Santa Clara County is taking reservations for couples that want to exchange vows on Valentine’s Day. And for those spur-of-the-moment elopements, there’s an express option that doesn’t require appointments at all.

“We want to offer services that best fit our customers’ needs,” Clerk-Recorder Gina Alcomendras said. “Whether the ceremony is an express service or held in the chapel with a full wedding party, getting married on Valentine’s Day will be a wonderful memory for many couples.”

The county’s wedding chapel can accommodate up to 17 ceremonies a day for couples who want to hold their service at the same place they fill out their marriage license. The chapel can fit an audience of about 22 people per ceremony.

To make the big day all the more convenient, the county allows folks to fill out their application online—at www.clerkrecorder.org—before making the trip down to the Clerk-Recorder’s Office.

“Santa Clara has always been a welcoming county,” said county Supervisor Ken Yeager, who often officiates civil ceremonies at the County Government Center. “On any given day, you will see gay and straight couples of all faiths and ethnicities getting married in our chapel. I am delighted to see so many people taking advantage of one of the county’s hidden gems.”

The clerk-recorder’s office typically performs about 23 marriages a day. On Valentine’s Day, the number typically doubles. Some couples tie the knot in casual garb. Others arrive in full pageantry with an entourage in tow.

Walk-in couples can buy their license for a ceremony performed at the clerk window for $120 plus a license fee of $80 to $83. Ceremonies can be scheduled from 9am to 4pm Feb. 14. The county office is located at 70 W. Hedding St. in San Jose.

For more information or to be trained as a deputy marriage commissioner to perform civil ceremonies, call 408.299.5688.