manhattan wedding venues
Our Ultimate Guide to NYC Weddings
Full of chic elegance and luxury, Manhattan’s wedding venues are quintessential. Considered a financial and cultural center of the world, the borough is made up of many skyscrapers that house the headquarters of multinational corporations, the United Nations, Wall Street, important universities, and more. At the heart of Manhattan is Central Park, an iconic setting all on its own that just so happens to be perfect for our style of editorial and natural wedding images.
New York City and Manhattan wedding venues offer the chance to capture truly stunning images filled with personal style. With options ranging from historic Manhattan wedding venues uptown to more modern wedding venues downtown, featuring hipster, industrial, and warehouse-chic locations, NYC has charm, character, and timeless style in spades.
That’s why it’s one of our favourite cities to take photos in, especially when documenting moments of joy and love between a happy couple and their nearest and dearest. Our natural, editorial approach to wedding photography blends in effortlessly with New York City’s striking wedding venues, no matter the aesthetic you’re going for.
This guide aims to help you discover the best venues across both NYC and Manhattan to help demystify the wedding planning process (let’s be real… it can be overwhelming), while aiming to align your own personal style with what Manhattan has to offer. We’ve been lucky enough to have been NYC wedding photographers for the last 13 years — many of those years have been spent wandering Manhattan creating editorially charged wedding portraits with kind, creative, and stylish couples on the best days of their lives. We hope our own taste and experience is helpful for those planning their dream celebration. If you ever need an opinion or guidance, please don’t hesitate to drop a line. We’d love to hear from you.
TOP 10 NYC & MANHATTAN WEDDING VENUES
Table of contents
Our favorite wedding portrait locations in Manhattan
Stylish Manhattan hotels for getting ready
From NYC or willing to travel? — Need more options? See our “Ultimate Guide to Brooklyn Wedding Venues”
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2 desbrosses st., new york, nY 10013
Tribeca Rooftop brings it back to industrial chic wedding venues, this time in the trendy area of downtown NYC known as Tribeca. Located in a 1920s building that originally housed a printing press, the rooftop location makes wedding parties hosted here feel like they’re a natural part of the city skyline.
The 14,000 sq. ft. terrace is nestled among old brick buildings and shiny new high-rises and can host an outdoor ceremony of up to 300 guests. The 15,000 sq. ft. interior space, an enclosed glass atrium featuring a 1,100 sq. ft. cherry wood dance floor, hosts up to 325 guests for an indoor ceremony. For a seated meal, capacity ranges between 150 and 325 guests, depending on layout or entertain up to 720 guests at a cocktail reception only.
With customizable exterior and interior signage, seasonal menus, a curated beverage service, and desserts made by Duane Park Patisserie pastries, as well as a bridal suite, in-house furniture and linens, and an on-site events manager to coordinate with outside vendors on the wedding day, Tribeca Rooftop delivers a modern, industrial atmosphere in a full-service space in the heart of the city.
e 72nd st., new york, nY 10021
A more natural setting in NYC to capture wedding memories at is the Loeb Boathouse. Best known as the launching point for rowboats setting off onto the iconic lake in Central Park, the Boathouse and Lakeside Restaurant offer an urban oasis to celebrate your love in. This is the only Manhattan wedding venue that’s right on a lake, giving the location a rare atmosphere of tranquility in the middle of the city.
The original two-story Victorian-style wooden boathouse was opened in 1872 and designed by Central Park’s landscape architect, Calvert Vaux. Another structure replaced it in 1924 before investment banker and philanthropist, Carl M. Loeb, and his wife, Adeline, donated the funds needed to build the boathouse that stands today. The Loeb Boathouse was opened in 1954 and was designed by Chief Park designer, Stuart Constable, in an effort to make the building blend well with its natural park surroundings.
A serene setting for a wedding, the Boathouse is close to many other quintessential Central Park scenes. The restaurant makes for an ideal venue to celebrate the nuptials in uniquely New York City style.
620 5th ave., new york, nY 10020
Returning to Rockefeller Center, 620 Loft & Garden offers unbeatable views of the Neo-Gothic spires of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. For an outdoor alternative to its elegant sister venue, NYC’s quintessential Rainbow Room, 620 Loft & Garden is an idyllic pop of green among the city blocks.
A few stories up from street level, the 684 sq. ft. garden also features a glimmering reflective pool and fountain, as well as a 228 sq. ft. tented area for some shelter and additional celebration space. The interior loft area has a crisp, classic decor and provides space for a larger wedding party. The full floor has a capacity of 165 for a reception-style gathering. The loft can seat 120 guests for dinner or, if you prefer, the garden is also available for seated dinners of up to 60 guests.
Blend modern class with an uncommon bit of green space and serenity at this remarkable wedding venue in Manhattan.
476 5th ave., new york, nY 10018
Speaking of fanciful, another memorable and maybe unexpected wedding venue in Midtown Manhattan is the New York Public Library. What’s considered the main branch in New York City, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, opened in 1911 and has remained a pillar of culture and community support to this day. The Beaux-Arts building also doubles as an exquisite event space with multiple halls and rooms available for rent.
All event fees go right back to supporting NYPL’s collections, services, and programs. However, space rental at the New York Public Library does come with the condition that any wedding ceremonies held are civil ceremonies only. This means couples that want to celebrate their love here need to organize a nonreligious marriage ceremony that’s performed by a government official, not a clergyman.
If that’s not an issue though, hosting your wedding party here blends the right amount of sophistication with a perfect opportunity to declare your undying nerdy love for libraries (at the same time as declaring your love for your partner in life!). Depending on whether you’d like to get married in a public or private space, capacity of the areas available range from 110 guests to 425 guests for a seated dinner event. For a cocktail reception alone, capacity ranges from 125 to 750 guests.
e 72nd st., new york, nY 10021
Bronx Botanical Garden, also known as the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), is located north of Manhattan in Bronx Park. Established in 1891, it’s a 250-acre area that contains over one million living plants. The Garden is the largest in any US city and is considered a National Historic Landmark.
In partnership with Constellation Culinary Group, weddings at NYBG can be organized in a number of different locations. The Garden Terrace Room offers an elegant venue that can host between 120 and 300 guests. The Hudson Garden Grill is a farm-to-table restaurant that creates a more casual, rustic atmosphere for up to 70 guests in the 40-acre Ross Conifer Arboretum. And the Stone Mill combines farm-chic elegance, historic charm, and pure nature seamlessly for a wedding party of between 60 and 120 guests. Featuring an outdoor terrace and lovely view of the Bronx River, this venue is the best of both worlds.
Eight of the outdoor gardens are also available for booking wedding photography only in whatever season you prefer. The Gardens are splendid in spring, summer, fall, or winter.
30 rockefeller plaza, 65th floor, new york, nY 10112
A quintessential piece of New York City history can be found in the Rainbow Room. In the heart of the city, this wedding venue is located 65 stories up from iconic Rockefeller Center. With a domed ceiling, twinkling chandeliers and curtains, a rotating dance floor, and views of NYC’s skyline that can’t be beat, this luxurious wedding space is the epitome of glamor.
The event space has been the host of opulent parties since opening in 1934. Because of its long history and prestige, the world’s elite can often be found being entertained in the Rainbow Room. With capacity of 250 guests for a seated dinner and dancing, or 300 guests for a seated dinner (with no dance floor, but the same exceptional service level), this landmark venue provides plenty of room for large, fanciful wedding parties.
2 lexington avenue, new york, nY 10010
On the 18th floor of the Gramercy Park Hotel is the Gramercy Terrace. Incredible views of Manhattan are found in this rooftop weather-proof glass space, hosting open and airy summer or early fall weddings or providing a gorgeously cozy shelter from the elements without sacrificing the sights in winter or spring.
The three exterior gardens wrap around and add a bit of lively color to the sleek and classic palette of the bright, naturally lit space. And then there’s the interior which is made up of four salon-style rooms that feature masterpieces from 20th century artists, Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.
These multiple spaces and atmospheres are perfect for entertaining a wedding party of up to 120 guests for a seated dinner or up to 250 for a cocktail reception. A ceremony space in numerous formats is also available for up to 120 guests. And you can take advantage of the hotel’s Special Events Team to help organize the big day, as well as their exceptional menu options from the Terrace Kitchen, to make the planning phase more of a 'hell yea’ (And less of an “Oh no, what have we gotten ourselves into…”)
335 the bowery, new york, nY 10003
With lavish rooms of velvet, leather, and dark woods that smell of history, The Bowery Hotel offers a vintage atmosphere to get lost in. A favorite among musicians and celebrities, (Paul McCartney even got married here once!), incredible views of the lower Manhattan skyline can be enjoyed from the large factory-style windows of this eccentric building.
Gemma, the Italian Trattoria, is on the ground floor of the hotel. The restaurant’s wine room is available for intimate wedding parties of up to 45 guests for a seated dinner, or 50 guests for a cocktail reception. The Bowery Terrace mixes indoor and outdoor space for a different type of party vibe. Combining history and culture with striking style in true NYC fashion, having your wedding at The Bowery Hotel is sure to leave a lasting impression.
180 tenth ave., new york, nY 10011
Steps from the High Line park is the historic red brick building that’s home to the High Line Hotel. Located in the West Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, the building was originally constructed in 1895 to function as a dormitory for the General Theological Seminary. While the Seminary is still operating in the location today, the dormitory building used to house students was turned into a hotel, opening in 2013.
Built in a Collegiate Gothic style and furnished with antiques from the Victorian and Edwardian era, the ambience found here is one of old world splendor. Hoffman Hall, the event space available for rent at the hotel, was completed in 1899 and its historic charm remains intact. With over 8,000 sq. ft. of space, a wedding reception of up to 225 guests can be held here.
4900 Independence Ave, Bronx, NY 10471
Wave Hill is a venue that feels a world away. Tucked into the hillside slopes overlooking the Hudson River, Wave Hill is an expansive property consisting of terraced gardens and the stunning Wave Hill House. With it’s exquisite views over the Hudson and stunning architecture, this venue will transport you to a different place entirely.
our favorite wedding portrait locations in manhattan
There are also areas of NYC that offer their own special vibe and are ideal to take some amazing wedding portraits in. For engaged couples interested in a standalone portrait session, we recommend these locations in particular.
- Conservatory Garden
With an English-style, French-style, and Italian-style area, the Conservatory Garden is beautiful, no matter the season. And, for literature lovers, a special treat can be found at the memorial fountain for author, Frances Hodgson Burnett. It’s said that her beloved children’s book, The Secret Garden, may have been inspired by this very place.
- Central Park
- The High Line, Chelsea
With a mix of nature, culture, history, and creative innovation, the High Line is a collection of cool (and) calm.
- Meatpacking District
The western edge sits on the Hudson River, and the mix of fashion and design, foodie culture, and creativity alongside the raw industrial history of the neighborhood creates an eclectic backdrop for wedding photos that catch the eye.
- SOHO
Cobblestoned streets give way to towering views of high-rises in the distance and history meets the modern city in SoHo for a wedding shoot that’s pure NYC.
- West Village
best nyc and manhattan hotels for getting ready on your wedding day
After all of the hard work of planning is finally over, the big day arrives and having a relaxing place to get ready for the emotional and exhilarating hours ahead is important. Some are on our list of best NYC wedding venues already, with a few brand new names in the mix.
Here are a few of our favorite hotels in New York City to get ready at, with their own unique styles and opportunities for well-styled shots.
the best brooklyn wedding venues — ultimate style guide
The hustle and bustle of getting married in Manhattan doesn’t appeal to everyone though, and if you’re one of those people that would rather celebrate with friends and family in Brooklyn, or if you’re simply looking for more options then our guide to the Best Brooklyn Wedding Venues may appeal to you. We’re fans of all things NYC — if you’re looking for help or wedding advise please never hesitate to reach out.
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