Get married in NYC! What a great idea – but where?
When I think about my home country Germany there are only very limited places where you can get married. Normally you will go to the City Clerk and some very selected places like historical castles or mills. That’s why it is so special in New York City – you nearly can marry all over the City. Beside the classic way to merry in City Clerk (here you find my personnel instruction when I get married at City Clerk) you have the once in a lifetime change to get married together with an registered Officiant for NYC and you can choose between all the beautiful and amazing places you want. It could be Rockefeller Center, Brooklyn Bridge, High Line or in the wonderful green Central Park.
In my Blog on Wedding Wednesday I will refer my ten most loved places where to get married in the City:
Part 1: Ladies Pavilion
It’s the most popular place to marry in New York City beside City Clerk.
My wife just told me some days ago, that the Ladies Pavilion is very famous since 2008 for her and so many other Sex and the City fans. In the movie Carrie and Miranda have lunch at Ladies Pavilion. And right at that place you can tie the knot. This cast iron pavilion, painted in a light turquois is located in West Central Park (Entrance Upper West Side on 72nd or 77th Street) direct at the Lake. From this place you have an amazing view to the New York Skyline, even through the ceremony.
Besides the Ladies Pavilion and the surrounding is just perfect to take the wedding pictures. That’s the point where I put myself back in business. Just next to the Pavilion is an impressive rock structure (called Hernshead), which an direct way to the Lake. And just some minutes walk is the famous Bow Bridge, Bethesda Fountain and the Mall with the amazing American elms, that covers the street like a roof. You can’t miss that on your wedding photos.
And there is one funny story about the Ladies Pavilion. When he was build in 1871 he was located at 59th Street/ 8 Ave and was used for park visitor that waited to take the trolley bus home at the end of the day. Since the 20th century the Pavilion is at the present location.
Part 2: Rockefeller Center
To get an awesome view over the city, you have to get very high. To be precise: 259 m high. Thus, the Rockefeller Center is indeed significantly lower than the Empire State Building (its about 400 m high), but for me it involves probably the best views of Manhattan, Central Park and all other parts of the city. Above all, it has an unobstructed and incredible view of the Empire State Building.
The view from the three levels up at 67th floor provides a special view as there are no high fence obstructs the view like at the Empire State Building. At the outlines there are large glass panels installed for this special view and therefore you get awesome pictures. Up there you can experience the size of Manhattan and of course Central Park. Top oft he Rock has a perfect wedding advantage because it has a very light indoor space – just in case!
Top of the Rock is one of the most visited places in New York, therefore, I recommend to make an early reservation by an Officiant (Wedding Ministry) to get a wedding date. In addition to wedding pictures that have a special charm with the skyline in the background, Times Square is not far away. There you can also get very typical New York pictures that makes a wedding day in the city even more special – Who is getting married in New York and do not want to have at least one tourist spot on his picture like a yellow cab or the billboards in the background at Times Square?!
Tips for an Officiant I can of course provide. For the wedding pictures I am responsible and what is guaranteed: lots of fun on Top of the Rock and unforgettable pictures of your very special day. Here you will find a few sample pictures from my last shoot.
And a little excursion into the history of Rockefeller Center: the construction of the Building was made the way that no point in the inside is further away than nine meters from a window to get great light inside.
To be continued…
