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Do we have to be New York residents
to be legally married in New York?
 No, as long as
your wedding officiant is registered in New York and is a full-time New York Resident, your marriage is valid. |
How much does a New York State marriage
license cost and how long in advance of the ceremony should we obtain it? |
| Do the bride and groom both have to be present while filing for the Marriage License Application? Yes, the Affidavit and Application for a marriage license in New York must be signed by both the bride and groom in the presence of the issuing clerk. For a listng of all of the Clerks in New York State, please click here |
What if a partner was married previously? If you have previous
marriages, make sure you provide all ORIGINAL documentation regarding those previous marriages (i.e. the decree date) when applying. |
Is a pre-marital physical exam or blood test required? No, neither a pre-marital
examination nor blood test is required to obtain a marriage license
in New York State. |
| What is the legal age of consent
for to people to wed in New York? If both applicants are 18 years of age or older, no parental consent is required |
What kind of Identification (ID) do we need to present to the clerk to obtain our marriage license? Driver License with photograph (from the United States of America or any of its territories) Non-Driver Identification Card with photograph (from the United States of America or any of its territories) Learner Permit with photograph (from the United States of America or any of its territories) Active United States Military Identification Card Passport United States Certificate of Naturalization (good for 10 years after date of issue) United States Alien Registration Card United States Employment Authorization Card |
Do we need a permit to conduct
a wedding ceremony in Central Park? If you have over
15 people attending your service or have a professional photographer
on site, a permit fee of $25 is required. |
Does an unused New York Marriage
license expire within a certain timeframe? A New York State Marriage License must be used...the ceremony must be performed...within 60 days of the date of issuance printed on the license itself. Moreover, you have to wait at least 24 hours from the timestamp on the marriage license before you can be legally married. |
For any subsequent questions, please consult
the City
Clerk's Website |
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| Do you typically meet with couples before the ceremony? We prefer to meet with the you before the ceremony to gain a better perspective as to who you both are as individuals as well as a couple and also to get your feedback on how you envision your ceremony. In fact, it is at these meetings where we find out things that you do not want during your ceremony or any other dynamics at play (i.e. that your mother is still upset you're not getting married in a church, your family appreciates levity during the ceremony, etc.) At New York Marriages, we do empathize with the fact that your schedules may already by busy with work-related responsibilities and planning the ceremony. That said, we do not deem a meeting as mandatory leaving it as an option to you and your fiance. |
| Is there a deposit due? Yes. When
you employ New York Marriages as your New York wedding officiant, your deposit holds the date and time for you much like protocol in any reservation system. Therefore, New York Marriages requires a 50% desposit for this reservation. |
| What are the acceptable forms of
payment? We accept certified bank checks, personal checks, PayPal, wire transfers, money orders, and cash
as valid forms of payment for the reservation fee. The balance due is not due until your wedding day. . |
| What happens after the ceremony as far as the paperwork filing is concerned? Following
your wedding ceremony, one of the tasks designated to us as New York Wedding officiants, New York Marriages will mail all pertinent documentation
to the City
or Town Clerk's office from where the New York State Marriage License
had originated. The couple should expect to receive the
official New York State Marriage License within four to eight weeks. As a courtesy to our couples, we can provide a copy of proof of marriage the following business day afteer your ceremony. In all likelihood, you will be able to use this copy to set up a joint bank account and to add your spouse to your health plan. |
| I have other quotes from officiants that are lower. Is there really a difference? Absolutely. While there are other officiants out there who promise you the same level of service, we have heard from a multitude of brides how these so-called expert's lack of experience was evident to them as well as all their guests during the ceremony. There is no substitute for over a decade of public-speaking and writing experience which is what you have working for you when you hire a New York wedding officiant from New York Marriages. Case in point, a bride that hired us was getting married at a catering hall where we have done several weddings. Our experience gave us the forsight to know that at that particular venue there is no outdoor PA system. With a guestlist that surpassed 250 people, amplified sound for the ceremony was imperative. So, we knew enough to bring our portable PA system. This is but a minor example of what can possible go wrong when you . What do you do if the officiant marrying you is not familiar with the marriage laws in New York State or has no experience in anticipating any "ceremonial hiccups" ? |
| Isn't it just easier to go with the officiant the catering hall recommends? There is a minimal advantage to, but it comes with a huge caveat. Please be very aware that the officiants recommended by halls more often than not are looking to do the least amount of work possible for you as a client. Why? Quite simply, they have no incentive to work harder for you because they know they will still be getting subsequent referrals whether they treat you well or not. We have encountered couples whom have told us about their experiences regarding "house officiants" not wanting to meet couples before the ceremony or refusing to deviate from their script. We are not affilitated with any venues whatsoever depsite numerous requests to represent some fine establishments. So, we have a vested interest in fulfilling your needs and giving you not only the ceremony you want, but deserve. Call or email New York Marriages today and let us show you firsthand why NY Marriages is in a class all to itself. |
My cousin got ordained online. So he's legally able to marry us, right? |
| Please visit the Wedding Wire site to see an assortmnent of real and arbitrary reviews attesting to the professionalism, flexibility, and caliber of New York Marriages' wedding officiant services or, better yet, give us a call today and find out firsthand for yourself. |
