How to get married in NYC
Guide to having an NYC wedding
FEELING OVERWHELMED IN THE PINTEREST RABBIT HOLE? HERE’S A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO GET MARRIED IN NYC.
How to Get Married in NYC, Step 1: Obtain a Marriage License
Regardless if you’re having a big shebang wedding or a two-person elopement, the first step of how to get married in NYC is to obtain a New York marriage license. Note that you can get the marriage license anywhere in New York state (hello, upstaters!) and still get married in New York City.
From a legal standpoint, you’ll need to obtain a New York marriage license. This can be done via appointment, virtually or in person at one of the New York Marriage Bureau offices. You’ll need to book your appointment via Project Cupid. See here for a step-by-step guide to getting a marriage license.
When it’s time for your appointment, the marriage license costs $35 (credit card or money order), you both need some form of valid photo ID (like a passport or driver’s license), and you must obtain the license at least 24 hours before getting married. Licenses are valid for 60 days. If you are not a U.S. citizen, I recommend calling your consulate to confirm that NYC marriages are valid in your country.
NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT THE GOOD STUFF: YOUR WEDDING DAY
How to Get Married in NYC, Step 2: Select an NYC Wedding Venue
Whether you want an industrial rooftop wedding with skyline views or a small backyard garden party, there’s an NYC wedding venue for it. Once you’ve picked a date, reach out to prospective venues and take a tour. Each venue will have different offerings (e.g. in-house catering, furnishings, etc.).
Some of my favorite NYC wedding venues:
The Box House Hotel
Brooklyn Winery
501 Union
MyMoon
Frankie’s 457
Liberty Warehouse
For microweddings and elopements:
Central Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park
NYC City Hall
How to Get Married in NYC, Step 3: Select Additional Vendors
NYC Hair and Makeup Artists
Miss Harlqeuin
Styles on B
Glam Squad
NYC Florists
Designs by Ahn
Buds of Brooklyn
Rosehip Social
Blush Designs
Fern Botanica
Sprout Home
NYC Wedding Cake Bakeries
Wild Flour
Baked
Empire Cake
Nine Cakes
Ovenly
Vintage Taxi Cabs
The Checker Guy
Film Cars
How to Get Married in NYC, Step 4: Pick NYC Wedding Portrait Locations
Iconic NYC photo locations
We’re fortunate in that NYC has an abundance of iconic structures, interesting architecture as well as beautiful nature, all reachable with a quick taxi ride. Some of the most popular locations, in no particular order, include:
• Brooklyn Bridge Park
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Central Park (and its dozens of spots within)
• Top of the Rock
• New York Public Library exterior
More Iconic NYC photo locations
“But Jocelyn,” you say, “we live in New York. We don’t necessarily want to go to tourist spots.” No problem. Some of my favorite less-trafficked spots:
• Fancy cocktail bars (or dive bars) and fun eateries
• Quiet cobblestone streets in the West Village and Upper East Side
• Chelsea art galleries
• Anything involving an activity: bookstore browsing, dim sum-eating, tarot card reading, tattoo-getting … Don’t think of portraits as “cheesing in front of a pretty backdrop,” think of it as an opportunity to do something clasically you, something that reflects your relationship as a couple.
And if it’s raining? No worries — here’s some recommended indoor NYC photo locations.
How to Get Married in NYC, Step 5: Create a Wedding Day Timeline
If you’re getting married in NYC, your photographer should help you create a day-of timeline. Most full-day weddings last 8-10 hours, which is typically long enough to capture getting ready, bride and groom details, ceremony, portraits and reception. To come up with an accurate schedule, we’ll work off your fixed events — for instance, your ceremony start time, or what time sunset is for portraits.
A sample 10-hour timeline might look like this:
1-2:30 pm: getting ready and detail shots
2:30-2:45: first look
2:45-3:45: solo portraits
3:45-4:30: bridal party and family portraits
4:30-5: down time before ceremony (photographer takes venue detail shots)
5-5:30: ceremony
5:30-6:30: cocktail hour
6:30-11: reception
An 8 hour timeline would typically shorten the getting ready and reception coverage.
For couples who don’t necessarily need documentation of their full day, I also offer an abbreviated 6-hour package, which would typically omit the reception or getting ready portion entirely.
Have more questions?
Reach out for pricing and availability