I have been planning weddings in Central Park since 2012.  I got married in Central Park myself, around the same time I was looking for a career change.  I realised that others might want to get married in this beautiful place in this fabulous city, so I started this business.  I have planned over three hundred weddings since then.  One thing that surprises many people is that it is far simpler to get married in New York than many people think, and it’s possible to do it on a budget.

The majority of my clients come from out of town, in fact most come from another country to get married in New York.  New York truly has something for everyone, so it’s a popular place for a destination wedding.  It’s a great place to get married for couples who want to get married abroad but are seeking something other than a beach wedding.

I can take care of the majority of things a couple needs to get married in Central Park.  I arrange for the officiant and photographer to be there, and also a musician and maybe a videographer if the coupe want it.  I can help with flowers, hair and makeup and transport.  I also write the ceremony wording with the couple and get their event permit for their chosen location in Central Park.

The important thing that the couple is responsible for is to pick up their marriage license from City Hall themselves, together in person.  All they need to bring is their passports and $35 in payment, and then they can get married 24 hours later!  It’s that simple!  Then City Hall will register your marriage and mail you your marriage certificate to the home address you give them when you pick up the license.

Couples tend to have two main reasons for considering a destination wedding.  One is that they have decided that they do not want the big, traditional wedding at home and they are looking for other options, usually to avoid stress.  The other is that they know that they want to get married in New York – either they’ve been before and they love the city, or they’ve seen it in films and TV and they want to visit.

Some of the couples I work with are visiting New York alone, and eloping for their wedding, some are bringing a group of friends and family with them from home to celebrate their special day, or sometimes they are getting a group of loved ones together from all over the globe, and New York is a place in the middle.  The weddings I have worked on have ranged in size from “microweddings” of just two or three guests up to around fifty.

So, the wedding part is fairly easy with the right people involved!  The complicated part is getting there!  If I were advising an out-of-town couple starting to think about getting married in New York then I would suggest the travel and accommodation part would be the first area to think about.  They should discuss the bigger questions;

• How long do we want to be in New York?
• Who will we invite? (or will we elope?)
• When do we go? (and what will the flights cost?)
• Where shall we stay? (and what will it cost us?)

The answers to those four questions will help a couple get to the answer to the burning question of money: what is this whole thing going to cost?  Then they will have something to compare to the options they have if they stay at home to get married.  It is possible to get married in Central Park on a fairly frugal budget, and of course it is very easy to have a big, lavish and expensive wedding; New York offers endless choices to all types of couples.  Whether a couple intends to bring guests or not, I would recommend discussing plans with close family at this early stage, and they will inevitably ask about cost, too.

Once a couple has got the basic travel plans (and guest list) thought out, then I would suggest getting me or someone like me involved.  I can sort out everything a couple needs to get married in Central Park, except for the marriage license, which a couple is legally required to get themselves from City Hall.  I can tell a couple all they need to do to get this, though.

I can help a couple consider all the ceremony locations in Central Park and decide which spot suits them best for their wedding ceremony.  I will apply for their event permit from the Central Park Conservancy and this will secure their date.  I will work with the couple to write the ceremony wording for them and secure a suitable officiant, photographer, and anything else they may need for their wedding ceremony.

I always ask our clients for feedback and there are never any regrets about choosing Central Park for their wedding.  New York will have something that everyone in your party will love and Central Park is so stunning, it never fails to impress!  What are you waiting for?  This is the stress-free wedding that you’ve been looking for!  Check out our website at www.wedincentralpark.com for more info or email us at mailto:info@wedincentralpark.com