Boston Public Library offering one-hour wedding ceremonies for $200

BOSTON (CBS) -- When it comes to dream wedding spots in the city, the Boston Public Library is high up there on the list. That is, if you can afford it.

"The Public Library will always be considered the place to get married for what would be an elevated wedding," said Veronica Alexandra Morales, founder and owner of wedding and event planning company Blue Ivy.

The historic library is now offering a new option for couples on select Mondays: a small one-hour ceremony for $200.

"We host a large number of weddings here after hours, and there's quite an expense to that to host a large full scale wedding reception here," said Boston Public Library Director of Special Events Emily Tokarczyk. "We really wanted something that was more financially attainable for the general population of Boston to come in and celebrate within the building here and have their special moment."

Since the offering was announced last week, 50 one-hour ceremonies have been booked this summer.

"The response has been overwhelming. I think in the first 48 hours we had over 300 applications," said Tokarczyk.

One of those applications came from Rachel Alexander of Lowell, set to marry her fiancé Elijah at BPL in July.

"We just didn't want this big thing, and we know how much weddings can cost," said Alexander, adding, "Like I mentioned in my application, I'm a librarian and I love libraries, and I think it would just be really, really cool to get married in a library and have that little special moment."

Ceremonies will take place in the Guastavino Room, with seating for up to eight guests and the ability to bring one officiant and one photographer.

"We'll have all the chairs, the floral, a nice display in front of the mantle for them, and then they'll be able to use the full space here for some photographs afterwards," said Tokarczyk.

For those interested, ceremonies for the summer are fully booked but applications for the fall open next month.