The Wedding Venue

I guess, after the engagement, the first step is securing the locale. In New York, this is no easy feat.

So the wedding venue hunt began. I researched a few blogs for "best wedding venues in New York" and kept coming across the Angel Orensanz Foundation.


I made an appointment - it was the first place we saw and I fell in love immediately. I say I, because its a bit rough around the edges (crooked floor boards, chipping paint) and my other half wasn't initially convinced. Now, I've seen a lot of venues in New York, as it is part of my job. But Lawrence needed to do the rounds before we signed a contract.


So I called my very trusty venue hunter, Lisa of Successful Affairs and she took us to 10 venues around Manhattan including Guastavino's, The Manhattan Club, The Plaza, Capitale, The Lighthouse, Bridgewater, Tribeca Rooftop, Gotham Hall, The Palace, and The Hudson Theater.

We narrowed it down to Guastavino's and The Angel Orensanz. They were such different venues - one light and airy, the other vaulted and imposing. It came down to what we wanted to do at the end. Since my mother and I have worked with various florists, chefs and waitors over the years, we wanted to go with the venue that left the decision up to us, versus paying fees for bringing in caterers (which we had to do as our wedding has to be kosher), as well as hidden fees such as lighting.


I could begin imagining my wedding. The magical venue, the Lower East Side...it all started feeling right. In fact, Lawrence's mom said that everyone who she shared the link to Orensanz with were just blown away by the pictures.

I really had no preconceived notions of how my wedding day would be. And I think it was fun to go into it as a blank slate because it minimizes the set up for disappointment. We have a lot of out of town guests flying in, so keeping the wedding in NY just seemed to be the most convenient.


For us, we are having a Jewish wedding, and while we briefly contemplated having it in my synagogue, it just didn't allow for the flexibility that the Orensanz has. Orensanz still has the feel of being in a historical synagogue with the conveniences of an event space. Plus, allows us to do the ceremony the way we want it.


These are all important considerations to take in, especially when having a religious ceremony. Consult with your Officiates to know what their views are and how strict they are regarding certain elements of the wedding. For us a kosher wedding was something that neither of our Rabbi's would budge on so you have to add the catering costs into your budget. Going with a venue that doesn't make their money off the food may be more cost effective for you in the long run. Try to create a budget with all these elements in mind and be sure to ask about hidden costs. If you have friend that's a Lawyer, have them look over the venue contract. They may see things that could end up being real issues as the date gets closer. It's good to ask an expert when it comes to signing any contract.


Your venue sets the mood and tone for the kind of wedding you will have. Once you've made the decision, and this may be one of the bigger decisions you have to make as it will require the most financial commitment, you need to find a date that works...