From Project Cupid to the Future: How NYC Paved the Way for Online Marriage

In April 2020, as New York City became the epicenter of a global pandemic, something unexpected happened. While the city shut down restaurants, theaters, and offices, it opened a new door — one that let couples get married without leaving their apartments. Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson launched Project Cupid, and overnight, NYC became the first major city in America to offer fully online marriage licensing[1].

It was a lifeline for thousands of couples. And it planted a seed for something bigger.

What Project Cupid Actually Does

Project Cupid is a digital platform created jointly by the Office of the City Clerk and NYC’s Department of Information Technology. It lets couples complete the entire marriage license process online: fill out the application, upload documents, pay the $35 fee, and attend a video appointment with the City Clerk to verify identities[2].

When it first launched on May 7, 2020, it went further — New York’s Governor Cuomo had issued Executive Order 202.20, which temporarily allowed virtual wedding ceremonies too[3]. For about 14 months, you could get your license online and say your vows over Zoom with a licensed officiant. The whole thing, start to finish, from your living room.

Then, on June 25, 2021, the executive order expired. Virtual ceremonies ended. And that’s where things stand today.

The Gap: Licensing Is Digital, but Ceremonies Aren’t

Here’s the thing most people don’t realize: Project Cupid is still active in 2026. It’s the primary way to start the marriage license process in NYC. Virtual license appointment slots are released every Thursday at 9 AM, and in-person slots every Monday[2]. The digital infrastructure is alive and well.

But the ceremony itself? That has to happen in person. Both partners must be physically present in New York State during the virtual license appointment, and the actual wedding requires a licensed officiant to be there with you[4].

For couples who live in the five boroughs and can get to a venue, this is fine. But for the thousands of people who fell in love with the idea of a fully virtual wedding — long-distance couples, military families, people with mobility challenges, couples who just want something simple and modern — it leaves a real gap.

How the Rest of the Country Stacks Up

A February 2026 report from the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation ranked all 50 states on their digital marriage services. They identified 10 “E-Loper” states — including New York — that lead in digitizing the process[5]. But there’s a crucial distinction within that top tier.

New York digitized the paperwork. You can get your license online, which is genuinely impressive and something most states still can’t do.

Utah digitized the entire wedding. Application, licensing, ceremony, certificate — all of it can happen online, with zero residency requirements. A couple in Brooklyn can get legally married through a Utah-licensed officiant over Zoom, and that marriage is 100% valid in New York and every other state, thanks to the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution[6].

	NYC (Project Cupid)	Utah Online Marriage
Online license application	Yes	Yes
Virtual identity verification	Video call with City Clerk	Digital ID scanning
Residency requirement	Must be in NY State	None — marry from anywhere
Virtual ceremony	No (ended June 2021)	Yes — fully legal
Waiting period	Slots released weekly, fill up fast	No waiting period — apply and go
International couples	Must be physically in NY	Can marry from anywhere in the world

That last row is the game-changer. But the waiting period matters too. Project Cupid releases virtual appointment slots every Thursday at 9 AM — and they’re gone in minutes. If you miss the window, you’re waiting another week. Utah has no waiting period at all. You apply for your license, get it approved (often same-day), and can schedule your ceremony immediately. No refreshing a page at 9 AM hoping to grab a slot. Utah’s system doesn’t care where you are. You could be sitting in a coffee shop in Astoria or a hotel room in Tokyo — as long as you have a screen and an internet connection, you can get legally married.

Where We Come In

New York Online Weddings exists because Project Cupid showed the world what’s possible — and because there’s still a gap between what NYC offers and what couples actually need.

We connect you with Utah-licensed officiants who perform your ceremony over video. The process is straightforward:

Get your Utah marriage license online — no travel, no residency requirement
Schedule your ceremony — pick a time that works for you, any day of the week
Say your vows over Zoom — with a licensed officiant, witnesses (we can provide them), and anyone else you want to invite
Receive your official marriage certificate — issued by Utah, recognized in all 50 states

The whole thing takes about a week from start to finish. The ceremony itself is about 30 minutes. And your marriage is just as legal as if you’d walked into City Hall on Centre Street.

Why NYC Couples Choose Online Ceremonies

We hear the same reasons over and over from New York couples:

It’s practical

Between the cost of NYC venues, the logistics of getting everyone in one place, and the reality that many couples have families spread across the country (or the world), a virtual ceremony just makes sense. No one has to fly anywhere. No one has to take time off work.

It’s fast

Traditional NYC weddings require booking months in advance. Project Cupid’s appointment slots are released weekly and fill up within minutes — and even then, you’re only getting a license appointment, not a ceremony. With our service, there’s no waiting period, no weekly slot lottery. You can go from “let’s do this” to legally married in a matter of days.

It’s inclusive

We work with couples of every orientation and background. Our ceremonies are fully inclusive — always have been, always will be. And because there’s no residency requirement, couples from any country can access a legal U.S. marriage.

It’s real

This isn’t a symbolic ceremony or a novelty. It’s a legally binding marriage performed by a licensed officiant, with witnesses, filed with a government office, and recognized by every state in the union. You’ll receive an official marriage certificate that works for name changes, tax filing, immigration, insurance — everything.

The Future of Digital Marriage

Project Cupid proved that government marriage infrastructure can go digital. The 14 months of virtual ceremonies in NYC proved that couples want this option. And the ITIF report shows that the trend is heading in one direction: more states are digitizing, not fewer[5].

We think it’s only a matter of time before more states follow Utah’s lead and allow fully virtual ceremonies. When New York eventually does — and we believe it will — we’ll be ready. In the meantime, we’re here to bridge the gap.

Project Cupid opened the door. We’re walking through it.

Ready to Get Started?

If you’re in New York (or anywhere else) and want to get legally married online, we can make it happen. Check our Pricing page for details, or contact us with any questions. Our team responds within 24 hours, and we’re happy to walk you through the process.

Your marriage. Your way. Legal in all 50 states.

Sources:

[1] NYC Council Press Release: Speaker Johnson and Mayor de Blasio Announce Project Cupid

https://council.nyc.gov/press/2020/04/29/1944/

[2] NYC City Clerk: Marriage License

https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/content/marriage-license

[3] NBC New York: Project Cupid Brings Online Marriage Licenses to NYC

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/love-in-the-time-of-quarantine-project-cupid-brings-online-marriage-licenses-to-nyc/2394804/

[4] Everly Studios: How to Get Married Online in NYC

https://everlystudios.com/how-to-get-married-online-in-nyc/

[5] ITIF: The Digital Marriage Divide - Ranking States on Online Services for Tying the Knot

https://itif.org/publications/2026/02/11/digital-marriage-divide-ranking-states-online-services-for-tying-the-knot/