High Times on the High Line

For a couple looking to have an outdoor wedding in a more urban setting, perhaps the “High Line,” a relatively new landmark, fits the bill.  As described in the Garden Guide: NYC by Nancy Berner and Susan Lowry, the High Line is a “21^st Century Promenade, having all the poetry and thrill of the street but none of the noise and hustle.”   In its original state, the elevated rail lines served commercial ventures running between Spring Street and 34^th.  It operated form some 90 years, beginning in the 1840s, serving industry and factories on the far west side of Manhattan.  The last train traversed the High Line 30 years ago, when the property was essentially abandoned.

As the High Line languished, there were political factions advanced options for the rail artery that once served the City.  While there were some who wanted it demolished, others argued for its restoration as a working rail line.  But led by two young New Yorkers, an organization—Friends of the High Line—argued for an innovative public space.  A competition was held to select a vision for the park, and a plan devised by two New York City design firms combined an open, elevated public space that retained its industrial feel. Great attention was paid to allowing natural plant growth to continue decorating the space.  The High Line meanders over the course of numerous blocks, with plenty of little alcoves where a private wedding could be held, no doubt engaging passers-by.  As is evidenced by the photos, the High Line is a striking venue for either a ceremony or post wedding portraits, conveying the intersection of natural beauty and commerce in the Big Apple.

Hotel Giraffe: Perfect for your Wedding (or Honeymoon Stay!)

IIn my opinion, one of the bonuses of European travel is the generous selection of small, lovely hotels that dot the landscape of cities like Paris, London, Rome, and beyond. I think of such boutique hotels as “homes away from home.” These accommodations focus on the basics of hospitality (commonly overlooked by the gigantic corporate hotel chains) including well-appointed rooms, comfortable common areas, extremely attentive staff members, and those “little extras” (complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea, etc.) that provide pleasant surprises after a long day of site-seeing. To replicate this experience, a New York tourist—or destination wedding couple—would be well-advised to visit one of the small hotels run by the HKH Corporation. The constellation of hotels, including the Library, Hotel Giraffe, The Casablanca Hotel, and Hotel Elysse, are part of a family-owned company—and it shows. The Library and Hotel Giraffe provide services for weddings (including reserving hotel room blocks), but all are fine places to stay in NYC.

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!

Dressed to the Nines

Weddings are a great opportunity to reflect one’s personal style in dress. While many brides and grooms choose traditional western apparel, many do not. For some time, brides and grooms have selected innovative designs and colors for the “second time around.” Likewise, some locations—the beach, for instance—serve as a perfect backdrop for casual wedding garments. But wedding fashions are limited only by a couple’s imagination. Several of my brides have designed and created their own wedding gowns. And for themed weddings (Halloween celebrations, Medieval-inspired weddings, or other affairs), costumes for the couple, guests, and even the officiant are standard fare. Likewise, contemporary weddings, especially in a place like New York, offer couples the rare chance to proudly display garments of their heritage. Scottish grooms, for instance, wear kilts with their clan’s particular tartan and adornments. Chinese-American brides may wear a traditional western-styled white dress for the ceremony, changing into a traditional red dress for the reception. Indian bride’s highly adorned attire includes gold and silver embroidery, on deep jewel-toned fabric. Sometimes couples choose more subtle additions such as the Swedish bride’s jeweled crown. So let your wedding be a blank palate to let your own fashion sense come shining through.