Meet the Newlyweds!

Six NYC couples who just got married at City Hall!!!

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Issue #120 of CAFÉ ANNE!

So in last week’s issue, I invited everyone to play FANTASY STRIP MALL and create the retail destination of their dreams by picking five favorite chains. (Note: this is a great way to get crunchy “shop local” types like myself to reveal their secret fondness for Panda Express and Lululemon.)

The results were fascinating. The chain included most frequently? Trader Joe’s! With good reason. There is no better retailer in the U.S.

Many readers included their favorite book, coffee and liquor chains. Others came up with the most delightful and preposterous combinations. “Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, a branch of the local library, a fresh fruits & veg vendor, and another Dairy Queen,” wrote Scott G.

Marina H. managed to create what might be called the thinking person’s strip mall: Blick Art Materials, Salvation Army Thrift, Trader Joe’s, Muji and Powell’s Books.

Liz M. said hers would include “any self respecting, well-stocked NYC bodega…You can get anything at the right bodega!” Right on!

My favorite, because it made me laugh, was from Brooklyn’s Rob S. (of course):

Alamo Drafthouse

Edible Arrangements

Guitar Center

Bad Axe Throwing

Brunello Cucinelli

But the CAFÉ ANNE “Developer of the Year “ award goes to hardware and submarine sandwich aficianado Samuel C. for his inspired creation: “4 Home Depots and 1 Jersey Mike’s.”

Moving on, the results are in on last week’s poll, in which I asked which variety of Rudy Giuliani’s new line of coffee I should subject to a taste test. (At $30 a pop, I could only buy one can.)

The vote was decisive! The majority chose none of the above:

“Stick with Bustelo!” wrote Laurie. “Don't give that fool one thin dime of your hard-earned money, even if it is for research!”

Okay, fine. No coffee taste test. I’ll spend the $30 at Panda Express. I hear the crispy orange chicken is especially good this time of year.

Finally, huge Brooklyn Botanic Garden Peak Rose Garden shoutouts to new paid subscribers Emily S., Michael C and Lucy C.! That’s enough $$$ for six visits, and I promise not to pick so many roses this time.

I’m very excited for this week’s issue, of course. We’ve got interviews with six couples conducted within minutes of taking their vows at City Hall in Manhattan. Please enjoy.

Regards!

Anne

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FEATURE

Meet the Newlyweds!

NYC firefighter Kevin and his bride Lieze pose for their wedding photographer outside the City Clerk’s office

If I ever got married again, I'd for sure get hitched at City Hall in NYC. I can't imagine a more auspicious start to a life-long partnership!

Last week, I spent a couple mornings interviewing random newlyweds as they emerged from the City Clerk's office—where, for a $35 fee, folks get married in ceremonies conducted by the Manhattan Marriage Bureau every 15 minutes. (You can sign up for a slot here).

Some couples were accompanied by a photographer, friends and family. Others made it a totally private affair. Some dressed in business casual, some in full-on cathedral wear. What surprised me is that almost every couple I stopped on the sidewalk was happy to chat with a random blogger about their big day.

I had a lot of fun hearing their stories and hope you do too!

Adriana and Cesar!

Adriana, 35, is a children's ESL teacher. Cesar, 38 is a commercial truck driver. Adriana is six months pregnant!

Why are you getting married at City Hall on a Wednesday morning?

Adriana: I love New York City! It's so meaningful to me. And we thought it'd be not too crowded today.

Where do you live?

Cesar: East Newark.

Adriana: It's a tiny town across from Newark [New Jersey]. But I grew up in New York City—Elmhurst, Queens. I want to teach him to love New York City, ‘cuz he's a New Jersey guy—he's only lived in Jersey! New York City is everything to me. It's where I first came as an immigrant. It opens the door to everyone, so I think it's beautiful.

Where are you from originally?

Adriana: Colombia!

Cesar: Peru!

How old were you when you arrived?

Adriana: I was ten.

Cesar: I was 30. That was seven years ago.

How did you meet?

Adriana: At a BBQ! In 2021. We were invited by a mutual friend. It didn't feel special right then and there. I think we were both looking for a listening ear. We started talking and afterwards I was like, "That felt really good! I can talk to him!" But I didn't even realize that until afterward.

Cesar: For me, it was love at first sight.

Adriana: So then we started hanging out and getting to know each other. And every meeting was like questions and questions. The New York Times had an article on 36 questions to fall in love. We used those to ask each other. And I swear by them!

But you wouldn't do that if you weren't already in love!

Adriana: I know, I know! The inkling was there.

What were some of your dates?

Adriana: I think our best date was Governors Island. It was so beautiful! It felt like a magical place.

How would you describe each other?

Cesar: She's a fantastic person. A really good person.

Adriana: I think of Cesar as someone incredibly sweet and caring. Someone you can really count on. A best friend!

Do you think you'll move back to New York City?

Cesar: Yes, because she loves it so much.

And Adriana, I just noticed you're wearing sneakers with your beautiful dress!

Adriana: Yes! It's the way to go. It's way more comfortable, being in New York City. But we're also expecting, in August, so it makes life easier!

Anonymous Couple!

These newlyweds declined to share their names or be photographed for a reason that soon became clear.

Why are you getting married at City Hall on a weekday morning?

Bride: Because we love New York City! We are from Germany.

Groom: And we are loving each other. We wanted to do this on our own. Our friends and family don't know. We got the license yesterday, in the morning.

So you're on vacation! How long have you been planning this?

Bride: Six months.

Groom: We love traveling to the USA and have been here five times before, all over the country. The national parks, the West Coast, the Rockies. We thought it would be a perfect place for us to get married.

Bride: We are planning another road trip, and we love New York City. This is our first stop and we are going to honeymoon afterward.

When are you going to tell everybody?

Groom: We will start with that when we get home.

Bride: Today we are relaxing.

Groom: Just the two of us, and having dinner tonight. Gallagher's Steakhouse.

Alejandro and Iris!

These newlyweds were accompanied by Alejandro's roommate Caesar.

Why did you get married at City Hall this morning?

Alejandro: We have been together two years and we decided to get married to make it official. We chose City Hall because it’s romantic, and we live in New York.

How did you meet?

Alejandro: We met through Ceasar, who is currently my roommate.

Iris: He introduced us!

Alejandro: He was looking for a tenant. I was looking for an apartment, and she [Iris] was helping him.

Iris: Caesar and I have known each other for twenty years.

Caesar: Very good friends!

Where is the apartment?

Caesar: On Park Avenue. I was looking for a roommate, and I asked her—can she find someone for me?

Iris: I put the ads up. On Spare Rooms and Craigslist. And a bunch of crazy people responded.

Alejandro: It's a funny story. The thing is, this apartment was out of my budget. I didn't respond to the ad. I don't know how she got my number. But she called and said, "Do you want to see this apartment?" I had been looking at apartments all day. I was giving up because everything was bad. But I said, "Okay, this is the last one.” I went to see it. And [when she was showing me the apartment] we were talking and she said, "You texted me," and I said, "No, I never texted you!" How did that happen? I don't know if it was God or something.

Iris: Caesar says it was God.

Caesar: So he comes to live with me, and Iris comes to visit me...

Alejandro: I like her, I got her number.

Caesar: And then they go out together—behind my back!

(They all laugh)

Caesar: I was like, “What's going on here?!" But I am glad.

Alejandro: Our first date was a coffee date, then after that we started seeing each other more and more. We started going out for dinner, went to the theater. And then in the summer of 2023, we got engaged.

Iris: We're both into espresso, that's our thing.

How many espressos?

Alejandro: At least three!

Iris: We're coffee addicts!

Alejandro: I came to New York from Spain. I didn't know many people here. So at the start, I liked her, but it was just about getting to know people, and not being alone. But one thing lead to another.

Iris: He wasn't looking for love, I wasn't looking for love.

Alejandro: It's when you're not looking that things happen. The day you stop then bam! You find it.

Iris: I tell my friends that all the time.

Could you describe Alejandro for me?

Iris: He's super smart, very witty, and he tells a lot of jokes. He's a jokester.

Alejandro: And I will just say that Iris is the kindest person I have ever met. She has a wonderful heart. And obviously she's smart. One of the things I appreciate a lot in our relationship is that we can solve things through communication. We really understand each other. And for me that was something that made me realize that, okay, that's the woman I want to marry, you know? Because once you see you can deal with this person, you can be with this person, is the moment that you start to think, "I want it to be forever."

So where are you going to live now? Is it going to be the three of you living together? Haha!

All three: No no no no no!!!

Jack and Amanda!

Amanda, 40 and Jack, 47, live on the Lower East Side. They were on their way to a lunch celebration with family.

Why did you get married at City Hall today?

Amanda: Because we didn't want a big wedding.

And why Tuesday morning?

Jack: I'm not sure why.

Amanda: Well, for work. Really. We thought Monday would be better...

Jack: But Monday was a holiday.

So this just made your work schedule easier.

Jack: Yes, and also easier for people to come into the city.

How did you meet?

Amanda: We met through his sister. His sister and I went to the same school, and we met at an alumni event a week after me moving to New York, in 2007.

It's been a while! Why get married now?

Her: We've been talking about it. And he asked me to marry him in February.

Jack: We were on vacation at the beach and decided. I kind of made a joke and then—

Amanda: He wanted to marry me a year earlier but we had just been on a little break, and then we got back together. There were some bumps on the road.

Jack: It took a long road to get here, but it's worth it.

Were you proud to get married at City Hall?

Amanda: It's such a great experience.

Jack: The officiant was very calming—kind of made it reassuring.

Amanda: And all the other couples there, getting licenses! Some are in shorts, because it's not their day yet. And then all the other brides and grooms, brides and brides. It was so beautiful. People are just so happy there.

Jack: It's the one place in the city where everyone's happy to be there! Like, every time you have to deal with the city in any other situation it's, "Why am I here?"

Amanda's dad [busting in on the interview]: I don't know if the lady who married them is a justice of the peace or what, but she was so respectful—that this a solemn moment. It was wonderful!

Amanda: She said, "Don't look at me, look in each other’s eyes."

Can you tell me how you picked your outfits? You guys look great.

Amanda: I got this on sale months ago and said I'll wear it for the summer, and then I was going through my closet and thought it'd work for a wedding dress.

Jack: I think she picked this out for me.

Amanda: He has vegan shoes!

Zoa and Erik!

Erik is 44 and Zoa is 35. They live in Bayside, Queens.

Why are you getting married at City Hall today?

Erik: We wanted to be legally married. This seemed like the most efficient way to do it. We're going finish up with a family get-together in a few weeks.

Can you tell me how you met?

Erik: On [dating app] Bumble!

Zoa: Our first date was in Central Park.

Erik: We met on Fifth and 79th, walked up all the way to the north end of the park, 110th. We didn't know where the date was going to go—just planned a walk. And then I said, "Do you want to see St. John's Cathedral?" I took her over there. A few hours went by. I said, "Do you want to get something to eat?" It just sort unfolded organically. And we just had such a great time together, that first date. No expectations. Then date number two, date number three, a few months later we're living together and it just felt right. On Christmas Day I proposed to her.

How wonderful! Where were you Christmas Day?

Erik: Our apartment. I had so many suggestions, "Do it here, do it there, make it this magical thing." But that felt right, where we spend a lot of time.

Zoa: I couldn't believe it. It was a surprise. I wasn't expecting it.

How would you describe your husband?

Zoa: I think we are very similar. He's a very kind man, sweet, thoughtful. He's always doing and saying everything to make me feel good.

Can I marry him?

Zoa: No! [Clutches Erik]. He's taken already! He's taken!

How would you describe your wife?

Erik: As a solid support. Kind, thoughtful, very encouraging, loving.

What do you think will make yours a long and happy marriage?

Zoa: We share the same values. That's important for a long marriage.

Erik: Communication, transparency, checking in from time-to-time. Is there anything else I can be doing to support you? Someone once told me that the secret to a successful marriage is trying to do a little bit more for the person than they are doing for you.

Kevin and Lieze!

Kevin, 32, is a NYC firefighter. Lieze, 29, works at the UN. They live in Astoria.

Why are you getting married at City Hall on a Wednesday morning at 10:30 am?

Leize: Why a Wednesday morning? I don't know!

Kevin: I proposed two months ago and we wanted to get that legal step done. She's from the Netherlands. We wanted to take that step to make sure we can stay together.

How did he propose?

Leize: We went to a cabin upstate. We had some wine, discussed our memories together, and then he got down on one knee and proposed.

How did you meet?

Leize: We met in 2019. Through a dating app—Hinge.

Kevin: We went to a bar called the Australian, which just closed down, unfortunately. On 38th between Fifth and Sixth. I remember this very distinctly, because I got there first. There were two Scottish guys next to me, talking to me. And then she walked in, and these two Scottish guys were very friendly, they got us both a beer.

So cute!

Kevin: And we ended up closing down the bar that night!

What was your first impression?

Leize: Obviously, he's very handsome. But we just got along, immediately.

Kevin: This was prior to Covid. We dated for a couple months and then everything shut down and she went back to the Netherlands for two years. But then she got a job here and we reconnected. When she got back in 2022, she sent me a text telling me she was in town.

So you had split up?

Kevin: Yes, the world had shut down.

Were you thinking of each other the whole time?

Leize: Yes!

Kevin: Yes. But a few months go by, a few months go by, and I'm thinking, “I have to move on." Then out of the blue, she came back!

What was the text you sent him when you returned?

Leize: "I'm back in New York—want to grab a drink sometime?"

How would you describe each other?

Kevin: She's intelligent, smart, keeps my life in order.

Leize: It's true!

Kevin: I'd never be able to find my keys without her. She just makes every day better.

Leiza: I'd say he's very emotionally intelligent and also very relaxed. He's grounded when I get myself stressed out.

What are you doing next?

Kevin: A nice lunch with some friends, and then get back to it.

Honeymoon?

Kevin: Nope! Back to work!

CAFÉ ANNE is a free weekly newsletter created by Brooklyn journalist Anne Kadet. Subscribe to get the latest issue every Monday!