The New York City Elopement Team
If the thought of eloping to New York City gives you butterflies, go for it! The Big Apple is a city of dreams – incredible skyscrapers, beautiful parks and tree-lined streets, romantic bridges and iconic landmarks. All in a fast-paced city that never stops moving. Just the kind of rush you want on your wedding day.
But, native New Yorker or not, where on earth do you begin? That’s where we step in – smooth, right? We’ve coordinated, planned and captured hundreds of elopements in NYC. That means we’ve got a pretty good idea of your most burning questions, and just the answers you need. Read on to find everything you need to know about eloping to New York City. We promise to make the experience laid-back and genuinely your own.
Psst: for all our German-speaking couples, check out this page instead: Heiraten in New York | Von der Lizenz zur Apostille
Eloping to New York City is the real deal. That means your marriage will be official, and you’ll need a marriage license to do it. This costs $35 and is payable to the City Clerk. It’ll open the door to any location in the state of New York for you to say ‘I do’ in the next 60 days.
To complete the license process, you’ll need to schedule an in-person visit at the City Clerk’s office or a virtual one. But, you can save yourselves some waiting time by starting the application online. Be sure to take the appropriate IDs with you. And if you fancy some insider tips to help you sail through the paperwork, head over to our YouTube Channel where we walk you through step by step, or opt for our all-in-one collection and let us do it for you!
Couples often tell us that the time they spend at the City Clerk’s office is all part of the experience for them. The people watching is epic and the mood one of excitement when shared with other couples eloping too.
Getting a NYC marriage license has never been easier. In the last couple of years there have been many changes to the process, mainly due to COVID-19. The biggest change is that you can no longer just show up at the City Clerk's Office and wait in line to get your marriage license. Couples must book an appointment to be allowed inside the City Clerk’s Office. With the process being streamlined, these are the new steps you’ll need to do to walk away with your NYC marriage license.
The marriage license application is very straightforward and easy. Before you begin, you will want to be prepared with your personal information for each spouse. Upon completion you’ll get a confirmation number via email. Keep this confirmation number for further use. The completed confirmed application is only good for 21 days so make sure to not apply for your license too early. You must be physically in the state of NY for the interview appointment.
Interview Appointments are now available virtually and in-person. New appointments are released every Monday at 9am EST for in-person appointments and every Thursday at 9am EST for virtual appointments. Part of the difficulty for our out-of-town couples is that your interview appointment must be scheduled for when you are both physically in the state of NY. You can schedule your interview appointment right HERE.
Whether you are interviewing in-person or virtually you’ll need to have with you your confirmation numbers, photo ID’s, divorce creed (if applicable), a credit card for payment at in-person interviews. Virtual interviews will need the payment confirmation at the time of your interview.
Please pay close attention to the names, name changes and individual details printed on the marriage license. If either spouse is planning on changing their last name, make sure it appears on the marriage license before completion of your interview. If you don’t have it fixed before the marriage license is signed, then it’s a long process to correct it.
There you have it, the step-by-step process for acquiring your New York City marriage license. If you take it step-by-step, I promise that the process is very straight forward.
Now comes an anticipation-filled 24 hours, because you’re on the countdown to the biggest day of your lives! 24 hours after your marriage license has been issued, you can get married in New York City. The exception to this is if you have a 'Judicial Waiver'. But wait those 24 hours and you have even more time for memory making, when your emotions will be at an all-time high. Trust us.
New York City is home to so many gorgeous venues, and we’ll steer you to the perfect fit for you. Perhaps you envision an open-air ceremony in Central Park? A bohemian vibe at the High Line Park? Or one of th e many totally epic elopement locations we take you to on our YouTube Channel. Follow your hearts and enjoy the freedom making the decision on where you both want to say ‘I do’.
Just remember in the blur of all that excitement on your elopement morning to pop your marriage license and ID into your bag. Be sure to have a witness ready, too – Sascha would be honoured to do this for you if you let us know in advance. Then, it’s go time!
When you elope in New York City, Jackie will craft an authentic and personal ceremony for you in the setting of your choice. You’ll then sign the marriage license, along with your witness, and Jackie will return the paperwork to the City Clerk’s office. Fast forward six to eight weeks and your Certificate of Marriage will be landing on your doorstep in the mail!
Jasmin & Christian
-Love Actualy
This is the biggest and most personal day of your lives yet, and you’re celebrating it in New York City! Let’s make it happen together. Just say the word.
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Jackie & Sascha | The New York City Elopement Team
NYC Destination Wedding Packages with Team Reinking
+1.347.200.5513 (Sascha)
+1.646.456.4555 (Jackie)
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