Photography courtesy of Flowers by Richard Salmone on New York’s Upper East Side.

All Souls provides their Sanctuary and Chapel for rental for marriages and union ceremonies at a very affordable price. They also provide options to secure the organist and other staff members. However, couples are allowed to bring other clergy to the church to perform their ceremonies. I, for instance, was allowed to officiate a wedding there in December.

I include photos here which don’t do it justice. It was originally constructed as a Congregational Church (a mainline Protestant denomination in New England and on the east coast). As such the architecture is simple (from the Georgia tradition, perhaps) with beautiful lighting, windows and simple chandeliers. Throughout the church are plaques of remembrance. The altar is simple as well. And perched above the pulpit, one will find the familiar mathematical symbol for infinity, a representation the life force in all–welcoming people of all faiths. As Mr. Church would say, the beautiful windows show the streams of various faiths. Many paths to one truth.

So not only is All Souls a rare option to unaffiliated couples, it is an excellent choice for all.

NYC & Co, the business and tourism organization here in the City, has reported a record number of tourists visited the Big Apple last year. I agree, based on my experience with brides and grooms, who choose New York for their destination weddings! While traditionally destination weddings have been associated with warm weather spots, NYC has become a supremely popular location for weddings of all sizes. New York is considered among the most romantic cities in the world, after all. Last year, I officiated weddings for couples from England, Germany, Mexico, Canada, Scotland, Northern Ireland, The Netherlands, and numerous American states such as Ohio, Colorado, Washington DC, Arizona, California, Texas, Maryland, Minnesota, Virginia, and New Jersey! Central Park, our crown jewel, is the most popular choice for ceremonies, but the couples are only limited by their imaginations in where they’d like to be married. Over the recent New Year’s weekend, I married lovely couples from Western Canada (Gapstow Bridge, Central Park); Southern California (Rockefeller Plaza, near the famed ice rink and Christmas tree); and Texas (Cop Cot Pavilion, Central Park). To assist my destination couples, I launched a blogsite to provide ideas and photographs of wedding locations about town. Let’s see if we can break the NYC Tourism and Destination Wedding records in 2011!

Photo Above Courtesy of John Mazlish Wedding Photography

My first experience with an HK Hotel was last winter when I officiated the marriage of Gordon and Anne, a fabulous couple from Scotland. The wedding was held on their top floor terrace area, and couldn’t have been any sweeter. At the time the event coordinator for the Library was Jayla Hughes. I was impressed by professionalism and warm personality, so I wasn’t surprised to learn that she had received a promotion to serve as the Director of Sales at the Hotel Giraffe, another HK Hotel. The Hotel Giraffe is a stylized, chic spot at 365 Park Avenue (at 26th street). The art deco inspired hotel is a stone’s throw away from many NYC attractions including the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, Macy’s at Herald Square, and New York’s famous “boulevards” including Park, Madison and Fifth Avenues. It is in close proximity to cultural stops ranging from the fashionable Gramercy Park, the NY Public Library, MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), and the International Center for Photography. Finally, the Hotel Giraffe is a stone’s throw from many of New York’s excellent restaurants such as Eleven Madison, Tabla, Union Square Café, and Gramercy Tavern. The list goes on and on.

This hotel will gladly host your wedding ceremony, rehearsal dinner, or guest accommodations. Hotel Giraffe has put together affordable wedding packages that offer space for a NYC wedding (along with set up and breakdown), a well-appointed reception, and guest stays in the hotel. Site selections include their roof-top garden and the piano suite penthouse. If you are looking for a place for your wedding or simply a wonderful place to stay on your visit to The Big Apple—or maybe just a nice spot to enjoy a cocktail, head to the Hotel Giraffe and wait to pleasantly surprised….again and again!

Interested in learning more? Contact Emily White, Sales Manager at the Hotel Giraffe at 212.894.0494 or by email at emily@hotelgiraffe.com. Enjoy!

Couples coming to New York to marry face an embarrassment of riches in choosing a spot for their nuptials. Even those who know they want to marry in Central Park must choose from dozens of popular spots for the wedding from the Cop Cot Gazebo and Gapstow bridge on the southern end of the park to the Ladies’ Pavilion, Shakespeare Garden, Bethesda Foundation,and Belvedere Castle to the west to the Conservatory Garden on the north end. Each, of course, has its own unique characteristics, histories, and charms.

Of course, in a city of 7 million, there are other iconic spots for a ceremony including the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Rockefeller Center Promenade, Battery Park, and the Staten Island Ferry!

To assist my couples traveling from another American state or abroad, I have created a fun blog to provide a bit of history and “insider’s information” about their potential as a small wedding venue. I have added slide shows that include photos of some of my couples who have married in the park. I am eager to provide clear, concise, and visually appealing information, in one easy location. Please visit it—and often, as I am continually updating it with innovative “NYC Wedding Spots.”

The blog can be found right here!

Consider a few examples from recent ceremonies:

The Brooklyn Bridge: Since its creation, the Brooklyn Bridge has been a proud symbol of American creativity, commitment, hard work, and the promise of the possibilities of the United States. It is a powerful symbol for more young couples that you might imagine. Likewise, among those who study ritual, the bridge is a potent reminder of transitioning from one stage of life to another—from being two single people to a married couple. Last November I married two young Russian immigrants, the Bridge was an important reminder of all they had been through to come to the U.S. and all that was to come. During their ceremony, the groom started on the Manhattan side, with the bride opposite on the Brooklyn side. It was easy to pick up on both of these points. Wording I used included the following:

“There are few vistas that are more intimately connected with all of the wonder and hope and grandeur that is New York. This bridge embodies the possibility of human ingenuity, artistic vision, cooperation, and dedication—all elements of successful lives and marriages. Moreover, the bridge is a palpable reminder of connections and transitions, between your lives, your original homeland, your families, and your future. This day and place is a threshold whereby you are passing from two individuals who are deeply in love to become a married couple and a new family.”

Wainwright House: At first glance, the Wainwright House is “just another” stunning venue in Westchester county, situated on the water, with a beautiful main venue for dinners and receptions and a sprawling lawn, perfect for an outdoor summer ceremony. But after a little investigation, the Wainwright house is a very special place described by the original donor of the house Fonrose Wainwright Condict, “This is a sacred house. Because it is sacred, it should be consecrated to the development of human potential, in healing and growing forms, to serve in the advancement of humankind through spiritual, philosophical and ecological paths.” Contemporary programs include seminars on the healing arts, meditation, yoga instruction, programs in contemplative medicine, and the creative arts, among others. Where else would you find a meditation room at a beautiful space holding weddings!? As part of the introductory remarks of the wedding, I included a few words about the intentions of the couple and the principles and goals they valued as individuals and a couple. I believe that holding a ceremony in a place with this purpose sets an unusually purposeful setting for life-changing vows.

Cop Cot Gazebo: This little spot, on the south side of Central Park, is a favorite spot for small weddings. Cop Cot is a Scottish name, translated means “little house on the crest of the hill.” The little Gazebo, which is an open air, large rustic word structure, is a recent replica of the original structure build in the ante-bellum era. In the summer, the black locust trees all about will bloom and fill the air. For those of Jewish ancestry, the Gazebo will be akin to a Chuppah. Otherwise, I often connect the structure to the home that the bride and groom are making as a new family.

Even with a small destination wedding in New York, bouquets and other flowers can add up to serious money. But the savvy bride can find plentiful alternatives to high-end floral designers. For those visiting New York for the first them, they will be pleasantly surprised by inexpensive flower bouquets at virtually every corner. In my experience, one of the hallmarks of virtually any New York neighborhood is the Bodega. The word comes from the Spanish word la bodega, meaning grocery store. In other parts of the country, these would be Convenience Stores. In any event, nearly all bodegas offer a surprisingly large selection of flowers, both single varieties and mixed bouquets. For instance, around any corner or down the street from where I live, I can pick up a dozen roses, of any color, for about $10. Daisies, lilies, peonies and much, much more are there for the taking. The cost conscious bride can easily locate pretty ribbon and possibly small decorative objects and Presto! A lovely bouquet for your special day.

A truly exciting option is a trip down to the flower district. While some large cities have a floral area open to the public, New York has a vast, diverse collection of shops and wholesalers. In the garment district area, around 28th-29th and 6th Avenue (Avenue of the Americas), the adventurous bride and her entourage can explore shop after shop of unimaginable delights—all fresh and priced well below regular commercial florists. In addition, you can find any accessories needed to create an innovative, beautiful arrangement. Finally, a craft project such as this might be just what a lady needs to soothe her nerves before the big event! Contact me if you would like suggestions about particular stores that can help you with your wedding day.

As a Celebrant—not simply a wedding officiant—I strive to personalize each of “my” wedding ceremonies, regardless of time constraints or other challenges. With a short turnaround time and other logistical issues, it isn’t always easy to create the unique, detailed ceremonies that move the bride and groom and their guests. But, “I do the best I can….” A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by an anxious young groom, looking to marry his beautiful Mexican bride in short order. Although they planned a large, religious ceremony in Central America in a few months, for legal issues they needed to conduct a civil ceremony here in New York. As has been the case, lately, he requested a wedding ceremony in the “Ladies’ Pavilion” in Central Park.

The bride and groom were joined by about a dozen loved ones, including members of the bride’s family from Mexico. I gleaned as much of the couple’s story as possible and incorporated those details into the ceremony script. Also, the vows were exchanged bilingually. But, I wanted to do “more” to shine a lot on the significance of the Bride’s home and culture. The couple, after all, had met in Mexico. With only a short time before the gathering, I did some quick research and added a couple of light-hearted elements that—while not exactly a perfect replication of the Mexican traditions—provided a cultural nod to the bride’s family and a few special moments at the wedding.

For instance, in a Mexican wedding, it is customary for the groom to give his bride a wedding present of 13 gold coins, which are blessed by the Priest. The gesture represents the idea of shared prosperity and the groom’s commitment to care for his new wife. Instead, I connected with this tradition by bringing 13 coins in a small fabric bag and presenting it to the bride and groom, as a remembrance of our time together. Among the coins, which I had collected from my own international travels, were ones from various Central American countries. The bride and groom smiled brightly as I passed the memento.

Also, I learned that immediately following a Mexican wedding, the guests surround the bride and groom (standing side-by-side, forming the shape of a heart) as they take their first dance. For our bride and groom, the guests surrounded the couple in a semi-circle and took a vow of community support support and nurture them through their marriage, the joys, as well as the trials.

I wish my couple well and hope that these little ceremony gestures provided some small, fun—but respective—connections to the bride’s home.