Location, Location, Location

Eight more inspired venues, handpicked by set designers, film scouts, and other consummate urban aesthetes.

• By Ally Betker
• Published Winter 2011

Wolffer Estate Vineyard   (Photo: Timothy Lee Photographers)

The Sunset Beach Hotel
35 Shore Rd., Shelter Island, N.Y.; 631-749-2001; $45 to $55 per person; capacity: 180.
“It’s gorgeous, feels miles away from everything, and is a destination wedding that is actually easy to get to. It’s also a party extravaganza and really does boast the best sunset around.”—Jonathan Adler, designer

Gary's Loft   (Photo: Kelly Prizel Photography)

Gary’s Loft
28 W. 36th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 917-837-2420; $5,600 to $8,400; capacity: 150.
“This is the kind of space a wealthy downtown artist might’ve owned on Broome Street in the eighties. Wide-open, funky, and flooded with light.” —Glenn Schuster, location scout and filmmaker

The Mills Mansion
75 Mills Mansion Dr., Staatsburg, N.Y.; 845-889-8851; $150 to $2,500; capacity: 800.
“It was completed in 1896 and sits on a hill overlooking the Hudson River and Catskills. Despite its extraordinary setting and stunning beauty, it’s not expensive because it’s entirely state-owned.”—John Hutchinson, location scout

The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers   (Photo: Joshua Zuckerman Photography)

The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers
Pier 61, 23rd St. at the Hudson River; 212-336-6049; $135 to $250 per person; capacity: 100 to 300.
“This has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Hudson. It’s a great blank canvas.” —David Rodolitz, co-founder of event-planning firm the Impulse Group

The New York City Marble Cemetery
52–74 E. 2nd St., nr. First Ave.; 212-228-6401; prices upon request; capacity: 1,000.
“I lived across the street from this for seven years and fell in love with its quiet beauty. One could have a small Edward Gorey–ish ceremony there and cocktails at nearby Death & Co.” —Christine Jones, Tony Award-winning set designer

The Kaaterskill Inn   (Photo: Courtesy of the vendor)

The Kaaterskill Inn
424 High Falls Rd. Ext., Catskill, N.Y.; 518-678-0026; $3,000; capacity: 200.
“It’s about two hours from New York but offers a bucolic outdoor setting and a great old-fashioned bar for the reception.” —Deren Getz, location scout and manager

Wolffer Estate Vineyard
139 Sagg Rd., Sagaponack, N.Y.; 631-537-5106, ext. 20; prices upon request; capacity: 175.
“It combines the rustic charm of a working winery with the natural backdrop of vineyard rows.” —Kristen Ronan, fashion publicist

The Pierre
2 E. 61st St., at Fifth Ave.; 212-940-8111; prices upon request; capacity: 200 to 500.
“The opulent ballroom and distinctly New York glamour of the hotel set the stage for my own wedding over a decade ago. It remains a beacon of elegance, even when its hometown gets distracted by trendy downtown lofts.” —Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Lincoln Center director of fashion