The Man Behind New York’s One-Stop Elopement Shop

Forget the $50,000, years-in-the-works wedding extravaganza. Goran Veljic runs a booming business as an officiant/witness/photographer for couples getting hitched on the quick.

Photos by Andrew Seng

There was a warm breeze in the air when Goran Veljic made his way toward the Wonder Wheel. A couple had dreamed of marrying on Coney Island, at midnight, against a backdrop of carnival lights and cotton candy. They had called Goran a few nights earlier to make it happen.

He waited in silence beside a shuttered hot dog stand. He was nervous. No one was around, and the park’s neon lights grew a little more sinister with every passing minute. Thankfully, a woman in a white dress and a man in a tuxedo soon appeared. A handful of their closest friends followed behind.

Goran officiated the ceremony in about fifteen minutes, pausing every once in a while to lift a Nikon D700 from around his neck and snap a picture. Peering at a wristwatch, one of the guests ensured the “I do’s” were spoken precisely at the stroke of twelve.