When I was kicked off my parents’ health insurance policy, I went to New York City Hall off Chambers Street and watched a handful of people get married. I’d gone there to do something equally romantic: get a domestic partnership with my boyfriend, because I didn’t want to be without a dental plan.
It was fall, and we both wore leather jackets. I’d decided long ago that I didn’t want to get married until I was in my 30s, but I still liked looking like some kind of rock’n’roll bride. My boyfriend’s mom, who kept company with the New York Dolls, was actually one of those brides decades ago. When she talks of that era, it’s with the insouciant shrug you’d expect from someone who hung around with the catalysts of New York’s early punk-rock scene by night and then woke up one morning after going to CBGB and decided to get hitched.
STYLING TIP:
A tender moment doesn’t have to be precious. Chilled-out nuptials can still be stylish with flats, sneakers, and effortlessly cool separates.
On Bo Bay: Marc Jacobs batwing dress and flats. Levi’s 501 Original jeans. De Beers Arpeggia three line diamond earrings, Enchanted Lotus diamond brooch (on shoulder), Aura round solitaire diamond ring, and five line diamond ring. On Jean: Dolce & Gabbana jacket and pants. Calvin Klein tank. Converse shoes. De Beers classic solitaire diamond stud earrings and bezel-set diamond necklace with clip.
To be that cool feels impossible now. There’s no equivalent to CBGB, and there hasn’t been a real rock band in New York since the Strokes. But a city hall marriage still carries the ineffable energy of the city. That’s why, when Bazaar decided to shoot the season’s best wedding looks, we knew it had to take place in downtown Manhattan.
These days, weddings come with so much pressure—years of planning, competitive mood-boarding, multiple outfit changes. But there’s something magical about throwing that all away, dressing in your best avant-garde Loewe, and saying “I do” in a grand old public, surrounded by strangers with whom you might have nothing in common except that you’re all in love.
STYLING TIP:
There’s nothing more beautiful than a long draped dress, especially when it’s balanced by your beloved in a pastel-hued suit.
On Joy: Loewe dress. Proenza Schouler boots. De Beers classic solitaire diamond stud earrings, Aura yellow cushion diamond necklace, and classic oval-shaped diamond ring. On Musa: Gucci jacket, tank top, pants, and mules. Stetson hat. Garret Leight sunglasses. De Beers Enchanted Lotus diamond brooch, three-row micropavé bangle, emerald diamond eternity band, and Wide Court Poinçon band. Scarf, Musa’s own.
When I walked up those steps with my boyfriend years ago, I was surprised to see we weren’t emerging into a sea of leather jackets. The personal style on display was as varied as it is anywhere in the city. Some people were wearing baggy leather jackets and Carhartt work pants; others, tuxedos or gowns. There was even a bride in a long vintage lace dress layered over a pair of faded Levi’s, grasping a single calla lily.
I’d never seen so many shy smiles in a government building. The way people were holding hands actually reminded me of high school recess: loose fingers intertwined sheepishly. While waiting for our turn, I held onto my boyfriend’s pinky like I did on our first date, when I was 14.
STYLING TIP:
Pick jewelry that reflects your personality, and don’t be afraid to wear it your own way.
On Nayeli (left): Ralph Lauren Collection tuxedo jacket. Charvet shirt. De Beers Enchanted Lotus diamond pin, Old Bond Street emerald-cut diamond ring, and Dewdrop one line pavé diamond band. On Pure (right): De Beers Snow Dance short diamond earrings, Classic trio diamond ring, and Darling full pavé diamond band.
City hall also appears to be the only place where New Yorkers really want to talk. Everyone wondered if we were getting married, too. My boyfriend volunteered to take one couple’s photograph, and then a line slowly formed. I don’t have many pictures from that day, but the ones I do have are of him in a near split, trying to get the perfect angle on couples posing under the fluorescent lights.
STYLING TIP:
If going old-school is your vibe, try a romantic tulle-bedecked gown and a sharp brown tuxedo.
On Monica: Naeem Khan gown. De Beers Snow Dance long diamond earrings, engagement ring and band. Casadei pumps. On David: Brunello Cucinelli tuxedo and bow tie. John Lobb shoes.
Some of those people would go on to have larger receptions outside of the courthouse. Others would celebrate with a dinner, or just waltz right onto the subway platform down the block and into married life. But they’ll all always have city hall, this part of New York where anything happens and anything goes, where people get married because they’re impulsive or cool or so in love they can’t wait another day. And isn’t that what holy matrimony is really all about?
Tara Gonzalez is the Senior Fashion Editor at Harper’s Bazaar. Previously, she was the style writer at InStyle, founding commerce editor at Glamour, and fashion editor at Coveteur.
