA COUNTY CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
MARIN COUNTY MERCED COUNTY
=> For other counties: Google "[Name of county] County Clerk"
