New York City Wedding

No matter where you live, it’s fun to emulate the style and glamour of a New York City bride! Take the lovely make-up inspiration, along with the hairstyles and other details to bring a little NYC to your wedding day.

What to Look for in a Venue for a New York City Wedding

Weddings in New York can be absolutely drool-worthy thanks to some of the gorgeous places in the city. The weddings here can range from boho chic to trendy and renaissance-style, thanks to the numerous fantastic venues available in New York. Couples can choose everything from stately manor homes and state libraries to art galleries, museums, lofts, and some of the best rooftop vistas.

You can also choose from parks, gardens, penthouses, clubs, yachts, hotel banquets, poolside areas, and golf resorts near New York. While selecting a wedding venue, you must ensure enough space to accommodate all your guests. You may decide to host the ceremony at a chapel or church and the reception at a rooftop venue. Even if your wedding is taking place in another state or country, consider the New York City inspired venues we list here.

Colour Palettes for a New York City Wedding

If you plan a modern, trendy New York wedding, choose bold colours like navy blue, slate grey, marigold, and olive green. These shades are excellent for pairing and will bring out the beauty in any wedding venue. If you want something slightly vintage, you should opt for cornflower blue, mauve, blush, and deep burgundy to bring out the beauty in your surroundings.

Some couples like to stay classic with their wedding colours and prefer hues of gold, white, and forest green with a touch of blue. These shades are primarily nature-inspired and bring out the elegance and grace in the wedding. When considering the wedding colours, you should account for the décor already present at the wedding venue.

Details for a New York City Wedding

New York is a bustling city with lots to see and do. When you’re planning the wedding with a New York City vibe, keep that hustle and bustle in your theme. Planning the wedding inspired by a city as old and fabulous as New York will need special consideration. You can think about local foods, nearby entertainment, music, art, and more while planning the wedding.

A city wedding does not mean it has to be plain or drab. On the contrary, there are selective elements that you can include through the table setting, décor, ceremony flowers, favours, welcome gifts for guests, and more that speak volumes about the city and your reason for choosing the theme. Excitement and never-ending fun will be in the air.

Food for a New York City Wedding

When planning the wedding food, you should first decide between sit-down dinners, buffets, food stations, cocktail receptions, and family-style menus. Once you narrow your choices down, you can select between local foods, vegan ideas, vegetarian menus, seafood, meats, and more options. If you choose buffet-style food options, you should ensure the presentation is excellent, and the food is vibrant and colourful.

Since New Yorkers are known for their love of fast food, you could have a live counter with a chef preparing made-to-order hand-tossed pizzas, a pasta station, an oyster shucking station, and more. If this interests you, you could offer a unique New York City native food experience to your wedding guests. Delicious and original!

Table Setting Style for a New York City Wedding

Considering the uniqueness of your wedding theme and venue, you should offer a special twist to the traditional table setting style. You can make the entire wedding stand out by adding individual touches at the table. Mismatched dinnerware with a vintage appeal can become reminiscent of New York in the early 1920s. A vintage table setting style will be extremely eye-catching and will become the talk of the evening.

You could add handwritten name cards for each guest and place them in a mini statue of liberty name holder. While you can opt for a traditional table setting and décor with blooms, flatware, cutlery, glasses, and more, you can add unique touches specific to your romantic journey to make the wedding memorable.

Budget for a New York City Wedding

It is pretty easy to overshoot your wedding budget. With so many options, there is a possibility that you could go overboard with your financial planning. The most significant chunk of the wedding budget will be the venue rent. Once budgeted, you will have to plan for the lighting, décor, catering costs, photography, videography, and entertainment for guests.

Remember to budget ahead for specific flowers, wedding bouquets, or any floral arches, table décor, and centrepieces that you select. If you want to bring nature and modernity together, you may also have to consider additional expenses for natural decorations.

Wedding Dresses and Accessories for a New York City Wedding

Brides in New York should opt for a romantic city look. This style would include floor-length gowns (a la Meghan Markle) with sweetheart necklines, swooping backs, and lots of soft lace. Local designer Rebecca Schoneveld is known for full and flowy silhouettes with fabric patterns to suit all body types. Some popular wedding dresses are the Dahlia Gown with the V neck and the sheer back and the Stacia Top with pearl and flower beads on the cap sleeves.

Accessories should include pearl earrings, small necklaces, bracelets on your wrists, and minimal makeup. Brides can also opt for a gorgeous birdcage-style netted veil covering their forehead and half the face. Shoes can be heels or flats ballerinas, depending on the wedding venue.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a New York City Wedding

New York has some of the best bakeries in the US. If heading there for the wedding, you can select from a massive range of cake styles, flavors, and textures. Some popular types are boho wedding cakes with a white base and white piped frosting for an elegant and chic look.

Depending on the season, you can also opt for neutral tones with a floral nature-inspired vibe.

Currently, the latest trend is naked cake designs with earthy floral patterns and hues. These cakes are showstoppers and are perfect for understated elegance. If you want something out of the ordinary yet slightly traditional, you should opt for a blush-rust tone as the base of the cake design with hand painted floral motifs in an ombre pattern from the base to the top. Of course, weddings held in other destinations can go with the NYC inspired cake as well!

Favour and Gifts for a New York City Wedding

When you welcome your guests to the wedding, you must think of some quirky gifts for them. A tube of sunscreen, an umbrella, and beer would work well for most guests. You could also add some lip balm, a bottle of wine, and an NYC bottle opener.

The wedding favours should be about thanking your guests for taking the time to come and bless you on your special day and share in your happiness. New York skyline keychains, New York City map coasters, NYC tote bags, NYC makeup bags, and NYC cufflinks for the gentlemen will be extremely special.

Wedding Photo Shoot Ideas for a New York City Wedding

Heading to New York City? With all the gorgeous locations in New York, consider some excellent photo shoots for the wedding. If you have the time for some beautiful couple shots, you should start from Central Park in the heart of New York. Many romantic spots in the vast park are ideal for couple shoots.

Once you’re done, head to Rockefeller Center and click some iconic pictures, with a stop at Times Square. These stunning locations will hold a unique place in your memories from your wedding day and make you smile each time. You could use sun umbrellas, stylish white drapes on benches, champagne glasses, and more for props. If your New York City wedding is taking place in your hometown, take photos in front of large images of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and even the Brooklyn Bridge!

Modernly Romantic NYC Bride

Today’s New York City rooftop bridal inspiration shoot from Rebekah Senter Photography shows a stylish and romantic look for the modern city bride.

From Rebecca – “I recently got together with a team and we put together a bridal inspiration shoot. The theme was a modernly romantic New York bride. I wanted the beauty of a bride to work in an unusual space – so I photographed our models on a NYC rooftop!"

Credits: Photography: Rebekah Senter // Hair Stylist: Eve Whittington // Makeup Artist: Ellen Bodkins // Wedding Gowns: Rebecca Schoneveld // Bridal Accessories: Hushed Commotion // Veils: Jaclyn Jordan // Bouquet: Xylem-Phloem // Models: Major Models // Location: Private apartment in Midtown, NYC.