Here is our step-by-step guide on how to get married in New York. Most of the work can be done by us.
Wedding license
To get married in New York you need a wedding license issued by the City Clerk. It is valid 24 hours after issuance for 60 days. For example, if your license is dated and time-stamped March 24 at 1 PM, the earliest you can get married is March 25 at 1 PM, the latest is May 23.
You cannot get married on the same day on which you receive your wedding license, unless special arrangements (obtaining the so-called judicial waiver) are made. Obtaining the judicial waiver involves another appointment at the Supreme Court, a different building, and there is additional waiting time. We only recommend applying for a judicial waiver if special circumstances dictate it and obtaining the wedding license and getting married must absolutely happen on the same day. While it is additional work to obtain the judicial waiver, I have never experienced or even heard of a case when it was not granted.
Back to obtaining the actual wedding license. To get your wedding license an appointment has to be made before hand. For the couples who book us we take care of this. On the day of the appointment the couple must double-check their information, sign the application and the wedding license is issued.
The only documents required is a passport from any country or a United States driver’s license. The only additional document, if applicable, are divorce decrees. If issued in a foreign language, the divorce decree must be translated into English. We can arrange this for you.
Personal presence in New York for obtaining the wedding license is absolutely mandatory. It theoretically can be done online, but for legal reasons you still must be in New York, for the procedure to be legally valid. Even during an online appointment, the clerk will specifically ask you to affirm that you are in New York and there are even technical measures in place to block logins from outside New York. Applying for your license online therefore has no practical advantage, on the contrary it is more of a hassle and complicates things. It is easier to visit the City Clerk and more entertaining (you will see couples from all over the world there). The City Clerk is conveniently located in Manhattan near Brooklyn Bridge and is actually a quite beautiful space. It has been built in 1930 and processes an art deco vibe
We usually pick up our couples at the hotel and accompany them to the City Clerk to navigate getting the license with them.
Wedding ceremony
Your wedding ceremony can take place at the City Clerk or anywhere within the borders of the City of New York or at the City Clerk.
We offer iconic locations, among them Central Park, the Top of the Rock Skyline Observatory and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
If you get married at any location in New York you need an officiant in some countries called celebrant who is registered with the city of New York to conduct your ceremony. We provide officiants.
At the Office of the City Clerk, you will be married by one of their clerks.
To get married at the City Clerk an additional appointment is required. We take care of this for our couples. The process is similar to getting a wedding license. You have to pass through security and receive a waiting number. Typical wait times are 30 to 60 minutes. The ceremony takes place at the so-called chapel, essentially a private room. It is very short, somewhere between 90 seconds and 2 minutes. There is however time for ring exchange, kiss and some photography afterwards. (photography during the ceremony is also allowed). A total of six people are allowed in the chapel, including the couple.
All wedding ceremonies, at the City Clerk or elsewhere, require one witness, two are possible. If you travel to New York with your future spouse only, we are happy to be your witness.
Wedding Certificate
Domestic for United States use only
If you get married outside the City Clerk, the officiant relays the license to the City Clerk. After about 2-3 weeks (over 40,000 couples get married in Manhattan every year!) it will be processed and the City Clerk will automatically send you your Wedding Certificate, however only the basic version, that is accepted in the United Sates, but not most other countries. (If you get married at the City Clerk you receive this version immediately)
International Certificate with Apostille
Most countries require a certificate with apostille. In order to obtain it, a so called ‘long form’ version of the certificate has to be obtained from the City Clerk, the document has to be authenticated by County Clerk, before receiving an apostille from the Department of State. We do all of this for our couples.
You will receive the international certificate with apostille in your mailbox around 4 weeks after your wedding. With this document, you can register your marriage in practically all countries in the world.