Carl Shurz Park, UES Gem

While Central Park is the most popular outdoor location for small weddings, the five boroughs of New York are filled to the brim with other terrific municipal spaces that make for a special wedding. Consider the Carl Schurz Park, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

The Park is adjacent to Gracie Mansion, the official home of the Mayor of New York City. There are terrific nooks and flowering gardens that provide a lovely backdrop for the wedding. Likewise, the park hugs the East River, providing spectacular views for wedding photographs. Carl Schurz park is a favorite spot for Upper East Side locals…and may be just what you are looking for if you are seeking a more secluded spot for your special day.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

While Central Park is certainly the most popular garden location for New York weddings, but other boroughs have fantastic venues for your consideration.  Yesterday, I officiated a wedding at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.   This garden provides an economical option for   weddings with various size guest lists.  And, unlike most sections of Central Park, one may secure space, before the Park opens, allowing for complete privacy. 

The garden locations are described in detail on the Brooklyn Garden’s website. 

There are many delightful settings to choose from, including the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, with its magical mirrorlike waterscapes, cloud-pruned maples, and waterfalls; the Cranford Rose Garden, where tens of thousands of fragrant roses bloom in summertime; and the Osborne Garden, with its classical architecture, cascading fountain, and stately procession of crabapple trees and azaleas. Celebrate your wedding at Brooklyn Botanic Garden and create an exquisite event that will be forever treasured by all those who attend.

Enjoy photos from several ceremonies over the last two years! 

A Secret Gazebo: Hidden in Plain Sight

During the summer, the most popular wedding spots in Central Park are jam packed with couples from all over the world. Locations such as the Ladies Pavilion, Shakespeare Garden and Wagner Cove may seem like revolving doors on weekend afternoons. However, I was recently reminded of a fabulous ceremony location that is hidden in plain sight.  Around 5th Avenue at about 67th Street, one can gaze atop a little hill in Central Park to find a perfect gazebo, which is much the same style as the very popular Cop Cot Gazebo in the south side of the park. The sweet spot features beautiful views all around, with some stunning 5th Avenue properties on the east side of the structure, offering an iconic New York City photo opportunity. Like Cop Cot, this area provides terrific seating for wedding guests in need of a rest. This tree house, of sorts, is nearly always empty, so it is perfect for a secret elopement or small ceremony. I was first introduced to the location by a young New York couple who scouted out the area for their spring 2011 wedding. More recently, a couple from the U.K. noticed the gazebo, where we held a moonlight ceremony.

I have a couple of educated guesses as to why this Gazebo is so often empty. First, since it is not a named location highlighted on the website of the Central Park Conservancy and other organizations, it is not evident to those looking online for a place to marry. In fact, the only "name" associated with this gazebo was found on plaque which reads: "A Tree House for Dreaming," dedicated in 2007. Likewise, because it is pitched on a little hill, it is not altogether obvious how one gains access to the gazebo. Needless to say, in a crowded summer park, this “tree house” is a hidden treasure!

A View Like No Other!

Far and away, the most popular spot for small elopement ceremonies is Central Park….and with good reason. There are innumerable locations that are well-suited to a little wedding. But for a real city wedding, consider the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Sam & Colin (natives of Scotland and New Zealand, who now live in Brazil!) came to New York and wanted to have a ceremony that reflected the vibrancy of one of their favorite international cities. So, we hopscotched over to Brooklyn to the DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) neighborhood and the nifty Brooklyn Bridge Park. As you’ll see from the slideshow below, the Park offers a stunning sweep of New York’s skyline. In addition, the famed Brooklyn Bridge is a stone’s throw away, making for a fabulous backdrop for wedding photographs. For those of us who live in Manhattan, a trip to Brooklyn seems like a long way from home. But in this case, it is well worth the trip.