Ask the Wedding Goddess
Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway will answer your questions and help relieve wedding stress. Please e-mail your questions and wedding challenges to The Wedding Goddess.
How do we get our marriage license and how soon can we marry?
Dear Wedding Goddess:
We are a couple from England who are looking to get married in New York next year and though we have visited the Municipal Building website we haven't been able to find the information we require or an email address to contact them, and hope you can help. We will be arriving on the 29/11/09 in New York and will be heading straight to the NYC Marriage Bureau first thing on the Monday 30th November 2009. Can you please help us with the following: Whether we need a special license to get married in New York as we are from England?; Whether we can book our wedding ceremony for the next day once we've obtain our marriage license or do they have waiting lists? Hope you can help and any assistance or advice would be much appreciated. - John and Tracy
Dear John and Tracy -
Congratulations on your decision to wed in New York City. It is actual quite a simple procedure. First thing you want to do is check to make sure they are open on the day your arrive or day after. Hours for the New York City Clerk's Office marriage bureau are typically 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM but they close certain holidays. There is usually no waiting list to marry in the municipal building but you must have your marriage license in hand for 24 hours to do so. For example. If you receive your license at 1:30 PM Monday your could not legally wed until the same time the next day, or later. You do not require a special license on this end, just the appropriate identification, such as a Passport and drivers license. But you will have to register your wedding at home so you should find out how to go about that.
Here is the information I share with the couples I marry in New York City:
The details for getting the license are at this site.
http://nycmarriagebureau.com/
1. You will have to go together to get the license.
2. Make sure you bring proper ID (listed at the url's above and in the info below) and a US money order for $35. They do not take cash, cc, or checks.
3. I suggest you get there on line 45 minutes early to ensure faster processing.
4. You must present a valid, NYState license to me the day of the ceremony. Y
5. You can get it anywhere in New York.
You must bring the license with you the next day in order for the justice of the peace to marry you.
Blessings, Rev. Laurie Sue
SOME MORE INFORMATION ON GETTING YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE IN NY
Adapted from the official NYC Marriage Bureau website.
For more information: nycmarriagebureau.com
Getting married in New York City? Congratulations!
Any couple getting married in NYC must have a valid marriage licence issued within the State of New York. You can attain the license anywhere in the state, and it is only valid in New York State.
A New York State Marriage License remains valid for up to 60 days, and you must have it in hand for no less than 24 hours before your ceremony can be performed.
Try not to stress yourself by leaving it until the last minute if you can avoid it ... but if you are coming from out of town to get married and will have limited time before your ceremony, please make sure the Clerk's Office is open on the days before your wedding. (They close on weekends and for some holidays).
Here is some information on how to get your marriage license from the New York City Clerk's Office, which has five offices in the boroughs of NYC.
* The fee for a Marriage License is $35 payable in a money order only. (They do not accept checks, cash or credit cards).
* Both bride and groom must appear together in person to apply for a Marriage License. The application must be completed in the Clerk's office. (The application consists of an affidavit wherein you list various personal details such as name, address, birth place, date of birth, social security number, and marital history. You also make a sworn statement that there are no legal impediments to the marriage).
* If you or your beloved have been married before you must list all prior marriages and must be prepared to include prior spouse's full name, date the divorce was granted and the place the divorce was filed. It is strongly advised that you bring along a copy of the final divorce decree (just in case). Widowers must provide similar information. (Needless to say, all divorces, annulments, and dissolutions must be finalized before applying for a new Marriage License.)
* Your Marriage License is generated based on the information you provide. It will be prepared while you wait, and you will take it with you upon your departure.
* Make sure you proofread it and ask for any correction before you leave the clerk's office.
* Remember you must wait a full 24 hours before your Marriage Ceremony can be performed.
* A blood test is not required to obtain a Marriage License in New York State. There is no residence or citizenship status requirement to be married in New York City.
You must bring valid and acceptable forms of identification when applying for a Marriage License. Expired forms of ID will not be accepted.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
1. Valid driver's license (from the United States or one of its territories)
2. Non driver's identification card (from the United States or one of its territories)
3. Learner's permit from New York State only
4. Active United States Military Identification Card
5. Valid passport
6. U.S. Certificate of Naturalization (issued within the past ten years)
7. Valid United States Alien Registration Card with expiration date
8. Employment Authorization Card issued by the United States Immigration Authorities
To obtain your license anywhere else in the state please contact the local clerk's office to find our their hours and protocol.
For complete information please go to: nycmarriagebureau.com
© 2007, Reverend Laurie Sue Brockway
Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway, editor of Wedlok.com, is a leading interfaith and non-denominational wedding officiant. She creates unique ceremonies for couples of all backgrounds and faiths, and is also widely recognized as a relationship coach, bridal stress expert and columnist. She is author of YOUR PERFECT WEDDING VOWS: How to Write, Find and Select the Words that Express What is in Your Heart and WEDDING GODDESS: A Divine Guide to Transforming Wedding Stress into Wedding Bliss. To help reduce wedding stress, get your personally autographed copy at www.WeddingGoddess.com.
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