All Night Long

The after-party.

• By Yael Kohen
• Published Winter 2006

All great weddings come to an end, but even greater weddings extend into the wee hours of the night. The question is where to go and rather than stand around in your wedding dress debating the right spot (which is, let's admit it, inevitably the case) better to plan an after-party so you and your guests can get right to it. Finding a place where you can all stick together is a bit tricky, especially if it's late and the bars and lounges are already teeming with inebriated revelers or preparing to close. For something swank, head to Pravda (281 Lafayette St.; 212-334-5015), a vodka bar done up like a sexy Russian speak-easy with a selection of house-infused vodkas (black currant, ginger, fig) and fabulous cocktails like the Leninade (citrus-infused vodka, lemon juice, mint, and soda). Either reserve the second floor, with its own bar or make a reservation for a table in the main room downstairs. A little pubbier is the down-home neighborhood restaurant, the Spotted Pig (314 W.11th St. 212-620-0393, ext. 2), which claims to be the only gastro-pub in the world with a Michelin Star. They're known for their fantastic beers like Old Speckled Hen and their own Spotted Pig Bitter. The second floor has a dark red interior and walls adorned with flea market knick-knacks, a copper-pressed ceiling. The Park (118 Tenth Ave.; 212-352-3313), a 10,000-square-foot former taxi garage in Chelsea, has five different Asian-accented rooms to choose from, including a portion of their outdoor garden oasis with Wisteria and Japanese maple wood trees. You can see the stars in the Atrium, which has a glass wall and ceiling and a brick fireplace. Plus, there's the Red Room, with red tabletops and silk pillows. Chelsea's Gstaad (43 W. 26th St.; 212-683-1440) is inspired by an Alpine lodge with scenes of Swiss mountaintops projected onto walls. The private room in the back, called the cabin, has unusual sofas and tables made to look like tree stumps, and fits up to twenty of your closest friends.