Weddings Summer 2012 > Planner

RESTAURANTS AND PARTY SPACES

91 Horatio

91 Horatio St., nr. Washington St.; 212-691-4570; theuppercrust.com

This exposed-brick loft space allows outside catering and provides an ideal blank canvas for creative-minded couples. It holds 200 guests for cocktails, 175 for a buffet, and 128 for a dinner-dance, plus it’s fully wired for a D.J. or live band. From $3,500 for space rental. In-house catering by the Upper Crust starting at $1,500.

583 Park

583 Park Ave., at 63rd St.; 212-583-7200; 583parkave.com

The best bet at this classic, circa-1923 event space is the opulent Grand Ballroom, which features a domed ceiling and dramatic chandelier. The ballroom can accommodate 150 to 450 for dinner and dancing. Prices upon request. No outside catering except kosher.

620 Loft & Garden

620 Fifth Ave., nr. 50th St., seventh fl.; 212-593-9499; topoftherocknyc.com

This midtown penthouse features an outdoor garden with a fountain and views of majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and a newly renovated indoor loft looks out onto Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall. The garden can hold up to 90 seated guests for a traditional ceremony; the loft holds up to 100 guests for a seated dinner (with dance floor) and up to 165 for cocktails. Prices upon request.

Alger House in the Village

Off Sixth Ave., nr. Bleecker St.; 212-627-8838; algerhouse.com

With its garden room and sweeping 2,500-square-foot great room, this 1906 carriage house retains its old-fashioned charm. It accommodates 110 guests and offers an eclectic menu of French, Mediterranean, and fusion specialties ($85–$115 per person). The venue charge will set you back an extra $500 to $1,900. No outside catering.

The Altman Building

135 W. 18th St., nr. Seventh Ave; 212-741-3400; thealtmanbuilding.com

A former carriage house built in 1886, this landmark building boasts vaulted brick ceilings and original French mahogany doors. The 10,000-square-foot ground floor can accommodate 450 for a seated dinner or 575 for cocktails, and the staff can help with event planning and design, prop rentals, catering, and entertainment. Space rental starts at $6,500.

Astra

979 Third Ave., nr. 58th St., fourteenth fl.; 212-644-9394; charliepalmer.com

By day, Astra is a bustling café; by night, an intimate venue featuring chef Charlie Palmer’s famed cuisine. Windows run along the north and east walls with views of Manhattan’s lights and the Queensboro Bridge. Astra can accommodate 120 guests with dancing, or 300 for cocktails ($75–$200 per guest).

Bathhouse Studios

540 E. 11th Street, nr. Ave. B; 212-388-1111; bathhousestudios.com

Built in the early 1900s, this building served as a public bathhouse until the mid-1960s. Now it’s transformed into a sleek industrial studio with exposed brick and soaring twenty-foot ceilings. Packages include Studio A (4,000 square feet, with a state-of-the-art sound system) and Studio B (1,800 square feet, with makeup and wardrobe rooms) for twelve hours. Space rental starts at $5,000.

The Bell House

149 7th St., nr. Third Ave., Gowanus; 718-643-6510; thebellhouseny.com

Originally a twenties printing factory, this beloved Brooklyn space holds up to 140 people for dinner and dancing and boasts a 25-foot wooden-arched ceiling and a 450-square-foot stage, which is the perfect setting for a live band. For a more intimate feel, the front lounge features Victorian-style décor with a 26-foot oak bar; it can hold up to 150 people. Prices vary by day; from $8,000 for Saturday-evening space rental.

Bridgewaters

11 Fulton St., nr. Front St.; 212-608-7400; theglaziergroup.com

Each of the two lofty rooms at this popular South Street Seaport event space seats 100 to 540 people and can hold up to 2,500 for cocktail parties. Guests will enjoy views of the Brooklyn Bridge and New York Harbor from the wraparound terraces. Buffet and seated menus, including alcohol, are $100 to $225 per person. No outside catering except kosher.

Brindle Room

277 E. 10th Street nr. Ave. A; 212-529-9702; brindleroom.com

Jeremy Spector’s intimate East Village restaurant accommodates 50 for cocktails and 30 for an intimate dinner. The staff will even take care of the flowers, music, and photography if you book the full wedding package. From $50 per person, including catering. (good value)

Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture

53 Prospect Park W., nr. 1st St.; Park Slope; 718-768-2972; bsec.org

This century-old Brooklyn landmark across from Prospect Park offers four event spaces, including a wood-paneled library and garden room. The Tiffany window–enhanced grand parlor can seat up to 100, or 85 with a dance floor, while the garden can accommodate ceremonies with up to 250 guests. Rental fees are $750 an hour, catering not included.

Bryant Park Grill

25 W. 40th St., at Fifth Ave.; 212-260-8815; arkrestaurants.com

This restaurant’s dining room features windows overlooking the park; there’s also a rooftop space that can be used for the ceremony and cocktails. The venue can accommodate up to 200 guests indoors for a seated dinner with dancing. From $125 per person..

The Campbell Apartment

Grand Central Terminal, 15 Vanderbilt Ave., nr. 43rd St.; 212-980-9476; hospitalityholdings.com

Couples who book this venue—the former office and salon of a twenties business tycoon—will enjoy plush couches, sweeping leaded windows, and a massive stone fireplace, plus gourmet cuisine courtesy of caterer Abigail Kirsch. The swank space comfortably accommodates up to 75 seated guests (50 with dancing) and 125 for cocktails. From $150 to $500 per person.

Capitale

130 Bowery, at Grand St.; 212-334-5500; capitaleny.com

Designed by Stanford White in 1893, the original Bowery Savings Bank embodies all the grandeur of the Romanesque revival, with 65-foot ceilings, Corinthian columns, and marble mosaic floors. The dramatic space can hold 750 guests for dinner or 1,500 for cocktails in the 11,000-square-foot ballroom, which features a coved ceiling and an art glass skylight. Prices upon request.

Celsius

40 W. 42nd St., nr. Fifth Ave., in Bryant Park; 212-661-6640; bryantpark.org

Open for weddings from November to February, this two-story glass-enclosed restaurant is located right off Citi Pond at Bryant Park. With 7,000 square feet of space and an outdoor terrace, the venue holds up to 400 guests and includes a D.J. package and several food-and-beverage options from in-house catering. Prices upon request.

Cipriani Wall Street

55 Wall St., at William St.; 646-723-0813; cipriani.com

With Ionic columns on the outside and Corinthian ones within, this Greek Revival building is ideal for those looking to hold a ceremony and reception in a large space (13,500 square feet). The Grand Ballroom is adorned with marble walls and a huge dome. The venue accommodates 750 for a seated dinner; Cipriani handles the catering. Prices upon request.

City Hall Restaurant

131 Duane St., nr. Church St.; 212-964-4118; cityhallnewyork.com

City Hall Restaurant’s two main event spaces can accommodate up to 250 guests—or the whole place can be rented out to fit parties of up to 400. The Granite Room’s walnut-and-brick bar and granite ceilings create a vibe of stately elegance (from $3,500); the Rose Room’s warmly colored walls recall a more romantic atmosphere (from $2,000). (good value)

From the Summer 2012 New York Wedding Guide