Wondering about how to elope in NYC? You’ve come to the right place.

As a NYC City Hall wedding photographer, I’m happy to share all the ins and outs of how to elope in the best city in the world. But first, pat yourself on the back because you made the best decision ever. And yes, I’m biased. I mean is there anything more iconic than saying you got Married in New York? See what I did there! 

I’ve been photographing elopements at City Hall for many years and can confirm that eloping in NYC is not just the best decision in terms of location but also convenience. Now that you’ve finalized the location, the next step is to finalize how you want to get married. 

You’ve got two options:

Have a civil marriage ceremony at City hall aka NYC Marriage Bureau.

OR

Have a ceremony elsewhere in NYC or New York State. For example, having your ceremony in Central Park, at your favorite hotel or bar… by the Brooklyn Bridge!

However for the purposes of this post, we’ll be diving into the process of getting married at City Hall or as it’s officially known, the City Clerk-Marriage Bureau which has five locations; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island — meaning you can have your civil marriage ceremony at any one of these five locations. The most popular location is in Manhattan at 141 Worth Street.

In order to have a civil marriage ceremony, you must first have a valid marriage license. New York State has a 24-hour waiting period in between the securing of a marriage license and the marriage ceremony, e.g you secure your license on Thursday at 9:25am, the earliest you can get married is the next morning on Friday at 9:26am. The marriage license is valid for 60 days from the date of issuance (with the exception of Military personnel). Which gives you enough time to organize a plan of action to have a spectacular elopement and of course hire me as your NYC elopement photographer!

Please note: Marriage licenses obtained from anyone of the NYC Marriage Bureaus maybe used anywhere in New York State but marriage licenses granted outside of the five boroughs are not valid to be used at NYC Marriage Bureaus for civil ceremonies. For example; if you get your marriage license from Town of Babylon in Long Island, you will not be able to use it at the NYC Marriage Bureaus.

Do I have to be a NYS resident or American citizen to get a marriage license or have a marriage ceremony in New York?

There is no such requirement. You can be from California or from Belgium and you can get married in NYC. All you will need is proper identification from your resident city or country and a valid marriage license issued in New York state.

Where can I get my NYC marriage license from?

You can start by visiting the City Clerk Online website. Here you can get a head start on your application (make sure to double check the information you enter to avoid mistakes) after which they will issue you a confirmation number along with emailing you a copy of it (check spam in case you don’t see it in your inbox). Do not delete this email. Once this process is completed you will be required to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment to be issued the actual document that permits you to get married within New York state. 

Unfortunately, due to high demand, virtual appointments tend to be hard to lock down but most of my couples tend to have better luck with securing in person appointments.

In-person appointments are released in three week blocks every Thursday at 9am here. Check out my tips for navigating the crazy rush and crowd of Manhattan City Clerk and getting your NYC marriage license in 20 minutes or less. 

Please note both you and your future spouse must be present for the marriage license appointment. For my international folk, you may want to choose a license appointment that’s a few days prior to your desired civil marriage ceremony date and fly in a few days earlier. However, you can not book your marriage ceremony appointment until your marriage license is fully issued. But don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Check out my tips on the most efficient way to get your NYC marriage license in person.

How much does the marriage license in NYC cost?

The Marriage license costs $35 and can be payable via money order or through all major credit cards only. 

Please note that you must always have the proper identification to present to city clerk officials and that the information on your paperwork and identification must match. A valid IDNYC, US driver’s license or valid passport will suffice. Check the list of acceptable forms of identification here.

How do I schedule my marriage ceremony at city hall in NYC?

You’re almost at the finish line! Alright, so you’ve secured your marriage license and now it’s time to get you two married. You can schedule an in-person marriage appointment on the Project Cupid Website. These appointments are released in three week blocks every Monday at 9am. Once you’ve secured your date and time, you show up for your appointment with your marriage license, ID’s and your witness (make sure they have their ID too). It costs $25 to have a marriage ceremony which is payable by money order or through all major credit cards only.

The NYC Marriage Bureau is open Monday to Friday from 8:30AM to 3:45PM except for major holidays. You can check the legal holidays calendar to make sure your chosen date doesn’t coincide with a major holiday.

Can you be our witness?

Absolutely! As a NYC city hall photographer I’ve been an official witness to many couples who’ve decided to elope at the marriage bureau.

How many guests can I bring with me?

As of July 2023, couples can now bring an additional four adult guests (one of the guests must act as a witness) with them to their marriage ceremony at the City Clerk’s office and a limited number of children under the age of 12. Please note that as your NYC City Hall photographer, I will count as a guest as well. 

To inquire about my city hall wedding pricing and availability, you can fill out the contact form here.

It’s honestly super easy to get married in New York. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me at natasha@marriedinnewyork.co, I’m always here to help. With almost 9 years as a NYC Elopement photographer under my belt, I’ve seen it all. 

With that I wish you the best elopement experience in this crazy, beautiful city I call home. 

Happy Eloping!