Quarantined New Yorkers Can Get Married Remotely, Cuomo Says

NEW YORK, NY — New Yorkers who were forced to put wedding plans on hold when the new coronavirus shut down nonessential gatherings in the state will be able to obtain marriage licenses remotely, state officials said Saturday.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo will sign an executive order Saturday to reopen marriage bureaus across the state and give clerks the authority to perform marriage ceremonies via video conferences, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said during Cuomo's Saturday press briefing. The state previously required an in-person visit to obtain the license.

"Video marriage ceremonies — there is now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage. No excuse, you can do it by Zoom," Cuomo joked during the briefing.

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When asked if marriage rates across the state have suffered as a result of social distancing measures keeping people indoors, Cuomo said he wasn't aware and also joked that he believed divorce rates may rise.

New Yorkers have been forced to get creative in their displays of love and infection during the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the state. One Crown Heights couple led an impromptu parade — with guests standing at a safe distance from each other — down their block after their wedding venue was closed. An Astoria couple opted for a more laid-back rooftop wedding after their 170-guest event was shut down. Perhaps the most creative solution took place in Washington Heights, where Reilly Jennings and Amanda Wheeler had a friend officiate their sidewalk marriage from his fourth-floor balcony.

Check out Patch's other tales of "Love In The Time Of Coronavirus" here.