Many of our couples who are getting married in Central Park have come to New York from out of town, and in many cases, outside of the USA. So, the day of the wedding might be shared with just a small group of select close family and friends. Sometimes the couple elope with no guests with them at all on their special day.
There are pros and cons to having a small wedding, but some couples just can’t choose! It is quite common for the couples to want to have their intimate celebrate with the people who are most special to them in this incredible city and also to have a big celebration closer to home with their wider social circle. This post contains some suggestions for how to celebrate your wedding with New York style, wherever you are!
Invites
If you have eloped to New York for your wedding, or just had a small group with you, then you may not have sent out official invites to the actual wedding. If you’re having a big party, then this is your chance to send out some lovely stationery featuring Central Park, or the iconic New York skyline.
Decorations
If you’re giving people a sit-down meal then the welcome sign, seating plan, table numbers or names and place cards could be New York themed. Perhaps themes of well-known areas of New City, iconic New York sights or New York City Street names for the tables. You can use some of your favorite New York images for any of the signage or decorations. I’ve also seen couples renting the big, light-up lettering to spell NYC.
Music
So many songs have been written about New York. If you’re having a DJ, ask for a good smattering of all the classics. Frank Sinatra’s New York New York, Beastie Boy’s No Sleep till Brooklyn, Jay Z’s Empire State of Mind, Leonard Cohen’s First we Take Manhattan, Alice Cooper’s Big Apple Dreamin’, Alicia Keys’ New York, Simon and Garfunkel’s The Only Living Boy in New York, The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York (if it’s the right time of year!) and one of my favourites; Bobby Womack’s Across 110th Street (about the street that marks the south of Harlem, and the north of Central Park).
Party Favors
An informal party doesn’t necessarily require party favors, as a wedding reception might, but if you’re giving them out, then they could easily feature something NYC-related. You can pick up trinkets and souvenirs to give people while on your trip to New York. You could give out NYC-themed or USA-themed gifts, depending on what sort of thing you’d like to give everyone.
Flowers
It might be a nice touch for you to keep to the same floral theme and colours as your actual wedding day for your party back home. It all depends on how much time you leave between the wedding and the party – if seasons change then it might not be quite right to keep with the same flowers! If you order your flowers through us we can give you a detailed list of the blooms used so that you can pass that on to florists at home to recreate it for your party.
Guest Book
Even if your party is quite informal, then a guest book can be a lovely keep sake. Check out the New York themed books available.
Food
What food do you think of when you think of New York? Pizza seems an obvious choice, perhaps bagels or hot dogs if the food is informal, but you could also go for New York cheesecake, and perhaps something involving a big apple! If you expand your theme to American food in general then you have lots more options.
Cake
Many of our couples getting married in New York order a small cake for the day from a local bakery, or have their reception location order one for them. Your big party is a chance to cut a bigger cake amongst wider friends and family, so this could be an opportunity to push the boat out with a tiered cake decorated with all your favorite features of NYC.
As always, I’d love to hear from other couples in the comments about what they did if they had a New York themed wedding party on their return home after a wedding in Central Park or elsewhere in New York. The party on the couple’s return home isn’t something I’m usually involved in so I may well have not thought of something that you can add, so I’d love to hear from you!
If you would like me to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding or elopement, visit our website. Keep updated with our news and see lots of lovely photos; “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest.
