Shoppers can buy the ring — and get hitched — at Helzberg Diamonds stores

Helzberg Diamonds is taking its customer service to the next level.

The jewelry retailer ordained hundreds of its store associates through an exclusive partnership with Universal Life Church, enabling the employees to legally perform marriage ceremonies in the U.S. The service is being offered, free of charge, at all of Helzberg Diamonds’ 200-plus stores, beginning Oct. 2, 2019. 

Couples interested in getting "Hitched at Helzberg" just need to bring their partner and their marriage license to their nearest Helzberg Diamonds location – no purchase necessary. Ordained associates will be available to perform free marriage ceremonies during regular work hours in any Helzberg Diamonds location. Participating couples will receive a custom celebration kit from Helzberg Diamonds following the ceremony, including a commemorative marriage certificate. (The couples will be responsible for securing and submitting their marriage licenses and witnesses in accordance with their state laws prior to the ceremony.)

"We listen to our customers, and know that many wish to modernize current wedding traditions," said Beryl Raff, chairman and CEO of Helzberg Diamonds. "We discovered that not only did we already have some ordained associates on staff, a few stores had also performed marriage ceremonies upon request! Inspired by these stories, we wanted to become the destination that could, and would, officiate for these couples in a relaxed and comfortable environment."

To better understand people's views of wedding traditions, Helzberg Diamonds recently issued a survey to 1,000 U.S. millennials and found that 91% of those surveyed would consider eloping, and 63% of already-married millennials would elope if they had to do it all over again. Inspired by the survey data, and by couples who shared their wedding plans with associates across the country, the company decided to invite couples to get "Hitched at Helzberg."