Deciding what your wedding will be like in New York can be overwhelming. There are too many places to hold the ceremony, take photos, themes, and styles for your wedding to choose from, and much more. As long as you have a general list of topics to start from, you may be able to make these choices one at a time. Wedding planning can be stressful, so having this list can help ease some of that stress. Here are some things to take into consideration when planning your wedding.
Budget
New York is currently the most expensive place in the nation to have a wedding. As such, you must determine what you can afford. Certain services, like photography and venues, can average somewhere in the thousands. Determine the average costs of the many wedding services available. Then, based on your salary or money at your disposal, you determine which services you can afford. Of course, when considering your budget, you will need to consider additional costs for the big day, such as your wedding bands, food, and entertainment too.
Location
There are a ton of places in New York to have your wedding. There’s Manhattan and Long Island, just to name a couple. Even if you select a city, there are still more places within the city you can look to. It can depend on the type of wedding you are having. Perhaps you want to have an outdoor wedding at Central Park. Maybe it would be fun to have an indoor wedding at a museum.
Permits
For outdoor events, you may need a permit. This depends on where you’re having the wedding, how many guests there will be, how much space you’ll be taking up, and other factors. What’s great about outdoor weddings in New York is they could happen in almost any public space. As long as you research which places need a permit, you can plan your wedding ceremony around that. Rules can be specific, like being able to hold your ceremony in certain public spaces without a permit unless more than a designated amount of people are invited. The rules are different between state and city parks. Parks owned by the city are much more strict in terms of needing a permit.
Weather and Seasons
Keeping with the theme of outdoor weddings, there’s a reason why it’s more common to have them during the fall and spring. Those are times where the weather is mild and at decent temperatures. Summers are hot, but winters are much worse. Not only is it really cold, but New York can experience snowstorms. If it’s indoors, then you may not have to worry as much. Regardless when you plan to have your wedding in the spring or fall, it’s still important to check the weather and make sure it doesn’t rain when you’re supposed to have your reception.
Marriage License
You technically don’t need a license to get married in New York. Many marriages in this state are religious. However, a license is required if you or your spouse are legally changing one’s last name to the other. You have to apply for one with your local city clerk. This can be done online or in-person at the clerk’s office. You need to prove things like making sure you and your spouse are not related.
Style and Theme
With all of the technical stuff out of the way, you can now focus on the fun parts of planning your wedding. Most weddings in New York tend to be formal and sophisticated. If you’re going for that, make sure it’s still relaxing. A number of your guests may be on vacation or taking time from work to come to your ceremony.
It’s also important to have aesthetics that don’t clash or compete with the beauty of the place you’re holding the ceremony. You may gain some inspiration from a venue made for weddings and events, like the luxurious Manhattan Penthouse. This particular venue has scenic views both indoors and outdoors with jaw-dropping aesthetics. With features like fine dining and a grand ballroom, Manhattan Penthouse is a great place to start your search for a wedding venue in NYC.
The intricate details of planning a wedding can take a lot of time to figure out. As long as there are clear topics to keep you on track, you can stay focused and get your planning done efficiently.
It is fun to plan out things like finding the right location and determining your wedding’s aesthetic, but you shouldn’t forget things like legalities and price. These aren’t the most fun parts of the planning, but they are probably the most important aspects.
When all the work is done, however, you will find that it was all worth it for the amazing reception. You won’t have to worry about all of those technical things afterward. You can just enjoy your wedding.
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