Weddings Redefined

Stories and advice from Bernadette Smith, visionary owner of 14 Stories, the nation's first firm specializing in creating legal LGBT weddings. Our weddings are unique, personal, beautiful and still, historical. We have offices in Boston and New York.

Five Tips for a Great New York Gay Wedding

Bernadette Coveney Smith - Thursday, June 30, 2011

Now that same-sex marriage is legal in New York, I'm sure that many of you have started your planning! Here are some tips for planning an incredible wedding in New York!

1. "I now pronounce you LEGALLY married!" That's a very powerful statement and it'll be made in one more state. Your guests will be in tears of joy for you as you are legally married. Consider hiring a Celebrant to write a personal and meaningful wedding ceremony for you.

2. Gay wedding traditions are alive and well. Think about incorporating one or more into your wedding, such as offering champagne to the guests before the wedding ceremony starts.

3. New York is so much more than New York City. You can also have a barn wedding in the Hudson Valley, a vineyard wedding on Long Island, or even a wedding in Niagra Falls. The choices are endless!

4. New York City weddings cost more than most places in the country. If you are planning a wedding in New York City and are budget-conscious, keep an eye on that guest list as an area for savings.

5. Remember that your wedding is your own. It's not your mom's, or your sister's, or your Aunt Suzie's. You can have any kind of wedding you want. Ignore any pressure you may get to follow tradition and feel free to have fun with the plans and make them extra reflective of who you are as a couple

And of course, we can help!

Are you planning a same-sex wedding in New York?

(photo by Kat Hempel)
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Comments
Bird commented on 30-Jun-2011 10:23 AM
Is offering champagne a specifically gay tradition? What are some of the other gay wedding traditions that are alive and well?
Bernadette commented on 30-Jun-2011 04:41 PM
The pre-ceremony champagne happens so frequently that I definitely find it to be traditional. Sometimes instead of champagne, it's actually an open bar. It's also become traditional for same-sex couples to either enter the ceremony space together down
one central aisle holding hands or process down two parallel aisles. Also, many same-sex couples sign a sacred marriage certificate that has come to be known as the Foundation Covenant, also signed by their guests. There are more but that's the quick rundown
of the trends we see...
Bird commented on 30-Jun-2011 08:31 PM
Do you find that these are things that hetero couples don't do? Are they same-sex specific?
Bernadette commented on 30-Jun-2011 10:16 PM
Yes, my straight clients don't tend to do those things. The foundation covenant is inspired by the Jewish ketubah and Quaker marriage certificate, however.
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