Marriage Ceremonies Resume In Unique Burlington County Setting

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ - Burlington County couples can make a lifelong commitment to each other in a unique setting as the county begins performing ceremonies again next week.

The Burlington County Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences will become a wedding hall on July 14, county officials announced on Thursday.

Well, temporarily, at least. Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz will perform weddings by appointment only from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. each Wednesday, according to officials.

Appointments can be made at the Burlington County Clerk’s Office’s website at http://co.burlington.nj.us/611/Marriage-Services.

Ceremonies are free, but couples must obtain a narrative license from either the hometown of the bride or groom, or from Mount Holly.

It typically takes 72 hours to obtain a license.

“Performing marriage ceremonies is one of my favorite tasks, but throughout the last year, it’s been extremely difficult because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the limits on gatherings and marriage ceremonies,” said Schwartz, who has performed 367 weddings since taking office. “Thanks to the large number of people getting vaccinated, the number of new COVID-19 cases has dropped substantially, and we feel it’s now the appropriate time to begin marrying couples again. We’ve set aside a block of time every Wednesday afternoon, and we’re excited to begin making appointments for summer ceremonies.”

The Lyceum is located in the Langstaff Mansion on High Street. It was built in 1830, and is considered one of the county’s most beautiful historic buildings, officials said.

It became a museum in 2013, when the county bought the building. It has been home to the Mount Holly Library.

“It’s a beautiful building and we’re thrilled to be able to offer space there for couples to tie the knot in such a wonderful setting,” Schwartz said. “Our office has also held special seasonal ceremonies at our county’s historic prison museum in Mount Holly and the Burlington County Agricultural Center in Moorestown. Couples interested in getting married at those sites should check with our office or keep watch on our website for available dates and times.”

For more information, call the Burlington County Clerk’s Office at 609-265-5142.