Here at Wed in Central Park we can take care of almost everything you need to get married in New York’s beautiful Central Park. We’ve been doing this since 2012 and we’ve planned hundreds of weddings since then! However, there’s one thing that couples are legally required to do themselves. In New York State it is mandatory that a couple collects their marriage license themselves, together from the City Clerk’s Office.
There is a City Clerk’s Office in each borough but the overwhelming majority of our couples go to the office in Manhattan. At the time of writing, you must make an appointment online to get your license. Here is a step by step guide of how to book your appointment to collect your marriage license from the City Clerk’s Office in New York City.
- Go to the City Clerk website: https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/content/marriage-license Here, you’ll find lots of information about the marriage bureau, such as the fee required, how long the license is valid for once issued, and proper ID required.
- If you just want to make your license appointment, click “Project Cupid.”
- Click-on the ‘Marriage Licence (in-person)’ button and then it will take you to the next page.
- When the next page loads you will have a drop-down menu showing the City Clerk office locations. You can choose any of the options, but most of our visiting couples choose Manhattan office, of course if you live (or are staying) in another borough then another office may suit you better.
- When you’ve selected the office, the address will appear, you may want to make a note of that.
- When you’ve selected the office, a new drop-down menu appears. Select a date and time from the available time slots to schedule your appointment. The first day with available appointments will be shown. Click the arrows to navigate to additional days with available appointments.
In-Person appointments are released week by week at 9am on a Monday morning. They are released three weeks in advance. If you’re unsure when the appointments during the week you want to go to City Hall become available email me and I can tell you.
Your license will be valid for sixty days from issue, and you must get it at least 24 hours before your ceremony. So, keep that in mind when making the appointment – and of course any travel plans. So, be sure that you’re in the city with enough time to get the license one day, and get married either the next day or one of the days after that.
When you’ve found the appointment time that suits you, click “Next”.
Type in the first and last names and an email address for yourself and your future spouse. You can also add a phone number, but you don’t have to. The, click “Next”.
- The next pages allows you to review your information for accuracy, and you can edit it here if you have made any mistakes. If you’re happy with the information that you have entered then click “Submit” to book your marriage license appointment.
- The next screen will show your confirmation number and the appointment date, time and location and you will each be sent an email. This screen will also show what you need to do and what to bring for your marriage license interview.
That’s it! You’re booked in, that’s all you need to do to make your marriage license appointment with the New York City Clerk. You just need to show up at the date and time you’ve requested. I can handle the rest for you! I can secure the photographer, officiant and anything else you need for your wedding ceremony in Central Park – video, flowers, hair and makeup, music, and of course the event permit you need to secure the location with the parks department.
If you would like me to do the rest for you when it comes to your Central Park wedding or elopement, please visit our website. Check out our reviews on Wedding Wire and Google, too. Keep updated with our news and see lots of beautiful photos, follow us on Facebook, or Instagram or Pinterest. And of course, please email me if you have any questions.
