On July 1, 2011, Claire Ady and Noel Ady, who had moved to New York from England, said “I do” as they stood under the Ladies Pavilion, a cast-iron, covered structure in a tranquil spot in Central Park that overlooks the lake.
“Our wedding was intimate and emotional,” said Ms. Ady, 46, who grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, a small town in England. “It felt so different from all of the traditional weddings I’d been to before.”
At the time, the couple were living in a studio apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and looking to relocate to the East Side. When apartment hunting, she would walk through the park. First, it became her backyard; then, it became a major part of her full-time business.
In 2012, she started a wedding planning company, known as Wed in Central Park, that focuses solely on helping couples get married in Central Park. Most of her clients are from England, but she also works with couples in the United States, Ireland, and other European countries.
“In England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, you’re not allowed to get married in a public park or your garden,” she said, noting an exception might be a football field. “Weddings must take place in a venue that has been given a full and legal marriage license by the local authority, like churches, hotels, and registry offices.”
Ms. Ady said that her most requested times and months are early afternoons in September and May, which offer the nicest weather, or April, which brings blooming cherry blossoms. She added that “December is for couples who love the idea of romance and the holidays.”
In 2015, Ms. Ady and her husband moved back home to England. Five years later, they were divorced.
Although her marriage ended, Ms. Ady said her love affair with Central Park did not. Though her first year in business brought only nine clients, who found her by word of mouth or through her website, she continued to gain momentum. Since 2015, she has organized 50 to 60 weddings a year. In 2022, she planned 82 weddings, an increase she attributed to the pandemic.
Today, Ms. Ady, who lives in Solihull, England, with her two sons, Thomas, 10, and Joseph, 9, said she still feels both excited and terrified about the pressures of organizing a wedding.
“It’s an enormous undertaking to be responsible for someone’s wedding, especially when traveling from Europe,” she said. “But the park is so impressive, striking and iconic that it’s done my job for me. I get the couple and their friends and family there, but Central Park delivers the views, beautiful backdrops and wow factor.”
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed.
What do you offer your clients?
I have different packages that include add-ons. My basic package includes guiding couples through the decision-making process and advising them where to get married in the park, obtaining the event permit, writing a ceremony and vows for each couple and hiring their officiant. It costs $575. Flowers and a cake, usually delivered to the couple’s hotel room, a photographer and videographer, makeup and hair, music — perhaps a singer and guitarist, harpist or violinist — and transportation, like a vintage trolley or old-fashioned yellow cab, can all be added for $3,000 to $4,000.
Who are your clients, and how do they find you?
They range from first-time marriers in their mid-20s to couples in their 70s who are getting married for a second time and they don’t want to repeat anything from their first wedding. Most couples have 10 to 15 guests. I also do elopements and vow renewals.
You focus on specific locations in the park. What makes them wedding-worthy?
The view; privacy; seating, because you are not allowed to bring your own seats into the park; coverage, because couples worry about rain; space, because not all spaces can accommodate the size of their party; and how much walking is involved.
The Bow Bridge and Bethesda Terrace, two of the most popular locations, are less private, but an early morning wedding can fix that. Wagner Cove is the most secluded because it’s tucked away by the lake and down a few steps. For groups of 40 or 50, Cop Cot is the way to go. It’s easy to spot from the street, has a small amount of seating, and offers a great backdrop and view.
The Ladies Pavilion is best for music or to shield the rain because there’s a roof, so the musician can play underneath. There are two benches, so eloping couples can sit and listen to a special song that’s being performed. Because there’s a flat paved area, they can have their first dance as a married couple right there.
What has evolved the most over the past 12 years?
The park has changed slightly, even since the 1850s when it was built. Since I’ve been running my business, Wagner Cove was vandalized and replaced, and Belvedere Castle was closed for repairs. Couples have changed more. Because of social media, people are more conscious of their photos, which can feel more important to them than their ceremony. It’s understandable because the photos are the memento of the day; they hang on your wall and are shared with people, and this is why they came to New York and to Central Park.
What have been some of your most memorable requests?
One couple wanted a piano, which we couldn’t make work. It was just too big. Another wanted to release doves, and another, butterflies, but that’s not allowed. You also can’t put up any decorations, balloons, or signs. We’ve done a variety of religious or cultural ceremonies: handfasting, jumping the broom and a lasso, which is a Hispanic tradition where a ceremonial rope or cord is placed around the couple. We’ve also done the ceremonies in Spanish, French and Chinese.
What is trending right now?
Vow renewals have become quite popular for couples celebrating their 20th or 30th anniversary. I didn’t do any in the beginning. Now, I do about 10 per year.
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