Central Park is open to all couples, regardless of gender, for a breathtakingly beautiful New York City wedding ceremony.
Same-sex Wedding Central Park
Central Park is open to all couples, regardless of gender, for a breathtakingly beautiful New York City wedding ceremony.
We understand the incredible amount of stress and complexity that comes with planning a central park wedding. Because of this, we offer you a simple and streamlined way to plan your same-sex wedding with our online ceremony managing platform. Our platform connects you to all the right wedding managers and vendors you need to plan your dream wedding. If you're wondering whether you'll need to come out to your prospective wedding vendors, the answer is: Ultimately, it’s up to you and your partner.
LGBTQ New York Wedding: A Simpler, Easier Way to Plan a Beautiful, Iconic Wedding in Central Park
As far as same-sex weddings go, there are several important things couples need to discuss before they get started. Here are some key issues to consider when planning for one.
How to Obtain a Same-Sex Marriage License in New York
Beyond just thinking about your wedding ceremony, you have to apply for a marriage license if you're looking to be a lawfully wed couple. The NYS Department of Health has specific details on New York City's Marital relationship Equality Act. You need to go to the New York City Clerk office with the proper identifications and a $35 check for marriage licenses.
- The Office of the City Clerk - NYC Marriage Bureau is only open for scheduled walk-in visits.
- Virtual ceremonies are no longer available.
- You can schedule an appointment to apply for your marriage license by contacting them at 703-558-4200.
Choose an iconic location in Central Park for your wedding, and experience the most breathtakingly beautiful ceremony
Central Park Venues
Couples who want to make their dream ceremony a reality may consider having their wedding ceremony at Central Park. It’s a beautiful park where people from all walks of life come together to enjoy nature. It offers a variety of natural settings for ceremonies, so whether you choose an outdoor setting or one indoors depends entirely upon your preferences and needs. It also has many places where you can get married such as the Conservatory Garden, Bethesda Terrace. When planning your Central Park dream wedding, you’ve got plenty of iconic locations to choose from. The following list is just a few options:
Great Hill - 200 Capacity
Conservatory Garden French Garden - 100 Capacity
Cherry Hill - 100 Capacity
Summit Rock - 80 Capacity
The Pool and South Lawn - 80 Capacity
Cop Cot - 50 Capacity
Shakespeare Garden - 30 Capacity
Belvedere Castle - 30 Capacity
Ladies Pavilion - 25 Capacity
Gapstow Bridge - 20 Capacity
Wagner Cove - 15 Capacity
History of The Marriage Equality Act
Gay culture has always played an important role in Central Park’s history. In fact, the first gay pride march actually ended up happening right there in Central Park. In 2011, after nearly 40 years of legal battles, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5–4 that states cannot ban gay people from marrying. We're looking forward to helping capture your special day and making sure it becomes part of New York City’s rich LGBT history.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg issued an executive order on May 17, 2011, directing all city agencies to comply with the act. The mayor stated that he would defend the order in court if necessary. On August 1, 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals from two federal judges who ruled against the city's ban on same-sex marriages. On August 20, 2011, the New Jersey Supreme Court struck down its own ban on same-sex marriage, making New Jersey the 18th state to allow same-sex couples to marry. In response, Governor Chris Christie ordered New Jersey's county clerks to begin issuing licenses for same-sex weddings on October 21, 2011.
About Happenings™
Based in Manhattan, Happenings™ founder Tom Noel would often take a walk through Central Park. In 2008, during one of his walks, he stopped to sit at one of his favorite iconic locations in the Park, the Bethesda Fountain. It was there that Mr. Noel noticed that the intrinsic beauty that surrounded him was not being fully harnessed. He also realized that not a single business provided the exclusiveness of an affordable and high-quality event planner. Determined to change this, Happenings™ was born.
Happenings™ Ever After
Wedding planning takes a lot of work. Most people give up on their dreams of an iconic wedding ceremony because it feels too overwhelming to plan. We’re here to help you create a memory of a lifetime through thoughtfully organized planning tailored to iconic locations throughout Central Park so you can step into your moment with the one that you love.
Easily plan your dream ceremony, and we’ll help you take care of the rest.
Choose
Browse our venues and curated packages, find the one that speaks to you, and we’ll take care of the rest.
Reserve
We’ll connect you with your wedding team to start bringing your ceremony to life through expert guidance.
Celebrate
Exchange your vows in front of those you care about most, and love every moment of it.
BOOK YOUR ICONIC CENTRAL PARK WEDDING CEREMONY TODAY
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