Top Ten Rehearsal Dinner Restaurants in NYC
There’s so many amazing private dining rooms in NYC. Almost too many that google really isn’t helpful in finding the right options. So, we’ve decided to list some of our favorite rehearsal dinner spots in New York City.
There’s so many amazing private dining rooms in NYC. Almost too many that google really isn’t helpful in finding the right options. So, we’ve decided to list some of our favorite rehearsal dinner restaurants in New York City. Take a look below!
To say we’re obsessed with the Tin Building and Pier 17 is an understatement. Its like Eataly meets Vegas meets Harrods. There’s tons of private dining options here, from Malibu Farm, to the Fulton, to House of the Red Pearl…and even more private dining spaces where the Jean Georges team caters with a perfect backdrop of NYC.
Okay, okay…maybe you’re sick of us talking about Shun Lee but we’re obsessed, (rightfully so)! NYC’s dining scene would be nothing without Shun Lee - the inventor of General Tso’s chicken! If you’re having a traditional wedding reception, shake things up a bit by having a traditional New York City chinese dinner with peking duck, lo mein, etc. With spaces for 100 people, its the perfect place for a larger private dining room.
Honestly, there’s not too many private dining spaces like Locanda Verde’s Tribeca PDR. We love it because its spacious, warm and the food is top notch. Its kind of the perfect menu pre-wedding - it’ll probably be different than the menu you offer at your wedding and its a bucket list NYC restaurant so its the perfect add-on to your wedding weekend…guests will be impressed! Just make sure to include the sheep’s milk ricotta!
I feel like there’s not many restaurants like Rule of Thirds - first, the Japanese menu is fun for a crowd - but most significantly - the space is huge by our city’s standards. I love family style for a rehearsal dinner since weddings most typically are plated (not always). And the menu here is perfect for sharing and getting to know your neighbors before the big day. Two words. Fried Chicken.
Sadelle’s is NYC classic - whether you choose to go with salmon and caviar or Sadelles x Carbone and indulge your guests in one of NYC’s most coveted menus the night before your wedding. The space is lovely and in one of the best neighborhoods, Soho, so you can take some cute cobblestone street shots beforehand without having to go to another neighborhood. You’re here for the food, though, don’t forget!
Amali’s location is perfect if you have the bulk of your guests staying in Columbus Circle / Central Park South (Think Park Lane, The Pierre, The Mandarin Oriental, The Plaza, JW Marriott Essex House, 1Hotel, or the Ritz Carlton). There’s so many hotels nearby, and venues (Tavern on the Green, all the hotels I just listed, Rainbow Room, 620 Loft & Garden) so if your wedding is in the area, Amali is the perfect spot for rehearsal. There’s two private spaces depending on your size, and the family style, Mediterranean menu is perfect for a rehearsal.
Arte Cafe is an Upper West Side classic - it's big and bustling and there’s multiple spaces that can be made private. There’s a pretty enclosed garden with attached cocktail space that’s great for larger dinners (50 - 100 ppl). The menu is Italian and also family-style usually. Think - salads, pizzas, tuna tartare, pastas, meats - actually my last dinner there had the perfect menu (I think) - Tuna Tartare, Arancini, Caprese and Caesar to start, Two pasta dishes Chicken Piccata and Eggplant Parm for mains.
Gran Morsi is always on my referral list for rehearsal dinners. Its a great space, can accommodate a bigger group, and its another perfect family-style dining option downtown. Its become sort of my fall back option honestly - simple and easy to book. The food is great, service is great, its not too cramped or fussy, and good for all generations.
If you want an impressive dining experience for your rehearsal dinner, go to Crown Shy. The private dining rooms are on the smaller side, (dining rooms ranging from 15 - 50 person capacity), but the menu and space are incredibly impressive. It's formal and special, and probably one of the coolest restaurants in NYC at the moment. And if you don’t go for your rehearsal, make a date night reservation asap.
Balaboosta has a gorgeous private dining room for up to 20 people and if your group is closer to 50, you can do a buyout of the entire restaurant. The food and drinks here are amazing (and I’m not just saying that because I used to work for the owners)! From the fried olives, to the ceviche and bamba cauliflower, the menu is so unique but so classic that its almost too good to be true.
There’s so many great private dining options in NYC - from hotels, to restaurants and venues. It was hard just to pick ten. If it helps, go with convenience for your rehearsal dinner - lots of people are just getting into town and won’t have time to check into hotels and then get to dinner. Good food, good vibes and convenience are key!
Photos taken directly from vendor’s websites or social media (linked within article)
Top 10 NYC Wedding Venues with Outdoor Space
Top Ten NYC Wedding Venues with Outdoor Space
Right now when it comes to wedding planning, flexibility is the name of the game. We’re finding most of our clients are searching for venues with indoor and outdoor options, the potential for cross-breeze ventilation, and of course, space to social distance. We don’t know where the world will be next year or tomorrow, so we’ve been working with our clients in securing venues that have all options for indoor and outdoor experiences. Outdoor space is so coveted in New York City, we put together a list of our current favorite top 10 spots.
Photo Credit: Susan Shek Photography
The Cooper Hewitt garden is one of the most special places in Manhattan. For a few minutes, you might even forget you're in NYC until you look up and see the picturesque street signs and views of Central Park ahead. The backdrop of the famous ivy-covered Smithsonian Design Museum (which, may we add) was Andrew Carnegie's once vacation home, makes for incredible photos. The best part of the garden - it is new in the wedding scene, and is gorgeous whether you're hosting 50 people or 250 people.
Photo Credit: Vicki Grafton Photography
A gorgeous manicured garden overlooking St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Rockefeller Center...620’s views are so amazing that both NYers and visitors will fall in love with this venue. The loft inside is a great rain plan option (with windows to increase cross ventilation). Plus, there’s a tent in the courtyard that your microweddings can fit in. 620 Loft & Garden is a romantic garden meets NYC rooftop meets modern loft...need we say more?!
Photo Credit: The William Vale
The William Vale in Williamsburg, Brooklyn offers one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline. There’s tons of additional outdoor options here too - including the Terrace and Vale Park. The William Vale is the ultimate Williamsburg hotel - modern, chic and really cool. Plus, catering by Noho Hospitality Group (one of NYC’s best restaurant groups) is a major plus. Who doesn’t love the idea of a quintessential NYC chef-made meal with epic views - its the NYC dream!
4. Glasshouses
Photo Credit: Glasshouses
For one of the best sunsets in NYC, Glasshouse Chelsea’s outdoor terrace is the place to be. Named accordingly, this is a glass loft space in the heart of West Chelsea’s art gallery district, where you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world. It's raw space, but finished; so chic your instagram will love you. Our favorite fun fact: the views in the bathroom are some of the best bathroom views in the city. An elopement or micro wedding ceremony on the terrace during sunset is jaw-droppingly beautiful.
Photo Credit: Tribeca Rooftop
Tribeca Rooftop is one of the largest rooftop spaces in the city - also with some of the best views. Overlooking downtown Manhattan’s Freedom Tower and famous Jenga building, this roof is so big you can have a ceremony on one side and cocktails on the other, and still have room to social-distance! You’re also allowed to tent the roof which is a huge bonus in Manhattan. Tribeca rooftop has a connected loft space that is not only really large, but completely windowed to allow for cross ventilation. This is the perfect outdoor venue for 50 - 300 guests.
6. Wythe Hotel
Photo Credit: Wythe Hotel
The Wythe Hotel is so perfect because it is so well designed. The exposed brick mixed with the romantic string lighting and greenery is so lovely you don’t need to bring too much decor in. The open air courtyard has its own entrance and Williamsburg has so many hotels - guests can come from wherever! They’ve also put together wonderful micro wedding packages (especially if you book in the next few months). We love it here - it's like a romantic courtyard in the middle of Brooklyn.
7. Celestine
Photo Credit: Florencia Saav
Celestine is a modern restaurant overlooking the Manhattan skyline, right under the Brooklyn Bridge. The views are amazing, the restaurant is chic, and the menu is incredible Middle Eastern family style. Think grilled halloumi, salads and mezzes, whole branzino...did we mention they have several natural wines on their wine list? It's perfect for a smaller wedding, and also for a rehearsal dinner. We’re all suckers for NYC views, and Celestine has that and more!
Photo Credit: 74Wythe
74Wythe is a unique (and new) venue located in the heart of Williamsburg. Opening in March 2021, 74Wythe is so new on the scene your wedding won’t be compared to anyone else’s on Instagram. 5,000 square feet of pure rooftop bliss, it also has a retractable glass roof cover if needed. The views of the Manhattan skyline are amazing and the best part is the amount of cool hotels nearby (Wythe Hotel, William Vale, The Williamsburg Hotel, etc). Complete your Williamsburg wedding weekend with this gorgeous and brand new rooftop for either your ceremony, reception or both!
9. Wave Hill
Photo Credit: Wave Hill
Yes, its technically in NYC! Even though Wave Hill is in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx, it’s a quick 20 minute train ride from Manhattan and accessible from all of your friends and family in the suburbs. Wave Hill is the definition of garden wedding. The grounds are so gorgeous you’ll forget you’re in the five boroughs. With indoor and outdoor options, there’s so much flexibility here for whatever the pandemic brings our way next. Plus, Great Performances provides catering and with their farm upstate, everything is sourced locally and within 100 miles. Talk about farm to table!
Photo Credit: Pier 60
Really, the best part about hosting your wedding in Chelsea Piers is those Hudson River sunsets! These three Chelsea Piers venues can accommodate anything from a microwedding for 50 guests to a large wedding for 500 guests. Plus, proximity to all of the Chelsea and Meatpacking hotels is a huge bonus, (think the Standard, Dream Hotel, Highline Hotel). Chelsea Piers is run by Abigail Kirsch, one of NYC’s most prominent caterers. So, you get the views, the food, and the location. Sounds like a great deal to me!
Planning a wedding during covid-19 brings its own set of challenges and that’s why we recommend hiring a planner. We now need to consider social distancing, covid testing, indoor and outdoor options, indoor spaces with cross breeze ventilation, and also, cancellation and non-refundable contract clauses. We believe that love is not cancelled, and we’re here to help you get to your big day with as little headache as possible. But unfortunately, living during this pandemic brings a whole new set of challenges and we want to help you plan safely.
Our commitment-free planning services offer you assistance, without being bogged down by a large deposit or time commitment...from venue consulting to month-of planning, and everything in between! Contact emlan events today for a free consultation - we’ll find the right package for you - whether its month-to-month planning, hourly consulting, or partial planning leading up to your wedding, we’re here to help you plan your wedding, safely!
WTF do I do now? Planning in a never-ending pandemic.
WTF do I do now? Wedding planning in a never ending pandemic.
So you rescheduled your wedding once. Now twice. Now we’re about to get to 2021 and we have no idea where the world will be. I’ve been speaking to tons of couples who ask questions like, “what do I do”, “will I be able to have a March or April wedding...” etc. The truth is, no one knows where the world will be tomorrow, in 6 months, or next year. We all thought we’d be done with all of this nonsense by now.
When thinking about what to do (cancel, postpone again, microwedding, elope, etc)…a few things come into play. First is obvious: your life. Do you and your fiance have life plans (ie: kids, house, financial obligations, you get the idea…) that are contingent on your being married? If you want to get married, do it. Elope. Plan a microwedding. Make it happen.
But, if you don’t “need” or “want” to be married without the reception and the hooplah then don’t. Wait it out. All of you that can’t imagine a wedding without the horah, without father-daughter dances, without a dance floor, I’m talking to you. If you are not willing to budge on guest count and wedding style, you’re going to have to postpone until the time is right.
That being said, I have to get something off my chest. Microweddings are AMAZING. Beautiful. Meaningful. Imagine having all of your BEST people in one room. Not one person was on your B list, or the annoying cousin your mom forced you to invite.
With microweddings, you get to spend your budget more uniquely and thoughtfully - do a chef’s tasting menu for dinner, or do an elaborate floral entrance, splurge on the photographer of your dreams, etc.
Then, you can STILL do the big hooplah reception for your five year anniversary. Everyone will still want to do the horah, and the dancing and party. Believe me. We all love a good excuse to hit the dance floor and party. And we’ll be making up for lost time.
So, to summarize: figure out what your non negotiables are - what you’re NOT willing to budge on. Perhaps its the date, perhaps its the guest count, perhaps its the venue, or anything else. And you’ll plan around that. Or, contact us for a one hour planning session and we’ll talk through it together (like what we did there)? Sorry, it was such an easy pitch.
xx,
Elizabeth