As a long-time Williamsburg resident (ten years!), I thought I would take this opportunity to talk venues. This neighborhood has so many amazing businesses, and many of them are (wisely) starting to cater to the wedding biz. Some of them are legit event spaces, while others are restaurants. The beauty of choosing a venue in this area is that there are so many different vibes and spaces to choose from. So, whatever kind of event you’re envisioning, you can probably find something to suit your taste here. Here are some of my favorites:
The Brooklyn Winery. Beautiful, dark wood everywhere, high ceilings in the main room, and lots of little hidden nooks and crannies to settle into. Note that they only have a beer/wine license, if that’s an issue. They have a small outdoor patio that would be ideal for a small ceremony, and then you could take the reception inside. This is also an ideal place to plan for rain – if it happens to be too rainy for an outdoor ceremony, you could always just move everything inside. Or, honestly, I wonder if they could just tarp over the whole thing….something to consider.
My Moon. A Turkish restaurant quickly becoming one of W’berg’s most popular wedding venues. The decor is stunning, probably the most lavish and beautiful in the neighborhood, without going overboard. Think Arabian Nights meets really cool iron and woodwork. The front patio is huge, two levels, and the second level converts really well to a traditional aisle with seating on either side.
Steiner Studios. Stage 6 at this huge building complex in the Brooklyn Navy Yard is quickly becoming a popular upscale spot. Abigail Kirsch is the in-house caterer here, and the food is not your average wedding-event food; more like fine dining. This is definitely
a luxury venue. Generally, the ceremony and receptions are done inside (there are a few rooms to choose from), but there’s also a huge outdoor space with an amazing view that would be beautiful for an outdoor ceremony.
East River Park. An adorable little patch of park right on the waterfront, with amazing views of the river and Manhattan. Breezy and always full of beautiful people lounging about, this has always been my go-to summer park. This would be an amazing spot for a ceremony, and then a quick walk over to The Bedford for dancing and drinks. The
Bedford’s back room is the perfect spot for a private party.
Huckleberry Bar. One of my go-to neighborhood bars. Amazingly crafted cocktails at a decent price, plus a huge selection of wines and beers. And their menu boasts a really impressive selection of upscale bar food (think cheese plates, cured meats, lemon/caper tuna sandwiches, etc). Their outdoor garden is small but utterly charming, and would do well for a small outdoor ceremony. Then, inside for drinks, food, dancing, and music – there’s a DJ booth and a great sound system, and a sunken dance floor.
Radegast Biergarten. I’m surprised this one hasn’t caught on yet, I think it would be an amazing spot for a wedding. It’s huge, and would be ideal for a large party. There’s both indoor and outdoor areas. The food is authentically German, and the waitstaff wears traditional German barmaid outfits. Adorable, kitschy, and fun, a wedding here
would be raucous and merry! And again, you have your choice of indoor or outdoor (or both).
Surf Bar. This place is the only one of it’s kind in the area. Three rooms – the first, indoor, the second, covered garden space, and the 3rd, fully open-air garden. All three rooms are strewn with sand, as if you were walking on the beach. There’s surfboards everywhere and the food is ocean/beach-inspired. This would be a great spot for ocean-lovers who maybe wanted to do a destination wedding, but decided to stay local instead!
Good luck choosing a spot!
xo,
Anni