10 Couples Signed Up So Far For Group Wedding Ceremony In New Jersey

COLTS NECK, NJ — Would you like to get married? Alongside other brides and grooms in the same ceremony?

So far, 10 couples have signed up to participate in a group wedding ceremony that will be officiated by Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon later this June.

This will be the first group wedding Hanlon has ever officiated in her capacity as Monmouth County Clerk.

Hanlon said she came up with the idea to host a group wedding ceremony because she's had an increase in requests for her to officiate weddings ever since the coronavirus pandemic, when many banquet locations and houses of worship closed and, as a result, demand surged for county clerks to marry people.

She said she usually only has time to perform a few weddings each week, and that she has to turn lots of couples away. Hanlon said she heard a county clerk in another state was performing group weddings, and thought she'd try it.

"Other clerks have done this," said Hanlon. "I’ve seen it done for Valentine’s Day, but I wanted to try one for spring/summer."

The group wedding ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. June 26 at Hominy Hill Clubhouse in Colts Neck. Only the wedding ceremony will be held there; not the reception. But photos can be taken after the ceremony on the grounds of the country club.

As of Wednesday, 10 couples have signed up to participate, she said. She is still taking applications, and if you'd like to take part, here is the application form: https://forms.gle/YFP3R9oVBTXh3geUA

Couples are limited to a maximum of four guests, and the event will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend.

The job of Monmouth County clerk, which is an elected position, is to facilitate elections in Monmouth County, such as sending and receiving mail-in ballots and running the polls. However, the clerk, like a town mayor, also has the power to officiate weddings.