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Filing your marriage license is included in my fees.

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I do not perform any ceremonies by Zoom or any other video conference format.  Ceremonies officiated in person only.

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Information on getting married in New York State

 

1. A marriage license may be obtained at any city or town clerk’s office within New York State.  It must be a New York State issued marriage license, but does not need to be issued from the town you are getting married in.  Despite what anyone may tell you, marriage licenses from another state or country cannot be accepted for marriages officiated in New York State.

2. Minimum age is 18.

3. Couple must appear together in person before the issuing clerk with government issued identification.

4. I ask that you obtain the marriage license, in person, in the city or town you reside in, or in Buffalo or Niagara Falls area.  If you live in New York City or the Burroughs, then I will accept the license.  It MUST be accompanied by the return envelope the clerk provides.  If you do not reside in New York City or the Burroughs, please do not go online and obtain a New York City Marriage License.  Please go to your local clerk’s office in person and obtain your license.   I will not accept a marriage license obtained online.  I will also not accept Project Cupid.  I ask for the original copy of the license, physically handed to you by the clerk.

5. If there are any previous marriages, proof of divorce, annulment, or death of spouse must be provided.

6. No blood test is required.

7. Depending on the clerk, they may ask for a birth certificate.  Call ahead to the clerk you plan on using to ask if they require a birth certificate.  Photocopies or scans of birth certificates are not acceptable.  Certificates with raised seal must be used.  (The City of Niagara Falls Clerk often does not ask for birth certificates. If you cannot find or obtain one, you may try them.  However, this is no guarantee that they will not ask.)

8. License is valid for sixty (60) days, but a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours must be waited prior to the ceremony.

9. New York State only requires one (1) witness.  Two (2) spaces are provided as it is tradition to have the best man and maid/matron of honor sign.  However, anyone present at the ceremony may be a witness.

10. Marriage license must be brought to the ceremony. After the ceremony, the officiant and witnesses’ sign.  If the license is not brought to the ceremony, I will plan to sign it for you at a later date. There is a fee of $50.00 to meet with you after the ceremony to sign the license.  New York State Domestic Relations Law requires the date that your license is signed by the officiant and witnesses is the date of your marriage, not then the date of the ceremony.  Please do not ask to have the license backdated.

11. Officiant is responsible for returning the license to the issuing clerk.  I must take the application after the ceremony and return it to the issuing clerk.  I cannot release the license back to the couple.  New York State will issue your official certificate of marriage. Upon request, I will email a scanned copy of the application. Copies of the application may not be acceptable proof of marriage.  I recommend waiting for the official certificate of marriage from the state for anything you may need official proof for.  Please allow fifteen (15) business days from the day the license is submitted to the clerk’s office for your certificate of marriage.  I return the license by United States Postal Service by Certified Mail with return receipt.  The allows for tracking and proof that it arrived, and who received it.  If it must be rushed, the license can be sent by overnight mail for an additional $30.00, which covers the shipping cost.   I will provide the overnight tracking number upon request.

12. The clerk will fill out the top half of the certificate, will affix with their official seal, and will ask you to sign it.  After the ceremony, I will fill out the bottom half, which includes the date, time, and location of the ceremony.  I also will have the witness(s) sign.  This portion is to be completed strictly by the officiant.  Please do not pre-fill it out or allow the reception hall staff to complete it.  The marriage license is an official document, and ultimately, I am responsible for it. 

13. Please relinquish the certificate to me at the time of the rehearsal, not to the reception hall staff. If there is no rehearsal, please provide it directly to me prior to the ceremony. The reception hall staff should not be requesting copies of your marriage license.  It contains personal information which is in no way required for your reception. 

14. Please verify all the information on your license is correct prior to leaving the clerk’s office. Your certificate of marriage may not be processed, or may cause a delay, if your information is incorrect.  If you already have your license, please review it thoroughly.  This includes their official seal. If the clerk forgets the seal, which sometimes happens, this may also delay your marriage certificate.

15. The official website for further information is https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/4210/

 

 

Revised 8.5.2023.