When the state first shut down around March 20, all of the marriage bureaus were ordered to be closed.
So, if you had a wedding planned, or even wanted to still do a small personal ceremony, you were out of luck.
Though some New Yorkers still got creative about celebrating their love at the beginning of quarantine, now you can officially get married from anywhere!
The governor signed an executive order that allows people to get their marriage licenses remotely, and it also allows clerks to perform ceremonies via video conferencing.
“If that’s an avenue people want to go down, it’s available to them,” Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said at yesterday’s press conference.
NEW: I am issuing an Executive Order allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference.
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 18, 2020
“Video marriage ceremonies,” the Governor responded with a smirk on his face. “There’s now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage. No excuse…you can do it by Zoom. It’s yes or no,” he said while laughing.
Earlier in the conference when the question about marriage bureaus was asked, he said that he believed the marriage rate is going down, and divorce rate is going up.
See also: Love Prevails! How This Brooklyn Couple Had A Beautiful Rooftop Wedding During Quarantine
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