These creative wedding venues make an NYC ‘I do’ easy

It was one for the books. In June, Konrad Putzier and Lullit Jézéquel shunned a traditional church-nave nuptial to write the next chapter of their lives together at the Housing Works Bookstore in Soho. Their ceremony and reception gathered 75 family and friends within the historic retail space, stuffed with secondhand scripts and dark wood shelving.

“It’s not that we set out to find a super unusual statement venue,” said Putzier, 33, a reporter at the Wall Street Journal. “We just wanted to find a nice space in New York City that was affordable.”

Their hunt started on wedding juggernaut TheKnot.com, said Jézéquel, 33, who is a sustainability and partnerships procurement manager at Unilever.

“I created a shortlist of venues and it was No. 1,” she said of the long-standing bookstore at 126 Crosby St. — the former site of the legendary 19th-century theater, Niblo’s Garden, and now an AIDS and homelessness nonprofit. For Putzier, “It was love at first sight.”

The membership and contract with the venue was roughly $5,000 — a pittance in the world of Manhattan wedding venues.

The cultured couple saw something of themselves in the venue.

“We both love books,” Putzier said. “So we had a more personal connection to a bookstore than we would have to, say, a farm.”

Wedding planners say there really isn’t anything unusual about offbeat venues in NYC.

“People are definitely looking to create a unique experience for their guests,” said Jesse Reing, the NYC-based wedding planner behind Events by Jesse. “Weddings, even with different food, even with the band playing different songs, they’re all very similar. So we have to go in and say, ‘How are we going to make this feel like Amy and Bob’s wedding?’ And being creative with the space helps.”

Here are some ideas to make your wedding like none other.

Camp it up

Summer camps are an ideal way to make your wedding fun and nostalgic.

“These locations are not used for large parts of the year, they have kitchens and your guests can even bunk down for the night,” said Reing, who has organized weddings at the New York YMCA Camp in Huguenot, NY (now closed).

Adirondack Camp on the shores of Lake George hosts full-service weddings of up to 300. It boasts open-air cabins that sleep 18, as well as private rooms, so that you can turn your wedding into a getaway. Catering costs $150 to $200 per head for five meals over a weekend.

However, note that most camps will require you to truck in your food, drink, decorations — and possibly a bunk for your 7-foot uncle.

Fees vary, but around $5,000 is typical.

Stuck in the middle

Thousands of buildings in New York boast a little-used amenity that doubles as a gorgeous wedding venue: courtyards. And booking one can be as simple as asking.
“If you really love it, knock on the door,” said Reing. “That’s what we do.”

Many buildings have never thought of themselves as wedding venues, so show up, be excited — and come prepared with event insurance.

Residential buildings won’t allow weddings, so look for commercial spaces — for instance, the Greenwich House Music School at 46 Barrow St.

“They have this stunning courtyard that is perfect for a small or micro wedding,” said Reing. “It feels like a secret garden because you can’t see it at all from the street, and you can create a very intimate setting.”

Most courtyards have landscaped gardens and require minimal decoration, but the cost can vary wildly. However, most are refreshingly affordable.

Culture vultures

Consider setting your celebration in a city museum or theater.

While the elite rent out the Met, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of the City of New York and the Brooklyn Museum, the city is full of small museums that cost a fraction of the price.

The photography museum ­Fotografiska, at 281 Park Ave. South, boasts a cool industrial event hall, dubbed the Loft, with space to seat 100 guests.

“During the cocktail hour, your guests can roam the museum,” Reing said. “You’re creating a cultural experience.”

Theaters are perfect for those who want to take center stage.

“Theaters are a really beautiful way to set a theme without spending extra money on the decor,” said Reing. “Most theaters are decorated so beautifully, and you get a frame with the curtain.” She recommends Irvington Theater in Westchester County, less than an hour from Manhattan.

However, theaters have permanent seating, which can mean little or no room for reception tables.

They are also often booked for shows and events on weekends.

The good news? A lot of theaters, most museums and Housing Works are nonprofits, so your venue cost is partly tax deductible.