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:

7 Tips on How to Plan your New York City Hall Ceremony / Elopement !

Updated March 2025, so these tips are up to date with 2025 Cityhall Guidelines!

So I’ve photographed a ton of weddings inside New York City’s City Hall on 141 Worth Street! I’ve had amazing couples from all over the world from places like Singapore, UK, Ireland and even some from as far as Australia- and they all travel to New York City for a destination wedding. I’ve also had couples from Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan because they chose to have a small intimate ceremony inside the NYC City Clerk Chapel! People either bring an entourage of family and friends, or with just me- as their witness! Whatever the reason—-it’s exciting!! There’s such a sense of sweetness in dressing up in a wedding dress, galavanting into a gorgeous historical building in New York City and saying your vows to one another. There’s really nothing else like it. Having your soul mate by your side, making promises that will last a lifetime and then getting your pictures taken all around the amazing views of New York City? Nothing. Can. Beat. It.

So if this is something you’re planning on doing, I figured it’d be nice for me to give you some tips on planning and how to make your day go smoothly!

1. Apply for your marriage license!

I know you may think this is a no-brainer- but in fact, a lot of couples don’t realize you need to apply first in order to get married at the chapel! You can apply online on the Office of the City Clerk. After you have done that, you’ll receive a Confirmation Number with more info telling you what IDs and documents you will need. Keep in mind that this is all BEFORE the actually wedding ceremony at the Chapel. I believe now, (post covid in 2024), you MUST schedule all appointments online before entering into City Hall. So you must schedule to get the license AND you must schedule a time to go in for the in-person ceremony.

If you want more in-depth on the types of paperwork, IDs you’ll need, please go to the office of the City Clerk Website, or you can check out this great article from The Knot.

2. Invite your friends and family as early as possible!

Since City Hall elopements happen only during normal government work hours (M-F, 8am-4:30pm) - chances are your friends and family will need ample time to take off of work/class/other engagements so they can attend! Especially true if they are flying in or out from another country! The current guest amount in NY City Hall is 4, so it would be you, your fiance and 4 other people. If you have a photographer, then it is 3 more guests you can bring in. PLEASE DOUBLE check the current guidelines on the CITY CLERK website before inviting too many people!

3. Secure A Photographer and Secure a Witness!

If you have someone in mind, reach out to them ASAP! ( You can also contact me! 😉) You definitely will want this day captured! So get someone who knows the ropes of the City Hall procedures and can also take you around to some cool places afterwards to get some portraits done! If you also plan on having just you and your significant other at this intimate ceremony, make sure to bring a witness! It’s not legal until you have a witness sign that paper! Photographers (and myself) can also act as a witness- so make sure they bring a legal ID. (A driver’s license or passport works!)

4. Best Time to go to City Hall for the Chapel Wedding

Mondays and Fridays before a long weekend are usually the most busy days. I always recommend the after-morning rush, which is around 11am (if you’re aiming for a brunch with friends/family) or go for the 3pm slot if you are planning to do some photos and have dinner afterward. They are currently doing reservations online so you can book 3 weeks in advance. Keep in mind that the city clerk office CLOSES FOR LUNCH between 1-2pm so there is usually a bit of a delay and sometimes even a line to get in at 2pm, so I’d aim for 3pm.

5. A BIT OF Wait Time is Expected!

No matter what, there is going to be a small wait time. Even though now (2025 post covid) you can make a reservation online for an appointment— there is still a small wait. If you’ve ever been to the DMV, you can equate it to that. There are a few lines to wait on, but they generally go by rather quickly! From my experience, the wait these days is at most about 45 minutes to an hour; from entering, paying, having the ceremony to exiting! So always have that in mind when you’re planning your day. Get insight on where you want to do your photos after and also where you want to hold your reception in accordance to your ceremony time.

6. Plan your MEAL!

Keep in mind that the ceremony at Cityhall and then photos afterwards could take about 2-3 hours, so make sure you have a hearty meal beforehand or grab a snack along the way… and always, always remember to bring water! Modeling is tough work!

7. Think about transportation!

Do you have a large group or is it just you two? If you have a big group that is traveling from out of town, make sure they know where and how to get to their next destination! After a few group portraits, you’ll either need to call them some taxis, teach them how to manage the subways or call ubers. Getting them situated would be the best move in order for you and your photographer start your portrait session. If it’s just you and your photographer, make sure you plan where you’ll be heading to next and how you’d like to get there!

I hope this helps out in your planning for your special day! If you have any other questions or would like to book a session with me, you can always reach out to me!


8. BONUS TIP - Bring a hard and unbendable folder to store your MARRIAGE LICENSE IN! After the ceremony, they give you your official marriage license! So make sure you have somewhere safe to store it when you leave city hall! You can also hand it to a trustworthy friend/family member so they can hang onto it until after you finish your wedding portraits!

Couple celebrating with family across the street from City Hall

Incorporating Graffiti and Murals into your New York City Wedding Photos!

Backdrops are important when taking your wedding photos! In New York City, we have plenty of different types of backdrops. We have the new york city skylines, the new york city streets and even plenty of gorgeous parks to act as your backdrop. But I wanted to give you guys some inspiration on having graffiti or urban murals that can be great backdrops too!