New Jersey Could See Increase In Weddings Abroad If Instant Marriage Licences Are Approved

Atlantic City could become the Las Vegas of New Jersey if the lobbying efforts of

two leading democrats results in the elimination of the states three-day waiting period for marriage licences.

Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) and Assemblyman Lou Greenwald (D-Camden) are hoping that by removing the waiting period for licences, New Jersey will appeal to couples planning destination weddings.

"Right now people from out of state who might come here to get married might not do it. They have more hurdles," explained Mr Scutari. "Many other states dont have a waiting period. Las Vegas in Nevada is one of the top places in the States because they have no waiting period."

Mr Scutari said that the measure could lead to the creation of instant wedding chapels similar to the famous ones that can be found in Las Vegas. He explained that casinos in New Jersey are also keen to push the bill forward.

"I dont think its a bad thing," he said. "Its not what were shooting for. But we want to give New Jersey the best in tourism dollars, and this is one of the ways we can allow Atlantic City and Cape May and other locations to market themselves."

There are some concerns that, like in Las Vegas, drunken casino-goers will head to chapels on a whim and get married. However, the proposed bill enables couples to annul the marriage within 30 days if requested by either the husband or wife.

The three-day waiting period has been in place for 67 years and if eliminated, couples will see an increase in marriage licence fees from $28 to $60. New Jersey residents will also be able to apply for licences in the towns they want to get married in, rather than only being allowed to apply in their hometowns.

Lori Pepenella, the destination marketing director for the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce says that the changes will boost the states tourism industry as couples head to New Jersey for weddings abroad all year round.

"Something like that would definitely help the local economy, she commented. It makes sense for some of our resort areas that have traditionally been thought of as seasonal to expand into social events ... weddings are probably the most expensive social event youll ever throw."

As the number of couples getting married abroad steadily increases, many locations across the world are cashing in on the lucrative destination weddings market. Last month, the unusual date of 11/11/11 saw a record number of couples from all over the globe tying the knot in the dazzling city of Las Vegas.

If it is to become legal, the bill must be approved by the Senate and Assembly and must be signed by Governor Chris Christie by January, 2012.

by: Susan Crown

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