Hempstead Town To Offer Outdoor, Socially-Distanced Weddings

TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD, NY — Due to restrictions put in place to combat the coronavirus, the Town of Hempstead has had to rethink the way it does many things, including weddings. Now, in order to help restore some normalcy, the town is offering outdoor, socially-distanced weddings for couples, as well as conducting weddings on Zoom and issuing curb-side marriage licenses.

“We are taking responsible steps in the reopening process as we continue to recover from the Coronavirus,” said Hempstead Town Clerk Kate Murray. “As part of the process, the Town of Hempstead has begun to offer in-person wedding ceremonies again. They will take place outdoors and be socially distanced, but the joy of an in-person wedding ceremony has returned. I am so excited, and the couples are embracing the experience, even during these deeply troubling times.”

As the Coronavirus shutdown began, Murray’s staff reached out to every couple that was scheduled to be married at Town Hall, offering to perform wedding ceremonies online instead, using Zoom and Face Time — the first in the state to do so. The office has also been issuing marriage licenses curbside to couples who wait in their cars, keeping safe while making sure that town government does not stand in the way of love. Murray noted that all the wedding service innovations at her office were in compliance with Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Executive Orders.

Now that restrictions have been loosened as part of the COVID-19 reopening process, Murray plans to schedule as many outdoor weddings as possible. The town is even setting up a temporary outdoor tent to meet the needs of couples during inclement weather. Some of the possible locations for outdoor weddings include the Hempstead Town Hall Patio, Town Park Point Lookout, the Gazebo at Seamans Neck Park in Seaford, Levittown Veterans Memorial Gazebo, Path to the Park in Valley Stream and sunset weddings at Levy Park (either on the fishing pier or at the summit).

Couples who wish to be married at one of the outdoor venues can call 516-812-3014 to make a booking. They can also download a marriage license application by clicking here.

Since March 16, the town clerk has performed 55 wedding ceremonies. There have also been more than 300 licenses issued via the office’s curbside service. The curbside option has been so popular that there are already 451 appointments booked through Aug. 10.