Posted by Manhattan Minds~ Independent Blog on the Best of NYC Art, Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle from the Founder, Mona Maine de Biran...
Wedding season is upon us – and, of course, the fanciest destinations were all booked months ago: The Central Park Boathouse, The Plaza and The Pierre, and Brooklyn Winery, among them. The pictures will be oh so amazing, I’m sure. But not nearly as extraordinary as the bill.
Assuming you didn't book the ballroom at the Waldorf or, in Sex and the City celebrity style, reserve the historical Foundry at the foot of the 59th Street Bridge for your reception...
Where in NYC can you go for a great wedding picture that won't cost a fortune?
There is one classic, city venue that almost guarantees dramatic, iconic wedding photos, all for the cost of the subway fare that gets you there: Grand Central Terminal.
While officially Grand Central doesn’t host weddings, so the party must be held elsewhere, there’s no one stopping happy couples from striking their poses inside as long as it’s not using professional equipment such as a tripod. For that, you need to plan ahead and a pricey permit.
Grand Central is a marvel of architecture with its angelic light streaming down from the high-reaching windows of Grand Central. Planetarium-style ceiling with its special stars and poetic passageways make it a stunning backdrop to take wedding pictures. You'll find that, despite the masses passing through, the sight of a bride and groom taking wedding pictures inspires a rare unity and occasion when New Yorkers won't complain about having to stop in their literal tracks.
Don't just settle for Central Park.
I don't suggest you forego the traditional wedding studio stills, of course. I just recommend you brides and grooms talk a walk. NYC has more stunning street art, buildings, bridges, parks and street corners as a backdrop for wedding photos than you imagine. While Central Park is truly beautiful, with all the iconic, artsy backdrops in NYC the city itself can be a part of your moment. An amazing metaphor for life, it's all human hustle and bustle juxtaposed with fairytales.
Down the block from Grand Central, is another classic: the New York Public Library. Its lion heads, archways and majestic steps make it a popular spot. I've seen couples from all walks of life – young and old, native New Yorkers and foreign elopers, gay and straight – share their big day with the strangers surrounding them here. And these strangers appreciate it.
New York City is a city of hope and, just as much as any other, love.
Don't be shy. Ask with a smile and you might even get the crowd involved for a few photos to share in your joy. You'll find city dwellers will applaud and cheer, even get out of the way for those amazing photos of yours.
You can scope out your sites in advance and hire a van to shuttle you around for a photographic adventure. Or have fun with it and take a bevy of Instagrammable 'wild shots'. Either way, I wish you both a long and happy life full of fun and great photos by which to remember your unique and special Day One!
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