NYC Elopement Guide: How to Elope in NYC
How to Elope in NYC:
your nyc elopement guide
How to Elope in NYC
Step 1: Pick a Date
Picking a date is the easiest but most important first step to planning your elopement.
Some things to think about when picking a date for your NYC elopement:
Time of Year
From the months of June-August NYC can be VERY crowded. This can make it difficult to visit all the iconic and popular spots in the city without being surrounded by hundreds of people. Along with crowds, these are also the hottest months in NYC, which may be unpleasant if you plan to be outside for the majority of your day. There are ways of working around this, eloping early in the morning be cooler temperature wise and will bring less crowds, but if possible I recommend planning your elopement from the months of March-May and September-November.Weekdays vs. Weekends
For couples eloping in NYC, I ALWAYS recommend eloping on a weekday if possible. Weekdays are a great way to avoid weekend tourists and will give you a more authentic New York experience. Along with this, if you choose to elope at City Hall, you’re wait will be much less on weekdays.
If you are coming from out of state or out of the country it’s important to factor in the 24 waiting period on your marriage license in NYC. When you apply for a marriage license in the city, there is a 24 hour waiting period before you can officially have your ceremony. Make sure to pick a date that is over 24 hours after your arrival, so you have time to apply for your marriage license at City Hall.
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How to Elope in NYC
Step 2: Ceremony Location
Now that you have a date, you can start planning the fun stuff! When people think of eloping in NYC, they normally picture the classic City Hall elopement. The misconception about City Hall is that the ceremonies are actually held in the Clerk’s Office, down the street from City Hall. While you can still take photos in front of City Hall, some people are disappointed by this when they come to elope in the iconic New York City Hall.
What I always recommend to couples is to think beyond having your ceremony at ‘City Hall’. There are so many other classic spots you can have your ceremony at. All you need is an officiant and 1 witness to legally be married in NYC.
NYC Elopement Locations for your Ceremony:
Grand Central Station
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Central Park
Top of the Rock
Brooklyn Bridge
How to Elope in NYC
Step 3: What to Do
Another common misconception about nyc elopements is that your ceremony is the only part of your day. THIS IS NOT TRUE. Your elopement day is just as important as anyone else’s traditional wedding, so it should be celebrated hat way. Your elopement is so much more than just a ceremony, it’s a whole day focused around you two and the love/commitment you are making to each other.
You’re going to look back on this day and remember so much more than just the 30 minute ceremony you had. What did you do when you woke up? How did you celebrate afterwards? Did you have a first dance? What did you eat as your first meal as newly weds? You’re in one of the most iconic cities in the world, how did you explore the city on your wedding day?
Turn your day into exploring different spots in New York, getting a slice of famous Joe’s Pizza, or taking a helicopter to see the city from a unique perspective. Create a story of your day, make it one of the most magical and epic days you’ve ever had in a city. The options are endless when planning different things to do on your elopement.
Here are a few other ideas for your NYC elopement:
Helicopter Tour of the City
Walk around & take photos at iconic NYC spots
Take the NYC Ferry around Manhattan
See the skyline from above at the Top of the Rock
Sunrise on the Brooklyn Bridge
Try different famous NYC pizza joints
Take a vintage taxi tour around Manhattan
Ride a tandem bicycle around the city
Explore your favorite museum
How to Elope in NYC
Step 4: Where to Stay
If you’re visiting NYC the next step in planning your elopement is deciding where to stay. When looking at hotels and other lodging options here are a few things to think about related to your elopement:
How far away is your hotel from the spots you want to explore?
For example, if you want to have your whole elopement in DUMBO, Brooklyn & the Brooklyn Bridge, you may want to think about staying in Downtown Manhattan or even Brooklyn itself. (Upper Manhattan takes about 30-45 minutes to get to Brooklyn from by either train or car) Make sure to check out Google Maps before booking anything, some spots can be hard to get to from others in Brooklyn & Manhattan.Are you interested in getting ready photos?
Getting ready photos are a fun way to capture the anticipation and story of your elopement. It adds another dynamic element to your elopement photographs and can be both beautiful and emotional. If you are interested in getting ready photos, make sure to pick a hotel room that has plenty of natural light. These will make your photographs come out much cleaner and brighter. Your skin will look flawless and your dress will glow in natural light. Also, make sure to discuss with your hotel if you want to get ready in separate rooms, a lot of hotels can let your partner get ready in an open room for an hour or so.
Otherwise, you have hundreds of choices to stay when picking a hotel in New York City!
NOTE: I do not recommend looking into Airbnbs because technically Airbnbs are illegal in the city, so there is a chance that your host cancels on you last minute and you are stuck without anywhere to stay! (This has happened to a few people I know who’ve tried to stay in an Airbnb).
How to Elope in NYC
Step 5: Finding Vendors
The types of vendors you need for your elopement are a little different than a traditional wedding. Vendors you might want for your elopement include a hair and makeup artist, florist, cake baker, officiant, and a photographer.
Now I’m not saying you need all these for your elopement. But these are the common types of vendors that eloping couples use in the city.
To find these types of vendors, Instagram is a SUPER helpful tool. Research the hashtag related to the vendor with nyc in front of it. For example: #nycflorist #nycweddingflorist #nycelopementflorist
As an elopement photographer myself, I personally have a list of local vendors that I recommend to my couples who either I’ve heard good things about or whom I’ve worked with in the past!
Don’t feel obligated to hire vendors for your elopement. Some couples are 100% okay with picking up some flowers at the nearest grocery store the morning of, saying their vows together privately, have me sign off on their marriage license (I am an ordained officiant, so as your photographer I can still legally sign off on your forms) and finding a stranger on the street to be their witness! It all depends on how spontaneous you want your day to be, whatever matters the most to the two of you.
Related: Looking for a NYC Elopement Photographer? I'd love to work with you, explore more of my work here!
How to Elope in NYC
Step 6: Create a Timeline
One of the last steps in planning your NYC elopement is to create a timeline. Now don’t get me wrong, this does NOT need to be a super strict timeline. It all depends on what works best for the two of you. Sometimes it is just useful to have a rough estimate of where you are going to be and when.
Now you might be thinking, ‘Amanda… what the HECK do we put on our timeline? All we know is that we want to have our ceremony at this location during this time’
I TOTALLY get that. So I thought I would include a few different things that are on a typical couple’s elopement timeline:
Getting Ready: 30min-1 hour
First Look: 45min-1 hour
Ceremony: 30min-1 hour
First Dance & Champagne Popping: 1 hour
Photos on the Brooklyn Bridge: 1 hour
Sunrise/Sunset Exploring & Pictures: 1-2 hours
First Drink/Coffee/Meal Married: 1 hour
Transportation to and from locations: varies
Should you have a first look?
Benefits of Having a First Look:
An opportunity to be completely present and take in the moment with your significant other
Adds another memorable moment to your day, can be done in a different location in the NYC- a great idea if you’re torn on two different places to have your ceremony at
Capturing raw and genuine emotions on camera- photographs you will have forever
Takes the pressure off and calms the nerves before your actual ceremony
Extra moment to do something special and memorable together
When creating your timeline, here’s one thing to keep in mind: DO WHATEVER WILL MAKE YOU HAPPIEST ON YOUR WEDDING DAY. Whatever feels most authentic and genuine to you as a couple, it’s about being together on this special day and experiencing life, doing whatever feels right to you guys. So don’t feel like you have to do any of the activities listed above, just do you!
How to Elope in NYC
Step 7: Count Down the Days Until your Elopement!
And there you have it! These are the main steps to planning a nyc elopement. I hope you found this nyc elopement guide helpful in planning & creating your dream elopement day. If you need more help, have questions, or are looking for a photographer to capture this beautiful day, do not hesitate to get in touch with me! I’d love to chat and learn more about your plans for your nyc elopement
Looking for a NYC Elopement Photographer?
I work with couples from all over the world who come to NYC to elope!
Who Am I?
HEY!! I’M AMANDA VAELYNN.
A NYC couples photographer who captures authentic and candid moments, telling the story of your relationship. I’m not about those classic ‘posed’ photographs, but more about photographing those ‘in-between’ moments that show true emotion and laughter.
I specialize in photographing elopements, engagements, and proposals. Which basically means I specialize in all things related to COUPLES. I’m an expert at making couples comfortable in front of the camera- and creating a fun environment during your session.
Being a NYC & Brooklyn native, I work with couples from all over to help create their perfect day in NYC. I can help you find everything from the classic iconic nyc spots to the lesser known areas around the city.
Explore my Instagram for more of my work:
