Venue Profile: Gramercy Park Hotel
The hunt for the perfect venue in New York City could quite possibly be one of the most challenging aspects of planning a wedding in Manhattan. With the sheer number of venues, everything from vast ballrooms and raw loft spaces, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But if you’re looking for a venue with a storied New York history and intimate setting, Gramercy Park Hotel is the place for you. We have had the pleasure of working at the hotel many times over the past several years and can say with certainty that it is by far one of our favorite places in Manhattan.
Built in 1925, the hotel has long-served as landmark in the chic Gramercy neighborhood. It was the location of Humphrey Bogart’s first wedding in 1926 and has been frequented over the years by movie stars, models and athletes - from Babe Ruth to Bob Dylan to Madonna. It still frequently hosts celebrity events and fashion shows. Well known for it’s expansive art collection, you can see famous work featured throughout the hotel, rotated on a regular basis so you have the chance to see something new whenever you return. Their collection includes work from Jean-Michel Basquiat, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol.
Weddings are hosted on the Gramercy Terrace, a unique space on the 18th floor of the hotel with lush, garden-like surroundings and an expansive view of both Midtown and Lower Manhattan - including both the Chrysler Building and the Freedom Tower. The terrace has a fully-weatherized retractable glass roof, giving you the option to have an open-air reception admist the city lights.
The space can host up to 120 guests for a seated reception and more for a cocktail-style reception. You can customize your menu with the catering team from Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group. (Danny Meyer's NYC restaurants have long been revered as some of the best in the city. We have been fortunate to sample quite a bit of the food at GPH and it has all been delicious. He also happens to be the man behind our favorite East-Coast burger chain, Shake Shack.)
Many of the couples whose weddings we have photographed at the hotel have really enjoyed giving their guests the opportunity to have a true "New York" experience. The hotel rooms are arftfully decorated, the staff is incredibly attentive and the food (from the reception offerings to hotel restaurant, Maialino) is off-the-charts amazing. There is nothing quite like a wedding on the Gramercy Terrace - city lights in the distance, impeccable food on your plate and an experience you will never forget.
