The epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in America is now allowing couples to say "I do" via video chat.
Thousands of couples have been forced to postpone, cancel, or adjust their wedding plans during the lockdown due to the novel coronavirus. Also, most local bureaus are closed which prevents engaged couples from procuring marriage licenses. Other couples have adjusted to CDC policies and had socially distanced weddings, with officiants marrying them from a distance.
Therefore, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has made it possible for nuptials to tie the knot.
On Saturday, Cuomo issued an executive order permitting New Yorkers to acquire a marriage license remotely and authorizing clerks to carry out ceremonies through video conference. This practice was previously banned under existing laws.
The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) and health officials have alerted against mass gatherings in places including churches, restaurants, and event spaces which have temporarily closed their doors to follow social distancing rules.
"Video marriage ceremonies," said Cuomo. "There's now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage. No excuse. You can do it by Zoom."
Another state has also established new measures for partners hoping to get married. Colorado has also authorized marriage licenses to be acquired online.
Melissa DeRosa, secretary to the governor, declared the executive order permitting couples to marry "utilizing audio-video technology" at a conference.
Zoom is the famous video-conferencing technology that has acquired a huge boost nowadays with many workers now utilizing it to hold meetings remotely.
"The Executive Order will temporarily suspend a provision of law that requires in-person visits," according to a press release from the governor's office.
New York has implemented quarantine measures to be extended until at least May 15 and it could be several months before social distancing measures are lifted to legalize mass gatherings again for events such as weddings.
Lena Turkheimer, a medical student, is one bride who initially rescheduled her ceremony until 2021, but instead chose to have a wedding via Zoom on her original date. She and Mark Owen's virtual ceremony took place in the backyard of Turkheimer's parents' home in Charlottesville, Virginia.
According to Cuomo, it is not much, but at least it is something pleasant to partake in during the lockdown caused by the coronavirus crisis.
More than 13,000 people have contracted the coronavirus in merely New York.
The ruling garnered mixed reactions from social media.
Some users questioned why couples would choose to celebrate weddings without the presence of families and friends or found fault with the governor for not prioritizing more important decisions.
Although the arrangement might not be favorable for every jilted couple, the #ZoomWedding has become increasingly famous since the start of the outbreak and many brides and grooms seem to think that the online ceremony was a good trade-off for the real thing.
Twenty-six-year-old Sophie Austin swooned about her recent Zoom wedding. "It was amazing. It was absolutely amazing. I think it really drew back the sparkliness and extra stuff of a wedding and made it really obvious what was important: the two of us saying the vows to each other.
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