It took me a couple of years of living in New York City before I chanced upon the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. Located on the edge of Staten Island, you have to be a real NYC native before you make the trek to the garden. The commute, however, is worth it as this is one of the underappreciated gems of New York City. Snug Harbor a great place to visit, but it is a fantastic place to hold a wedding. In today’s blog post, I have all the details and photos from a Snug Harbor wedding which will have you jumping on the Staten Island Ferry pronto.
Let me introduce you to Angela and Nguyen. These two New Yorkers searched high and low for a reasonably-priced wedding venue. Luckily they found just what they were looking for at the Snug Harbor Center and Botanical Garden. While true that it is a bit tricky to get guests to the doorstep of the venue, it can be done.
As any New Yorker knows, Staten Island is for those who drive a car. While the rest of the city is abundant in public transportation options, those who visit Staten Island without a vehicle are left to fend for themselves with the local taxi service. It is easy enough — and fun! — to take the Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to the shores of Tompkinsville. But from here, you will have to take either a 10-minute car service or the bus. The better option, as Angela and Nguyen did, is to provide guests with a lift care of a quaint trolley. The trolley was there to pick up guests at regular intervals at the Staten Island Ferry terminal, and dropped them off at the end of the evening.
Angela and Nguyen chose to have their ceremony in the Tuscan Garden, which includes a dramatic aisle between two reflecting pools. Styled in the fashion of an 18th-century garden, the garden has just enough finesse to be interesting, yet allow for the focus to remain on the bride and groom. For Angela and Nguyen’s wedding, the best friend of the bride served as officiant.
The reception in the Great Hall Ballroom, however, was the highlight of this Snug Harbor wedding. It’s hard to believe that the beautiful windows and high ceilings of the space aren’t seen more often at weddings. When I walked into the space I was truly amazed that this was my first wedding here. The venue space lights beautifully, and the high ceilings ensure that guests never feel crowded. By the way, the catering team can whip up any type of meal for your guests. For Angela and Nguyen’s wedding, they opted for a vegetarian menu and also included a vegan cake (in addition to a regular wedding cake). Guests were given mini terrariums as favors, and the guest book was a delightful DIY art project for guests.
My recommendation is that you visit the Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden for yourself to see what you have been missing.
Vendors
Ceremony & Reception Venue – Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
Catering – Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
Trolley – The New York Trolley Company
Wedding Dress – Couture Closet Bridal Boutique
Bride’s Shoes – Kelly & Katie
Florist – Sprout
Live Band – Silver Arrow Band
Photobooth – DIY project by bride’s brother
Want to see more images from weddings in Staten Island? Check out photos from Colleen and John’s fabulous wedding at Nicotra’s Ballroom here.
If you would like to see more images from my wedding photojournalism portfolio, then please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com
