Larissa and Bob got married in the Ladies’ Pavilion first thing in the morning one Saturday in September. Larissa is from New York and Bob is from upstate New York originally. Larissa is 45 and Bob is 54. They had been together for almost four years when they got married.
Larissa and Bob met through work. They were work colleagues at a bank in 2018 and Bob was the very first person that Larissa met there, and her first friend at her new workplace. We said in the ceremony that ever since they met, he has been her biggest champion and supporter, and she is his biggest fan.
They got married pretty early in the day and they also got engaged quite early. They were taking a dawn walk in Caumsett State Park in Lloyd Harbor, New York. Bob proposed at the Marshall Field Main House overlooking Long Island Sound. They initially considered getting married on Long Island with a church wedding or maybe at a vineyard in the North Fork. But, Larissa broke her foot while they were considering their options, so they had to postpone wedding plans for a while. Bob had wanted to get married on this certain date in September because it was his mother’s birthday. They both agreed that a smaller wedding would be less taxing than the standard, big extravagant affair. Bob loves New York City, and Larissa wanted something smaller and more informal. They also didn’t want to deal with the hassle of planning a large wedding. And so, they found me!
Larissa told me that they originally thought of The Boathouse and the Tavern on the Green, the two restaurants in Central Park, and she also checked other venues that she felt were quintessentially New York. “These were all too expensive and I didn’t like the other micro wedding options I researched,” she said. She told me that she stumbled onto a review of Wed in Central Park on The Knot and checked out our Instagram feed. “I was impressed so I went to the website,” she said. “I reached out to Claire impulsively but was pleasantly surprised to find out that getting married in Central Park is an affordable option,” she said. “Bob and I have had many great memories in Central Park, and everything seemed to fall into place,” Larissa told me.
I asked Larissa what her thoughts were on smaller weddings in general. “Love them. It’s the best way to go,” she said. “Couples want a ceremony that reflects their tastes and their relationship. More and more, I see people opting for more unique venues that are more ‘them’,” she told me.
Larissa and Bob are locals, but because they had the wedding at 9am on Saturday, they stayed at a hotel nearby; the Arthouse Hotel on 77th for the Friday and Saturday nights, so that they would be refreshed and ready to go. For the bridesmaids, Larissa booked High Tea at the Plaza Hotel the day before the wedding. Bob took his friends out for drinks at The Boathouse. When they all got together for dinner the Friday before the wedding, they had a lively dinner at Serafina’s downstairs at the Arthouse.
We didn’t organize this wedding with a whole lot of notice, so when we came to apply for the event permit for the Ladies’ Pavilion, 9am was the only slot they had. “We had a few moans and groans from a few guests about the early hour, but everyone who made it thought it was a memorable experience,” said Larissa. This turned out great for the photographs because Central Park is much quieter earlier in the morning. “That early in the morning, it seemed like the whole of Central Park was ours. The Ladies’ Pavilion has a beautiful view of the Lake and the city skyline in the background,” said Larissa. She said that their favorite photos were taken in front of the Bethesda Fountain and the arcade in front of the Minton tiles.
For the ceremony, we had a short introduction and a friend did a reading, and then they exchanged traditional vows. I asked Larissa how the ceremony went. “Lovely! I was nervous but happy,” she said. “My friends thought it was all very cinematic,” she added. She said that she hardly remembers the ceremony. “I remember when the officiant asked whether I would take Bob as my lawfully wedded husband; I said, ‘Yeah, of course, I do.’ I think it was the nerves, honestly,” she said!
Larissa wore an off-white A-line lace dress purchased from David’s Bridal. “I wore bridal sneakers under my wedding dress, and I fully endorse wearing comfy footwear,” she said. Bob wore a blue linen suit with a gray shirt purchased from Proper Cloth. Larissa carried a fall-colored bouquet with a mix of red, yellows, and oranges. Her hair and makeup were done by Stephanie and Arielle from Metro Look. “They did a fantastic job with my request for an old Hollywood glamor look. I received a lot of compliments on my hair and makeup,” Larissa said.
After the ceremony and photos around Central Park, Larissa and Bob took their guests to lunch at the Porter House Bar and Grill in Columbus Circle. Afterward, a few guests decided to go to the bar at the Mandarin Oriental for the views of the Park. Later in the evening, they took their out-of-town guests to a Japanese restaurant on the Upper West Side.
I asked if they had any regrets about not having a “traditional” wedding. “No, we had a wonderful time and so did our guests,” said Larissa. “I am glad we did it in a non-traditional way because the wedding had a more spontaneous, joyous feel,” she added. Like most New Yorkers, Larissa is believes that New Yorkers are not friendly on the whole. I’m a Brit and I disagree. “Everyone is super friendly on your wedding day, even New Yorkers,” she told me.
I asked Larissa how we did. “Claire provides excellent white-glove wedding planning services. I e-mailed her back and forth about the details. Honestly, I was expecting hiccups along the way, but there were none. She was very responsive and answered my questions and concerns promptly. She did an excellent job for us on our big day. Thanks, Claire!” Thank you so much for your kind words, it was an absolute pleasure to work with you, Larissa, and I wish you both lots of luck for your future together. If you would like me to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding or elopement, whether you live locally or are planning on traveling to New York to get married, visit our website. Keep updated with our news and see lots of beautiful photos, “like” us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest.
