Utah Marriage Commission Celebrates National Marriage Week With Statewide Initiatives

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Utah Marriage Commission is recognizing National Marriage Week, Feb. 7 to 14, with a statewide focus on the value of marriage and its role in fostering stronger families and more resilient communities.

The commission is hosted by Utah State University Extension and is comprised of governor-appointed volunteers representing academia, relationship professionals, nonprofits, faith communities, media and business. The commission collaborates with educators and community partners to provide Utah residents with no-cost, evidence-based resources that strengthen marriagesthrough education, relationship skills and family well-being. These offerings include e-courses, podcast series, webinars and downloadable guides.

Throughout National Marriage Week, the commission will highlight the positive societal impact of healthy marriages and its ongoing efforts to support Utah couples and families.

National and Utah Marriage Week activities include:

• Utah Marriage Week Proclamation issued by Gov. Spencer Cox in recognition of National Marriage Week.
• Utah’s longest-married couple statewide social media campaign. The winning couple will receive a 30-minute interview documentary from Planted Media (a $700 value). Nominations are accepted at strongermarriage.org.
• Online Marriage Celebration, Feb. 6, hosted by USU Extension, and co-sponsored by the Utah Marriage Commission. Register here.
• Utah Billboard Campaign to raise awareness of Utah Marriage Commission resources.
• Interviews of commission members and relationship experts by local media.

Utah Marriage Commission Chairman Bruce R. Hough emphasized the commission’s long-standing impact.

“The Utah Marriage Commission has helped tens of thousands of Utahns strengthen their relationships through free educational resources, including e-courses, podcasts, webinars, blogs, YouTube videos, online programs and downloadable guidebooks,” he said. “The research is clear. Strong marriages contribute to stronger communities and a healthier society.”

The Utah Marriage Commission was initially established 25 years ago by former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt and his wife, Jackie Leavitt, and later formalized through state legislation. Its mission is to translate research into programs and resources that improve the lives of individuals, families, and communities across Utah.

The commission’s objectives include:

• Promoting coalitions and collaborative efforts that support a culture of strong, lasting marriages and stable families.
• Raising awareness about the role of marriage in reducing divorce and unwed parenthood.
• Encouraging public policies that strengthen relationships among spouses, parents, and children.
• Supporting programs, conferences and educational resources that prepare couples for healthy marriages.
• Publicizing premarital counseling and relationship education services that are available throughout Utah.

The Utah Marriage Commission is funded through marriage license fees and grant support.

For more information, visit strongermarriage.org.