Rhiannon and Dan brought over quite a large group of guests by our usual standards over from their home in England for their wedding in Central Park. They got married in the Ladies’ Pavilion in early June.
They had been together for ten years when they got married, and they had met through their work. Seven years previously they had done a small tour of the US as a vacation and they felt they must one day come back to see more of the country. They decided that bringing their nearest and dearest with them this time was a great way to visit the US again, and of course make some incredible memories with them all by getting married on this trip.
When they first contacted me, they were considering getting married at Wagner Cove. Once they had told family and friends of their plans to get married in New York, more and more people said that they’d like to come along. We do see this happen quite frequently with our destination weddings. New York is a city that truly offers something for everyone (in my very biased opinion!) so it’s the ideal place to bring together several generations in a family and everyone should enjoy it.
We have held weddings at Wagner Cove with quite a large group, but, because of the shape of the space, it’s not a great location for over twenty guests. This is because the land gets narrower as you get closer to the wooden structure where the ceremony usually takes place, so some guests might be quite far away, and unable to hear what is being said.
So, we switched to the Ladies’ Pavilion. It’s a rectangular structure with a large, wide space outside of it, so the couple and the officiant can be inside of the structure, with the guests standing outside, and a larger group will fit with everyone being able to see and hear well. In Rhiannon and Dan’s case we had a cellist set up right outside of the structure, playing background music before Rhiannon arrived, and also while they took group photos in the area nearby afterwards.
We had Rhiannon’s bouquet and Dan’s boutonniere of yellow and white roses delivered to their hotel on the morning of their wedding. The Ladies’ Pavilion is at the end of a pretty, tree-lined pathway, and Rhiannon walked in with her dad, following her maid of honor and flower girl, to I Giorni by Ludovico Einaudi played on the cello.
For the ceremony, we had the officiant talk a little about their relationship to date, for just a very short introduction. Then he read the poem Yes I’ll Marry You by Pam Ayres, which I’ll put at the end of this post. Rhiannon and Dan exchanged traditional vows before exchanging rings.
We had a videographer record the ceremony, and their photographer Jakub Redziniak took photos throughout the ceremony, and then afterwards around Central Park. There was an event in the area around Bethesda Terrace so they were not able to go there for photos. So, instead of walking south from the Ladies’ Pavilion, past the Lake, as many of our couples do, they walked north for their portrait session. As a result, they were able to get lots of beautiful photos in more peaceful areas with far fewer passers-by, such as the Shakespeare Garden and Belvedere Castle Terrace.
After their photo session in the park, the whole group went back to their hotel for drinks. They were staying at the Conrad New York Midtown, which is now closed, but was just about walkable from the Ladies’ Pavilion. It was on 54th Street. After dinner, the whole group enjoying an evening cruise together.
I asked Rhiannon how we did. “The whole process was just so simple and easy,” she said. “You took care of everything we needed! We’re so grateful you helped us finally tie the knot!” she added. I’m always glad to hear a bride tell us that we made it easy, that’s the goal! If you would like me to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding, whether you or are visiting New York with a group for a destination wedding as this couple did, or if you’re eloping, 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.
Yes I’ll Marry You by Pam Ayres
‘Yes, I’ll marry you, my dear, And here’s the reason why;
So I can push you out of bed, When the baby starts to cry,
And if we hear a knocking, And it’s creepy and it’s late,
I hand you the torch you see, And you investigate.
Yes I’ll marry you, my dear, You may not apprehend it,
But when the washing machine goes, It’s you that has to mend it,
When the neighbours play loud music, I ask that you confront him
And if a drunkard fondles me, I wish for you to whack him.
Yes, I’ll marry you, You’re virile and you’re lean,
When my house is like a pigsty, You can help to keep it clean.
That romantic dinner, Which you served by candlelight,
As I only do pizza, You can cook it every night!
It’s you who has to work early, and put up the curtain track,
And when I’ve got PMT it’s you who gets the flak,
I do see great advantages,
But none of them for you, And so before you see the light,
I do, I do, I do!’
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