The Best For...

• By Yael Kohen
• Published Winter 2006

BROADWAY NOSTALGIA

The Hudson Theater
(145 W. 44th St.; 212-789-7502)
The 103-year-old Hudson is one of the city's oldest theaters, and a recent renovation restored it to its original glory: Think Tiffany glasswork, crystal chandeliers, and gold Queens boxes, which make for a dramatic cake cutting.

OLD-WORLD OPULENCE

The New York Public Library
(476 Fifth Ave.; 212-930-0730)
The NYPL has three amazing spaces. The Celeste Bartos Forum features a 30-foot-high domed glass ceiling. Astor Hall is a study in white marble with a grand staircase. And the McGraw Rotunda is set beneath arched bays with Corinthian pilasters over 17 feet high.

A HIP SURPRISE

New York Aquarium
(602 Surf Ave., Coney Island; 718-265-3474 )
This venue offers indoor and outdoor spaces for a truly unique reception. The Oceanic Deck has sweeping sea views, and a 150,000-gallon fish tank is visible from Conservation Hall. Spot penguins and otters at Sea Cliffs.

ART LOVERS

Brooklyn Museum
(200 Eastern Pkwy., Prospect Heights, Brooklyn; 718-501-6408)
Built by famed architects McKim, Mead and White, the museum boasts three very different party spaces. The Cantor Gallery is a rotunda with 60-plus Rodin sculptures. The two-story Beaux-Arts court has a huge skylight. And the Rubin Pavilion is a curved plaza with an entirely glass ceiling.

MUSIC AFICIONADOS

Jazz at Lincoln Center
(33 W. 60th St.; 212-258-9829)
Start with your ceremony at the Rose Theater and follow with a reception in the Allen Room, an adaptable amphitheater that seats up to 420. It's most glorious feature is a wall of glass through which Central Park and Columbus Circle look magical.