Why would someone go to New Jersey from Pennsylvania to get married?

Question

I have a lot of relatives who went to New Jersey to get married. They lived in Bucks County, PA and Philadelphia, PA., time frame 1900-1950's. Marriages occurred in Burlington and Camden, NJ.  Were  there marriage laws that encouraged this, or was it cheaper to get married in NJ? It happened so frequently, there must have been a reason.

Thanks.

Comments

I'm not sure this is the case with these two states but our neighbor's daughter went to either New Jersey or Maryland to get married because New York  required parental  consent for under age children.  I think the age of consent was 21.

---

Maryland has an younger consent law but there is still a three day waiting period.

Answer 1

https://pastprologue.wordpress.com/2009/02/23/when-you-cant-find-grampas-marriage-record/

 

This mentions an article that calls Camden the Gretna Green of the Union.

Comments

Thank you. The article explained my gr-grandparents marriage. Annie was only 17 and pregnant. She probably didn't want to get parental permission. My mother got married in Camden, without the benefit of a divorce from her first husband. Was probably afraid and would be unable to answer the questions honestly.

Thanks again.

---

That is interesting.

Answer 2

Well, if it was my relatives it would be because the family lived in NJ and then moved to PA. (though this was in an earlier era than in your case.)  So since it was a relatively short trip they'd have married where the old folks lived (who might also be paying for the festivities.  But you could be right that it was laws.  My parents eloped to Kentucky from central Ohio to get married where there was no waiting period.  Even when I got married 20+ years ago, we had to get the marriage license 7 days before the ceremony.