Wedding traditions of New York
City Hall marriages, Orthodox Jewish weddings in Brooklyn and Chinese banquets in Queens all share the same city.
New York has one of the world's most varied wedding cultures. The City Clerk's office in Manhattan has a chapel for marriage ceremonies, and the boroughs hold weddings from a vast range of faiths and nations.
A wedding here
Many couples marry at the Office of the City Clerk, in a short civil ceremony, and then hold a party elsewhere. Others choose rooftops, hotels, museums or botanical gardens. New York legalised same-sex marriage in 2011, and the US Supreme Court extended it nationwide in 2015, as of 2026.
The season
June and September to October fill first. Winter weddings and weekday weddings cost less, and a City Hall wedding followed by a restaurant dinner is a cherished New York style.
Wedding customs of New York
Bridal showerA party for the bride.Rehearsal dinnerThe night before.
Jewish weddingUnder the chuppah.Also part of it, and being written: Wedding (General customs.), Wedding cake (Often tiered.).
Communities and their weddings in New York
- Orthodox and Hasidic Jewish Weddings in Brooklyn under the chuppah, with separate dancing for men and women.
- Chinese and Taiwanese Banquet dinners, tea ceremony and red envelopes.
- Indian and South Asian Baraat in the street and a large reception in Queens and New Jersey.
- Dominican and Puerto Rican Church weddings with a salsa and merengue party.
- Greek Weddings in Orthodox churches in Astoria.
A wedding trail idea for New York
- Manhattan Marriage Bureau Where licenses and civil ceremonies are done.
- Bridal Avenue, Flatbush Brides' shops in Brooklyn.
- Botanic Garden and Central Park Garden settings for ceremonies and photographs.
- Chinatown Banquet halls for Chinese weddings.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, venues and wedding-season dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
๐บ๐ธ New York, United StatesSlave marriages in the United States
The unions formed by enslaved African Americans before and after the abolition of slavery in the US.Rite ยท The ceremony
๐ฎ๐ฑ Jerusalem, Israel and 2 moreJewish prenuptial agreement
A contract signed before the wedding to ensure a Jewish divorce can happen if one spouse refuses.Vow ยท Engagement and betrothal
๐ฎ๐ฑ Jerusalem, Israel and 5 moreInterfaith marriage in Judaismืฉึดืืึผืึผื ืึทืึผืึผืฅ (Shidug Chalutz) / ืืื ืืจืคืืื ืืจืืื' (Interafeyt Mariyaz')
The union of a Jew and a non-Jew, viewed as void by traditional law but increasingly common in modern communities.Vow ยท Engagement and betrothal
๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom and 4 moreCountry dance
A social partner dance from England where couples follow a caller through repeated figures in long lines or squares.Performance ยท Reception, dance and gifts
๐บ๐ธ New York, United States and 5 moreInterracial marriage
A union between spouses of different races or racialized ethnicities, now legal in most nations.Modern
๐ฎ๐ฑ Jerusalem, Israel and 4 moreAgunahืขึฒืืึผื ึธื (Agunah)
A Jewish woman trapped in a marriage because her husband has not granted a religious divorce document known as a get.Vow ยท After the wedding
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Slave marriages in the United States: An 1899 illustration of a broomstick wedding. Schomburg Center for Res, Public domain, source
- Jewish wedding: Jozef Israรซls, Public domain, source
- Interfaith marriage in Judaism: Rembrandt, Public domain, source
- Country dance: Engraving by William Hogarth, CC BY 4.0, source
- Interracial marriage: Xavier Lejeune, CC BY 4.0, source
- Bridal shower: The McClouds, CC BY-SA 2.0, source