Get ready for Zoom weddings — New Yorkers can now get marriage licenses and get married via video calls

• New Yorkers can now obtain marriage licenses or applications, and even get married, via video conferencing calls.
• Executive orders signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo allow the new method of getting married until May 18.
• The couple, clerk, and witness required to make the marriage official must all have contact via video call to preform the ceremony — pre-recordings aren't allowed.
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COVID-19 has disrupted the fabric of normal day-to-day life, but it also upended special occasions around the globe, including weddings. But now in the state of New York people can get married virtually, which we first saw thanks to Gizmodo.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order over the weekend amending New York state law until May 18 to allow people to obtain marriage license applications and marriage licenses through video calls, as well as allowing marriage ceremonies to be performed through video conference calls.

While New York has the most coronavirus cases of any state with 242,817 as of Sunday, according to The New York Times, wedding celebrations have been roadblocked at every turn during the outbreak because of travel restrictions, stay-at-home orders, and social-distancing measures. Plus many courts or city clerks closed or paused work during the coronavirus pandemic. But with the new executive orders, couples can resume getting married.

—Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 18, 2020

The requirements for video conferencing marriage ceremonies include both people showing a valid photo ID during the call, the ability for the couple, the clerk, and the witness of the marriage to have real-time interaction (no pre-recordings), and then everyone must sign the license and send the documents to the clerk.

Video conferencing marriages are the latest innovation of virtually adapted life during the pandemic, as most schools, colleges, work meetings, and social gatherings have moved online.

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