New Yorkers have a different view on privacy than the rest of the country. We may never say hello to our neighbors, but we’re heard them intimately through the thin wall that separates our apartments. When my neighbor gets a phone call, I feel it vibrations. We generally just accept (and try not to think about) the fact that those across the air shaft have seen us naked in a state of undress. On a crowded 8AM subway, we are closer to strangers than chaperones allow at a Catholic school dance.  There’s not enough space in the city for privacy.

It’s wedding season. How many weddings do you have on your calendar? In NYC, it is exceedingly difficult to have a private, intimate ceremony. To brides tying the knot in Central Park, be prepared for about 6 million uninvited guests. The city, along with its inhabitants are your real wedding party- eclipsing your maid of honor, best man, even the bride herself.

I enjoy spotting brides and wedding parties around the city. They make a wedding seem more like part of life than the picture-perfect official wedding photos ever do.

Notice the juxtaposition between the hotdog stand, the bride and groom, and the shirt-less dude.

I love the classic Central Park scene set here, with the portraitist, and the dedication of the maid of honor- attempting to save the brides dress. All New York City brides should know- the city street will leave the bottom of your dress dirty and gray.

The front view of the previous couple, also a great Central Park scene.

An engagement photo-shoot. On that photographer’s film, this moment will look intimate. Here it looks extremely public.

A perfect Central Park scene, wedding photo pose, and all the city dwellers surrounding it.

There’s just something about brides. The glowing energy, the radiant happiness on (hopefully) the most photogenic day of their lives just draws your eyes to them. That and the background of Central Park and I can’t help but snap a picture. Creepy? Maybe, but way less so than seeing your neighbor clipping his toe nails.