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Friday, August 26, 2011

New York City Hall wedding

Our good friends Maz and Lee tied the knot at New York's City Hall. The following evening, they threw a big party in Brooklyn for our friends. The weekend was so relaxed, easygoing and full of love. These photos look straight out of a 1960's French film!

Would you ever consider getting married at City Hall?

(Photos by Stephen K. Schuster. Lee's dress was from Theory; her veil, jewelry and shoes were vintage.)

136 comments:

  1. yes!! I love it. In fact, my fiance & I are planning on getting married at NYC City Hall in May. We live in Virginia :)

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  2. I love City Hall weddings! They seem so romantic and intimate :)

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  3. amazing, they are such beautiful photos!

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  4. Holly3:15 PM

    I love her veil!

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  5. I did get married at City Hall in NYC. I'm from Toronto but we love NY and decided to go there. I wore a black Moschino cocktail dress. It was our second marriage - to each other!

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  6. I just realized, the photo beside my comment was taken on the day of my marriage - that is the dress!

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  7. Gorgeous photos!

    I loved our big wedding, but if I ever had to do it again, something like this appeals to me.

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  8. Love the idea. Plus it seems so much less stressful to just have a big party.

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  9. Anonymous3:19 PM

    I love the close up of her. She looks like Natalie Portman. Lovely

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  10. Beautiful photos!

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  11. I have always wanted a big wedding, but these photos make me question that... Gorgeous!

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  12. Those photos are so beautiful and her dress is perfect! You can totally see how much in love they are:) Brilliant and congrats to the happy couple. Kisses, Joanna

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  13. this is amazingly romantic!

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  14. so vintage looking, and she is absolutely lovely!

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  15. ahhh, reminds me of mad men!! looove that vintage look to everything!

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  16. yes, it's totally mad men, hadn't thought of that! :)

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  17. I actually think this is a hugely romantic thing to do and would definitely consider doing this if I could do it all over again.

    Also, she's beautiful and those photos are so old-fashioned looking, in the best possible way.

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  18. Aww pretty Leelee!

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  19. YES. Totally planned on it until husband's family put the kabosh on it 2 months before our wedding date. The vineyard wedding trade off wasn't terrible by any means ...

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  20. Wow. She is so pretty!

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  21. only if it's NYC city hall!

    xxoo
    www.paperplanesandmaryjanes.com

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  22. omg i want to marry her, she is so pretty! i love her dress as well.

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  23. Definitely! Especially at a big city hall like in NYC! I love the idea of getting married there and then going home and having a party with family and friends.

    We were married at an arts and science museum. :)

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  24. timeless. i love city hall weddings.

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  25. she looks lovely. i adore her vintage veil. xo

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  26. My parents got married at City Hall. If I should be married, I hope to try and cary on the tradition.

    Ladies, where ya at?

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  27. I probably wouldn't have thought to get married at City Hall before I saw these photos, but now I'm reconsidering. She looks stunning.

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  28. San Francisco's Civic Center would be a wonderful place to get married...maybe its because Arsenic and Oldlace is my favorite movie....but I think weddings at city halls are terribly romantic :)

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  29. lovely!

    i've actually daydreamed about getting married in santa barbara at their county courthouse. it's covered in spanish tiles and is such a beautiful location.

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  30. There's a fantastic video on Vimeo about a City Hall wedding. Won't link it here. And I can't believe no one's commented on how great the groom looks.

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  31. Absolutely! My husband and I married at City Hall almost two years ago, and had our wedding photos taken over the Brooklyn Bridge and in the NYC subway. We had glorious 70 degree weather, a friend carrying a minibar in her backpack, bubbles, laughter, congratulations and good wishes from New Yorkers and tourists, cabbies honking horns at us...BEST DAY EVER. I would do it over again in a heartbeat.

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  32. tammy3:54 PM

    these photos are so beautiful-- definitely french film worthy!
    Although a city hall wedding seems nice and intimate, I can't give up my dream of having a small garden wedding

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  33. Stunning photos! The simplicity and beauty of this wedding day truly is the way to go. :)

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  34. Anonymous4:04 PM

    I was married in a tiny, old church and it was the perfect venue for us--but I would love to get married in City Hall. These photos are gorgeous! Now let's see some from the party!

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  35. I have never wanted a big wedding in any way (I kind of feel like it should be a bit of a private thing, really), and the idea of going all the way to City Hall (I live in England) and then coming back home for a party a little while afterwards is the most romantic thing I can possibly think of. It doesn't hurt that I adore New York! These pictures just confirm what I thought - thanks for posting them!

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  36. i probably wouldn't get married at city hall myself but these photos are incredibly beautiful and the whole event seems so lovely and intimate.

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  37. This is so cute! I probably would after looking at these pictures.

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  38. I'd like to get married like this

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  39. These are such lovely pictures of them - a gorgeous couple and such nice people!

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  40. INDEED! My husband and I were married at SF City Hall in March. As a long time resident and lover of the building there was no other place that was more perfect for us. We didnt have wedding decor since the the natural architecture of the space led to simply stunning beauty. While we didnt get married publically or by the justice of the peace we did have the most romantic wedding with only 35 of our favorite friends and family. We treated our guests to a 5-star dining experience at Boulevard. Congrats to the beautiful couple!

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  41. The bride is reminiscent of Jacqueline Kennedy... classic beauty. Lovely pics!

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  42. These pictures are so romantic!

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  43. those pictures look like they are out of a carey grant movie! she looks so classy!

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  44. it's such a romantic idea, but i don't think i'd do it. i'm a summer wedding barefoot in the backyard surrounded by our family kind of girl. but hey, love comes in a zillion forms. whatever floats your boat.

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  45. beautiful wedding photos!

    classic and chic.

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  46. Very nice in black and white

    Congratulations.

    Filip

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  47. Margarita Gallardo4:51 PM

    I got married at City Hall in San Francisco (the building is absolutely beautiful). We ended up having an intimate lunch in the patio of a French cafe for our family after the ceremony, then threw a bigger party for the rest of our friends, complete with a taco truck! It was one of happiest and best days (aside from the birth of our baby girl)

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  48. i got married in positano town hall just this past may and it was more than i could have ever hoped and dreamt of. :)

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  49. I got married at San Francisco City Hall too. The architecture is priceless and it made for a romantic, exciting, mostly relaxed day.

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  50. Hey Joanna, just wanted to say that the coupon code you posted for the she-bible curator website does NOT work. If there is something special that I have to do to make it work, please let me know! Thanks.

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  51. I would never consider anything other than City Hall for my wedding. The photos are beautiful, they look so happy. For me love is beyond any religion...

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  52. I got married at San Francisco City Hall too -- 2 weeks ago today. :-) It ended up being a flash mob wedding! We only planned to have our immediate families as witnesses since they can't guarantee that the ceremony location will accommodate more than 6 people. All our friends from out of town ended up showing up anyway, so they got to witness it too! It was so much fun to have them all cheer us on! Afterwards, our friends ate some yummy bites from the Off the Grid food trucks that happened to be set up in the plaza outside, and we went off with our families to eat a late lunch at a little tiny pizza place where my now husband and I had our first date. It was truly fun and special!

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  53. Oh my god, those are the most gorgeous b & w photos ever. I love them! And I don't know if I'd do a city hall wedding - maybe if I was eloping? I don't know!

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  54. We considered it...I am pregnant with baby 2 and we still haven't tied the not (first came love, then came house, then came renovations, then came babies...then came marriage!)

    We are thinking of a small backyard ceremony - next summer!

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  55. she looks beautiful! fairytale wedding!

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  56. City Hall in NYC is so beautiful that I don't think that it would feel like a "city hall" wedding at all. These gorgeous pictures certainly prove that!

    I don't plan on having a huge ceremony, so it would be nice to do things small and simple at City Hall and then have a big, fun reception for all of our friends after.

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  57. Gorgeous pictures! love her wedding dress and hair accesories! also the first picture looks like it was taken in the 60's!

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  58. Absolutely gorgeous!

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  59. so gorgeous! she absolutely embodies jackie o - so beautiful!

    -meesch
    http://aperfectkindofday.blogspot.com

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  60. There's something so romantic about a simple wedding like this!

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  61. What gorgeous photos! I would definitely consider getting married like that. As dreamy as the usual weddings can be, I've never met a bride who wasn't saying "I just can't wait until it's over" at least a few times in the final few days before the event! But then again, I've always kind of dreamed of eloping. :)

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  62. Beautiful Photographs. City Hall weddings are all the rage these days!

    xo
    www.aminuteinthelifeofmaria.blogspot.com

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  63. ahh! this is so darling...love love love.

    xoxox bun
    http://www.bybun.com/buns-blog

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  64. love everything about this! i love small intimate weddings. so romantic. and focused on the most important part of a wedding!

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  65. this is gorgeous! xx

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  66. We got married at city hall in NYC, and it was so romantic! Once we figured out that we wanted to be married, we just couldn't wait. We did wait a week, because family wanted to fly in. The whole thing was so awesome, the city clerk even cried! I wore a J. Crew dress and heels, and he wore a suit and a tie that matched my champagne dress. It was magical.

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  67. Their wedding looks pretty amazing!

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  68. Anonymous7:03 PM

    very adorable

    -grace

    http://herumbrella.com

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  69. Although it's too late for me since I am already married, I think it's such a great idea!

    You would definitely save a TON. More to spend on the party!

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  70. Yes, there is a lovely vintage feel.

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  71. if i knew getting married at city hall looked this good, i would have done it a long time ago!

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  72. we did! it was wonderful - so relaxing, and we had the BEST justice. We took our four witnesses to cocktails and bites afterward and even drove a couple of them home. We've never been ones to make much of a fuss about our life together, so this was just the right size for us.

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  73. I loved being married in a church but I think I would def do city hall. Not about where you get married or the flowers but o who! I've got a fun photo roundup :) Happy weekend!

    www.MrsCapretta.com
    Recipes Fashion Marriage

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  74. thanks for the sweet comments! i'm sure maz and lee will be touched. and they are also the NICEST couple ever. he always reminds me of seinfeld (he is just so funny and laid-back) and she is a true beauty and sooooooo nice. :)

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  75. LOVE the vibes of this wedding, and the photos are so lovely! wouldn't mind having a 1960s wedding myself someday! or shooting one, too :)

    anna
    www.annagleavephotography.com

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  76. Anonymous9:30 PM

    These are amazing pictures and such a cool wedding. So stylish.

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  77. katie, if you're still having trouble with the code, email info (at) she-bible (dot) com and they'll be happy to help. sorry about that!

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  78. Indeed, I did! I've always loved the photos from my parents' city hall wedding, so we got married at SF City Hall about 6 months before our big wedding. It's very common to do both a city hall wedding and religiious wedding in Romania (where I'm from) and I loved having both. Here are some pictures if you want to check it out! http://barbride.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/were-legal/

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  79. I did get married at city hall but my photos are not as gorgeous as these are. Congrats to them!

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  80. Anonymous10:38 PM

    She's beautiful! Especially in the photo where the groom is touching her chin...

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  81. I LOVE this idea. It's incredibly simple and beautiful, and yet something about it is nostalgic and romantic. I think I love it because it's not so complicated and misdirected like the typical weddings now. It reminds me of the photos of my grandparents' wedding. Simple and full of love!

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  82. So cute. These photos are so beautiful, and the simplicity or the place does nothing to take away the magic of the moment. Lovely!

    http://nomadic-d.blogspot.com/

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  83. What very sweet photos! My husband and I were married at Boston City Hall and it was wonderful. (Many call it the ugliest building, but I love modern architecture!) We were so happy because it really let us soak in those moments and not worry about entertaining or being in front of other people. Here are our pics :) : http://www.melissarobotti.com/blog/index.php/2011/05/03/weddings-callen-nathan-boston-city-hall/

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  84. Yes! My husband and I did actually. Best decision ever we instead agreed to pay off all of our debt. I think that is the greatest gift my husband could help to give me. We have one student loan left and we will have paid off 70k. I hated the idea of having to plan a wedding by myself (husband is army and has been gone since April) and I hated the idea of having to entertain (neither of our strong suits). I would make the decision over again I cannot complain that we chose not to have a wedding.

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  85. That has to be the cutest courthouse wedding ever! :)
    -giedre
    www.walkingdotphotography.com

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  86. what a cute couple:) I'm getting married at City Hall in exactly one month...can't wait!

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  87. my fiance and i are in the midst of debating over a city hall wedding. i mean... look how romantic it is. who could resist?
    plus, we spent most of our relationship together in nyc, then moved back to our home, chicago. we'd go to nyc city hall. just the two of us.

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  88. What a cutie wedding! Love the veil!

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  89. These are the coolest photos! So very classy, I just love them. The last photo is my favourite. I don't think that I personally would get married at city hall but I think it's a lovely idea and it definitely wouldn't be out of the question.

    Xoxoxoxo

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  90. The bride is so pretty!
    Congratulations to the newly wed couple.

    Cass from Beginner Free Guitar Lessons

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  91. ahh! cant beat city hall. :) we got married in san fran's city hall and then also had our reception there...so it was the best of both worlds i think.

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  92. Big and Carrie did it, so it's romantic in my book:). Gorgeous photos!

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  93. Anonymous10:48 AM

    Very stylish.

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  94. My roommate was just married at NY City Hall last week, and it was one of the best, most fun, genuine weddings I've been to! I've always wanted to just elope to Europe, but now I'm thinking I may go the City Hall route!

    It was amazing people watching--worth it alone. There was also a gay couple ahead of us who had been together 31 years!! So amazing and inspiring.

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  95. My husband and I go married in nyc two years ago in the courthouse and it was lovely! We flew in form GA, he has family in nyc so it worked out great! And I still got a dress ;D

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  96. What a GREAT idea and no hassle! LOVE it!
    www.cathykhayes.blogspot.com

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  97. Wow, what a dreamy wedding. Whimsical & nostalgic photography. Divine!
    xo
    http://allykayler.blogspot.com

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  98. I absolutely would! I love the pictures, so lovely and personal.

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  99. Ah, I love their photos! My husband and I got married at NYC City Hall in our jeans and t-shirts on a Friday evening. My best friend and her husband were our witnesses. Then, the next evening we got married again on the Brooklyn Bridge surrounded by about 60 of our closest friends and family, and I got to wear my dream Lela Rose dress! We did it that way so that my brother (who is not ordained in New York) could "marry" us on the bridge. City Hall was amazing and so romantic!

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  100. Love doesn't care where it celebrates.

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  101. Anonymous10:03 PM

    such beautiful photos! i got married at nyc city hall this past june, it was the best day of my life :)

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  102. Yes! We are getting married at SF City Hall in a few months.
    This bride's vintage veil-hat looks SO similar to the veiling I found, down to the ascending chenille dots! I found the veiling by itself (no attached hat thing) in a bin in a vintage store for $3. SCORE.

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  103. My husband and I got married at City Hall in NYC - back in 1994!

    It was January (freeeeezing) and I wore an ankle-length blue velvet dress. We hailed a cab, with our 3-month old daughter in our arms. A dozen or so friends and family were in attendance and then joined us back at our East Village apartment for bagels and eggs and champagne!

    And CAKE, from Cupcake Cafe.

    Just lovely all around!

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  104. Very cute! Except in NYC you can't get married at City Hall - marriage licenses and ceremonies are done at the city clerk's office, which is a few blocks from City Hall.

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  105. I really love these pics! they make me a bit emotional...

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  106. my husband and i were wed over coffee and pancakes at a diner in town. it's a long story, but my best friend is a notary and with all the hub-bub with my family at the news, we all decided to sneak off, eat a good meal, and jump the broom (so to speak). i wouldn't change it for anything, and we got orange juice on the house. i'll take that over the headache of save the dates etc.

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  107. I love small weddings! Less fuss but so meaningful!

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  108. My brother got married at NYC City Hall two weeks ago. It was magical! We went there and then ate at 11 Madison Park for lunch. City Hall weddings are wonderful, but I don't think I'll do that.

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  109. There's something so romantic about eloping! Sometimes I feel like big wedding celebrations are a little too "show pony" for my liking. An intimate ceremony with my hubby would suit me just fine

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  110. how funny, I got married at San Francisco's city hall almost exactly a year ago and did a blog post on it Friday. Happiest, most romantic day of my life for sure.

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  111. I got married in city hall 2 months ago. Wouldn't have had it any other way. It was the best day of my life.

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  112. wow amazing ... straight from the sixties indeed!

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  113. These photos are just beautiful.

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  114. How romantic!! And the black and white photos look so chic and cool. So lovely! -Steph

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  115. Oh so romantic and pure - just fun and joyful! I love her look but more than anything I love how much they so obviously mean to one another. God I LOVE love! xx

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  116. I plan on getting married at city hall in Toronto in just over a year ;) I'm in the process of collecting great city hall wedding shots. I love these!

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  117. The all photos of this wedding are looking delightful and dresses of both are also looking so beautiful.
    wedding saver

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  118. We recommend a City Hall Wedding. We would do, because we did it. http://fanfamfun.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-get-married-in-new-york-city.html

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  119. This all wedding photos are very beautiful and black and white theme give beautiful classic and stylish look.

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  120. Anonymous12:20 PM

    We would and did :) Still going strong nearly 20 years later. Lovely, lovely pix.

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  121. She is so beautiful! We stuck with a traditional wedding ourselves, but I love this idea - especially the way they compeltely dressed the part. Still romantic!

    Kristina
    Something 2 Write About

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  123. I would and I did! No regrets! It was perfect!

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  124. If anyone is interested in affordable city hall wedding photography... Check out ANGELICA RADWAY PHOTOGRAPHY.
    http://www.angelicaradway.com

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  125. In any one interseted incheap wedding hal in san francisco...pleae check this...
    San Francisco City Hall Wedding

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  126. I don't know that I ever properly communicated just how thankful I was to have seen this post before my husband and I were married at New York City Hall last May (a year ago yesterday!). I got thinking this morning about how uplifting this post was: a friend had forwarded it to me while I was still living in Toronto, hoping to provide a little NYC inspiration. It was such a breath of creativity and romanticism! Thank you for your beautiful features and for really getting the cogs turning for ideas for our City Hall wedding. Your site is just terrific.
    - amy

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