Becky and Scott brought over forty of their family and friends over from Warrington in England for their wedding in the Ladies’ Pavilion this November. Becky is twenty-six and Scott is thirty-four and they had been together for over ten years before they got married. They got engaged in the same place they got married, the Ladies’ Pavilion, in June of 2015.
They had always liked the idea of getting married in New York, but they did look at options of wedding at home because they both have big families and they wanted everyone to be there on their special day, but they had Central Park in the back of their minds while they were looking. “When looking at different venues nothing really compared to the Ladies’ Pavilion,” said Becky. “We decided that we needed to do what we wanted to do for our wedding, and that our family would understand our decision because New York is a very special place to us”, she added.
Becky said that she has not personally attended any other destination weddings herself, so she and Scott had very little to go on when making decisions on what they wanted for their wedding day. She said that she found it difficult at first because they were having to choose restaurants and bars that they hadn’t set foot in themselves. So, they had to either go off recommendations from other people, and put their trust in complete strangers. She said that this was balanced by the feeling that choosing a wedding location that was special to them both made all the stress and nerves disappear with the certainty that they had made the right decision. I asked her if she had any regrets about not having a traditional wedding closer to home and she said “Definitely not! Best decision made by far”.
Another concern for a couple marrying outdoors in November was of course the weather. We did see some rain that morning, but once the couple started to say their vows the rain stopped. Also, the Ladies’ Pavilion provides cover for the couple and some of the guests for a group this size. Those standing outside did have to put up their umbrellas!
The couple had originally wanted a harpist to play at their wedding, but the harpist that I usually deal with was concerned about how her instrument would cope in cold and damp weather. We couldn’t be sure what the weather would be like on the day as we were planning, so we decided to go with a violinist to be on the safe side. Our violinist wasn’t worried about the temperature ad she could stay under cover in case of rain. So, Becky walked down the pathway to her wedding to Have I Told You Lately That I Love You by Van Morrison. And when the couple were pronounced married our musician played Don’t Stop Believing by Journey. We also had some Alicia Keys pieces while the guests were waiting for the bride to arrive.
This was the fourth time Becky had visited New York, and the fifth time for Scott, and they both like to stay on the Upper West Side whenever they come. This time they stayed in the Lucerne Hotel for a week. It’s no secret that I love the Upper West Side, too. I always recommend it if anyone asks for suggestions. It is close to Central Park, close to the Hudson, had great bars and restaurants, great transport links, and it’s beautiful.
After the ceremony ended, our photographer got busy taking Becky and Scott to lots of lovely spots in Central Park to take photos. “He took us all over Central Park for photos, but instead of all the tourist spots used his experience of the Park and took pictures in quiet places that he knew would look lovely”, Becky told me. “We did have a couple of group shots over-looking the Lake near the Ladies’ Pavilion,” she added, “which is nice to have, because every time we have been to New York we take the same photo here as we love the backdrop of the Lake, trees and the iconic skyline.”
We wrote a fairly short and sweet ceremony for the couple. Scott’s sister Kerry read a poem she had written herself, using the first two lines of I’ll Be There For You, by Louise Cuddon, then the rest being written especially for the couple. It is quite chilly in New York in November, so a short ceremony was probably preferred by many of the guests. Becky and Scott were touched by how many people were able to make the journey to share in their special day. “We were overwhelmed by the number of people who attended our wedding and made it extra special” Becky said. “Everyone thought it was a beautiful location to get married and were very happy that we decided to get married in a place that was very special to us,” she added.
Becky wore a fitted ivory lace White Rose dress with a sweetheart neckline and a sparkly belt, accessorized with a Swarovski hair vein. She carried a white rose bouquet with navy accents. The bride and her mother, sister and niece all had their hair and makeup done by Appease Inc, Becky said she was very happy with the service and price.
After the ceremony and the photographs in Central Park, the group went to Keens Steakhouse to eat in a private room there. “I would definitely recommend the service and the food,” said Becky. That evening they hired a function room in the Gin Mill where they enjoyed food and drinks in to the night.
I asked Becky how I did. “Having Claire’s help throughout my wedding planning was well worth it as it took pressure off me but also Claire knew exactly what I would like and used her experience of planning many weddings to make our day one we will never forget!” Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, Becky and Scott, and I’m so glad that the rain stopped for you!
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