By Glenn Rolfe

GEORGETOWN — Starting this July, it will cost more to get married through the Sussex County clerk of the peace for non-Delaware residents and after regular office hours.

Effective July 1, fees will increase for:

• A ceremony for Delaware residents after hours, from $50 to $100.
• An in-office ceremony for non-Delaware residents after hours, from $100 to $200.
• An outside-the-office ceremony for non-Delaware residents, from $175 to $200.

These increases were included in one of several ordinances adopted by Sussex County Council on Tuesday, as it approved the county’s fiscal year 2022 budget.

Historically, the marriage bureau has operated at a deficit.

“Why are (we) making these recommendations?” said County Finance Director Gina Jennings. “There are a couple advantages, (including to) increase revenue — currently, the office is operating at a deficit. So this will help with the deficit. It will not clear the $70,000 deficit, but it will help.”

The bureau’s 2022 fiscal projections are $160,000 in revenue and $230,372 in expenses.
“It will also help be more efficient,” Ms. Jennings said. “We have a lot of people who come in for after-hour visits when we don’t have the ones filled during the day. So hopefully, that will deter some of the after-hours and have it when our staff is actually here.”

Sussex County Clerk of the Peace Norman “Jay” Jones continued, “We do operate at a deficit. It is supplemented by taxpayer money for the running of our office. This is not going to be increasing fees for the everyday, normal operations of the business.”

The fee for performing a marriage ceremony or renewal of marriage vows in the office of the clerk of the peace, on The Circle or at any building fronting The Circle during business hours for Delaware residents will remain unchanged at $50.

County Council’s ordinance adoption was not unanimous. It passed 4-1.

“I certainly appreciate what the clerk of the peace is doing here, trying to close the gap,” said Councilwoman Cindy Green, who cast the dissenting vote. “But one of the things that your evening weddings and after-hours (weddings) does, it does bring more economy to our area. I’m sure that the businesses here do appreciate your part and them picking up extra dinners and extra parties. It is a fee increase, and I’m going to vote no.”

Councilman John Rieley disagreed.

“In my opinion, the taxpayers of Sussex County ought not to be subsidizing the people from other states that have chosen Delaware as their wedding destination, although I am grateful that they see us that way,” he said. “I think they should bear the cost of their own wedding, rather than putting it on the taxpayers. So I will vote yes.”

Mr. Jones said the bulk of the services are for out-of-staters coming in for destination weddings. Those ceremonies consume blocks of time and involve travel. On those days, Mr. Jones said he might perform five ceremonies.

But, he added, “When I am (in the office) during the week, up to 10 ceremonies during a day.”

Mr. Jones said that these fee hikes will hopefully “streamline some things and help not use tax dollars to operate my office.”

In the 2018 budget, Sussex County implemented a $20 license recording fee and a $25 increase for out-of-office weddings in efforts to address the clerk of the peace’s operating deficit.