Our Wedding Guide: Queers Invade the Chapel, Part II

The New York State Assembly passed an historic same-sex marriage amendment last month (right before Pride weekend, no less!), paving the way for gays and lesbians to legally wed as early as this Sunday, July 24. Whether you’re going to race down to City Hall or sashay through Saint Patrick’s Cathedral (kidding!), we’ve got you covered with a multi-part guide to LGBT weddings in the Big Apple. Now you just have to pop the question!

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Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties

Stag and hen nights pose some unique challenges for gay and lesbian couples, since they’re usually divided by gender and we’re more likely to share the same circle of friends than a straight twosome. Do you make your pals shell out for two wild nights or double-up and have a joint affair? (Which, honestly, kind of sounds like smushing together Christmas and your birthday.) However you do it, a bachelor/bachelorette bash is your last official night to be carefree and single, so make the most of it! We’ve got some great suggestions for that last hurrah—or just another chance to paint the town lavender.

 

Come back tomorrow for brilliant ideas on where to have your rehearsal dinner!

 

Barracuda
Cute Chelsea boys, potent drinks and live stage shows—this gayborhood mainstay has everything to remind you what you’re giving up to be with your one and only.  Plus, you can’t head to the altar until drag diva Sherry Vine gives you her blessing (right after she reads you, of course).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cock

If this is your last night to be naughty, there’s no place nastier than this legendary Second Avenue dive, where the lights are dim and the boys are frisky. We’re not encouraging you to step out on your honey right before your wedding day, but there’s nothing indecent about stuffing a few dollars in the go-go boy’s g-string. At least not in our book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Escuelita

Every night is like a gay quinceañera at this popular Latin club, which brings heavy salsa, bachata and reggaeton beats seven nights a week, plus regular drag shows and vogue balls. (Maybe you’ll pick up some moves for your first dance?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henrietta Hudson
Girl bars have come and gone in the Big Apple, but this West Village institution has been going strong since 1991, thanks to killer cocktails, comfy decor, hot patrons and a no-attitude attitude. (It’s fairly boy-friendly, too). If you want to keep your girlfriend’s eyes from wandering, it also offers private parties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Industry

A relatively recent arrival on the Hell’s Kitchen scene, this expansive club is still packing them in nearly every night. And it’s probably the easiest place to have your stag night—half your friends are probably already there! Start the night with dinner at one of Ninth Avenue’s many top-notch eateries before getting your party on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marie’s Crisis
For lovers with a song in their heart, this beloved West Village piano bar, where everyone is instantly your best friend, is a must. Even the waitstaff take a turn belting out show tunes (and they’re damn good). If you drop a few bills in his hat, we’re sure you can get the piano player to play “Going to the Chapel.” Great for bringing that gal pal who’s gonna be your Best Man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rudy’s

How many straight girls have we seen celebrating their bachelorette party at our favorite queer bar? Now’s your chance to put the heel on the other foot—this Hell’s Kitchen dive is so straight it’s almost gay. (Did we mention you get a free hot dog with every drink?) The crowd, mostly twentysomething ex-frat boys and their girlfriends, is actually fairly open-minded and, with an extensive selection of beers hovering around the $3–$4 range, you can be transgressive without breaking the bank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Splash
“Look but don’t touch” is the rule to follow at New York’s most famous gay dance club—that applies to both the strippers on the bar and the college-aged cuties downing their first Cosmo. With celebrity drop-ins (both Fergie and Kyle have stopped by), superstar DJs like Hex Hector and Tracy Young in the booth, and plenty of room on two floors, it’s a great option if your guest list runs into the double digits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stonewall Inn
Stonewall is where it all began, so there’s a certain poetry to having your bachelor or bachelorette party here. There are two roomy floors—you and your gaggle of gays won’t feel penned in—and a wide variety of events, from Paige Turner’s Thursday-night drag show to the monthly superhero spandex party. Your night will be anything but dull.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sugarland
This Williamsburg hangout is great if you’ve got a mixed crowd—it’s a popular haunt for outer-borough homos, dykes, transmen, club kids, drag queens and even (gasp) straight folks. Sugarland sports a gi-normous dance floor if you want to get your groove on—and intimate banquettes if you want something more low-key.

 

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