Getting married in Manhattan

Manhattan has the opposite problem from Brooklyn. You get more places to choose from, and more rules about using them. Most of what I do for Manhattan couples is sort out which spot will actually work on your date.

The spots and their rules

I've held ceremonies at the Ladies Pavilion and Wagner Cove in Central Park, and on the Rockefeller rooftop.

Parks are the first thing couples ask about. Central Park in particular has its own wedding permit process. Hotels, restaurants and rooftop venues set their own terms, so ask about guest limits, sound and who else is booked the same hour.

Street corners and bridges sound romantic and often are not. Crowds walk through your photos, and nobody can hear a quiet vow over the traffic. I'll say so plainly if your first choice has that problem, and suggest a nearby spot that doesn't.

What a Manhattan ceremony sounds like

A siren can stop a ceremony for ten seconds. I wait, smile and pick the sentence back up. Couples who plan for that tend to enjoy it more than couples who hope it won't happen.

Timing matters more here than almost anywhere. Weekday mornings are calm. Saturdays around sunset are the busiest hour at every well known spot, so give your photographer extra minutes to move around.

Booking a venue or a time slot

If you've picked a hotel, restaurant or rooftop, send me their ceremony hours and vendor rules before you pay a deposit. Some places limit how long a ceremony can run, and some ask for notice before an outside officiant comes in. I'd rather find that out in week one than on the day. A short ceremony of ten to twenty minutes fits almost anywhere. A full ceremony of thirty to forty five minutes needs a venue that expects it.

Getting there

I travel in from Brooklyn by subway, which is often faster than a car. For a ceremony with a long guest list or equipment, I'll plan the route and arrive early.

Who it suits

Manhattan suits couples who want a skyline behind them, a hotel or restaurant they already love, or a city feel with a short guest list. It works for a quiet elopement and for a full wedding party. If half the room speaks Italian, I run it in both languages so the toast and the vows land for everyone.

Next steps

Look at the packages, then send me your date and the venue or park you have in mind. To compare, see how it works in Brooklyn.