This is a NY City Hall Weddings guide updated in November, 2025
The Office of the City Clerk – NYC Marriage Bureau is open for in-person appointments only. No walk-in visits are permitted.
The City Clerk’s office is where the magic happens. A true New York City experience of multiculturalism and good vibes. That is perhaps why so many couples decide to get married at the City Clerk’s office in Manhattan, despite the bureaucracy implicit in the process, waiting lines, crowded spaces…, all that is part of the experience and can be exciting. Nonetheless, we’d love to share our experiences and give you some practical information and tips to help you enjoy the fun part and keep stress at bay.
Please visit the official page of the NY Marriage Bureau for official updates.
HOW TO OBTAIN A MARRIAGE LICENSE APPOINTMENT AND A MARRIAGE CEREMONY APPOINTMENT AT THE NYC CITY HALL
You can schedule an in-person appointment for a Marriage Ceremony, Marriage License, and other select services through Project Cupid. The option to schedule a virtual appointment for a Marriage License also remains available.
⏰ When Are Ceremony Appointments Released?
- New ceremony slots open sometime between 8:30 am and 9:00 AM EST every Monday, for dates approximately three weeks in advance
- Keep in mind that they close for lunch between noon and 1 pm, so the last available morning appointment is at 11:30 am, and the next one after the break is at 1 pm.
- Appointments fill up quickly—Friday afternoons are especially popular and can sell out early.
- New slots may also become available later in the week due to cancellations, so it’s worth checking periodically.
🎫 What About License Appointments?
- If you haven’t yet obtained your marriage license, those appointment openings follow a similar rhythm:
- In-person license appointments are released on Mondays between 8:30 am and 9:00 AM EST, also about three weeks in advance.
- Virtual license appointments (via Project Cupid and Microsoft Teams) open instead on Thursday mornings at 9 AM EST, for the same three-week advance window.
✅ What You Should Do
- Plan your wedding date, then count back 3 Mondays to find out when the available windows open.
- Between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM on that Monday, go to the Project Cupid portal (nyc.gov/cupid) to submit your application and lock in a wedding ceremony slot.
- If needed, schedule your marriage license appointment at the same time or earlier—either in person (Monday release) or virtually (Thursday release).
- Be ready—appointments typically disappear fast. If you miss your preferred slot, keep checking for cancellations throughout the week.
We know this process can be stressful so keep in mind that David is a registered officiant and you always have the option to add that service as a backup plan.
A DETAILED JOURNEY
• Once you enter the building (there are two entrances, one on Worth St. and the other one at Centre St.) you will find a security checkpoint similar to the one at the airports. We think that unfortunately, this is a necessary measure these days but just keep that in mind to bring a bag or purse where you can insert your belongings before entering the scanner and you’ll get inside in the blink of an eye. NOTE: For security reasons, no photography at or pointing to the security checkpoint is allowed and they will be mad if you take photos.
• Once you go through security you need to check in at the reception desk to verify your ID, marriage license, and witness ID. A waiting number will be assigned. If it’s just the two of you and you don’t have a witness we’d be happy to act as witnesses!
• Keep that number with you; you will need it in the following steps. They will call your number at stations 1 to 13 and you and your witness will need to sign the license and pay the ceremony fee
• Then you will have to wait some more until you are called by the same number at Station 5, which is the access to the wedding chapels.
• Once they call you at Station 5 you will have you wait a little bit in the circular waiting room with a green couch.
• Finally they will call you by your names and you will enter one of the two chapels for the ceremony (East or West). The ceremony is quite short and they normally don’t allow reading your own vows but you can always ask if you will be able to say something short and sweet.
TIPS & TRICKS
• Try to avoid bringing heavy bags or bulky items. They can sometimes get in the way of the photos and may give you something extra to worry about during the session. Keeping things light helps you stay fully present and relaxed.
• Couples with scheduled marriage ceremonies may bring up to four (4) attendees (including desired witnesses 18 years of age or older). In addition, at the City Clerk’s discretion, a limited number of children 12 years of age and under will be permitted as well.
• Go with the flow. Even if you have an appointment there may be a waiting time depending on how many couples are getting married that day.
• Fridays are always the busiest days so please keep in mind that even with an appointment there may be a slightly longer wait.
• Lastly. Relax and enjoy, you will be taken care of by the excellent staff at the Bureau, and we will help guide you all the way! ;-)
Same-sex marriages
• On June 24, 2011, the New York State Legislature passed the Marriage Equality Act, which was signed into law by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo the same day. This new law took effect on July 24, 2011. Since that date, the New York City Clerk has been issuing marriage licenses and providing civil marriage ceremonies to same-sex couples.
• Same-sex marriage is now legal in all the states and territories of the United States, including the District of Columbia, as per the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges.
Marriage Ceremony Outside of the City Clerk’s Office
• You may arrange a civil or religious Marriage Ceremony outside of our offices in any location you wish within the State of New York.
• Your private Ceremony must be conducted by a Marriage Officiant who is eligible to perform Marriage Ceremonies under New York State Law.
• David is a NY registered officiant and you can add the officiating as an add-on in most of our elopement packages.
Extended Marriage Certificate & Apostille Process
• Do you need an Extended Certificate? If you’re from the UK, you only need the extended marriage certificate if one of you is changing your name. You do NOT need the Apostille, as this is primarily required by non-English-speaking countries such as Germany, Austria, or France. A regular (short-form) marriage certificate is sufficient to prove your legal marriage in the UK. However, the extended form is necessary for the passport agency if a name change is involved.
• Some countries require additional paperwork to make your wedding certificate valid. If you travel from abroad we recommend you check the requirements at your embassy. In case you need extra paperwork you will need to apply for an Extended Certificate first. You can apply for and obtain the Extended certificate on the same day you get married, but getting the Apostille does require a few steps and trips to different buildings so it’s probably a good idea to leave that for another day if you can.
• To get the Extended certificate:
1. If you want it the same day of your ceremony: head to the Records Room right after your ceremony. If you want to do this on another day, book an appointment for the Records Room at Project Cupid. Bring your Short certificate and identification, fill out a yellow Extended certificate request form and take it to the Records Room. Here you pay another $35 and an Extended certificate is given to you.
IF YOU WANT TO GET THE APOSTILLE
2. You then need to go over the road to the County Clerk’s Office (located in the Supreme Court Building, 60 Centre Street) to have the certificate signed at the Notary Public Desk at a charge of $3. This building has a security check and metal detectors, so it’s best not to go with cameras and so on.
3. Once the Extended certificate is signed, you need to take it to the New York State Department of State to get an Apostille that authenticates the document. This is the address:
New York City: NYS Department of State
Division of Licensing Services
123 William St. 2nd Fl.
New York, NY 10038-3804
Apostille Service hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm
More info can be found here: https://dos.ny.gov/apostille-certificate-authentication
Once all that’s done, your certificate is ready to be accepted in your country!
Hope this was helpful. You can always send us an email with your plans and questions.
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