It takes two people to get married, but a whole lot more to put on a memorable wedding.
Whether you want to express your love through a more traditional wedding or throw all tradition aside, we present a select list of wedding planners, florists, photographers and more who can help you get the job done. Their resumes include putting on the first gay wedding reception at The New York Public Library, creating an intimate setting at Chelsea Piers’ expansive Sunset Terrace space and turning a backyard into a secret garden.
Whatever your vision, these vendors can help make it a reality.
VENUES
The Glass House in Chelsea
545 W. 25th St., 646-402-6557, glasshouseseventspacenyc.com
This event space has floor-to-ceiling glass window walls with views of lower Manhattan, the Hudson River and the Upper West Side. It can accommodate 200 people for cocktail receptions and 150 people for a seated dinner and has a fully equipped catering kitchen.
Chelsea Piers – Sunset Terrace
61 W. 23rd St., 212-336-6777, chelseapiers.com/se/event-spaces/sunset-terrace.cfm
A popular wedding destination for all couples, this 3,400-square-foot space is located on the 2nd floor of Chelsea Piers and has sweeping views of the Hudson River, including the Statue of Liberty. The spot can host as many as 300 guests.
The Elevated Acre
1 Hanover Square (between Stone & Pearl Streets), (212) 269-2323, masterpiececaterers.com/weddings/at-elevated-acre/
At this hidden location on the East River, you’ll find a Brazilian Hardwood Boardwalk, an outdoor lawn and garden, a seven-tiered amphitheater surrounding the lawn and an illuminated, rectangular glass beacon, all overlooking the river.
Trump Soho
246 Spring St., 212-842-5500, trumphotelcollection.com/soho
This desirable location offers a view of downtown Manhattan. In fact, the glass room on the 48th floor makes you feel like you are floating above the city.
Ritz Carlton at Battery Park
2 West St., 917-790-2447, ritzcarlton.com/batterypark
This hotel has become a popular spot to have same sex weddings. Ceremonies and celebrations can take place in their ballroom or in one of the more intimate rooms overlooking the harbor. With four certified LGBT wedding planners on staff, the Ritz Carlton offers same sex wedding packages from “The Rise High on Love,” which accommodates up to 100 guests, to the more intimate “Love With Liberty” package, which can host anywhere from eight to 20 guests.
Prince George Ballroom
15 E. 27th St., 212-471-0882
This landmark building in the heart of the Flatiron district offers a spacious and ornate venue. The intricately decorated ceilings and pillars give the room a stately feel, but it can also be made to feel intimate for smaller weddings.
Weylin B. Seymours
175 Broadway, Williamsburg, 718-963 3639, weylinbseymours.com
The iconic Williamsburgh Savings Bank recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation and is now open for social and cultural events, including weddings.
WEDDING PLANNERS
Sidekick Events
74 Fifth Ave., # 10B, 212-924-2909
Founded and run by Ellen Kostman, SideKick Events is dedicated to superior quality service and imaginative “out of the box” ideas. Kostman and her staff work closely with their clients to create unforgettable events withinn any budget range.
Baton NY
777 West End Ave., 917-797-0930, batonnyc.com
Run and owned by Angie Nevarez, who is meticulous in her planning, Baton is all about the details. Friendly and focused, Nevarez will help you plan your perfect wedding and takes care to ensure that no step or smallest detail is overlooked. Baton is based in the New York, but has done many destination weddings as well.
Marcy Blum
55 Fifth Ave., 212-929-9814, marcyblum.com
For a wedding planner with some celeb cred, Marcy Blum has planned weddings for Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Carl Icahn, Salmon Rushdie and Padma Lakshmi, Billy Joel and Katie Lee, the Rockefeller family and Regis and Joy Philbin. She is the author of “Wedding Planning for Dummies” and “Wedding Kit for Dummies.”
David Reinhard Events
136 E. 73rd St., 212-535-1520, davidreinhard.com
This company has done weddings ranging from the city to beaches to backyards to the mountains and overseas. A recent client includes the wedding of Martha’s Stewart’s nephew to his partner. The ceremony and reception was hosted at Stewart’s house in Bedford, New York, and was featured on the cover of Martha Stewart’s Wedding Magazine.
FLORISTS
Belle Fleur
134 Fifth Ave., 212-254-8703, bellefleurny.com
The mother-daughter duo creates romantic, contemporary floral designs with a focus on texture, color, and composition. Meredith Waga Perez, the daughter, began her career as a fashion designer and her sense of couture can be seen in Belle Fleur’s modern creations.
Verde Florists
11 Bruckner Blvd., Mott Haven, 212-684-5204, verdeflowers.com
The Bronx florist creates artsy and creative one of a kind floral designs and arrangements that reflects the client’s personality and taste.
City Iris
37 W. 26th St., Suite 200, 646-684-4051, cityiris.net
This floral design studio caters to wedding couples looking for a vibe that’s romantic, traditionalist, minimalist, retro, modern and more.
Lewis Miller Design
441 E. 12th St., 212-614-2734, lewismillerdesign.com
Lewis Miller Design is more than a floral shop. Miller was born and raised in California and trained in horticulture and landscape design. He quickly developed a love of nature, and his vision is to create a natural country feel in an urban landscape. It has grown into an event planning company with a focus on creating exceptional beauty.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Christian Oth Studio
147 W. 25th St., 9th Fl., 212-634-7949, christianothstudio.com
Considered one of the top 10 wedding photographers in the world, the Christian Oth Studio turns wedding photography into fine art. The studio takes an editorial and photojournalist approach to their photographs to let their artistic sensibility and eye for light and composition shine through.
Chellise Michael Photography
56 Bogart St., Williamsburg, 917-974-5129, chellisemichaelphotography.com
These photographers offer Polaroid as well as digital. They stay away from the cliché by turning their photographs into artful images. They are interested in collaborating with their clients, and perhaps even becoming friends with them.
CATERING
Neuman’s Kitchen
203 Chrystie St., 212-228-2444, neumanskitchen.com
Presentation and taste are two of the distinguishing factors of Neuman’s Kitchen. With trays that are designed and built in-house, the food not only tastes amazing, but looks amazing, too. As the saying goes, you eat with your eyes first.
Bite Catering
917-676-1320, 646-554-4776, bitefood.com
For Scott Skey and Nick Hosea, founders of Bite Catering, flavor comes first. With great attention to the detail and nuance of each dish, the two bring balance and precision to every bite.
Peter Callahan Catering
137 W.25th St., 212-327-1144, petercallahan.com
Founded 1985 and considered a culinary design studio, this catering company is known for producing innovative dishes, particularly miniature ones, that have never been seen before. Callahan wants his dishes to be conversation pieces, and in doing so, creates a very boutique and unique feel for his creations.
Olivier Cheng Catering and Events
12-16 Vestry St., 212-625-3151, ocnyc.com
Cheng believes in bringing passion and perfection to food. Combining classic culinary techniques with imaginative dishes, he brings a worldly feel to the meals he serves.
Cocktail Caterers
416 W. 23rd St., 646-331-9191, cocktailcaterers.com
This full-service catering company serves the tri-state area, including the Hamptons and Fire Island. Passionate about offering a modern twist on classical cuisines, the male duo creates menus that reflects your personal taste and are influenced from their global travels.
OTHER FOOD RELATED SERVICES
Oysters XO
312 11th Ave. #22d, 917-297-5929, oystersxo.com
After just 18 months, Oysters XO (XO stands for extra old, like Cognac XO, meaning a bigger, juicier, more mature oyster) is already a hit on the wedding circuit. Rifko Meier hires oyster girls and now guys (think cigarette girls) to serve his famous oysters.
CAKE MAKERS
Ron Ben-Israel Cakes
42 Greene St. #5, 212-625-3369, weddingcakes.com
From exquisitely designed romantic cakes to ones that make bolder statements, Ben-Israel works with his clients to design the perfect cake, including kosher and gluten-free ones upon request.
Sugar Flower Cake Shop
336 W. 37th St. #950, 212-993-6441, sugarflowercakeshop.com
Local ingredients, organic sugar, gluten-free and kosher options and sugar flowers that look so real you think they’re not meant for eating, the Sugar Flower Cake Shop does it all. From the beautifully traditional cakes to more quirky, fun ones, founder Amy Noelle, who used to be an actuary in the Hudson Valley, will make whatever your heart desires.
A White Cake
335 W. 38th St. 11th Fl., 917-513-9559, awhitecake.com
After spending six years working at design firms, founder Lauren Bohl White decided to enter the cake business. She enrolled in culinary school and subsequently apprenticed under cake maker master Ruth Drennan, where she learned how to make natural looking sugar flowers. White aims to make wedding cake decisions as easy and seamless as possible and delivers her inventive cakes within a 100-mile radius of Columbus Circle.
BANDS
Elan Artists
888-800-3526, elanartists.com
Take your pick. Elan Artists has everything from wedding bands to wedding DJs to jazz and performance acts. Each one is considered to be a staple within the wedding industry.
Rum Runners Jazz
347-979-7360, rumrunnersjazz.com
These professional musicians look sharp, have flexible taste, pay attention to the amount of time in between the songs they play and take last-minute requests. Fun, lively and worldly – what more could you want?
Creations Music
212-579-0096, creationsmusic.com
This act performs the classics, current songs and everything in between in acts ranging from seven to 15 pieces, including a harpist.
EVENT DESIGN
The Showplace Floral & Event Design
347-541-7406, theshowplaceny.com
The event florist and décor specialty company is dedicated to making your wedding a day you never want to end. It has offices in New York, East Hampton and Nassau County.
INVITATIONS
East Six
580 Broadway, Suite 902, 212-665-4846, eastsix.com
A boutique design studio founded by childhood best friends, East Six works intimately with all clients to create customized invitations based on the story and personality of the wedding couple.
Happy Menocal
Working mostly in watercolor and print, Happy Menocal’s stationary line looks like pieces you’ll find hanging in an art gallery. The work is so meticulous, in fact, Menocal hand-paints invitations for just a few special events each year.
LIGHTING AND STAGING
Frost Lighting
P.O. Box 489/FDR Station, 212-751-0223, frostproductions.biz
Over the past 30 years, Frost has grown into a national special event lighting company that uses the latest LED and intelligent programmable lighting and are considered leaders in the industry. Frost offers custom shades and light fixtures as well as chandeliers.
L&M Sound and Light
145 Granite Avenue, Staten Island, 718-720-4213, lmsound.com
Backed by years of theatrical lighting design and production experience, L&M Sound and Light create imaginative settings no matter where the wedding is located. Expect the highest quality and thoughtfully curated environments for any kind of space.
