So, you’re engaged, congratulations! Now it’s time to start wedding planning! Perhaps you’ve had some ideas in the back of your mind for a while about what you’d like your wedding to look like, or maybe you just know what you don’t want it to look like! If you’re looking for some inspiration for a unique wedding location, then how about New York City? Here are some signs that might help you to decide if NYC is the destination wedding location for you.
The first big sign that getting married in New York could be the right option for you is having attended the sort of wedding that wouldn’t feel right for you. Perhaps you know that you wouldn’t want a big, traditional wedding for whatever reason – I’ve heard lots! Or maybe you’ve started to think about a destination wedding and feel like a beach wedding or a Vegas wedding wouldn’t be your thing either. There are of course plenty of other cities you could get married in, but check the legalities of getting married in a country before you go too far down the planning road – some places are easier than others!
Some of our couples are eloping and it’s just the two of them that they need to worry about, but for many couples, they will be thinking of bringing a small group with them. Think about the sort of vacations and activities that your nearest and dearest would enjoy. Do any of your loved ones like theatre, sport, history, awesome food, great nightlife, live music, seeing famous sights, people watching, or even, oh I don’t know; visiting the world’s most famous park in the center of the world’s most exciting city? Disclaimer: I am slightly biased. But most would agree that New York City really does have something for everyone.
What if some of your guests (or indeed the couple) have any mobility issues? Well, any destination wedding will likely cause some obstacles to people of limited mobility, and certainly wheelchair users will find the subway frustrating, but a wedding in Central Park will be easier to get to than one on a beach and perhaps in many other cities. There are cabs galore in Manhattan, and we can arrange for a pedicab to get anyone to a Central Park wedding ceremony location, and some of them even have some seating.
If you’re a person who loves beautiful and unique photos, and wants to capture wedding photos that really stand out, then Central Park and New York will certainly deliver. The vast majority of our couples hire a professional photographer to take photos around Central Park, and in a two hour session, they can deliver over a hundred beautiful photos. If you really want to make the most of being in this incredible city while looking your absolute best, then you can travel to some of the iconic places in New York to take portrait photos. Popular locations are Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, or overlooking Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn, the Empire State Building, the Top of the Rock, Grand Central, or a boat on the Hudson with the Statue of Liberty photobombing!
We write all of our ceremonies with each couple. I have a list of questions that I ask that helps me to get a good idea of what the couple want from their wedding ceremony. If you want to spend some time having the officiant tell the long story you have shared up to this point, having guests read poems, performing some alternative ceremony rituals and reading out long and heartfelt vows to each other then we can do that. If you want just the absolute basics then we can do that too. There is very little actually required by law for a wedding in New York State, so we can make the ceremony go just how you want it.
When people walk through the streets of New York City they are likely to be congratulated by any passing New Yorkers. So if you like attention, then this is the place for you. There are some beautiful locations that suit a wedding ceremony out in the open in Central Park, for all to see you looking your absolute best. Many of our couples don’t enjoy a lot of attention, and that might be contributing to their decision to elope or have a small wedding. That’s fine too. There are plenty of locations in Central Park that are quiet and tucked away.
New York is a city that is busy with tourists all year round. If you want to get married in the summer sunshine amongst the greenery and flowers, then Central Park is sure to impress. If you have always dreamt of getting married in the snow, then at the start of the year, you have a pretty good chance in Central Park! Do you like cherry blossom? Come in April. Do you like the falling leaves? Come in November. New York does seasons exceptionally well and if you enjoy being outdoors then getting married out in the open will be perfect for you.
If you’re just a person who quite likes the idea of getting married abroad but doesn’t have any strong feelings on exactly where, then New York City could be the ideal place for you. It’s a great city to celebrate in, with so many awesome restaurants and bars. And Central Park never fails to impress couples and gusts with its beauty. Another huge reason why a destination wedding in New York might be appealing is that it’s so easy to do! Many countries have complicated or prohibitive marriage procedures that might mean that visitors need to have their legal ceremony at home before having the symbolic ceremony abroad. There’s no need for that in New York, a marriage here is legally binding worldwide and so much simpler than in the UK for example.
If you would like me to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding or elopement, or if you have any questions about it all, then visit our website or drop me an email at [email protected]. Keep updated with our news and see lots of beautiful photos, “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest.
