How do I have a New York micro wedding? Take notes from this couple!

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 | Photography by Laura Diliberto
New York micro wedding
Photography by Laura Diliberto

Offbeat Couple: Dejuanah and Sam

Date & Location: 10/23/2020, Manhattan NYC

Considering a New York micro wedding? The pandemic made big city tiny weddings all but mandatory, but there are plenty of happier reasons to keep it small:

  • Budget: a tiny guestlist means fewer mouths to feed, less décor to purchase, and a smaller venue to rent.
  • Intimacy: micro weddings make for more quality time with the people you do invite, and less stress trying to accommodate a crowd.
  • Flexibility: location and scheduling are a breeze when you only have a dozen or fewer cats to herd.

NYC is a solid destination with a seemingly endless number of sweet locales for anyone looking to tie the knot in unique and unforgettable ways with a few friends. For instance, what about a rooftop elopement at a chic hotel overlooking all of Manhattan? Come along as we bear witness to Dejuanah and Sam's Jewish micro wedding in New York:

NYC Rooftop Jewish Wedding 2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Love is in the air

The couple had their ceremony at the Spyglass Rooftop Bar. Perched on the 22nd floor of the Archer Hotel with a panoramic view of the Empire State Building (among countless other famous landmarks).

NYC Rooftop Jewish Wedding 9 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
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Keeping the faith

A micro wedding doesn't equal micro meaningfulness – you're the best part, after all! If anything, it creates more space for what's most important. Here, Dejuanah and Sam hold their ketubah, a Jewish marriage contract which outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom in relation to the bride.

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The ceremony begins

Time for the main event. While their guest list was small, this high-rise, outdoor venue allowed for many thousands of additional New Yorkers to witness the proceedings from afar.

NYC Rooftop Jewish Wedding 26 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
NYC Rooftop Jewish Wedding 27 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
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A house built with love

As the rabbi speaks the final blessings, Dejuanah and Sam stand together in an even smaller space – under a chuppah, a cloth symbolizing the home that they will build together.

NYC Rooftop Jewish Wedding 36 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
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As is custom in a Jewish wedding, Sam steps upon and breaks a glass (nestled inside a bag for safety) and everyone has a front row seat. Mazel tov!

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Sam is crushing it!
NYC Rooftop Jewish Wedding 38 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

So where else can I have an amazing New York micro wedding?

Here's just a smattering of cozy locales for you, yours, and your micro entourage:

  • The Metropolitan Building in the Long Island City neighborhood: built in 1909, this venue offers a variety of spaces, including a charming courtyard and a romantic bridal suite. With its eclectic décor and intimate atmosphere, it's a sweet spot for a small, stylish wedding.
  • The Brooklyn Botanic Garden: featuring delightful, picturesque gardens for small weddings on Saturday and Sunday mornings, the BBG has no less than 6 outdoor spaces, including the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden – first opened in 1915, it's one of the oldest and most visited gardens of its kind outside of Japan, offering wooden bridges, a waterfall, and an even an island.
  • Little Owl the Townhouse: just a block away from the eponymous restaurant, this is an intimate space with a long-table dining room and a full bar – they also offer catering, photography, floral arrangements and music packages to streamline your planning.

Wedding vendors:

Photo Gallery

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