Elope in NYC | How to get married in New York

Hi there, you are here because you want to get married in New York City. I must congratulate you on a  brilliant idea! There is no better place in the world to elope or get married, the big apple is a wonderful city. NYC is full of love, life, beautiful skyscrapers, yellow cabs, pizza, amusement centers, parks, bridges, art, architecture and lots of honking horns when they see brides or a wedding party.

How to get married in New York: Once you have made the decision that New York is the place to get hitched, the next question usually is: WHAT TO DO NOW? You are in luck, you have found a pro.  I have photographed hundreds of elopements and weddings in New York City. Couples usually ask similar questions about the wedding process. To show my love and  appreciation to you, i’ve  gone ahead and researched the most important information for you. This is my manual to getting married in New York, hope that it will make your planning process a bit easier. This is Alton Martin Wedding Photography step by step guide on how to elope in New York City.

How do we get married at City Hall?

Technically, you don’t get married at City Hall! It’s a common misconception that wedding ceremonies in Manhattan happen at City Hall. The truth is that both, obtaining your Marriage license, as well as having the ceremony, take place at the “Office of the City Clerk : Marriage Bureau” which is located at 141 Worth Street in Manhattan. Opening hours are Monday through Friday from 8.30am to 3.45pm, except on major holidays. Please make sure to check before you go.

I’m happy for you! Lets get started.

First step is getting a marriage license. Firstly, all couples who intend to get married in New York must obtain a ‘Marriage License’. The fee for the license is $35 which can be paid by credit card or money order, payable to the City Clerk. This license is valid for 60 days and can be used in any of the 5 boroughs of New York. The wait time at the City Clerk’s office can be lengthy at times, to speed up the process I recommend filling out the application for the license online, take a picture of the confirmation code or record it somewhere safe, you will need it to present at the counter to retrieve your application. Both persons need to be present at the City Clerk’s office to complete application. Please bring  proper identification when applying and getting married. My experience you might have to wait 30 to 60 minutes for your license at the clerk’s office. Relax and enjoy the long lasting experience, i will be there to assist you just drop me a message.

Bonus tip: If you were married before, you will be asked to list all prior marriages. You are required to include your previous spouse’s full name and the date the divorce decree was granted. You also have to provide the city, state, and country where the divorce was issued.

Now you have your marriage license. What’s next?

Well, it’s time to elope or get married“ Important to note: You must wait a minimum of 24 hours after obtaining your marriage license before you can have your wedding, its the law. (if you want to get the license and get married the same day you can request a ‘Judicial Waiver’. this process is simple but only issued twice per day “11 am and 3pm” Mondays to Fridays . I recommend you wait the 24 hours that way you have more time for you on your wedding day) Once the 24 hours have passed, you can either have your ceremony at the Office of the City Clerk or you can have your wedding conducted by a registered marriage officiant. For example, “Shevel Martin”

We would like to have our ceremony at the City Clerk’s Office…

Great! After your 24 hours wait, bring your marriage license, proper identification, at least one witness (I’m happy to be your witness, i always have my ID) The fee for the ceremony in the City Clerk’s Office is $25 and can be paid by credit card or money order, payable to the City Clerk. Ceremonies are held during regular business hours between 8.30am and 3.45pm. Unfortunately this is a first come first serve office, no reservations or appointments can be made for the ceremony and it is nearly impossible to predict the waiting times. From my experience, you will wait between 45 minutes to 2 hours for the entire process. I recommend coming early in the morning as they open, you will be in and out within 1 hour. 

I highly recommend skipping ceremonies during the lunch hour, Valentine’s Day and other dates of huge significance to others (July 14th for example). The City Clerk’s office is a phenomenal place to sit and watch couples all dressed up for their big day, sit back and enjoy the show. When it is your turn, your number will be called and you will be married by one of the officiants in either the East or West Chapel of the Clerk’s Office. And if you are ‘lucky’, James Mitchell, the boss himself, will officiate your wedding. The ceremony itself will takes approximately 2 minutes. Don’t bop your eyes or you might miss your wedding. 🙂 After the ceremony, you will receive your ‘Certificate of Marriage’ from the wedding officiant, then it’s time for shot and tequila !

We would like to have our ceremony outside the city clerk’s office…

Best option!! To tie the knot at any  location, find a registered marriage officiant and schedule a date, time and place where you would like to get married. With an officiant, your are not bound to any business hours. You can get hitched 24/7, 365 days a year anywhere in the city. You would like to ‘say I DO, in Central Park? great. You want to tie the knot on the ‘Top of the Rock’? Just do it! How about ‘The Highline Park’? It’s your wedding day, Pick a location and have fun. Once you have figured out all the details make sure to bring your marriage license, proper identification, at least one witness, again, I’m happy to be your witness.

After the ceremony, the officiant will have you and your witness sign the marriage license and then return the paperwork to the city clerk’s office for you. You will receive your ‘Certificate of Marriage’ in the mail within about 14 – 30 days from the wedding date.

How can we find a registered wedding officiant?

There are a couple of ways to find your officiant. One way would be search the internet. Another way would be some research on WeddingWire or The Knot. But, the best option by far would be to contact my beautiful and talented wife  Shevel Martin we work hand in hand on most ceremonies, she conducts beautiful ceremonies. Rumor has it that my clients receive a bit of a discount if they book her. 😉 Or even better, book us as a TEAM! In any case, you can verify whether the officiant you selected is registered with the Office of the City Clerk by calling 311.

What else should we know? Do you have any tips for us?

I would say, enjoy the process. You are in New York City! What could be better, right?

But also:
+ The closest subways to the City Clerk’s Office are the 4, 5 and 6 lines (‘Brooklyn Bridge – City Hall’ stop), the R (‘City Hall’ stop) and the 2 and 3 line (‘Park Place’ stop).
+ If you need a last minute bouquet, you can buy flowers inside the City Clerk’s office (not a good idea) or there is usually a flower stand right outside the clerk’s office (better idea)tell him Alton recommended you to get a discount. But what you should do is ask me for my florist contacts so you can be sure that you will have a beautiful bouquet on the day of your wedding (best idea).
+ Yes, there are bathrooms inside the city clerk’s office.
+ No, they do not sell water or other beverages at the clerk’s office.
+ Yes, they actually do sell, “I got married in New York” magnets, T-Shirts, mugs and other items in the lobby.

I hope this guide helps you when planning your New York City Elopement. If you have any other question or if you would like more information about my photography services, please feel free to give me a call at +1.347.357-5385 or send me an email at info@altonmartin.com I am happy to help and can’t wait to meet you. Elope in New York City, it’s the best thing ever. I did it myself. 🙂

Best,
Alton 

add pics of city wedding here