Chelsea and Matthew brought a small group of their close friends and family over to New York from their home in Canada to get married in Central Park. Their ceremony was held in Wagner Cove in July. They had been together for four years before they got married. They met when working together at a small rural school in Southern Alberta.
“We wanted to find something that is unique and ‘us’ and have decided that Central Park in New York is where we would like to be for our big day,” said Matthew. “We just wanted a beautiful place to have a nice small quiet wedding,” he added. The couple had their two young kids as best man and maid of honor, as well as a very small handful of other guests.
When they first contacted me Wagner Cove was out of action. It had been badly damaged by vandals and was closed while the Central Park Conservancy completely replaced the wooden structure. It was uncertain when it would be re-opened, because the situation was unprecedented, so nobody could predict how long it would take. So, Chelsea and Matthew chose Cop Cot for their ceremony location, being fond of the rustic look. In the end, Wagner Cove was re-opened in time for their July date, so we were able to change the location and hold their ceremony there.
I wrote their ceremony for them and booked their officiant and photographer. They decided to book their own musicians, and they chose a cellist and violinist. I’m always happy to stay flexible if a couple wants me to organize some elements of their wedding while they organize other parts. They had their musicians play for the whole time – before the bride arrived, softly during the ceremony, and then increased the volume while they signed the paperwork and took group photos at Wagner Cove.
The ceremony took place in the morning – a wise decision in New York in July, especially when the party includes small kids. After the ceremony our photographer took them around Central Park to take some photos. “He led us around to many of the most beautiful spots in the park and we got some beautiful photos – he is a true artist!” said Matthew.
They had asked me for a recommendation on hair and makeup and I suggest the team I always recommend. “We did not choose the person that you recommended, going with a less expensive option, and she didn’t show up!” Matthew told me. “Luckily Chelsea did a good job of it on her own or it could have been a major issue!” he added. I agree, I think Chelsea looked stunning. I do hear this worryingly often when couples choose to book some elements of the wedding for themselves. Sadly, when someone is a visitor to New York, some vendors (who might have set their prices very low to get clients) might not be too concerned about not showing up. If you book through someone like myself, you avoid risking a no-show, because the people I work with value their relationship with me, and would never dream of not showing up, otherwise I would not book them again!
After their photos around Central Park, they went on to Delmonicos Steak House for lunch, an iconic New York restaurant, opened since 1837!
I asked Matthew how he thought we did. “Thank you very much for your efforts, Claire! Our big day went off even better than we had hoped!” If you think you might like some help with planning your own Central Park wedding, visit our website. “Like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest.