6 Great Locations For An Intimate Wedding Ceremony / Micro Wedding / Elopement in New York City
I hope this list will be useful to all of you guys that were planning (or will plan) your NYC wedding and elopements! I know things are looking a little unpredictable these days due to the covid-19 pandemic, but throughout all of this, it does highlight the importance of people around you and to never take anything or anyone for granted.
I figured it wouldn’t hurt for some of you guys to use some of this downtime to plan ahead, get inspired, so that when we do move past this difficult time, you’ll be SO READY to put a ring on it and run and marry that special person in your life.
I am wishing everyone will stay safe and appreciate those hard at work on the front lines and the people around you <3
And now onto my list….
1. Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Bridge Park - It’s funny because most people want that iconic New York City skyline, but they don’t seem to remember that if you’re on Manhattan island… you’re not going to get those gorgeous building skyline view of NYC! So I always love to recommending to my couples to think about getting married at Brooklyn Bridge Park. There is a wonderful view of all the New York City lower Manhattan buildings, such as the Freedom Tower (One World Trade Center), Brooklyn Bridge itself, and many more!
2. The Brooklyn Promenade, Brooklyn, New York
The Brooklyn Promenade - The same idea as Brooklyn Bridge Park, but a little more tucked away from the crowds, private and intimate. The promenade is a little area that is just a short walk away from Brooklyn Bridge Park and also has a beautiful view of the New York City skyline!
3. Central Park - New York City
A popular and WORLD famous place to elope and have an intimate ceremony with close friends and family. There are so many different locations in Central Park that would work to have either a small elopement or a large group. (Any groups over 20 must register for a permit. The permit is $400 - check out Central Park’s Wedding Website for more information since policies are changing everyday!)
My top favorite spots in Central Park are The Ladies Pavilion, Bethesda Fountain / Bethesda Terrace and Cop Cot.
The Ladies Pavilion, Central Park, NYC
Bethesda Fountain, Central Park, NYC
Cop Cot, Central Park, NYC
4. The High Line, Chelsea, New York City
The High Line encapsulates the more urban and modern feel of New York City. The High Line is an ever changing art piece that is unique and quirky! It can be lush and organic, mixed with urban and industrial vibes. There are also a lot of great food spots nearby that you can easily get to after the ceremony! (Like Chelsea Market and many other delicious restaurants!)
5. Gantry State Park, Long Island City, New York
Gantry State Park - Echoing what I spoke about for Brooklyn Bridge Park, Gantry State Park is located in Queens, just a short bridge away from Manhattan and also boasts an amazing view of the New York City skyline. From this park, you get the midtown nyc building views- so you’ll see the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. For those that are from queens (like me!!!) and for those that want to capture the gorgeous city that they live in- forever in their wedding photographs, this would be a great place to do it! You do need a permit to hold a ceremony there, and you can check out this link for more information.
6. New York City Hall ( City Clerk’s Office)
The Office of the City Clerk of New York - …And of course, my all time favorite, New York City Hall! A lot of couples have their ceremony here and then spend the rest of their time taking photos around NYC. Since it is an indoor space, it’s also can serve as a great backup location incase of any weird precipitation. New York City weather is always very unpredictable! So if you had an outdoor location in mind for your intimate wedding ceremony and there seems to be projected rain, maybe it would make sense to move to have the ceremony at New York City Hall; then get some photos at some of the previous locations I mentioned in this blog post! For more information about eloping at the NY City Hall, check out this blog post!
WHY ELOPEMENTS ARE THE WAY TO GET MARRIED IN NYC!!
WHY ELOPEMENTS / MICRO WEDDINGS ARE THE WAY TO GET MARRIED IN NYC!!
LESS IS MORE!
Having an elopement is a great idea! It’s so nice to host an intimate small elopement ceremony with close friends and family! Most of my couples elope first and even add on another bigger reception / party at another time! Whether you’re just sticking with the intimate elopement or planning a bigger NYC wedding later, here are a few reasons why I think you should have an elopement!
1. SAVE SOME MONEY….
You can also spend a little more on the parts for the elopement that will last and that matter most to YOU! For instance your WEDDING photos!! :D (But for real, wedding photos last forever… not anything else) But also if you want that beautiful BHLDN dress that you’ve been thinking about forever, those Cartier specialty rings, that DELICIOUS Taste Creme Cake, or that kick ass Fox Fodder Farm bouquet … GET IT… because you have the cash for it —instead of having it all tied up in a reception venue deposit! Best part is that you don’t even need to share the cake :)
But, if you choose to have an intimate elopement ceremony before the big reception party, you can also buy some time to….
2. SAVE UP FOR A BIGGER PARTY LATER!
You can save up for that amazing restaurant or dream venue (Hello, Blue Hill At Stone Barns), enjoy the food AND have that crazy dance party when the time is RIGHT! It’ll be even more fun because you don’t have to stress about the ceremony or any thing else! Just about enjoying yourself with your friends and family— eating, drinking and dancing away!
3. Less Headaches AND Deadlines
With a small intimate elopement ceremony, you don’t need to think about sending out save the dates, invitations, RSVPS, or venue deposits. Just call and text your closest people, tell them when and where to show up and you just show up too. :)
4. More Time for Photography
This is honestly KEY. With a smaller and quieter ceremony, you’ll be able to have a much more of a laid back portrait session! Most large weddings have time constraints on photography since we’re always trying to rush back in time to the guests and the party schedule. But having a small elopement allows you to slow down and ease into more getting comfortable in front of the camera and allowing your photographer (hopefully me!) to get some amazing and intimate portraits of you two. You can even schedule to go to more locations around NYC since there are less people out and about.. and also less people to take care of and host during a big wedding day.
5. Less Traffic
This may seem like a silly thing to list… but in New York City, not having to sit in traffic is like a DREAM. Being able to get yourself and your close peoples to the right place at the right time will be much easier and also less headache. The less people you have to move around and plan for, the easier!
6. Zoom-Able to Meet in New York City
You can now just easily live-stream your wedding either via facebook, instagram, zoom, google meets- whatever!— so that those near and far can tune in on the festivities! Right in their pajamas! (You could also make them dress up- the fun is up to you!!) But it’s awesome because you can bring EVERYONE from all over the world to your intimate ceremony in New York City!
And last but not least…
7. Full Focus on Each Other
With all those 10,048,584,449 things out of the way when planning big weddings, you can truly SEE your significant other clearly and soak in every moment of your intimate ceremony. With less distractions, less things to stress over, less things to think about— you can truly remember WHY you’re marrying the person next to you and enjoy each other’s vows, I DO’s and first kiss! It really is an amazing way to start the next chapter in your life..
I hope you all enjoyed this post and are a little more open to the idea of elopements in new york city!! If you’re interested in learning more about NYC City Hall Elopements or just checking out some elopement inspiration, here are some great links: