Couples Line Up to Wed on 12-12-12

The last repeating date of most Bay Area residents' lifetimes has arrived today -- Dec. 12, 2012.

To celebrate the twelfth day of the twelfth month, the Alameda City Clerk's Office is performing 12 wedding ceremonies today.

City Clerk Lara Weisiger said that on an average week, her office might hold just one or two ceremonies.

"People want this anniversary," Weisiger said.

Her office got the idea to schedule 12 weddings today when last
year, on Nov. 11, 2011, there happened to be 11 weddings, Weisiger said.

Santa Cruz County Clerk Gail Pellerin said her office has heard from a number of couples planning to get hitched on today's memorable date.

With the uptick in requests, the office notified county residents that they are offering a full day of wedding ceremonies today -- 12 hours, to be exact.

The office is performing weddings every half hour, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., according Pellerin. As of noon, there was a waiting list.

On a typical day, Pellerin said, there are about three weddings.

"There's something about the number 12," Pellerin said.

A staff member at the San Mateo County Clerk's Office said that office also expanded its hours, starting services at 9 a.m., an hour early. Usually, weddings are limited to only four per day.

The staffer said that on previous repeating dates, like last year's 11-11-11, the office was similarly busy.

Just before noon, she said, people were still calling in to schedule a wedding, but the office was booked.

The next repeating date will be Jan. 1, 2101.

--Bay City News Service