Scouting the Field
Gay wedding expert Bernadette Coveney Smith serves up six different locales ideal for a New York gay wedding.
April 26, 2013
(The Out NYC Hotel)
When it comes to planning the perfect gay nuptials, weddings and real estate have three things in common: location, location, location. And since gays can celebrate their love pretty much anywhere (see our story on Saveur editor-in-chief James Oseland’s account of his reception at a downtown Taiwanese restaurant), narrowing down the best place to say “I do” can be a tricky endeavor. So we enlisted Boston- and New York-based gay wedding planner Bernadette Coveney Smith—who in 2004 started gay wedding planning business 14 Stories, when Massachusetts passed gay marriage—to help us scout out the best places.
Location: Off-season steal
“When you are at New Leaf Restaurant (1 Margaret Corbin Dr, NewLeafRestaurant.com), it’s easy to forget you’re in Manhattan. Have the ceremony in Fort Tryon Park and then walk a couple of minutes to this lovely restaurant. It’s one of the few places in Manhattan you can have a full 100-person wedding for less than $20,000—and even less in the off-season.”
Location: Traditional, less expensive
“The Alger House (80 Fifth Ave, ManhattanPenthouse.com) in the Village seats up to 100 for a dinner in a smaller, traditional venue with classical details such as chandeliers and tapestries. A nice option for smaller…weddings.”
Location: Traditional, more expensive
“Gotham Hall (1356 Broadway, GothamHallEvents.com) has classic New York grandeur located right near Herald Square. With its epic ceilings and massive columns, the whole space screams ‘drama’ and looks amazing when beautifully lit. Perfect for a huge, traditional wedding.”
Location: Nontraditional
“With cocktail receptions—instead of seated dinners—the hot wedding trend, the four-story 632 on Hudson (632 Hudson St, 632OnHudson.com) in the West Village is the perfect spot for a fabulous cocktail party. This former sausage factory is full of personality, whimsy and romance.”
Location: Gay, gay, gay!
“It literally doesn’t get more gay than The Out NYC Hotel (510 W 42nd St, TheOutNYC.com) in Hell’s Kitchen. The city’s straight-friendly hotel features a Bamboo Garden and a Great Lawn, little green oases ideal for smaller ceremonies.”
Location: Ultimate Fantasy
“I’m living out my ultimate fantasy with an upcoming wedding at the Hudson Theater (145 W 44th St, MillenniumHotels.com) in Times Square. This landmarked space, now owned by the Millennium Hotel, originally opened in 1903. Its grand stage, beautiful box seating and stunning architectural details are a Broadway-loving couple’s ultimate fantasy.”
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