Gemma and Dean came over to New York from their home in Falkirk, Scotland to get married on Gapstow Bridge this June. They are both 29, and met in 2006 when they both worked at the same restaurant. They were together for ten years before they got married.
Dean proposed in December 2017 in Orlando on their hotel balcony. New York was an easy choice for them, it’s very special to them as a couple. Gemma had always loved New York, although Dean was never too keen to visit, until the first time they visited, when Gemma kind of forced Dean to go and in the end he loved it! The couple have been back nearly every year since their first visit, so it seemed fitting to choose New York for their wedding ceremony.
Their wedding was almost an elopement – two of their friends witnessed the wedding. “We looked at local options but decided that it would be easier to go to New York and do it on our own,” said Gemma. They preferred a marriage without the stress of a big party. “We missed our family but it was the best option for us,” said Gemma. “Our wedding was so relaxed and laid back, it was brilliant,” she added.
The couple stayed at the Park Lane hotel for six nights. I asked if they had any restaurants to recommend, “we ate at Shorty’s, Keans Steakhouse, Hooters, Katz’s Deli, Olive Garden and Mighty Quinn’s,” so they’ve certainly done a culinary food tour of New York! Their guests were their friends Louise and Craig and they said that they loved the whole experience.
The ceremony took place on Gapstow Bridge. They chose it because it is their favorite spot in Central Park. “We had pictures taken at the bridge, Bethesda terrace and fountain and Bow Bridge, and then left Central Park for photos at the Love sculpture and then Times Square,” Gemma told me. They booked their own photographer, Jasmine Photography.
Gemma wore a Stella York wedding dress, purchased from Olivia Cameron in Falkirk. Their flowers were blush and ivory roses by Ode a la Rose. They got married on a Saturday and they had hoped to make a reservation at the Boathouse, but they don’t accept reservations on a weekend, and they close mid-afternoon, so the couple decided against it. Instead they ate at the Tavern on the Green, and then went to the Plaza for cocktails. After that they went to 230 Fifth for drinks
I asked Gemma how she felt it all went, and she said, “Claire was amazing, I found her so helpful and attentive. I couldn’t have asked for a better planner.” Thanks for your kind words, Gemma, and I wish you and Dean lots of luck for your future together!
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