Many couples come to Central Park alone, eloping for their wedding day. Many more have weddings in Central Park with just a few guests. I plan Central Park weddings and elopements are very popular with us.
I have couples tell me that they started to plan the big wedding at home but realised that it was not for them. They did not want to spend all that time planning, or all that money on a big party. Or they just wanted to do something special and unique for their wedding day, and to do something different from everyone else.
Here are my tips and suggestions on what steps to take to have a perfect elopement, whether it in Central Park or some other fantastic location.
Set a budget. Many couples elope for their wedding to save money. If this is one of the reasons you are considering it, then consider the costs in advance and be careful not to spend too much and defeat the object of eloping.
Think about yourself on your wedding day. After couples get engaged, many people rush into wedding planning, ticking off all the boxes of things that most people do. Stop for a moment and think about how it will be on your wedding day and how you will feel. Be sure that you are planning the day that suits you and your partner.
Choose the right location. Sit down with your partner and discuss all the places you might like to have your wedding. Think about the weather, the hotels, restaurants and other tourist attractions in each location and consider the vacation you want to have as well as what kind of wedding day you would like.
Do something memorable on the day. If it is just the two of you in a fantastic new place then why not make the most of it and do something truly memorable on your wedding day? Some of the couples I have worked with in New York have taken a helicopter flight, or a cruise around the island of Manhattan, gone to the top of the Empire State Building, or just splurged on a really special restaurant.
Talk to your friends and family about your reasons for eloping. The main reason that couples give for not eloping to get married is they are worried about what their friends and family may think. Your wedding day is about the two of you, so if it is what you want to do, then do it, but be prepared to discuss your choices with the people who matter to you.
Keep the traditions you like. Think about what wedding traditions you want to keep in, and which to throw out. It is your wedding day, and by eloping, you can ignore all that wedding stuff you don’t like so much, and make a big deal of the stuff you do like.
Steal some local traditions. If you have chosen a foreign country for your wedding day, then find out what wedding traditions they have in that country and maybe put a few of them in your ceremony. It will make the day more unique to you and your choice of location.
Make sure you have a great photographer. If you have no guests, then this is the best way for you to relive your memories. And even if you don’t feel that you need an audience for your ceremony, it will be nice to share the memories of the day with others with pictures.
Consider having a party when you get home. This way you get the best of both worlds – you can have a private ceremony with just the two of you in a location of your choice, and you also get to celebrate your union with your loved ones.
Relax. That’s the whole point of eloping, right? So, chill out and enjoy your special day.
For more information on planning your own Central Park wedding, visit our website, or “like” us on Facebook for photos and more inspiring stories of couples marrying in Central Park.