How to Legally Officiate a Wedding Ceremony in NYC
Photo by Megan and Kenneth
Congratulations! A friend or family member asked you to officiate their wedding ceremony and now you’re doing your due diligence by figuring out next steps to legally pronounce them married! Pat yourselves on the back for being an epic friend.
First things first, in NYC, you’ll need to obtain a one-day marriage officiant license in order to legally officiate a wedding ceremony. You don’t need to live in NYC or New York State, but you do need to be at least 18 years old. If your loved one is getting married in the five boroughs (Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island), you’ll submit the application, either via mail or in-person, to the Manhattan City Clerk’s Office.
Three tips for success:
1. The couple you’re marrying needs to obtain their marriage license before you can apply. You’ll use the details, as completed on their marriage license, to accurately complete the fields of your one-day marriage officiant application. In particular, you’ll need to include their marriage license number, located on the top right corner, and write the details of their personal information in the correct Spouse A and Spouse B fields.
2. Because they need to obtain their marriage license before you can complete your application, coordinate the timing with them so that your application is processed prior to their wedding day. As soon as they have their appointment, consider making your in-person appointment or finding a notary near you and obtaining your money order ASAP. The latter can stump many, but you got this!
3. Consider NYC’s busy wedding seasons, which are typically spring and fall. If your couple is getting married during this timeframe, you’ll find that there are less appointments to choose from, which means you have to be more diligent. If you don’t live in NYC, make sure to check the Project Cupid appointment portal. They release new dates every week with a rolling 4-week calendar.
Step by step guide to become a one-day wedding officiant:
1. You’ll print and complete THIS application
2. Get it notarized
3. Make an appointment with the Manhattan City Clerk’s Office, bring a valid form of photo ID, and pay $25 in person via credit card/money order, or
4. Mail the application with a $25 money order (made payable to ‘The City Clerk’) and a copy of your valid photo ID to:
Office of the City Clerk
141 Worth Street
New York, NY 10013
ATTN: One-Day Marriage Officiants Clerk
If you found yourself here, chances are you want to make your loved one’s wedding ceremony an unforgettable experience that they’ll cherish. In that case, check out our Officiate with Authenticity self-paced video course complete with six modules, love storyteller workbook, and ceremony starter templates to help you create a meaningful ceremony that rings true for them.
On the other hand, if you’ve procrastinated to the very end and now aren’t able to complete the legalities, don’t fret. We offer marriage license signings for these exact scenarios. Reach out to us with the wedding date, ceremony time, and location, and we’ll show up with the power to legally unite them.
As bilingual wedding officiants based in NYC and Boston with over 10 years of experience in crafting heartfelt personal ceremonies, we know how stressful these wedding details can be but it doesn’t have to be. Take a deep breath and know that we got you!