Firstly; the argument I’m going to make in this post is very much tongue in cheek. I absolutely and wholeheartedly believe that your wedding should be your day and that if we all liked the same thing the world would be a very boring place. But, that said, I think I’ve got a couple of main contenders to my product offering, which is weddings in glorious, beautiful and world-famous Central Park (are you detecting a bias here yet?). One is of course the traditional wedding close to home, and if a couple wants to do that, then I think their vision of their wedding day is very different from what I offer, so I’m not going to try to persuade those couples to come to NYC. Except maybe for that time when I wrote my reasons to elope blog post. If a couple has decided that they’re having a no-nonsense, easy and straightforward wedding in New York, then my main competitor might be City Hall, and I’ve already taken them on in another blog post. But for couples who are considering a destination wedding but aren’t really sure where might suit them, then I think my main competitor is the beach. Generally, when people think of a destination wedding, they often think of the beach first. So, today I’ll be arguing against… beaches!
Accessibility
The main problem with the beach is all that sand. If there are guests in your party who might struggle walk or stand on sand then a beach wedding could be difficult. Most of the ceremony locations in Central Park can be reached fairly easily by all levels of ability, and some have seating for those who can’t stand for too long.
Weather
Getting married outdoors brings a heightened concern about the weather, no matter where you are. But the weather is easier to predict for Manhattan than many beaches, and Central Park does have some covered areas. Holding the ceremony under cover can be advantageous in case of rain and also if the sun is high and bright. Nobody wants to be squinting in all of their wedding photos.
Décor
We’re not allowed to decorate the structures in Central Park, but then again, have you seen them? They’re beautiful and don’t need adornment. Keep in mind that anything you set up on the beach will need to be windproof. And the same goes for your hair.
Attire
If you’re getting married in the heart of what I’ll admit is a rather dirty city then you may want to choose a less fussy gown for your wedding. If you’re marrying at the beach in the summer, you’ll want a very simple, lightweight and cool dress or suit You can go for something a little bit fancier for a wedding in Central Park because it will be cooler. You may not want to wear a veil on the beach, and also to keep the styling of your hair simpler. Of course heels are totally out for the beach, although wearing some shoes would be helpful so your feet aren’t uncomfortably hot when standing on the sand. Shoes are still a consideration when getting married in Central Park, because there will be plenty of walking involved, but you’ll have more options to choose from.
Lodging
If you’re planning a beach wedding in high season then your guests will probably need to know well in advance to book their hotels. There’s no high season in New York and there are lots of hotels and apartments to choose from to suit varying budgets. If you’re planning a beach wedding out of season, then you should certainly consider my comments above about the weather.
Privacy
I would say that a beach wedding or a public park wedding are on an even keel when it comes to privacy. Some beaches are quieter than others, as are some locations in Central Park. There may be passers by who stop to watch when getting married in either location. The idea of a dream beach wedding with nobody else around is rare in reality, though. If you want a private beach wedding then be prepared to book early and to pay for the privilege. There are some quite private spots in Central Park if you know where to look and permits are $25.
Restaurants
When choosing a beach wedding location couples will need to consider what restaurants or reception location choices are nearby. Beach front venues are unlikely to want to hire out the whole place if you’re there during the busy season, so you’ll probably need to get all of the guests on to some transport for the reception. There are 24 THOUSAND restaurants in Manhattan alone! And that’s not counting the places in the other boroughs, many with with spectacular views and awesome food. So, if you want choice when it comes to food; come to New York.
Legalities
Of course there are beaches in lots of countries, but if you want your wedding to be legally binding, then check the legalities surrounding marriage for your country of choice. For many European countries, couples might need to have their legal ceremony at home, and the destination wedding ceremony is just for the celebration. It’s very simple to get married in New York – just collect your license from City Hall, wait 24 hours, have the ceremony, then City Hall registers your marriage and it’s legally recognised worldwide and you get your marriage certificate in the post.
If I have successfully persuaded anyone NOT to get married on a beautiful beach somewhere, but instead to get married in gorgeous Central Park – 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.
