In recent years, we’ve seen the number of couples choosing to get married abroad increasing.  Many couples are finding that a traditional wedding close to home isn’t for them, for many reasons – the expense and the stress, or just wanting to do something unique.  Lots of Australian couples are choosing to elope just the two of them or bring a small group of close family with them for an intimate wedding, focusing on just those who are most important to them.

Claire Ady of Wed In Central Park, specialises in planning weddings for couples who want to get married in New York’s beautiful and iconic Central Park.  A foreigner herself (she’s British), she has planned hundreds of weddings in Central Park for couples since she started her business Wed in Central Park, in 2012.  The vast majority of her couples are from outside the USA.  She has some advice for anyone considering getting married in New York.  You may be surprised how simple and straightforward it can be. 

Dotties, on Polka Dot Honeymoons today, here is your guide to eloping or getting married in New York city. Enjoy! 

Photography by Orange Blossom

Planning a trip to New York all the way from Australia, and also planning a wedding, can be quite daunting from the other side of the world, so I suggest breaking the decision-making down into steps.

How long will we be in New York City?

Secondary to this question might be: and will we visit other parts of the US afterwards, maybe as a honeymoon?  But first, how long do you need to be in town for to actually get married?

If a couple is getting married anywhere in New York State, then they must first get a marriage license.  You and your partner will need to go to City Hall together to pick this up.  You can do this on your very first day in New York if you want to, there are no residency requirements.

The process is the same for local and international couples; you’ll need to make an appointment online before you go, and you can begin the application process online before you go.  Then you should appear in person with your partner, bring valid identification (a passport is fine) and proof of death or final divorce of any previous spouse if you have been married before.  You will also need to pay the required fee, which is $35 at the time of writing.

You are legally required to wait at least 24 hours between getting the license and getting married, so factor that into your travel plans.  I usually find that couples prefer to get married as close to the start of their stay in New York as possible.  I think that’s because people want to get it done with, in case of any nerves!  Then they can relax and enjoy the city.

Photography by Justin Tinapay

Who will we invite? (or will we elope?)

If a couple has decided that getting married in New York is appealing to them, then they will probably already have a picture in their heads as to whether this includes any guests, of they want it to be jus the two off them.  If you want some of your nearest and dearest with you to share in the celebration, then you’ll have to factor in their needs and tastes while planning the trip.  If you elope, then you get to do whatever just the two of you want to do!

You will need to have a New York State-registered officiant perform the ceremony.  This is the sort of thing I can organise for you if you want to get married in beautiful Central Park, but you can get married pretty much anywhere in the city.  This includes going back to City Hall (where you will have gotten the license) and having a very quick and basic ceremony.

You will also need at least one legal witness to sign the license with you after the ceremony, but if you have a photographer, then they can do this for you.  Then, the officiant can mail the license back to City Hall for you and then City Hall will register your marriage and it will be legally binding worldwide.  This is with the caveat that your marriage does not violate any laws in the country where it was performed, and it must not violate Australian legal standards, so for example no polygamy and both parties must be at least 18.  City Hall will send your marriage license to your home address in Australia within 6-8 weeks.  Or, you can take the license back to City Hall yourselves and swap it for the certificate, if you don’t want to wait. 

Whether you intend to bring guests or not, I recommend discussing your plans with your families at an early stage.  If you want to elope, then you may need to manage the feelings of loved ones who may have been expecting you to do something more traditional.  Lots of my eloping couples have a party with wider friends and family on their return home, to get the best of both worlds.  If you want to invite guests away with you to New York, then you will need to be clear on what you will pay for and what you expect them to pay for.  The norm tends to be that her couples ask the guests to pay their own expenses for the trip, but everything on the wedding day is paid for by the couple.

Photography by Orange Blossom

When shall we go?

Answering this question will probably be quite personal to you as a couple.  Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to the weather.  Some people just have an idea in their mind of the time of year they want to get married.  The most popular months for weddings in New York are May and September.  May is the start of summer, and the weather is usually lovely.  June, July and August can be quite hot and humid in New York, but Central Park is always the coolest place in Manhattan at this time of year because of all the greenery.  September is back to almost perfect weather.  The leaves start to change in October, but the perfect month for Fall (autumn) colours is November, and December can still be quite autumnal in New York.  January and and February are cold, and you may see snow, or rain, or crisp, cold days – you never know.  March and April are when the cherry blossoms start to bloom, and there are lots of beautiful trees in Central Park.

The weather is frequently the biggest worry for many of our couples, since they are planning a wedding outdoors.  I can work out a bad weather backup, and there are some lovely wedding ceremony locations in Central Park that have a roof, but when planning a wedding outside, the weather will always be a concern.  The weather will also affect what you are going to wear on your wedding day, and you may want to think about this early on.  If a bride has always dreamt of marrying in a light and airy gown, then a wedding in New York in January is not for her!

Photography by Orange Blossom

Where shall we stay?  (And what will it cost us?)

This last one is where you can really start to get a clear idea of the budget – once you know when you’ll travel, you’ll have an idea of flight costs, and once you know where you’re staying (and for how long) then you will have a good idea of the cost of the bulk of the trip.

On top of flights and hotel, of course, you’ll pay for food and sightseeing.  Please note that Airbnb is no longer allowed in NYC.  For the wedding, you may want just an officiant and photographer, but some want video, flowers, music, professional hair and makeup, and perhaps transport if you’ll have a group with you.

Organising all these people who you may want for your wedding day is where hiring me (or somebody like me) can take the stress away.  Or you can check out all the wonderful talent in these areas that New York City has to offer!  I can sort out everything for a couple to get married in Central Park, except for the marriage license, which a couple is legally required to get themselves from City Hall.

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 in New York.  The city offers endless choices for all types of people.  As part of the planning process, I help couples consider all the possible wedding ceremony location options and decide which spot suits them best for their wedding ceremony.  I will then apply for an event permit from the Central Park Conservancy to secure their date and time slot, although anyone can do this themselves if they want to.

Photography by Justin Tinapay

After the wedding ceremony, couples usually have a short photo session taking photos in some beautiful locations in Central Park, and some go off around New York City taking photos in iconic locations in their wedding gear.  Some popular spots are Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central, the Top of the Rock and often either hailing a yellow cab or taking the subway.

A wedding day is always finished off with the couple (and their guests if they have them) eating and drinking, and celebrating somewhere awesome.  Choosing the dinner or reception location is a big decision, because New York has so very much to offer when it comes to places to eat and to celebrate.  If couples are eloping, then they can choose a restaurant that they know they personally will love, but if they have guests, then they need to consider their tastes, too.  There are thousands of restaurants in New York City – offering everything from romantic dinner options, exciting and new cuisines, and places with private rooms for large or small parties.

Lots of clients tell me how daunting it can feel to hand over a large amount of money to someone far away whom they have never met.  This is completely understandable, especially when planning a very special day such as a wedding day.  The internet can be so useful when checking out locations that you have never been to or don’t know very well, so you can check restaurants and photo locations out online before your trip.  Online reviews can be so very useful.  Consider how often you personally leave a review.  Most people don’t take the time to write a review of a product or service unless they feel quite strongly about it, so keep that in mind when checking reviews online.  If you find a review that raises an interesting point, don’t be afraid to ask the service provider about it.

Photography by Justin Tinapay

About the Author: Claire has been running this business of planning weddings in Central Park since 2012.  She was inspired after getting married there herself.  She runs the business around her two kids.  She loves New York and Central Park, and she is passionate about giving clients the wedding that they want.  And she is obsessive about planning.  If you would like her to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding or elopement, visit her website or email her at [email protected]