The Burlington County Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences is turning into a wedding venue on Wednesday afternoons.
Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz, who has married a total of 367 couples since taking office as clerk, will begin performing weddings every Wednesday afternoon from 1-4 p.m. by appointment-only, as of July 14, in the historic and picturesque Lyceum building on High Street, according to information provided by the county.
“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 for celebrations and marriage ceremonies,” Schwartz said in the statement. “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.”
Originally built in the 1830s, the Lyceum is housed in the historic Langstaff Mansion and is considered one of Burlington County’s most beautiful historic structures. The building was previously the home to the Mount Holly Library before the county purchased it in 2013 and transformed it into a museum dedicated to Burlington County history, according to the statement.
“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 in the statement. “Our office has also held special seasonal ceremonies at our county’s Historic Prison Museum in Mount Holly and at our Burlington County Agriculture Center in Moorestown. Couples interested in getting married at those sites should check with our office or keep watch on our website for announcements about available dates and times.”
Burlington County couples interested in being married can make appointments online at the Clerk’s Office webpage: http://co.burlington.nj.us/611/Marriage-Services.
There is no fee for the service, but couples must obtain a marriage license from the municipality where either the bride or groom resides or from Mount Holly, where the Lyceum is located. Obtaining a license typically takes 72 hours.
For more information, call the Clerk’s Office at 609-265-5142.
