New York City Marriage Bureau opens its doors (partially), now accepting appointments for marriage licenses

Updated December 2020: Please scroll to the bottom of this article for updated information on NYC's Project Cupid and obtaining a marriage license in New York State.

Here’s an encouraging sign that normalcy might be returning to the wedding space: Yesterday, perhaps the busiest marriage license office in the country, the New York City Marriage Bureau, posted on Twitter that it was accepting appointments through October 1, 2020.

That said, the openings are strictly for licenses, and couples will need to sort out the ceremony on their own. 

But with 32,381 AMM-ordained ministers in the state as of time of publication, finding a good officiant shouldn’t be too challenging -- and of course, if you’re a couple that knows someone who is perfect for the role, they can always get ordained as a wedding officiant right here on this website!

Here’s all the detail that we have right now: The New York City Marriage Bureau is telling couples that, “More Cupid marriage license appointments are available through Oct 1. We will add more availability to the summer months as more of our staff come online. Thank you for your patience!”

NY Governor Cuomo (right) was one of the first governors to allow virtual wedding ceremonies...

They made sure to tell couples that they wouldn’t be able to celebrate their nuptials with one of their world-famous courthouse ceremonies though. “Please be aware these appointments are for a marriage license only. Couples must arrange for a private ceremony after obtaining their license.”

There isn’t any further information on the bureau’s website, but there is a pretty comprehensive guide to licensing and officiating virtual ceremonies during the shutdown, which is worth a read. 

The process is still closed on their website, but we expect that to change in the next few days, so check back in with them if you’re pursuing this course of action. 

December 2020 update: 

All offices of the City Clerk - NYC Marriage Bureau remain closed to the general public until further notice, and marriage licenses are available exclusively online through Project Cupid. Project Cupid allows for marriage licenses to be obtained virtually in just a few simple steps, as long as a few conditions are met (including couples being physically located in the state of New York during their appointment with the clerk). We encourage couples to check the guidelines closely when scheduling an appointment to ensure they have the most up to date information as things continue to change quickly, and to call the county clerk in their area for answers to specific questions. 

Marriage ceremonies can also be performed virtually until further notice, as long as certain conditions are met.To read more about the conditions to officiate a virtual wedding, visit our NY Zoom Wedding Legal Information page.