In August, we learned that Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin aren’t rushing to get married — that they were sure of each other, but waiting until 2019 to actually tie the knot.
Fast forward one month, however, and their actions are telling a different story.
Justin and Hailey were spotted at the courthouse, and it wasn’t over a traffic ticket. They went to the folks who give out marriage licenses.
TMZ reports that Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin were spotted at the NYC Marriage Bureau on Thursday, September 13.
Though Hailey and the Biebs were trying to keep things hush-hush, people of course noticed.
According to at least one wyewitness, Justin gushed to Hailey: “I can’t wait to marry you, baby.”
It was an emotional moment, and Justin was apparently crying and he spoke to his fiancee.
Other eyewitness accounts say that Justin and Hailey hoped to keep this special moment as private as possible.
According to TMZ‘s sources who saw Justin and Hailey, Justin expressed gratitude for the discretion of people in the NYC Marriage Bureau.
“Thanks for keeping it on the DL,” Justin reportedly said to a court official.
Court officials may have professional guidelines, but random other people in the courthouse who are there on their own business do not.
Incidentally, one witness referred to a person to whom Justin and Hailey spoke as a “judge,” which would imply that they actually got married right then and there.
But the source may have been using the term casually to refer to a court official, or may have misunderstood someone’s role. It happens.
According to another witness, Justin and Hailey appeared to make some reference to leaving the country.
Is it possible that they changed their plans and wanted to have a destination wedding — possibly a private one?
That sounds romantic.
Or, more cynically, they may have been headed somewhere (like Dubai) where the local laws are medieval and would not allow them to share a room unless they are married.
We have to say, though, that it is difficult to picture these two lovestruck twenty-somethings getting a marriage license early just because it’s practical.
So, a month ago, the two had solid plans to not get married in 2018. They were adamant about enjoying their engagement.
What happened during the past several weeks to change their tune?
Maybe it’s nothing — they could have been making some sort of inquiry. None of the witnesses to whom TMZ spoke said that they actually saw Justin and Hailey with a marriage certificate.
But, let’s be real, something of significance happened or Justin wouldn’t have been in tears.
Maybe the impetuousness of “youth” (he’s 24) caught up with them and they realized that they just couldn’t wait to call each other husband and wife.
A marriage license is not the same thing as having a wedding, so perhaps Justin and Hailey were impatient and decided to get the license now, but to hold off on the wedding.
If so, however, they’ve started the clock on their wedding plans.
In New York state, a marriage license is only valid for 60 days. You need to have a wedding in that time, or the license expires.
Folks, Justin and Hailey visited the Marriage Bureau 110 days before 2019. If they obtained a marriage license, they have just over half of that to get married.
That big 2019 wedding could still happen, but it would leave us with questions about what Thursday’s emotional errand was all about.
