NY lawmakers reconsider online weddings with new bill

Want to get married online in New York? Don’t want to leave home to get your marriage license?

 

 

Until recently, you could, under a temporary emergency order put in place in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but that option was removed in June. 

 

Now, lawmakers want to bring online weddings and other virtual marriage services back for good.

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For over a year, couples applied for marriage licenses using the city’s Project Cupid portal, and wedding officiants solemnized marriages using video conference platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Skype. Online weddings and appointments offered a safe, and convenient option for many NY couples and their families during the most unpredictable periods of the pandemic. 

 

But when the emergency order was abruptly rescinded in late June, virtual ceremonies were suddenly off limits again, and numerous wedding officiants and couples found themselves in wedding-planning limbo. 

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Assembly Bill 8192 would amend existing marriage laws, bringing most of the marriage process back online again. 

Bill Summary: 
“Permits the witnessing and solemnization of a marriage ceremony and the issuance of a marriage license application or marriage license to be performed utilizing audio-video technology provided certain conditions are met.” (Introduced August 25)

 

If passed, couples will be able to meet with their local town or city clerk over video conference to receive a license, and send documents by fax or electronically to be signed. Couples will need to be physically present in the state during their wedding ceremony, but witnesses can participate remotely. The measure is currently pending review by the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

 

(Anyone solemnizing a union using a New York marriage license will need to meet the requirements for the state. Learn how to become a marriage officiant in New York.)

In the meantime, couples can visit NYC’s Project Cupid and the Office of the City Clerk : Marriage Bureau to find the most up to date information about getting married in New York. 

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Friends and family members can officiate wedding ceremonies in New York, as long as they're ordained. Become an ordained minister with AMM's online ordination -- it's simple and free.

 

 

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You might also like: 

 

• Officiate a Virtual Wedding Like a Pro!

 

• A Guide to Virtual Wedding Ceremonies in Utah: For Officiants & Couples
   

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