COVID-19 Updates – Message from Dare to Dream NYC team.

With the spread of coronavirus, lots of couples had to cancel or postpone their weddings in New York. We are doing our best to accommodate the clients, who had to change their plans due to quarantine and taking a limited number of May clients. And we are expecting to start booking fully for summer/ fall 2020.

Our team is following all the safety protocols and practicing zero contact polity. Our wedding planner and marriage officiant are working from home and accepting online consultations. Our photographers and videographers are keeping the safe distance from the couples and maintaining a no-contact policy.

Contact us for more info. 

Here are some Covid -19  related articles:

⇒ Best hidden places to elope in Central Park after quarantine is lifted in NYC ⇐

We are getting ready to start accommodating summer elopements, but we still want to be sure that our clients and our team are safe, so here are our top 5 elopement locations in Central Park where you can practice social distancing from other ppl.

⇒ How to plan your small wedding while on quarantine ⇐

This spring became very challenging for everybody. Ban on travel, social distancing, and quarantine is what everyone is talking about and we can see how all that can give anxiety to the newly engaged couples, who just started to plan their intimate wedding or an elopement. But we think that this is the best time to start planning your wedding and here is why:

⇒ How to get married online in New York? ⇐

On April 19th, the New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that now couples can get their marriage license online, and officials will be authorized to perform the ceremony over video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, for example. So, what does all this mean?

We really think that ” When life gives you lemons – do lemonade” and even in this situation we still can create an unforgettable wedding experience.

So if you were planning to elope this spring season, but your plans were changed due to the quarantine, contact us now info@daretodream.nyc, and our experienced team will help you to make your big day unforgettable.

On April 19th, the New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced that now couples can get their marriage license online, and officials will be authorized to perform the ceremony over video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom, for example.

What does all this mean?
First of all, before the couples who wanted to get married had to obtain their marriage license in person at the marriage bureaus before they were shut down in March.
Now, couples are allowed to do it online and get married by the city clerk or marriage officiant at home. This is absolutely exciting news as if you were planning to get married this spring, but your plans were changed due to quarantine, you still can get married.

So, how can you plan your home wedding now?

1. Set the date and contact the marriage bureau to apply for the license.
   Most of the couples had to postpone or cancel their weddings, but we really think that it is better to elope now and have your big family celebration later on. So maybe instead of postponing your big day, just make it smaller and spend the rest of the quarantine as a married couple. You can still invite all your friends and family to your online wedding ceremony.
2. Decide if you want to get married by the city clerk or by the officiant.
   The difference will be in personalization. Usually, the city clerks are in a rush and the whole ceremony doesn’t last longer than 10 minutes. When you have an officiant, you can make the ceremony more personal with a brief description of your relationship, vows exchange and a unity ceremony.
3. Dress up.
   Even if you have your wedding in your living room, it doesn’t mean you can’t dress up and look your best. Most likely, you already have a wedding dress, so this is your chance to rock it. If not, just really do it for yourself. This is your big day, and you need to make the most of it. You can be casual or add a fun element in your outfit. This is a perfect opportunity to be silly and have fun.
4. Don’t stop at the ceremony, create the whole day experience.
   Again, this is all very personal, but why not to make the most of this unusual situation and have a blast. Create the schedule for the day, starting with the bridal preparation and mimosa drinks with your virtual bridesmaids and culminating by the cake smashing in your living room. You can actually even hire a wedding planner, who will help to organize the wedding day schedule and make it fun and exciting for all the participants. You can have a live DJ performing online and all your guests can dance at their houses.
5. Capturing the moment.
   Wedding photos are essential and you absolutely must have them If you decide to have a ceremony in your house, maybe do it outside so that the photographer can use the wide lenses to capture the moment. He doesn’t need to come close to you but will need some space, so the backyard or rooftop will be ideal. If the ceremony will be inside the house and you are not sure about the actual photographer, do it yourself. Set the camera on timer and let it snap the pictures every 2 minutes. It might be too static, but again we are doing the best we can in this situation, so no complaints.

How can we help?

We are based in NYC and ready to physically accommodate couples living in our area. Meaning we can provide photography and video assistance and officiant if you want to have a ceremony outside your house. 

For the couples who want to get married at home, we can deliver flower bouquet, cake, and champagne for the celebration. Plus, our wedding planner is offering full-day online coordination. From creating the personalized banner for your zoom room wedding to live DJ performances. 

We truly think that any situation can bring joy and happiness and even at these uncertain times we can create beautiful and memorable moments for our couples. So if you were planning to elope this spring season, but your plans were changed due to the quarantine, contact us now info@daretodream.nyc and our experienced team will help you to make your big day unforgettable. 

Leap Day intimate wedding ceremony by the Manhattan Bridge

Cathy and Alan knew that their elopement day should be special and what can be better than the day that exists only every 4 years? On February 29th, one of the coldest days of the month, we had a small wedding ceremony by the Manhattan Bridge.

Cathy and Alan met in line for a roller coaster four and a half years ago in Disneyland, rode it multiple times and did the tower of terror where they held hands for the first time. When we heard this story for the first time, we knew we had an amazing couple to work with.

Cathy wanted to do a wedding with as little plastic and trash involved as possible, so she made her bridal bouquet herself and a lot of what she wore was either handmade, natural or used.

Alan had a succulent plant boutonniere, which Cathy made as well. We had 15 family members present at the wedding, who arrived from Boston and China. During the ceremony, the cold wind was blowing so hard, that we were able to see the couple tremble during the exchange of vows. But as soon as officiant announced Cathy and Alan, husband and wife, and the couple put the warm coats back on, the celebration begins and the sun went out.

We decided to escape the cold and found shelter in the local coffee shop, which allows us to make a photo session at the business office. We did some fun shots there and as soon as everyone gets warm we hit the streets.

The Dumbo area in Brooklyn is known for its amazing views of the Manhattan skyline and beautiful waterfront line. That was exactly what we were looking for for our post-wedding photo session.
Congratulations dear Alan and Cathy on your special day and thank you for letting us be a part of it.

Photographer – Vlad Leto

Elopement Planner – Tatiana Caicedo

Spring in New York is absolutely spectacular and if you were planning to get elope, this is the best time to do so. Snowdrops, daffodils, Cornelia cherry, and magnolia trees are blooming right now and it gives the grey city this new look of awakening. It goes without saying that spring symbolizes a new beginning, new life circle, and you can not choose a better moment than this to get married. We understand the current coronavirus precocious and want to assure you that all our officiants and photographers are maintaining the zero contact policy. These are our safe elopement packages for the ongoing outbreak situation.

1) Central Park

Of course, Central Park will be the first one on our list. We especially love the Ladies Pavilion for this time of the year. Its beautiful, elegant structure looks absolutely beautiful during the day and the lake and city background makes it perfect for the pictures. If you looking for the blooming Cornelia Cherry trees, the lawn on the left side of the Bethesda Terrace has lots of pink beauties, so you can get eloped at the Terrace and walk to the lawn for a spring wedding photo session.

2) Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Brooklyn Botanical Garden will be the next one on our list. With the annual Sakura Festival, this garden has lots of Magnolia trees all over the park. The most popular will be the Magnolia alley, located in the middle of the park. This place is ideal for an intimate elopement ceremony. The diversity of the park gives a professional elopement photographer a wide range of locations for the photo session, so will be ready to spend a couple of hours there.

3) Roosevelt Island

has it all, the breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline and hidden park full of magnolia trees. This place is perfect for intimate pop up weddings and elopements. Also, there is an old chapel on the island for those who are seeking a religious ceremony, which is just 10 minutes away from the park. You can get married in the chapel and have a photo session by the waterfront.

Spring elopement ideas

This is a very tender season, so we will recommend soft, nude, pastel colors. Soft pink bridal bouquet and boutonniere will look absolutely stunning on the pictures. Also, grass green and pastel yellow colors will help to enhance the mood. The pastel pink bridal dress would look absolutely amazing among the magnolia trees. For more traditional couples, we would recommend having the second outfit, which they can switch after the ceremony and take pictures. Also, don’t forget about the props. Everything from gigantic balloons, to pink matcha latte and pink scooters, can be a great addition to the pictures.

Rooftops

Finally, the rooftop season is officially open and you can enjoy the gorgeous views of the Manhattan skyline from above. It is the time of stunning sunsets and what can be more romantic than getting married on a rooftop with the pink sky above you. Our rooftops are located all over the city and Brooklyn areas and almost all of them have the Empire State Building views. If you are still seeking for nature, the rooftop garden can be the best option for you. Elegant venue for a marriage proposal in New York.

Elopement Photography

Spring wedding photography is always beautiful, as nature is just awakening and the sun is not so harsh as during the summer months. Perfect time for tender photo sessions and love story shots. We always recommend talking to your photographer before the wedding and decide what style of pictures you are looking for. Also, don’t forget to bring a second outfit for the shoot, it will help to create another mood for the pictures and make the photo session more diverse.

Spring months in New York are officially from March till May and those are the months when the trees and flowers start to bloom. We would highly recommend eloping during this time as it’s not too hot yet not cold already and nature looks fantastic on the pictures. If you planning to elope this spring season, but you don’t know what location to choose or don’t even know where to start, contact us now info@daretodream.nyc and our experienced team will help you to plan the wedding of your dreams.