How Made with Mara Handles Intimate Weddings
We photograph intimate weddings, elopements, and engagements across New York City — from first inquiry through final gallery — by moving through the same clear steps every time: a conversation, a written plan, a scheduled date, the day itself, and a delivered gallery you can keep forever. Here's exactly how that unfolds.
Couples planning an intimate wedding or elopement in New York City often don't know what to expect from the photography side of the day — how much is pre-planned, how much is spontaneous, what they're responsible for, and when they'll actually see their photos. This page walks through our process step by step, in our own words, so you know exactly what happens at each stage before you ever reach out.
1. First Contact and Questions
Every project starts with a conversation. Whether you've found us through a blog post about eloping in NYC or through a search for intimate wedding photography, the first step is simply reaching out and telling us about your day — the date, the general vision, and whether you're planning a City Hall ceremony, a private officiant elopement, an intimate wedding with family, or an engagement session.
What happens: We ask about your vision, your timeline, and the locations you're drawn to across Manhattan, Brooklyn, or the surrounding areas we serve.
What you do: Share your date, your general idea for the day, and any specific NYC spots you already have in mind — whether that's Central Park, DUMBO, Williamsburg, or somewhere in the West Village.
What you receive: A direct response addressing your questions and the next steps toward an estimate.
2. Discussing Your Day and Vision
Once we know the basics, we talk through what the day will actually look like — how many people (if any) are involved, whether you're legally marrying at City Hall or with a private officiant, which neighborhoods or venues matter to you, and what kind of mood you want the photos to carry.
What happens: We talk through the shape of your day so the coverage we propose actually matches what you're planning.
What you do: Tell us about your ceremony plans, your getting-ready location, and any specific stops you want captured — a favorite coffee shop, a rooftop, a subway ride, a walk through the park.
What you receive: A clearer sense of how your day could flow, informed by the kinds of NYC locations and moments we've photographed before.
3. Written Estimate
After we understand your day, we put together an estimate based on what you're looking for.
What happens: We prepare a written estimate reflecting the scope of your intimate wedding, elopement, or engagement session.
What you do: Review the estimate and ask any follow-up questions about what's included.
What you receive: A clear, written estimate you can reference as you finalize your plans.
4. Scheduling Your Date
Once you're ready to move forward, we lock in your date.
What happens: We confirm your wedding, elopement, or engagement date and begin planning around it.
What you do: Confirm your date and share any updates to your timeline or location list as your plans firm up.
What you receive: A confirmed booking and a point of contact as your day approaches.
5. The Work Itself — Your Wedding or Elopement Day
This is the heart of it. On the day, we move through the locations, stops, and moments you've planned — whether that's a ceremony at NYC City Hall, a private vow exchange in Central Park, a walk through Brooklyn, or a string of stops from a diner to a bar for a champagne toast. We've photographed days built around a subway ride and a walk to the Met, a snowy morning at a neighborhood diner followed by an evening at Bemelmans Bar, and courthouse ceremonies in Manhattan followed by a walk through the city in wedding attire.
What happens: We're present for the stops and moments on your timeline, capturing the ceremony, the in-between walks, and the small details that make the day yours.
What you do: Lead us through your planned stops and simply be present in the moment — the goal is for the day to feel like yours, not a photoshoot.
What you receive: Coverage of your day as it actually happens, across the New York City locations you've chosen.
6. Wrap-Up and Gallery Delivery
After the day wraps, we move into post-production.
What happens: We review and prepare the images from your day.
What you do: Wait for your gallery notification.
What you receive: Your finished photo gallery from your intimate wedding, elopement, or engagement session.
7. Follow-Up
Once your gallery is delivered, we remain a point of contact if you have questions about your images or want to revisit anything from the day.
What happens: We're available to answer questions about your delivered gallery.
What you do: Reach out if you need anything after delivery.
What you receive: Continued access to us as the people who photographed your day.
Choosing the Right Service for Your Day
| Service | Who It's For | What It Includes | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intimate Weddings | Couples having a small, guest-light wedding day in NYC | Coverage of your ceremony and the surrounding moments of the day | Full documentation of a wedding day without large-scale production |
| Elopements | Couples marrying privately — at City Hall, with a private officiant, or just the two of you | Coverage built around your chosen stops and ceremony location | Flexible coverage shaped entirely around your own plan for the day |
| Engagements | Couples not yet married, wanting photos ahead of the wedding | A photo session at the New York City locations you choose | A relaxed session to capture your relationship before the wedding day |
Where We Work
We photograph intimate weddings, elopements, and engagements across New York City, NY, including the West Village, Upper East Side, Central Park, DUMBO, Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Hoboken, Jersey City, and Manhattan. If you're still deciding where to hold your ceremony, our guide on where to elope in NYC and our notes on the best seasons and times of day for NYC photos are good starting points before you reach out.
Proof: Real Days We've Photographed
- A couple who started their elopement day underground on the subway, stopped at Ralph's Coffee on Madison Avenue, took portraits at the Met, and ended the night at Bemelmans Bar — read about Jackie & Dan's NYC elopement.
- A couple who began their day at a neighborhood diner on the Upper East Side, walked through a misty morning, and toasted with champagne at Bemelmans Bar — read about Maddie & Jake's snowy NYC elopement.
- A couple married at NYC City Hall with family present, dressed in Rent the Runway and Chanel, who proved a courthouse wedding doesn't mean sacrificing style — read about Aura & Felix's courthouse wedding.
- An engagement session that moved from Grand Central Terminal's Main Concourse to the New York Public Library on a freezing winter morning — read about Maddie & Jessie's engagement session.
Key Takeaways
- Our process moves through first contact, discussing your day, a written estimate, scheduling, the day itself, gallery delivery, and follow-up.
- You lead us through the stops and locations that matter to you — our job is to be present and capture them.
- Estimates are written and specific to the scope of your intimate wedding, elopement, or engagement.
- We photograph across New York City, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the West Village, Upper East Side, Central Park, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Hoboken, and Jersey City.
- Past days we've covered include City Hall ceremonies, subway-to-museum elopements, and winter diner-to-bar celebrations.
- Your finished images are delivered as a gallery after the day wraps.
- We remain available to answer questions once your gallery is delivered.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don't know my exact locations yet when I first reach out?
That's fine — the first conversation is where we talk through your vision together. Many couples start with a general idea and narrow down specific New York City stops as planning continues.
What happens if my ceremony plans change after I book?
Let us know as your plans update. We ask about your day's flow during the planning conversation specifically so we can adjust as details firm up.
What happens when it's time to get an estimate?
Once we understand the scope of your intimate wedding, elopement, or engagement, we prepare a written estimate for you to review before you commit to a date.
What happens if I want multiple stops on my elopement day — like a ceremony, a café, and a bar?
We build coverage around your planned stops, whatever they are. Couples we've worked with have moved from subway rides to museum steps to rooftop bars in a single day.
What happens after my wedding or elopement day ends?
We move into reviewing and preparing your images, then deliver your finished gallery.
What happens if I have questions after I receive my gallery?
Reach out to us — we remain a point of contact for questions about your delivered images.
Ready to Plan Your Intimate Wedding or Elopement?
If you're planning an intimate wedding, elopement, or engagement session anywhere across New York City, reach out to Made with Mara to start the conversation and request your estimate.