New York luxury hotel

The New Year always brings a flurry of engagements and if that’s you and your special someone, a million congratulations! Of course, soon after the initial excitement comes the multitude of questions, the where, when, how…and this is where I may be of some help.

After our engagement in Paris, we knew that we wanted a low-key but luxurious destination wedding in a city that meant something to us. Our New York wedding last summer was an absolute dream and to mark our first year anniversary, we’re planning a trip back there in a few months to relive the memories.

Destination weddings can take away some of stresses of typical wedding days, however getting married abroad can pose its own challenges. Here are a few handy tips that I learned along the way on how to have an amazing wedding in New York…

What’s Your Wedding Style?

Most New York elopements tend to be small and intimate affairs, but there’s nothing to say you can’t take over a different city with a big wedding party including all of your friends and family. Once you’ve established the size, time of year and budget, decide whether your wedding is best suited to, say, a warehouse loft with twinkling lights, the private room at Lafayette that’s sure to please foodies, the chic rooftop at the Gramercy Park Hotel, a pretty spot in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or the quick and easy Office of the City Clerk (City Hall).

Get the Licence

The first step is to get your marriage licence at the Office of the City Clerk in downtown Manhattan. To avoid extra paperwork at the office, apply online in advance and leave plenty of time have your documents and payment processed by a clerk. This is also the place where lots of couples get married, so you can pass the time by watching other couples celebrate their big day. One of the grooms sat next to us fell asleep, but that’s another story!

Timing is a key issue, as you are required by law to wait a full 24 hours before your marriage ceremony can be performed, unless a judge grants a judicial waver (only in exceptional circumstances). For peace of mind, get this over and done with on your first full day in New York so the fun can start.

How to Get Married in Central Park

Central Park was our number one choice and it couldn’t have been any more magical at the picturesque Wagner Cove, with rowing boats passing by and little turtles jumping off the rocks. You might be wondering how to go about getting married in Central Park, but it’s actually very simple. The park is a public space and you can get married there by hiring an officially registered officiant to conduct the ceremony.

There isn’t actually a fee to get married in the park, however, to secure use of a particular venue, it’s advisable to get a special event permit, even if there are fewer than the stated 20 guests. This costs $25 and covers a two-hour time slot on your wedding day. The permit takes up to 30 days to process and the permit was sent by post to our officiant, who offered to help secure our venue.

Of course, it’s important to remember that the park is open to the public, so if you arrive to find a family tucking into a picnic right on your spot, get your most charming (or pushy) relative to shift them politely. There aren’t many park rangers roaming around to lay down the law, but everyone we met in the park was super-friendly and chatty, so it shouldn’t have to come down to flashing your permit.

Do I Need a Wedding Planner?

As many times as I’ve watched J.Lo in The Wedding Planner (more than I wish to admit), it didn’t make sense for us to hire a specialist for our wedding, especially since I’m one of those strange people that actually enjoys planning and admin. I made the bookings for everyone in our party, including flights, our accommodation at the WestHouse New York and our reception dinner at Little Park in Tribeca, as well as all of our wedding vendors.

Many planners offer a full service, to make things run smoothly on the day for larger parties, but these packages can run into thousands of dollars, so be sure that it’s something that you want to delegate.

Vendors

You might think it’s tricky to organise your big day from such a distance without a planner, but the internet is your friend when choosing your wedding vendors and there is no shortage of talented people in New York to make it happen.

I signed up to Wedding Wire – a handy online directory that connects you with local vendors, including wedding/reception venues, DJs, florists, stylists and jewellers. I used it to view the portfolio and reach out to our photographer Emilia Randler, who photographed our wedding beautifully and made us all feel at ease.

We found our officiant Sarah Smart at Officiant NYC and liaised by email to decide on our type of ceremony and vows. She understood the kind of relaxed yet dedicated ceremony we wanted and everything went as planned.

For wedding beauty, it’s worth securing your stylists or appointments well in advance, especially if you can book online. I knew that New Yorkers are serious about their grooming, but didn’t realise that appointments at the most exclusive nail bars, salons and blow-bars can get snapped up literally weeks in advance. However, this is the city that never sleeps, so there are still plenty of options if all doesn’t go to plan – you’ll never be left high and dry…or unpolished!

The Technical Stuff

You got married…woohoo! But it’s not over yet, as it’s back to that ole Office of the City Clerk to do the paperwork and get your marriage certificate. At this point, it’s essential to know exactly what is needed to make your marriage valid in your home country – it’s not like you can just pop back easily to sort out any mistakes.

You might expect the officials involved in your wedding to be walking wedding encyclopedias, but they’re not necessarily au fait with requirements outside of the US, so I was glad to have done my research ahead of time.

Unless you plan to also get married officially in the UK, you can get everything tied up with a UK extension certificate. I won’t lie, it’s quite a hassle, possibly adding hours to your City Clerk visit and sending you on a wild goose chase to various government offices in downtown Manhattan. In fact, it was such a mission that we missed our planned train for our honeymoon in Montauk, so be sure to leave a full afternoon to get it sorted.

While the City Clerk gave us detailed instructions on how to proceed, we found this detailed guide from a UK couple on Tripadvisor extremely helpful. There are a few extra small fees involved with this process, but it’s necessary to seal the deal back home.

Planning our New York wedding was quite an adventure, but it was totally manageable and mostly a fun experience. If you have any questions about getting married in New York, send them my way in the comments below.

The Greenwich Hotel in New York’s hip Tribeca neighbourhood is more than just one of the city’s coolest hotels, it’s a true home away from home.

Owned and designed by Robert De Niro, The Greenwich Hotel is full of character and charm, with a generous, friendly approach and fine attention to detail.

A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, The Greenwich Hotel has a bohemian-luxe aesthetic and feels like the grand residence of an intrepid explorer, with artefacts from around the globe.

Arrival

The first thing we noticed on arrival is that the urban lodge-style lobby and adjoining private guest lounge are filled with artworks by Robert De Niro, Sr. This prestigious collection of the renowned painter’s works has awarded the hotel ‘gallery status’.

The Suite

We were given a spectacular Studio Suite with a double window view over the picturesque terrace. Each of the 88 rooms and suites are individually designed and our open-plan suite featured a light colour palette with touches of duck egg blue and tan, dark wood and leather touches.

The room was an eclectic mix of heavy American and Asian furniture, oak floors, Tibetan rugs, antiques, objets d’art, coffee table books and original artworks. It’s all about texture, from the butter-soft over-sized leather sofa to the exquisite, hand-carved wooden bed. It was like the apartment of my dreams – tasteful, cultured and quietly luxurious.

A Welcome Treat

We were welcomed with a platter of Italian biscuits and nuts, large bottles of still and sparkling water and a copy of the ever-so-cool Revel In New York guidebook.

As expected from a hotel owned by a legendary movie star, our suite featured state of the art technology, including a large HDTV, DVD player and library, iPad, iPod docking station and free wifi access.

The king-size Duxiana bed with Kearsley linen and gold reading lights was sumptuous, plump and extremely comfortable.

Free Minibar & Snacks

One of the stand-out features was the generous selection of complimentary amenities. We had free access to the soft drinks in the mini bar stocked with full-size Diet Coke, Coca Cola, San Pellegrino cans, Fiji Water, juices and mixers. For a stronger drink, full-size premium spirits are available.

Also provided was a complimentary hamper filled with American treats – some healthy, some more indulgent – including extra dark pretzels, gourmet potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, mixed nuts, caramel pecan popcorn, cranberry oat bars, peanut M&Ms, Goobers, Swedish Fish, Tic-Tacs and many others.

As if that wasn’t enough, there was a sweetie jar filled with chocolate and candy on the table. Something tells me Robert De Niro has a sweet tooth…

The Bathroom

The spacious master bathroom was a real work of art, with hand-laid Moroccan tiles, walk-in shower, double sink and a spectacular free standing soaking tub carved from Italian Carrera marble. There was also a smaller guest bathroom on entering the suite with pretty botanical illustrated wallpaper and a gilt gold mirror.

The bathroom amenities were impressive, with a generous selection of full-size products by Red Flower, a New York organic luxury skin and body care brand with a bijoux boutique in SoHo. We were also offered plenty of fluffy towels, embroidered bathrobes and slippers and a morning Vitamin C drink sachet.

Shibui Spa

Shibui Spa, exclusively for hotel guests, is an Asian sanctuary of calm in the city. The spectacular, lantern-lit pool, under the wood and bamboo roof of a 250-year-old Japanese farmhouse transported from Kyoto and reconstructed by Japanese craftsmen in the spa, is both calming and seductive. The blanket-covered loungers, subtle lounge music and bottles of Voss help set the mood.

The spa has four treatment rooms, including a shiatsu room, a wet room with a shower for wraps and scrubs, a traditional Japanese bathing room with a large tub for bathing rituals and a treatment room for massages and facials. Other facilities include a powerful sauna and steam room in the changing rooms.

A Reviving Massage

To start my New York trip with a sense of tranquility and well-being, I booked in for a Basic Lotus massage ($165) with expert therapist, Dan.

With superhuman speed, Dan kneaded and unknotted the tension all over my body, using soothing organic oils and hot towel compresses. By the end of the one hour treatment, my body felt supple and my spirit was uplifted and revitalised. This is certainly not a snooze-inducing massage and Dan himself told me that he tends to ‘go deep’ to get the best results. However, the divine head massage sent me off into other realms.

Dinner at Locanda Verde

After a late-afternoon of unwinding in Shibui Spa, we had a light supper at Locanda Verde, Andrew Carmellini’s casual Italian taverna at The Greenwich Hotel.

The expansive dining room is rustic chic and was already packed full when we came downstairs to eat on an early weekday evening. The restaurant has real spirit – boisterous and buzzing with a well-heeled downtown crowd.

Instead of the usual bread basket, we started with a delicious trio of focaccia. We were tempted by the mouth-watering selection of pasta dishes on the menu. When a chef of high distinction mentions a secret family recipe, as in ‘My Grandmother’s Ravioli’, you know that you’re on to something good.

I ordered the Paccheri with Sunday night ragu and provolone piccante ($20). The large, thick tubes of pasta were cooked perfectly al dente and were smothered in a rich roasted tomato sauce with succulent pulled pork and flavoursome beef. The provolone piccante added intensity to the dish and torn fresh basil finished it off perfectly.

Orrechiette with fennel sausage, chickpeas, escarole and fiore sardo ($18) was also a triumph. The sauce was fresh and zesty with the added tastiness of meat juices. The combination of chickpeas and dense pasta made it a very filling, indulgent dish.

The Rustic Potatoes with garlic and parmigiano-reggiano ($8) were an excellent accompaniment – crispy, flavoursome and lightly covered in aioli and fresh herbs.

Full from the pasta, we skipped dessert in favour of a walk around Tribeca in the moonlight. If you arrive late at the hotel or are exhausted after a long day exploring the city, 24-hour room service from Locanda Verde is available. It’s also possible order Carmellini’s dishes in the quieter, more intimate private guest lounge.

Morning Wake-Up Call

In the morning, we enjoyed our wake-up call with complimentary tea, served beautifully on a silver tray with Dammann Frères teas, a cute little carafe of milk, Bonne Maman honey and plenty of hot water. We opened the windows to our Juliette balcony and enjoyed our morning tea in the sunshine – what a delightful way to wake up!

Locanda Verde serves a tempting breakfast with dishes such as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Toasted Hazelnut French Toast and the restaurant’s famous Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with truffle honey and burnt orange toast. Or for a light bite, try one of pastry chef Karen DeMasco’s authentic Italian pastries with a cappuccino.

The Greenwich Hotel is a benchmark for all other luxury hotels and is the kind of place that you fall in love with instantly. From the exemplary service to the overwhelmingly dedicated design touches, The Greenwich Hotel is a downtown jewel that is hard to beat.

The Leading Hotels of the World offers stays at The Greenwich Hotel from $495 per room per night based on two people sharing room only. For more info and booking, visit: www.lhw.com/greenwich

Chérie City was a guest of The Greenwich Hotel and received a $100 gift certificate for Shibui Spa.

For more New York travel ideas, read my review of:

How to Plan a New York Destination Wedding