Central Park Shakespeare Garden Elopement

Judie officially declared Charlotte and Jay married. Jay took a sharp breath, looked around and seemed to hold that breath. And hold it. Charlotte grabbed his hand in glee but he was still holding that breath. The smile was plastered on his face but he was wandering aimlessly a bit. I asked him if he needed to sit down….he did. That old saying where love takes your breath away was actually happening. Jay kept looking at his new wife and then back to the ceremony site, then to his friend’s faces. He couldn’t say anything.

“Ok, Jay, deep breath now, feel the calm of Central Park.” I was trying to get him to level his breathing, no interest in passing out people, and he just kept beaming. Jay started to take deeper breaths. Charlotte had both his hands and was snuggled up beside him on a Central Park bench inside the Shakespeare Garden. We made some jokes and Jay felt he could sign the marriage certificate, his hands shaking a little bit.

That hookey line about “Ohhh, he took my breath away!” seemed like a bad romantic novel. But it was like a giant energy ray was just bursting out of Jay’s face the whole day. I could feel almost tactically the love Jay felt for Charlotte and vice versa. They had traveled from the UK to NYC to become legally married. Their friend’s joined for the trip, all as supportive as you could wish. And all the energy and love…well it just overwhelmed Jay for a few minutes. And he was just happy to be in the moment, be present and get married.

My chest tightens when I look at their photos. Or any of my couple’s photos. I just feel so much JOY getting to capture an elopement in Shakespeare Garden. Be there as a groom gets to hear he’s now legally married. Watch as Charlotte DIYs her flowers in the hotel room. Mazel Tov Jay and Charlotte!