New York Public Library Wedding | Angela + John

Here’s what I love about couples who choose a New York Public Library wedding: they get that sometimes the most meaningful celebrations happen in places that mean something beyond just looking pretty in photos. Angela and John are both avid book readers, so when it came time to selecting a ceremony location for their destination elopement, the NYPL was a fast and easy choice.

The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building lends a sense of grandeur and distinction as a quintessential New York City icon, but it never feels stuffy or overly formal. The majestic white marble steps and pillars serve as a classic NYC backdrop, offering a historic building with ornate details that photograph beautifully without needing any additional decoration.

What made their New York Public Library wedding work so well was how the family approached the whole day. No stress, no rigid timeline; just a plan that rolled with whatever came up. We started early at 8am, and I give those two kids extra points for being dressed and ready to go. Angela and John kept things lighthearted with the ceremony, but also sentimental by including their kids in a special hand-holding moment for their newly blended family.

Afterward, the family really got to shine. In addition to being book-lovers, the couple are also big travelers, and insisted on taking their kids around and showing them the “real” NYC on their wedding day. First stop: Chinatown. It’s not everyday I witness a bride waltzing past buckets of live seafood, but the kids loved every minute of it, and I loved how it encompassed “them” to a T.

What New York Public Library wedding would be complete without a bookstore visit? This family stopped at a local independent bookstore where the kids picked out books as souvenirs from their parents’ wedding day.

The final stop: a hole-in-the-wall dollar slice joint. The kids were thrilled (because pizza), the parents could actually relax and eat, and I got some of the most genuine celebration photos of the entire day. The contrast between the formal elegance of the library and the vibrant energy of the Chinatown and a slice joint perfectly captured what makes NYC elopements special – you can have multiple experiences in one day, all within a few subway stops, and sometimes the very best kind of wedding receptions happen around a table covered in paper plates and parmesan.