https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/content/marriage-frequently-asked-questions

What is the difference between a “short” or “extended” Marriage Certificate?

A “short certificate” typically refers to the 8½ inch by 8 inch light blue colored safety paper used to print Certificates of Marriage Registration. The same size and type of paper is used for copies of Certificates of Marriage Registration issued by our Record Room division for all Marriage Records from 1995 to the present. Prior to 1995, Marriage Records were typed and are stored on microfilm. Under law, a completed photocopy of the Marriage License certified by the City Clerk is also a legal Certificate of Marriage Registration. Those microfilm records are photocopied on an 8½ inch by 14 inch light blue colored safety paper. Thus, a Certificate of Marriage Registration can be issued in either of those two formats in different sizes.

An “extended certificate” refers to an extended version of the Certificate of Marriage Registration that includes additional information such as the names of both parents and their countries of birth, the name and title of the Marriage Officiant, and the name and location of the place where the Marriage Ceremony was conducted. Depending on whether the marriage took place before or after 1995, the extended certificates will be printed on the same two forms as used for short certificates. The extended version is typically used in foreign jurisdictions in connection to applications for adoption, passports, and dual citizenship, among others. The Extended Certificate for Foreign Use has a fee of $35 that includes the cost of the Counter Certification and Raised Seal with Hand Signature.