Getting a write-up in the times is one affirmation that you're a power couple in a certain northeastern old-school way, or a human interest angle.
The factors that enter into getting in (from my observation strictly) are a combination of things like:
- parents who live in ny metro
- the parties getting married living in ny metro
- having gone to school in ny metro
- parents or parties getting married working in ny metro
- what the parents do for a living
- any lineage "grandparent governor of NY"
- what the parties getting married do for a living
- school attended as far as perceived impressiveness
- whether an impressive job or title of any of the parties mentioned.
..and so on. That's off the top.
For example, "physician" and "went to school in NY" is probably almost assured to get the announcement printed.
"father a mechanic, mother a homemaker, inlaws are nobodies, parties are cashiers who work at walmart, no college, live in jersey city"[1] and so on either don't get in, don't care to get in, or don't have the drive to even submit a form to get in.
[1] Unless of course one of the parties is related to a famous former politician or some other mitigating factor.
I've read the wedding announcements on and off since about 1991, but much less these days, because I only get the online edition now.
I understand that, like college admissions, you can hire a wedding planner or consultant who can considerably raise the chances of your wedding being listed.
The NYT obits are another interesting read.