Wedding at the New York Botanical Gardens
Wedding at the New York Botanical Gardens was the perfect setting for this beautiful interfaith celebration in October. One of the co-officiants I had worked with the year before recommended me to the couple. They chose the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx for their ceremony. Fortunately, the autumn colors were at their peak. Even better, the couple missed the start of Hurricane Sandy by just one day. As a result, they enjoyed lovely weather and temperatures in the 60s for their early evening ceremony.
Wedding readings and music
The bride was an English teacher pursuing a doctorate in English. She worked closely with the other officiant and me to choose the readings and music. Because I had also been an English teacher, I especially loved seeing a reading from e.e. cummings and another from William Shakespeare. In addition, she chose an excerpt from the Book of Ruth set to music. Even more meaningfully, she had sung those same lines at her cousin’s wedding. Those personal choices gave the ceremony even more warmth and depth.
Family gathered from near and far
The night before, I met both sides of the family at the TriBeCa Grill restaurant, owned by Robert De Niro. The bride’s family came from Charleston, South Carolina. It seemed that everyone attended, from a baby only a few months old to an 80-year-old relative. Meanwhile, the groom’s family traveled from several states, including Michigan. In addition, the priest had been a longtime friend of the bride’s mother. Therefore, the whole celebration felt especially personal and family-centered from the very beginning.
New York Botanical Gardens in the fall
The procession and recession moved along a beautiful walkway lined with fall flowers. Meanwhile, the trees around the ceremony site shimmered in gold. An unusual, fuzzy moon hung low in the sky. Altogether, the setting created a picture-perfect fall evening for this lovely couple. They chose the venue because of their deep appreciation of nature, and the surroundings reflected that beautifully.
This wedding at the New York Botanical Gardens stood out not only because of the scenery, but also because of the love and thoughtfulness that shaped every part of the ceremony. From the readings to the music to the presence of so many relatives and friends, everything came together in a way that felt elegant, meaningful, and unforgettable.