A How-To-Guide for your NYC Elopement.
Planning a City Hall Elopement
If you want to get married in New York, you must have a marriage license issued at least 24 hours prior to your wedding. You can make an in-person appointment at the city clerk's office or opt for a virtual appointment through Project Cupid. In-person appointments are released on Mondays at 9am, while virtual appointments are released on Thursdays at 9am, and they fill up quickly, so make sure to act fast. Keep in mind that you must be physically located in New York State during the virtual appointment. If you're having trouble getting an appointment, there are courthouses outside of NYC that offer in-person appointments. Once you have your marriage license, it must be used within 60 days.
**Click here to schedule your marriage license appointment!
Each of the five boroughs has its own City’s Clerk office for wedding ceremonies, each with their own charms! The most popular locations are Manhattan City Hall and Brooklyn City Hall, but I capture elopements in all five boroughs.
Manhattan City Hall: nestled at 141 Worth Street, Manhattan City Hall stands as an iconic and central choice for couples seeking a very New York marriage. The iconic green couch photos? That’s Manhattan City Hall. Additionally, its in the perfect location in the heart of Manhattan, allowing easy access for couples and guests alike. It also makes it super easy to pop on the subway to other beautiful locations to continue the fun!
Brooklyn City Hall: located at 141 Livingston Street, Brooklyn City Hall is another fantastic choice for an iconic New York City elopement. No green couches here, but the actual ceremony space is considered by some to be more beautiful, so its up to you (and us) to weigh the pros and cons of your desired ceremony photos! The Brooklyn location is incredibly close to the waterfront (DUMBO, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Bridge), making it a perfect choice if you want pre- or post-elopement photos with the skyline in the background.
In-person ceremony appointments are released every Monday morning at 9am EST for the appointments three weeks ahead. In other words, if you know you’d like to be married on 11/11, you need to book an appointment three weeks earlier (ie, the Monday in mid-late October that is 3 weeks prior to your desired ceremony date).
**Click here to schedule your City Hall Ceremony appointment!
I've seen a week's worth of ceremony appointments disappear in under 5 minutes, so make sure to set an alarm and check right at 9am to get yours! However, people generally get the date/time they desire for their ceremony, and we can discuss what would be best for you based on your vision for your wedding day!
A final note on timing: if you are traveling from out of town and are planning to get your license and then book a ceremony for the next day, please be mindful to make sure at least 24 hours have passed between your appointment times! If you want a 9am ceremony, make sure you book a 9am marriage license appointment the day before at latest (and I would usually recommend to leave a day between just-in-case)!
On your wedding day, you may want to consider extras like florists, hair and make-up artists, vintage taxi rentals (!?!), champagne pops, pizza place stops, and other vendors to make your day even more special. The one “extra” I strongly recommend is a bouquet — something about beautiful flowers really makes the photos pop and the day extra special.
I understand that these extras can be an important part of your day and I'm happy to discuss recommendations based on my experience working with other clients and vendors in the industry. Whether you already have specific vendors in mind or need help finding the right fit, I'm here to assist you every step of the way.
I obviously come stacked with confetti in all forms (biodegradable of course, so we can go really crazy)
FAQs.
What if it rains?
If it’s just a drizzle or light rain, I love to lean into it; NYC is so beautiful in the rain and it sometimes means we can have usually-crowded spots almost entirely to ourselves. I always bring two clear umbrellas which makes for much cuter photos than you’d expect!
If a huge storm or downpour is expected, I’m more than happy to reschedule for another date or time if possible. I want to be as flexible as I can and get you the best photos possible!
Who brings the confetti?
Me! I always come stacked with many different types and colors of confetti. Players choice!
What should we wear?
The beautiful thing about an elopement is that you can break all the wedding rules. Wear a jumpsuit, wear a short dress, wear rainbows—the only thing I strongly suggest is NOT wearing a long dress, especially anything with a train. If you’re eloping in NYC we’ll be walking around dirty streets, possibly shooting on the subway, and you just don’t want to have to worry about a dress dragging behind you. Also try to wear shoes you can walk in; I shoot a lot of my favorite candid moments while moving in between locations, and it can slow things down to have to stop and change shoes every few minutes.
What should we bring?
Try to condense everything into a single bag/tote if possible, so I can carry in between locations! Think of me as your pack-mule for the day. Bring your marriage license, IDs, water, makeup for touchups if needed.
What extras should we think about?
There are so many (hair, make-up, flowers, vintage taxis, etc) and I have recommendations for them all. If I had to pick just one, I am super partial to bouquets — the right bouquet can add SO much to your elopement photos.
What time should we elope?
The earlier in the morning the better! I often recommend ceremonies to happen between 7am and 9am, as the park is the least crowded at this time AND the lighting is the most beautiful. For summer months, it also helps us keep cool. This is especially true on weekends and holidays, when the park can be quite busy!
Will you be our witness?
Of course, it would be my honor!
Where else should we take photos?
There are so many awesome places for a post-elopement photoshoot! All of my packages are time-based, with additional time allowing us to travel to additional locations. For ceremony only packages, we will have time to explore a couple of areas near your ceremony spot. For packages with more time, we will have time to explore additional locations throughout the city — a few popular ones:
Hotel room photos at the Plaza Hotel
Drinks/champagne pop at a nearby bar or restaurant
Post-elopement pizza (either sit-down or by the slice)
Subway photos on the way to our next location
West Village street photos & city vibes
The possibilities are endless, and planning this part is SO fun. I can’t wait to think through the options with you to make your day perfect.
