Sarah and Gareth eloped to New York from their home in Belfast, Northern Ireland in September. They got married in the Ladies’ Pavilion with some friends from Belfast who now live in New York and their two kids as guests.
They were childhood sweethearts and had been together for fifteen years when they got married. They got married on the same date that they go engaged, which they hadn’t done intentionally, but that means they were engaged for exactly four years.
Gareth had lived in New York for a while some years ago, and Sarah had visited him while he was living in the city. So, “New York has always held a special place in both our hearts, we can’t explain why,” Sarah told me. They were last in NYC for Sarah’s 30th birthday celebrations and she feels that they had such an awesome time, when they started to think about where to get married, she felt she was completely in love with the city and had to go back.
I asked if they had any regrets about not having a traditional wedding at home in Belfast. “We have no regrets of getting married abroad, it was one of our best decisions made together,” Sarah said. She said they missed having close family to witness the wedding, and they were in their thoughts of course. “But not everyone has the money to do what we wanted,” Sarah explained. So they decided to hold a party when they got back home for everyone to attend, which I think gets them the best of both worlds – they have included everyone in the celebration and they had the wedding that they wanted.
Sarah wore a short strapless dress with diamonds on the front, which she purchased from Coast. She also had a pearl short veil with matching gloves to match, paired with silver shoes and pearl diamond drop down earrings. She wore her hair in a small low bun with the veil over the top and a pearl hairband. Gareth wore a traditional tuxedo, purchased from Louis Boyd.
Though Sarah and Gareth were eloping, they also had guests, so we had Gareth go down to the Ladies’ Pavilion first to greet their friends from home first. Sarah hung back a little with the photographer Jakub Redziniak so that she could then walk down the pathway and make her entrance as a bride might traditionally do. The pathway down to the Ladies’ Pavilion is one of my favorite entrances for brides or couples, since the trees around it make it very like an aisle!
We had the officiant say a little about Sarah and Gareth’s relationship to date in the ceremony introduction. Then they exchanged traditional vows before exchanging rings. “Gareth was so nervous during the ceremony, he jumped the gun saying I do before the minister had finished asking if he took me to be his wife – he said I do straight away, it was so funny!” Sarah said. They all laughed at this and they said it made it all feel more relaxed.
I asked where their favorite photos were taken. They said they liked the ones taken beside Bethesda Fountain and at the Ladies’ Pavilion. I asked how we did. “We had an amazing wedding planner to guide us throughout the process and wouldn’t change it for the world, thank you,” Sarah said.
Thanks for sharing your story, Sarah and Gareth, and I wish you both the very best of luck for the future. If you would like me to help you with your own Central Park wedding, whether you’re visiting New York from out of state or abroad, or if you live close by, visit our website. Keep updated with our news and see lots of beautiful photos, follow us on Instagram, follow us on Facebook, follow us on TikTok, and follow us on Pinterest.
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