New York City “won’t let a pandemic get in the way of true love,” according to Mayor Bill de Blasio.
In an initiative dubbed Project Cupid, the city will begin allowing online marriages starting as soon as next week. The move was announced Wednesday in a joint statement from de Blasio and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.
“Coronavirus has changed the world in so many ways, but our ability to love and commit to each other hasn’t wavered. Now, couples ready to marry don’t have to wait for the pandemic to end to say ‘I do.’ We deserve some good news, and this is definitely wonderful news for all of New York City,” Johnson said.
The city was able to move forward with Project Cupid because Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order earlier this month that allows New Yorkers to obtain marriage licenses remotely and allows clerks to perform video conference ceremonies.
“We need moments of joy now more than ever, and we won’t let a pandemic get in the way of true love,” de Blasio said. “To all of the couples looking forward to tying the knot, know that your city is right here with you, throwing rice from afar.”
New York has been the hardest-hit state during the coronavirus pandemic and has seen more than 300,000 infections and at least 23,300 deaths, according to a tally from the New York Times.
