N.Y. Gov. Cuomo signs executive order allowing remote weddings
FILE – In this Tuesday, May 23, 2017 file photo, a bride and groom pose for wedding pictures at the Bethesda Terrace in New York’s Central Park. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:06 PM PT — Sunday, April 19, 2020
New York officials are making it easier to tie the knot during the coronavirus pandemic by encouraging couples to marry under social distancing guidelines. On Saturday, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order allowing residents to obtain marriage licenses and have clerks perform remote wedding ceremonies.
NEW: I am issuing an Executive Order allowing New Yorkers to obtain a marriage license remotely and allowing clerks to perform ceremonies via video conference.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 18, 2020
“Video marriage ceremonies. There’s now no excuse when the question comes up about marriage, no excuse. You can do it by Zoom. It’s yes or no.” – Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York
Event services took a big hit in the state after strict stay-at-home orders were implemented across the region. The coronavirus outbreak has especially devastated the wedding industry. The New York City Marriage Bureau shuttered its doors on March 20th, putting a halt on marriages in the city.
However, during the week prior, more than 400 marriage ceremonies took place at its Manhattan location, adding to the nearly 880 marriages citywide. Officials hope the temporary social distancing guidelines will be lifted in the near future, which would allow businesses and services to reopen.
“Look, when we look at this state and we talk about reopening, we’re going to talk about different strategies in different parts of the state, because the numbers dictate the strategy,” stated Cuomo. “You have different numbers in different parts of the state.”
The governor has expressed faith in the effectiveness in social distancing measures after health officials in the state recently reported a decreasing number of hospitalizations. He continued his calls for more testing, paired with stricter social distancing measures, which could include closing down subways in New York City.
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