An NYC Wedding that was tailor made!

Mark and Renee planned an NYC elopement like no other. They embodied my advice to couples which is always “Have the wedding you want and not the wedding others might want for you.” After 20 years together they decided to travel from their home in Canada to one of their favorite cities in the world, get married and then celebrate by hitting all their favorite Manhattan locations. They told no one except me and their driver (George is the best driver in NYC bar none, and drove for Tony Bennett for many years), and away we went!

From City Hall to the 2nd Avenue Deli; from The Strand to Academy Records; from Times Square to Lincoln Center and a few stops in between, the day was a whirlwind of joy and laughter as we navigated crowded streets, empty bookstore aisles and grumpy bartenders. Facetime calls made from the car between stops broke the news of the wedding to family members, and that became one of the highlights, hearing their squeals of surprise and happiness when they heard the news and saw the rings.

Any wedding in New York City is spectacular, and there are endless variations and options available. As a Manhattan based photographer, I’ve seen a lot of them. Technically Mark and Renee’s wedding would be considered a micro-wedding, as it was just the two of them with me as their photographer and witness, but it felt like anything but. After the small City Hall ceremony at the NYC Marriage Bureau, the wedding took on the feel of a massive event, with the entire city as guests at the reception. Delighted servers brought free desserts at the 2nd Ave Deli, and at the Strand it seemed as though they reserved the aisle with books on theater and film just for us. Street vendors called out their congratulations as we walked by, and even the grumpy bartender who served the champagne seemed to mellow once he realized I wasn’t going to make him pose for a photo.

This is the spirit every wedding needs - the day is about the couple and how they choose to celebrate their marriage. We’re all just along for the ride.