Weddings Summer 2008 > Planner

Locations Directory

Except where noted, all of these locations allow outside caterers.

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MUSEUMS & PUBLIC VENUES

American Museum of Natural History

Central Park W. at 79th St.; 212-769-5817; amnh.org

A membership fee of $3,500 will give you access to the Powerhouse, which accommodates up to 300 guests for a seated dinner. This 5,000-square-foot loft-like space features French doors that open onto the Arthur Ross Terrace, which offers dramatic views of the Rose Center for Earth and Space. Pre-event receptions can also be held in the glass-walled North Galleria. Catering is provided by Restaurant Associates.

Americas Society

680 Park Ave., at 68th St.; 212-249-8950; americas-society.org

This cultural society, housed in a historic mansion, has a wood-paneled library with a barrel-vaulted ceiling that’s perfect for a ceremony, and the dining room holds 120 seated guests with dancing (your caterer must provide furnishings). A $5,150 fee ($2,800 of which is tax-deductible) buys you eight hours, day or night (except in August).

Angel Orensanz Foundation

172 Norfolk St., nr. Houston St.; 212-529-7194; orensanz.org

This 1849 building, home to the oldest synagogue in New York, is designed to replicate the Cathedral of Cologne: thick Gothic-style windows; a deep-blue, incredibly dramatic rib-vaulted ceiling; and even an elaborate Gothic arch. Prices vary (seats 260).

Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum

895 Shore Rd., nr. Roosevelt Pl., the Bronx; 718-885-1461; bartowpellmansionmuseum.org

Nestled in the heart of Pelham Bay Park, this nineteenth-century stone mansion is a stunning backdrop for weddings held in its large formal garden. Rental fees begin at $3,500, and depend on the number of guests. Outdoor and tented weddings only.

Brooklyn Academy of Music

30 Lafayette Ave., at Ashland Pl., Fort Greene, Brooklyn; 718-636-4198; bam.org

This performing-arts mainstay has been around since the Civil War. Couples will face a lot of red tape in planning their reception event, but it will be worth it. BAMcafé, located above the Grand Lobby, holds up to 400 for a cocktail reception and the rental fee is just $1,500 (Brooklyn residents get a significant discount). Great Performances is the in-house caterer, and couples should note that house fees can significantly raise the price.

Brooklyn Museum

200 Eastern Pkwy., nr. Washington Ave., Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; 718-501-6409; brooklynmuseum.org

This museum houses internationally acclaimed collections of everything from Egyptian to contemporary art. You can host a five-hour event starting after 7 p.m. (from $11,000). The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium is popular for ceremonies, and you can serve hors d’oeuvre in the Cantor Gallery. The Grand Lobby and Entrance Pavilion accommodate up to 1,000 if you need more space.

Central Park Zoo

830 Fifth Ave., nr. 64th St.; 212-439-6500; wcs.org

Consider this iconic Central Park landmark for the indoor rain forest with monkeys and free-flying birds (available year round for cocktails) or the garden for seated receptions during warm weather months. And of couse, sea-lion demonstrations are possible. Prices upon request.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum

2 E. 91st St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-849-8341; ndm.si.edu

Boasting the largest private garden in Manhattan, Cooper-Hewitt can accommodate up to 90 guests for an indoor seated event and up to 500 in the Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden. Upon renting out Cooper-Hewitt, you have access to the entire space, including the Great Hall and galleries. Catering is provided through Restaurant Associates. Fee for a five-hour event is $25,000.

The Council on Foreign Relations/ Harold Pratt House

58 E. 68th St., at Park Ave.; 212-434-9400; cfr.org

The grand turn-of-the-century mansion features a marble staircase that connects the ballroom to a variety of smaller, wedding-ready spaces, from a library complete with fireplace and wraparound balcony, to the dainty drawing room. The various spaces can hold up to 180 for a seated dinner; prices start at $5,500.

The Delegates Dining Room United Nations Building

First Ave. at 45th St.; 212-963-7099; aramark-un.com

The U.N. building doesn’t allow religious ceremonies but will host your reception. Start with cocktails on the West Terrace, followed by dinner in the modernist Delegates Dining Room (with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the East River). Catering is in-house, starting at $175 per person.

Faculty House at Columbia University

400 W. 117th St., nr. Morningside Dr.; 212-854-7192; columbia.edu/cu/fachouse

This former men’s club is a popular reception spot for couples getting married at Saint Paul’s Chapel, just across the street. On weekends, renters have access to the whole house, bedecked with brass chandeliers, period furniture, grandfather clocks, and fireplaces. The average cost is $120 per person for catering, plus $1,500 for the rental of the entire space.

The Frick Collection

1. E. 70th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-288-0700; frick.org

If you’re lucky enough to be a private member (from $35,000) of the collection, you’re granted the privilege of using the space. The lofty building, full of huge brick arched doorways, is separated into three different areas—the entrance and reception hall, the Garden Court, and the Music Room—and accommodates up to 350 for cocktails and 200 for dinner.

Grand Central Terminal

42nd St. at Park Ave.; 212-340-3404; grandcentralterminal.com

Vanderbilt Hall, the old 12,000-square-foot main waiting room decorated with five of the original 1913 gold chandeliers and tons of pink marble, can be rented for weddings after 5 p.m., albeit at a cost: $20,000 and up. Choose from twelve exclusive caterers to provide food and furnishings (that’s extra, of course). The space is unavailable from mid-November to the end of December.

The House of the Redeemer

7 E. 95th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-289-0399; houseoftheredeemer.org

The contents of the fifteenth-century wood-paneled library in this Italian-style palazzo were all imported by Cornelius Vanderbilt’s great-granddaughter, and the effect is straight out of the Renaissance. The first floor of the landmark house is available for a 100-person sit-down dinner; the second can hold receptions for 100 or fewer. Rental fees are $2,500 to $4,500.

Hudson Theatre

145 W. 44th St., nr. Broadway; 212-789-7502; millenniumbroadway.com

This landmark theater that opened in 1903 is one of the city’s oldest showplaces, offering soaring architecture and backlit, stained glass Tiffany ceilings. For weddings, theater seating is replaced by beautifully appointed tables that match the burgundy stage curtains and draperies. Prices start at $150 per person, which includes an overnight suite in the Millennium Hotel.

Jazz at Lincoln Center

33 W. 60th St., at Columbus Circle; 212-258-9829; jalc.org

Start your ceremony at the adaptable Rose Theater and follow with a reception in the Allen Room, a majestic amphitheater that holds up to 600 for cocktails. Its most glorious feature is a wall of glass through which Central Park and Columbus Circle look magical. Catering is by Great Performances. Prices upon request.

Merchants House Museum

29 E. 4th St., nr. Bowery; 212-777-1089; merchantshouse.com

Not only does this preserved nineteenth-century home boast two Greek Revival parlors that seat up to 50, it also has a granite-tiled garden filled with lush plants and cast-iron furniture. On the ground floor there is a dining room and a period kitchen, which holds 70 guests for a cocktail reception.

Museum of the City of New York

1220 Fifth Ave., at 103rd St.; 212-534-1672; mcny.org

The walls of the galleries are fortified by large Greek columns, and arched hallways connect the various galleries beset with oil paintings. The first and second floors of the museum (as well as its auditorium) are available to rent: $6,000 for the first floor, $4,500 for the second, or $7,500 for both. Available only after five o’clock.

National Academy Museum

1083 Fifth Ave., nr. 89th St; 212-369-4880; nationalacademy.org

The Academy houses one of the country’s largest collections of nineteenth-through-twentieth-century American art, and it’s also a fantastic wedding venue: Located in a gorgeously detailed Beaux-Arts townhouse with a statue-flanked spiral staircase at its center, the one-time private residence can accommodate up to 240 for cocktails or 140 for a seated dinner. Prices average $2,000 to $5,000.

New Museum

235 Bowery, nr. Prince St.; 212-219-1222; newmuseum.org

The stunning pile of blocks on the Bowery, while cramped for exhibition space, proffers three reception halls. The all-white Sky Room (seats 120 for dinner; 200 for cocktails) is like a blank canvas for your wedding fantasy, and the bird’s-eye view of lower and upper Manhattan from the wraparound terrace ($5,000 plus an individual donation) is gorgeous. Marcia Tucker Hall makes for a nice entryway cocktail soirée. Catering by Creative Edge.

New York Aquarium

602 Surf Ave., at 8th St., Coney Island, Brooklyn; 718-265-4740; nyaquarium.org

Say “I do” outdoors, surrounded by walruses, penguins, and Willie the sea otter. Follow with a candlelit reception in a room walled on one side by a 150,000-gallon coral garden. The rental fee is $1,875 to $10,000 (depending on which exhibition space you choose). Parties must start after closing and can run as long as you’re willing to pay.

New York City Fire Museum

278 Spring St., nr. Hudson St.; 212-691-1303; nycfiremuseum.org

On the outskirts of Soho sits this two-floor museum filled with antique fire trucks and equipment (a guaranteed hit among groomsmen and ring boys alike). Rent the 3,000-plus-square-foot third floor for your wedding and reception ($3,300) and get access to the whole museum for eight hours (three hours are allotted for setup and cleanup).

New York Hall of Science

47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Corona, Queens; 718-699-0005; nyscience.org

With more than 400 interactive exhibits, the Hall of Science will entertain your most jaded guests. For $4,000 to $6,000, you can hold a wedding and reception (up to 350) in the stained glass-filled, curvilinear Great Hall; serve cocktails (up to 3,400) in the exhibition halls with a climbing wall and virtual arm wrestling; or toast in the colorful, high-ceilinged Viscusi Gallery.

The New York Public Library

476 Fifth Ave., at 41st St.; 212-930-0730; nypl.org/spacerental

What bride wouldn’t want a picture of herself descending the majestic steps of the New York Public Library on the day of her wedding? This landmark may be out of many couples’ budgets, but it boasts three amazing spaces: the Celeste Bartos Forum, Astor Hall, and the McGraw Rotunda. Expect a lot of red tape to accompany just about every decision you make. Prices upon request.

St. Bartholomew's Church

Park Ave., at 50th St.; 212-378-0200; stbarts.org

Midtown landmark Saint Bartholomew’s is suited for couples who want the church to play a hands-on role in helping them plan a traditional ceremony. The church has music directors and a florist. If you prefer to use outside venders, you must consult with the church’s wedding planners. The basic fee for a ceremony is $3,000.

The Top Deck at the Seamen's Church Institute

241 Water St., nr. Peck Slip; 212-349-9090; seamenschurch.org

Windows and skylights illuminate this interfaith chapel, which seats 75 people. With glass walls and a wraparound terrace, the Top Deck provides spectacular views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the lower Manhattan skyline. The Ships Gallery can be used as your cocktail room and holds up to 130 guests. Fees start at $3,800.

South Street Seaport Museum

12 Fulton St., nr. East River Dr.; 212-748-8600; southstseaport.org

The South Street Seaport spaces aren’t just for nautical enthusiasts. Anyone with an affinity for open air and a respect for history will be thrilled, from the high-ceilinged Melville Gallery (holds 125 for cocktails) to the ships (the tall ship Peking or nineteenth-century schooner Pioneer that can sail up the river). Gallery rates start at $2,500; boat and pier rentals range from $5,000 to $15,000.

The Waterfront Museum & Showboat Barge

290 Conover St., at Pier 44, Red Hook, Brooklyn; 718-624-4719; waterfrontmuseum.org

It may be out of the way, but this restored 1914 wooden barge is a funky destination with great views of New York Harbor and Manhattan, and an appealingly rustic look. They’ve also recently built a garden pier that’s perfect for an outdoor reception. Capacity on the boat is 100 for cocktails, 90 for a seated dinner. Prices start at $2,500 for a 90-person seated dinner.