Wedding Locations Hipster Alert - East River Park concerts

After a week of fun Hipster weddings in Williamsburg, I noticed today that the East River State Park, which we had just adopted as a 'post-industrial urban setting with grass and City Views', has now become the new concert venue for the displaced McCarren Pool concerts. This article from the NYTimes lists the OTHER concert venues this summer, including Governor's Island, the South Street Seaport, Central Park, etc.

So if you're planning a quiet wedding - check the concert schedules first!

(and yes, I broke down, and we DID have a lovely quick HighLine wedding yesterday. Ah, it was fun, despite the crowds. Pix soon)

Non-Profit Wedding Venue: HousingWorks Bookstore

We're adding the HousingWorks Bookstore to our list of non-profit wedding venues we love. This great bookstore and cafe is a 'secret' peaceful hideaway in SOHO, where I donate all my used books and CDs. You can join their mailing list for special events, and you can get married here:
"With its twenty-foot ceilings, spiral staircases, mahogany balconies, and rows upon rows of books, this downtown bookshop resembles an Ivy League library. It can hold up to 120 guests for a sit-down dinner, with in-house catering available but not mandatory. Hourly rental rates start at $500, and every cent goes to benefit the homeless living with AIDS".

Pix from the Martha Stewart PopUp Chapel Wedding

We're marrying 5 couples at the Martha Stewart PopUP Wedding Chapel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in June. Here are some pix from the photoshoot for the first wedding.

Highline Opens - Map of entrances.

pix by Jason Kuffer. Yes, you can get married at the Highline. But for now, why not just enjoy a quiet walk? It's not very big (only the southern end is open), and a brief small wedding of 5 people might be nice - but there are so many BIGGER parks to choose, of course. We'd hate to see this oasis of calm get swamped with events (though we have already seen wedding photographers clump up the stairs with high-heeled bridies). Here's a MAP of where you can enter.

See Katie Sokoler's night-time pix! (Katie shot the Improv Wedding Reception photos, below!)

City Hall Closed July 3

Alert!! Legal Holidays for Marriage License Bureau. They will close SHARPLY at 3:45pm for marriage licenses.

Improv Everywhere - Surprise Wedding Reception.

You MUST watch this!
Improv Everywhere decided to choose a random couple emerging from a City Hall wedding and give them a free 'wedding reception' across the street in City Hall plaza - complete with a marquee, music, a cake, presents, bridesmaids, toasts and the macarena! Here they are, right downtown under the tent, tasting their Wedding Cake! Note the bride saying (at the end of video) "Everything happened so fast in there, we wanted something more - and then we got it! I didn't know New Yorkers could be so nice". Then they take off (in the rain) in a pedicab with 'Just Married' on the back. This pix by "'Agent' Sokoler also see pix by Agent Slocum" ENJOY!!!

July 4 Wedding? Car-less Times Square is hot

-- as in sunburned. Here is a pix from Streetblog on the new car-less pedestrian MALL. We were there today - wall-to-wall tourists guarding the free folding chairs with their lives. Fun, if you want to be on a zillion home videos.

UPDATE June 11: And of course, it's STILL a rainy summer - Via Gawker, here are some Military Brides getting married in Times Square (and avoiding the garbage).

July 4 will be an interesting weekend. (Write us at info@weddingsofnewyork.com if you're considering a wedding this week and we'll give you personal advice). The fireworks are moving to the Hudson, so the East River and South Street Seaport which has a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge, might even have standing space. If you want another memorable background, try Wagner Park, with a great view of the Statue of Liberty. Or of course Brooklyn Bridge itself, or the Brooklyn Promenade (right) or the Fulton Ferry Landing for best views of Manhattan.

As everyone heads to the Hudson river after supper to see fireworks, consider a 6pm wedding in less crowded parts of Central Park. Or perhaps the gaslights and fountains of City Hall Park - (right) a little more shade than Times Square, and just as historic. Happy Holiday!

Washington Square Park re-opens

Curbed has pix. As iconic as Tompkins Square, but temporarily cleaner. We've had a couple of requests to marry couples under the arch. Fishbowl, but fun wedding location.

Central Park Castle - Pix (but no ceremony!)

Pix by Kim Coccagnia.
Here is a stunning picture from last week of a couple standing in the balcony of the Belvedere Castle (nature center) in Central Park. NO YOU CANNOT BE MARRIED IN THE CASTLE OR ON THE BALCONY. The couple were married by the lake, and then went to the Shakespeare garden and the castle for (wonderful) pictures by Kim. There is a sign in the castle which says: "Welcome - no weddings (proposals only!)". Please don't try to convince them, just enjoy the spot and the pictures.

Weddings in the Rain - Central park

Yes, it's been a rainy spring. We've moved a couple of weddings inside - but it's still a beautiful location, if misty and drippy. The good news - less tourists! But be prepared for soggy grass, soppy riverbanks - and very few places for shelter. In a pinch (Ladies Pavilion probably occupied) try under the Minton Terrace at the Bethesda, Dene and Cop Cot shelters, with umbrellas, the Pavilion at the Bethesda (may be occupied), or one of the stone bridges with a nice view to the other end. We had two small weddings under the Dairy canopy, lovely and dry. Or have a brief ceremony in your hotel room, get a nice Chinese paper umbrella and take a romantic carriage ride through a misty park.

Soundscapes, Park and Urban weddings

It's inevitable: unless you book a very private room somewhere, the sounds of the city will intrude somewhat on your wedding ("the rumble of the subway train, the rattle of the taxis" - the lullabies of broadway, of course). If you enjoy the ambient noise of the city, it's just part of effect. But just remember that you are outside in a city of millions of people - not sealed away in a chapel or hotel room.

Central Park on a Saturday evening is usually LOUD. Concerts, impromptu musicians, amplified music at Wollman Rink, inline skaters with boom boxes by the Mall, the guy who busks by the Ladies Pavilion with the endless John Denver songs, the Tango dancers, SummerStage, and last night, a really loud concert in the Bandshell, which could be heard all the way to Strawberry Fields (where there was the usual Saturday evening jam). And I was at a wedding at the Boathouse with a 12 piece band that rocked the lake. So if you want a quiet wedding in the park, go north, go waaay east, or don't get married Saturday night in the summer in the usual places unless you're prepared for the city at play soundscape. Though, of course, you can find nice quiet spots at any time -- just be prepared to walk a bit further away..

Grand Central is noisy. Battery Park is noisy. Water taxis disturb weddings at the Brooklyn bridge parks and at Fulton landing, and Red Hook. The subways crossing over in DUMBO (DOWN UNDER MANHATTAN BRIDGE OVERPASS)are going to interrupt your wedding every 6 minutes.

Remember that planes change their flight plans at dusk - and often fly over the lake and ponds. We had a wedding on Gapstow Bridge interrupted by a big gas lawnmower on Saturday. School and tour groups suddenly appear anywhere - squealing loudly - at Strawberry Fields, the Top of the Rock (we married a couple there on Wed. and had to wait till 120 kids decided to go to another level), and of course Times Square is what it is -- at least they aren't yelling outside the MTV window these days. Always check park events - even Fort Tryon Park gets festivals and events. But it might be fun to get married during the Renaissance Festival!

Construction Alert: Ladies Pavilion

UPDATE:
They've boxed the trees and are repairing fences to the South, and will move around over to Cherry Hill and work on the shoreline. The small rustic pavilion is inaccessible, but the LP is still open. We've had several weddings here up to Memorial Day. In talking to the work crews, they indicate that the work is on the southern shoreline first. But the permit office is still indicating that work will actually be done around the pavilion, so they have stopped issuing permits. We're going ahead with our booked weddings, but have alternative plans just in case.

If you have a permit for a wedding already, and your group is smallish, all may be well, or you may wish to call the permit office and try to rebook. We don't know how long this will last, so I'm not sure about Fall. Consider some of the other little rustic shelters around the lake for small weddings, or of course Cop Cot, the Belvedere (castle) terrace with the gazebos - here's a picture looking up from the Shakespeare garden, or even the Dene, on the East Side. Be creative - go NORTH to the lovely spots around the Mere and the pool - or try to book the terrace in front of King Jagiello which looks at the castle and the turtle pond. Explore the park!

Central Park Events mailing list

You can sign up for a weekly or monthly newsletter on the Central Park website, and be aware of any special events in the parks. Be especially aware of concerts and races - which can impede access to popular wedding locations.

Hotel rates cut in New York?

Here's an article from the real estate blog, Curbed, which says rates are down 30%. And it lists some deals for $150. But do check tripadvisor and other sources for reviews.

Wedding Season Crush - popular sites

Here's a fun picture of multiple brides on Fulton Ferry Landing, below Brooklyn Bridge. I shot it from the bridge, while waiting for a bride. It's WEDDING SEASON!
There was ONE wedding happening on the bridge (to the back, where you can't see it), and the other 5 brides are having photo sessions. There was also a wedding on the terrace at the River Cafe, which is on the other side.

It's pretty obvious: if YOU can think of a romantic spot with a good view, so can everyone else! So be prepared for other weddings and wedding photo sessions in your vicinity. One solution is to have your actual wedding in a more secluded spot, and then go to the touristy areas for the photo ops. And, of course, try to reserve your spots in the City Parks, even if you have less than 20 people. It gives you right of place - which you should exercise diplomatically. Everyone is always quite friendly and if your chosen location is full, you can always find another nice spot - New York is a big place. But write to us if you want our advice about your location choice in "high season". Cheers!

[Update: The Ladies Pavilion may be CLOSED for renovation this year. But, we don't know WHEN - and neither does the Parks Dept. They are rebuilding the western banks now, but there is talk of restoring the skating pond and the original environs. If you have it reserved you should be OK - but we're happy to suggest alternatives]

Tavern on the Green up for bids

You may have been following the bidding war for the new lease for TOTHG - but here is a NYTimes tour of the potential bidders - End result. It will still BE here after Dec 31- but not necessarily under the same name or owners. Book carefully.

Update:Robert De Niro Interested In Historic Restaurant

Veteran actor Robert De Niro has now set his sights on one of New York's most famous restaurants - Central Park's Tavern on the Green. He already owns more than 20 restaurants around the world The Oscar winner is a regular diner at the Tavern, which has appeared in movies such as ‘Wall Street', ‘The Out-of-Towners' and ‘Ghostbusters' and is currently the second highest grossing restaurant in the U.S.

Dropping the Ring through Brooklyn Bridge (Don't Do This!)

Gothamist: "Sure, proposing on the bustling pedestrian walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge seems picturesque, but perhaps being up there holding on to a tiny ring with your nervous, sweaty, about-to-propose hands isn't actually the best idea. One would-be-groom has learned that the hard way, and he showed up on the Today show earlier to tell his harrowing tale.

Don Walling got down on one knee in front of his fiancee-to-be, Gina Pellicani, but "then the ring flew out of the box and fell to the roadway below." Whoops-a-daisy! Acting fast (and not so sensibly) he climbed down the bridge to get to the roadway, triggering a suicide jumper alert! Once he convinced the NYPD he wasn't looking to take the big dive, they helped stop traffic and he was actually able to retrieve the ring as his would-be-fiance and her family were watching (and filming) all along through the giant gaps in the walkway planks"

Make your own wedding rings in 2 days

Normally we post all the organic/ ecological wedding tips on our sister blog, agreenbride.com . But I couldn't resist this: Sam the jeweller has a studio RIGHT DOWNTOWN on Maiden Lane, where you can make your own wedding rings: "Spend a day in our fine jewelry studio learning to make your own wedding rings. Our professional jewelry workshops allow you to make meaningful custom wedding rings with your own hands while you enjoy the fun experience of being a goldsmith for a day. Create your own wedding rings with 100% recycled: gold, platinum, palladium, or mokume gane". You work directly with a goldsmith, and he says you'll have your rings in 1-2 days. There seems to be another studio setting up San Francisco. Explore!

May weddings in Central Park - book your spot

May is turning out to be a very popular month for weddings this year. Even if your wedding or elopement is SMALL, (under 20 people) consider booking a spot in the park with a $25 permit from the Parks Department (see the link at the top of the page, and the article here). If you don't live in the US, you can ask your officiant to apply for the permit, as they need a zip code to mail the paper copy. Write us with questions, we'll be happy to share our hints on park weddings.

Here are more pix of Central Park in the Spring.

A little more press - NY Daily News

Here's a nice article about eloping in NY in the NY Daily News. It was fun to talk to the reporter, Gina Salamone, about why people decide to elope, and offer some hints on arranging a romantic and inexpensive wedding in NY. (You'll have to read the article to see what I suggested :-) And isn't this a super picture by Ryan Brenizer, who shot C & G's wedding this October in Central Park? That's them in the tiny pix at the top of the page, by Lake (with the San Remo in the background). Fall weddings can be wonderful!

Parks calls for new Food Cart & seating at Bethesda

If you're planning your wedding for the Angel of the Waters Fountain (Bethesda Terrace), note that the Parks department is sending out tenders for a new gourmet food cart and seating area at the terrace. Looks like it's the West side of the fountain (displacing the breakdancers?)
Map HERE, fantasy drawings HERE.I'm guessing the main goal is to have more eyes and ears on the Minton restoration, which got graffiti'd in February.

Times Square & Broadway Mall for weddings?

Update: They're digging the paving blocks and re-arranging the fences - so it's a go. Maybe by Memorial Day?

Mayor Bloomberg has announced Times Square will become a pedestrian mall for 5 blocks in May, as the city tries to ease traffic congestion in the theater district... Cars will be banned on Broadway from 47th to 42nd streets and the avenue given over to chairs, benches and café tables with umbrellas. So yes, if you REALLY WANT it, we will consider marrying you in Times Square - but it's going to be berryberry crowded, capisce? Better for pix, not the ceremony itself..

Photographers

We have met many wonderful photographers in NY. You can find a list of some we have worked with HERE.
We particularly enjoy working with Beowulf Shaheen and Kim Coccagnia and Ryan Brenizer. I'll start a list of photographers at the side when I get a moment.

Cheap Broadway Tickets - and other treats

I usually ask eloping couples what ELSE they are doing in NY (besides getting married). Here is an easy way to get broadway tickets. Go to BroadwayBox.com. You do not need to register online (Like TheatreMania.com), and you can find coupons contributed by other users. There's Broadway, Off-Broadway, sports events, music, and other treats. WATCH EXPIRY DATES. Print the coupon or just call the box office with the discount code. You will get better seats by going to the Box Office with the coupon than standing in line at TKTS, and it's usually the same discount.
Tourist discounts: Hit the Tourist Office at Times Square, and pick up little wallet cards for $5 off Circle line tours, $2 off Top of the Rock, even a free cup of coffee at the Met museum. These make great favors for your out of town guests as well.

Find sunset time for Central Park

Here's a useful link to calculate sunset time in New York on your wedding date. And I've added some webcams in the links at the right so you can check weather and traffic - and see what people are wearing today. And here is a currency exchange, for quick calculations about funds.