Many couples choose a destination wedding or elopement wedding in Central Park, or anywhere else in New York, because it gives them the opportunity to combine the trip with their honeymoon. Couples might come to New York with a small group of friends and family, for a small and intimate wedding, or a microwedding as many people are calling them now. Some couples come alone to New York for their wedding – in many cases a couple might already have a trip to New York booked, and then they decide to get married while they’re in town! So, then the trip becomes a honeymoon. With pressures of work and family, it is becoming common to have a short honeymoon, or minimoon, after a wedding. So, here are my tips and suggestions on how to make a stay in New York as newlyweds into a memorable and romantic honeymoon.
Spend some time thinking about it
This one might seem obvious, but so much time and effort goes in to planning a wedding, when it’s just one day, that a honeymoon can get forgotten about. This is your first few days as a married couple, and you will always remember them, so spend a little time and effort thinking about what you would like to see and do to make it special.
Splurge on a fancy hotel
Usually, I’d say that a hotel isn’t that important – after all you’re only sleeping there and what matter is the place you’re staying in. This is still true to some extent but a honeymoon is different from another sightseeing trip or vacation, so consider staying in one of the many swanky hotels that New York City can offer. Some are converted from historic and beautiful mansions, some are ultramodern and super-stylish, and lots have bars and restaurants with amazing views of the city, or of Central Park or of the rivers. If you are staying in the hotel on the night before your wedding, consider having the photographer come to your hotel to take photos in the room or lobby, on the roof or balcony, or other areas that are picturesque and unique.
See a show
You can’t go to New York and not see a show! There are so many wonderful choices; long-running Broadway shows, and shorter runs with a world-famous celebrity that you can enjoy seeing in the flesh! There are also lots of choices for more offbeat and alternative theatrical experiences that you may very well not be able to see anything like anywhere else. Seek out the unusual, if that’s your thing.
Go somewhere high up
When people think of New York City, they think of the skyline – the skyscrapers. You can just walk the streets of New York and look up to enjoy the experience of being amongst these incredible structures, but it’s also great to get a different vantage point. Go to the Top of the Rock, or the Empire State Building, or one of the many fantastic rooftop bars to choose from in the city. And don’t just stay in Manhattan, there are breath taking views to be had from many locations.
Eat in amazing restaurants
New York has a vast choice of places to eat. Spend a little time researching them to find a place that you will really love. There are places that you just won’t find anywhere else, so it’s a shame to stick to the places near to your hotel, or the cuisine that is familiar to you, or heaven forbid; a chain restaurant!
Drink in bars
By the time a couple is ready to get married, they already know each other pretty well. But taking the time to sit down together and talk is always important. New York has a wide choice of bars and clubs to drink and party in. Celebrate your wedding and have a drink or two together.
Walk the streets
New York City is a fantastic melting pot of architecture. Walk the streets and explore it together as newlyweds. See the brownstones, the tenements, the modern skyscrapers, and the traffic and busy transportation. Go to as many neighborhoods as you can, to see the eclectic variety or people and places in New York. While you’re there; don’t forget to eat!
Go to a museum
New York has a rich and fascinating history, and has many museums that tell it beautifully well. The Museum of the City of New York, the Tenement Museum, the Merchant’s House Museum and many more tell vivid stories of the history of this wonderful city. Some museums are worth visiting just for their buildings – the Guggenheim, the Cloisters, the Frick. And of course there are world-class museums with collections of a standard that you just won’t see anywhere else – the Museum of Natural History, the MoMA and the stunning Met. Go and view some of these places together, and learn something new or look at something beautiful and share it together as a newly married couple.
Go on the river(s)
Take a yacht tour on the Hudson, or one of the tours that goes all around Manhattan island. There are large and small vessels to choose from – you can go on a large ship with a restaurant and eat as you travel, or smaller sailing yachts. Whatever option you choose, it is so memorable to see New York City from the water.
Enjoy the parks
It will surprise nobody to hear that I love Central Park. It’s a truly unique piece of history, a stunning accomplishment of design, with incomparable landscaping, beautiful architecture and world-famous iconic sights. But, New York does have other parks! There are beautiful parks on the riverfronts and in squares all of the city with sights that are well worth seeing. These places are New Yorkers’ backyards, and seeing them gives visitors a fuller picture of the city.
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