About 2000 Lovingly Officiated Weddings by Judie L. Guild. NY Registration #77862. JudieGuild@outlook.com.
Outdoor Weddings
It was raining cats & dogs and lions & tigers & bears
J+A wanted to marry on the Brooklyn Bridge. I wanted to marry j+A on the Brooklyn Bridge. And Liam wanted to photograph J+A on the Brooklyn Bridge and throughout DUMBO. After all, the groom wore a kilt, and the bride lovingly made her dress. They were so sweet and so cute. The forecast suggested the […]
MoreTwo guys return home to get married in Brooklyn
B+C lived for years in a beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood. Not too long ago, a job offer too amazing to turn down came their way. They packed their bags and moved to California. Still, they kept their home in Brooklyn. And when Marriage Equality passed last year, they decided to “make-it-legal” after eleven years of friendship […]
MoreJefferson Market Garden Wedding
During warm months, garden weddings and waterfront weddings are my two favorites. If the space is private, I confess that I feel relieved. Most of my couples planning informal ceremonies opt for public spaces. And I cherish public parks. At the same time, having officiated so many park marriage ceremonies with strangers taking photos as […]
MoreA heartfelt ceremony in the West Village
I’ve married lots and lots of ladies lately! I’ve also married lots of guys, but very few opted for professional photographers at all. J+G originally planned to marry on the High Line. They changed course, though. Instead, after taking some photos on and around the High Line, they exchanged very personal vows before a few […]
MoreAn intimate wedding becomes an elopement
S+S first contacted me with plans to invite family and friends to their June marriage ceremony in the Shakespeare Garden. A few e-mails later, they booked formally. Weeks rolled by. Then the groom sent an e-mail canceling: they were having a really hard time coordinating schedules with family and friends. A few weeks later, he […]
MoreBrighton Beach/Coney Island Marriage Ceremony
These women genuinely appear as though they are ready to chill on the beach! Last year, I experienced awful luck with my beach ceremonies: it kept raining! Although it did sprinkle during this couple’s ceremony, which is why we took cover in the gazebo, the skies soon cleared. I believe my luck has shifted. By […]
MoreThe Fabulous Light and Shade of Tryon Park
For the love of comfort, please follow G+J’s lead and consider how you will feel on your wedding day. I think G+J, who are both newlyweds and new home owners, got it all right. Making sure you will feel overall comfy on your big day means choosing a place that you not only love, but […]
MoreThe beauty of a quiet marriage ceremony in the Ramble
I love the Ramble, and I love the way these two Long Islanders interacted before, during, and after their wedding ceremony. Despite a touch of chaos and concerns about other parts of their lives, they were so calm, serene, and emotive on the day they married. I am not sure if they embraced worries as […]
MoreWedding Ceremony at 5 Pointz
A+N planned their NYC elopement months in advance, and their hearts were set on marrying surrounded by the playful, constantly changing graffiti at 5 Pointz in Long Island City. When we arrived, we all encountered a booth selling advertising for 5 Pointz and new artists preparing their redecorating plans. Fortunately, a basic fee ($100) paid […]
MoreWhen you marry, you should feel free to be yourselves
S+S had some serious fun on their wedding day. And I had fun marrying them too! These two women brought along friends from home, another guest took a bus from a nearby state, and S’s daughter and partner attended as well. We are so happy that everyone felt comfortable enough to relax and “reveal their […]
MoreCop Cot Wedding Ceremony
Just over one year ago, the lovely and low-key E+W traveled from Ireland to marry in the Ladies Pavilion. This May, I married their wonderful friends (G+E), who also traveled from Ireland! These two couples are among the nicest, cutest, and gentlest couples I’ve ever met. In fact, both pairs were together for years and […]
MoreBrooklyn Bridge Marriage Ceremony / DUMBO Wedding Tour
In the urban world, summer commences with Memorial Day weekend. S+J married in mid-May on a weekday in the middle of the day. If you want to marry on the Brooklyn Bridge, please, please consider the timing during the summer. Please, please imagine the crowds that will be present normally. Then envision a Saturday or […]
MoreProspect Park Boathouse wedding for a pretty and sweet couple
A bit about these local New Yorkers: Shamik and Shannon met in their senior years of high school during a Model United Nations’ conference at Yale. They were both on the future Security Council, where Shamik demonstrated a knack for dominating debates. His skills impressed Shannon enough to compel her to walk near him to […]
MoreParents marry during their NYC vacation–a “marrymoon”
T+S now hold the record for “our couple who covered the most ground by foot.” After their ceremony alongside the Glen Span Arch (Central Park West & 103rd Street), we walked down to the Bethesda Terrace (Central Park West/5th Avenue and 72nd Street). Yes, many of couples have covered twenty-three blocks inside the park, but […]
MoreA Beautifully Blue, If Windy, Spring Day Wedding
A little bit about this bride and groom (their story in my words): Jamie met Jesse and his two daughters, Lex and Liv, through e-harmony about two years ago. Although Jamie was busy enjoying single life, she was impressed by Jesse. A fantastic parent, Jesse also quickly proved to be a fantastic companion during their […]
MoreA guy, a girl, and a vintage yellow cab
As much as my spouse sincerely loves cars and i-products, I do not. The shadow of radical politics will never depart from my mind. But I do like most vintage things. Even I admit that vintage cars are very nifty. And I do think that any couple planning myriad activities or photos on their wedding […]
MoreA lovely couple from Queens marries in Central Park
J+P opted for a most unusual ceremony and reception arrangement. I’ve married couples who planned private ceremonies immediately (versus the next day or week or month, which is very common) followed by a larger reception previously, but most invite parents or siblings to witness the exchange of vows. This pattern–a local couple who truly eloped […]
MoreSometimes you need to skip a few states to really get married by an officiant
Most *choose* to elope or marry in an intimate wedding. Sadly, due to cowardice and ignorance, some couples must elope. C+N drove from the mid-West to get married here in Queens, NYC. In part, they did choose to come here. Since they are planning a celebration with family and friends in the future, though, I […]
MoreAnd this is the way traditionalists get married by a wedding officiant
Yes, folks, having a formal wedding in a NYC public park is totally feasible. Although you may want a tiny wedding or elopement, you can still find your dream gown or wear a tux and get a marvelous bouquet. You can ask your intimate wedding/ elopement celebrant (whether it is me or someone else) to […]
MoreOn choosing images from weddings to post and thoughts about the Bow Bridge
It’s not easy to select images to post. Here is roughly how I decide which to use. First, I almost always include a general ceremony photo with the couple, backdrop, and at least a hint of me. Secondly, I try to create some sort of brief narrative with ceremony highlights. Then we move onto the […]
MoreThe Sweet and Simple Classic Civil Ceremony
What’s wrong with the classic civil ceremony? Nothing at all. For almost five hundred years, whether religious or non-religious, millions of couples pledged their devotion using essentially the same vows. Sure, some variation exists. But the essence has held constant. A “Dearly beloved….” introduces a reminder to couples about the responsibilities and joys of marriage, […]
MoreInformal & Romantic Ceremony at City Hall Park
C+T first planned an intimate wedding with family and friends. While wonderful, though, the plans seemed to morph into something they did not want: their “sweet and simple” small wedding became much more. A month or two later, Liam and I received an e-mail inquiring about our availability for an earlier elopement. Naturally, we were […]
MoreTop of the Rock Wedding Ceremony
I could stare at this couple all day long; they are so pretty inside and out!!! Melanie and John’s love story offers reminders to take advantage of every possible opportunity. In May 2009, Melanie rushed to Nissan to have her car serviced on a lunch break. John insisted she slow down long enough to receive […]
MoreAn almost winter ceremony in “the” park
C+D found the warmest, sunniest spot at the Bethesda Terrace for their exchange of vows. Why? It’s getting cold, folks! Seriously. Except for October 29th, Mother Nature gave New Yorkers a long Autumn this year. But the temperature is gradually dropping and the winds are increasing.
MoreGuerrilla wedding on the steps of a church
Eight hundred years ago, couples did not marry inside the church. They exchanged brief vows in the present tense at the church doors. Then they ventured inside for mass–the sermon, communion, and blessing. This lovely couple, who planned a quick weekend elopement or destination wedding from afar, did nearly the same thing. In a civil […]
MoreA fairy tale continues
Personalized Prelude their ceremony: Neither Michelle nor Steve expected to encounter each other; they were not exactly looking for true love. Life was too busy interfering and forcing them to focus on the other big stuff. But God was smiling; amid their hard-work in other areas, fate was arranging a meeting. Early in 2009, Steve […]
MoreElegant Solemnity & Serene Smiles for this Eloping Couple
I have lots of fun with destination weddings, and I marry a lots of couples from elsewhere. But have I written lately about how much I love and appreciate my couples who live, work, and play in New York? S+S will always have a special place in the drawers of my memory files because it […]
MoreA duck, greenery, colorful leaves, and some snow
As anyone living in the Northeast recalls with awe, the temperature dipped downwards and the atmosphere conditions prompted me to stare out the window and declare in a loud voice “Geez, I think that’s sleet…no, it’s snow!” on October 29th. Fortunately, given the slippery paths and swirling snow, I married a couple in their home […]
MoreCentral Park Wedding/Elopement Tour
When couples enlist Liam’s services for a full session of three hours, they are able to really explore the city. In this case, G+D began with a wedding ceremony at the Belvedere Castle Plaza overlooking Turtle Pond and then continued south to the Shakespeare Garden, Ramble, Bow Bridge, Bethesda Terrace/Angel of Waters’ Fountain, the Mall, […]
MoreYears of walking the dogs later, couple finally elopes!
It is a common story for an officiant to learn her couple has been together for a year or two or three. It is equally common to hear a line similar to this one: “we’ve been together for many years, and we finally decided to get married.” I’ve even married a few couples who had […]
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