With the cost of large, traditional weddings getting much higher in recent years, destination weddings and elopements have seen a fast increase in popularity. Many couples are rejecting the big, traditional wedding close to home and opting to get married abroad instead.
For some, this might be to save money or reduce stress. For many couples, they do it because they want their weddings to be unique, standing out against what everyone else is doing. Lots of couples see the upside in trimming down their guest lists to focus more time and cash on who and what really matters to them. With fewer people there to witness the ceremony, couples often say they feel way more relaxed about showing their real selves, and can throw in more one-of-a-kind personal touches.
Featured image credit: Justin Tinapay
Justin Tinapay
There are many foreign countries where Irish couples can have a symbolic wedding and then they need to do the legal part at home. But Irish couples can quite easily get married in the US and the wedding ceremony there will be legally binding in Ireland. New York is truly a city with something for everybody, and it’s an awesome place to celebrate your love, whether you run off and tie the knot just the two of you, or if you bring a small gang of friends and family along for the ride.
Dublin and Shannon Airports offer USA Customs and Border Protection preclearance in Ireland, before you board the plane. This is so convenient for anyone flying from these airports, because it allows travelers heading to America to clear US immigration and customs before boarding their flight, so they don’t have to spend time waiting in New York when they get off the plane. This means passengers can enter the USA like a local, avoiding further inspections upon arrival.
Claire Ady has been planning weddings for couples who want to get married in New York’s beautiful Central Park since 2012. She wants to share some of the basics about how you can Get married in Central Park yourself, and how to plan it all from Ireland. She is British, and most of her couples come from the UK and Ireland. There aren’t many questions about getting married in Central Park that she hasn’t been asked before!
Jakub Redziniak
So, if getting married in Central Park appeals to you, where do you start? What should you should think about first? Claire suggests that the first step when considering a wedding ceremony in Central Park is to decide on what time of year the wedding will take place and which people, if any, you are bringing with you. You’re getting married outdoors, so the time of year, and therefore the weather, will dictate a lot of choices you make after that. Whether you get married alone, or with guests, and who you decide to invite, will affect your options for the whole trip, not just the day itself. If you elope, then all you need to think about is what the two of you would enjoy most. Lots of couples feel that bringing a group to New York helps to make it a really big celebration and a bonding of the two families. But this can make the planning more complicated, because you have to consider their comfort and experiences too, and often this will involve thinking about various generations of the family (maybe parents, grandparents, kids) and how to get the best out of the trip for everyone.
Once you know when you want to go to New York, and who will come along with you (if anyone) then you’ll be able to answer perhaps the most important question in your minds: how much is all of this going to cost? You can certainly have a wedding in Central Park without breaking the bank, or if you want to go all out with something super fancy, New York has lots of options. Flights between NYC and Ireland aren’t too expensive, but accommodation in NYC might be. Manhattan is of course the most expensive borough to stay in, but there are some cheaper options in Queens, Brooklyn and New Jersey that are a short train ride away from all the action.
Jakub Redziniak
Claire admits that she is biased, but she feels that an experienced wedding planner can answer couples’ questions much more quickly and more thoroughly than online searches or word of mouth. Also, they can provide tailored advice and suggestions for each couple, since everyone is different. So, she suggests contacting someone knowledgeable to help you to plan your wedding. And, more specifically, Claire says that there are many reasons why she is the perfect person to help you plan your wedding in Central Park. Not least the five star reviews she consistently receives, but also her experience of planning hundreds of
weddings for visiting couples over the years.
The Citizens Information website states that if you’re getting married abroad, Irish couples must meet all the legal requirements of the country you are marrying in. For many European countries, this means that you will have to be in the country for a really long time before you can get married, or you may need to get some kind of Certificate of Freedom to Marry. This isn’t the case when getting married in New York state.
All couples who marry in New York must go to City Hall at least 24 hours in advance of their ceremony to get a marriage license. So, you can arrive in the city one day and then get the license either the same day or the day after, whenever you like! You’ll need to book an appointment to pick up your license. You can do that online before you travel. Make sure to bring your passport, and if you’ve been hitched before, you’ll need proof that your previous partner has died or show final proof of divorce. The main rule to keep in mind is that all couples must wait at least 24 hours between getting their license and having their ceremony. So, you can get the license one day, and get married the next (and then you can relax!).
Jakub Redziniak
All couples must bring their license to the ceremony, and sign it afterwards along with their officiant and at least one witness (you can choose whether to have one or two witnesses). You can just leave it with your officiant who send it back to City Hall for you. They will register your marriage and mail your certificate to you within 6-8 weeks, no matter where in the world you call home. Or, you can go back to City Hall in person with the license and walk out with the certificate if you need it more quickly.
There are several locations in Central Park that are popular for wedding ceremonies. Some spaces are bigger than others, so the size of your group may dictate which spot you say ‘I do’ in. Some have a roof, some have seating, some are more private than others, and some provide a beautiful view. They all have their pros and cons. Give some thought to the location where you will hold your wedding ceremony. Don’t just think about how it looks in a photograph, consider how it will feel to be in this space as you make these special promises to each other. Some couples want privacy for their ceremony, some want beautiful views, some have practical needs such as flat ground and easy access, or seating. You can take photos in all of the other beautiful places around the park once you’re married!
Justin Tinapay
If you want your wedding to be legally binding, the officiant must be New York State registered. Claire writes the ceremonies for each couple individually, so each one is unique.
She asks everyone a series of questions about their relationship and the guests and what they want from the ceremony, then writes the wording with their needs in mind.
Besides the ceremony itself, there are lots of other things to consider – a photographer, videographer, flowers, musician, hair and makeup, transport and so on. Some couples go big and want all of this, some couples keep it simple and avoid all these extra people being involved. The vast majority of couples will want to have a local professional photographer there on the day to capture some memories, even if it’s just for a couple of hours. Claire is transparent about her pricing, and you can check out the cost of a wedding in Central Park on her website.
To hold a wedding in Central Park, you should apply for an event permit. Claire will do this for you. If you elope or have a very small group with you, then you don’t have to have a permit, but Claire always advises having a permit if you can. This means that you can be confident that if you get to the location at the time when you’re planned to be there, the spot is yours. The permit dictates that the area must be a right of way to the public, and we cannot fence the area off, but with that piece of paper we can politely ask people to move out of the space.
Justin Tinapay
Central Park is an incredibly beautiful and iconic place for wedding photos – with that Manhattan skyline in the background above the trees. If a couple chooses to get married in Central Park we can easily spend a couple of hours taking photos around the park and maybe some time on the street nearby. Visiting couples often have the photographer for some extra time and travel around taking photos the city. Some popular spots for photos are Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, from the Brooklyn waterfront with the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline in the background, or from the Top of the Rock observation deck. This is the sort of thing that provides some stunning wedding photos that will really stand out as unique.
After the ceremony, many newlyweds arrange a celebration for their guests (or just the two of them) with food, drinks, and festivities. Options range from traditional restaurants, maybe with drinks and dancing afterwards, to unique experiences like city tours, theatrical performances, or possibly a Hudson River dinner cruises where guests can enjoy magnificent views while dining (two birds with one stone!). New York offers an incredible selection of dining establishments catering to every preference and price point. Before finalizing any evening celebration plans, ensure your day’s timeline is realistic – Claire is available to assist with this scheduling. Her recommendation is to avoid overpacking your itinerary; instead, incorporate some downtime to relax and fully enjoy your special day!
For more information to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding, drop her an email at info@wedincentralpark.com, visit Wed in Central Park’s website, or follow her on Instagram to see lots of beautiful photos of newlyweds in Central Park and around New York.
