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MANSIONS AND LODGES
Castle on the Hudson
400 Benedict Ave., Tarrytown, N.Y.
914-524-6390
castleonthehudson.com
Fairy-tale weddings call for castles. This one, built in the late 1800s, is now a luxurious 31-room hotel, with stone walls, big gilded mirrors, Oriental carpets, tapestry upholstery, and lots of sconces and chandeliers. In-house catering is provided by Equus Restaurant and costs $175 and up per guest. The space holds up to 300 people.
Faculty House at Columbia University
400 W. 117th St., nr. Morningside Dr.
212-854-7192
columbia.edu/cu/fachouse
This former men's club is a popular reception spot for couples getting married at St. Paul's Chapel, just across the street. On weekends, renters have access to the whole house, which is decorated with brass chandeliers, period furniture, grandfather clocks, and fireplaces. The average cost is $120 per guest for catering, plus $1,500 for the rental of the entire space.
The Harold Pratt House
58 E. 68th St., at Park Ave.
212-434-9576
cfr.org/rentalevents
This elegant house, built in 1919, was once the residence of Standard Oil magnate Harold Pratt and now serves a loftier function as home to the Council on Foreign Relations. The reception hall features a majestic marble staircase leading to the Mansion Ballroom, decked out with antique crystal chandeliers and flowing curtains. Use of the house is $6,000 to $7,000, including staff, for 130 seated dinner guests or 500 for cocktails.
The House of the Redeemer
7 E. 95th St., nr. Fifth Ave.
212-289-0399
houseoftheredeemer.org
The contents of the fifteenth-century wood-paneled library in this Italian-style palazzo were all imported by Cornelius Vanderbilt’s great-granddaughter, and the effect is straight out of the Renaissance. The first floor of the landmarked house is available for a 100-person sit-down dinner; the second can hold receptions for 100 or fewer. Rental fees are $2,500 to $4,000.
Lake Placid Lodge
Whiteface Inn Rd., Lake Placid, N.Y.
877-523-2700
lakeplacidlodge.com
With its romantic lakefront cabins, this hotel can be yours for the big day (rooms from $400, cabins $625–$1,300 a night). Most rooms have Adirondack furnishings, leather couches, fireplaces, four-poster beds, and huge soaking tubs. The dock is the most romantic spot for a ceremony, while receptions are held in Cloud Spin, the small ballroom (capacity 50–60 seated, 85 standing). Rent all 34 rooms for a minimum of two nights. Catering from $65 per guest, not including liquor.
Lockwood-Mathews Mansion
295 West Ave., Norwalk, Conn.
203-838-9799
lockwoodmathews.org
Recently, this 62-room mansion was treated to a movie-star makeover for scenes in the remake of The Stepford Wives. Now, with new carpeting, paint, and glass added to its 42-foot-high rotunda, the mansion can serve as the perfect big-day backdrop. Up to 150 guests can be accommodated inside, 400 with a tent outside, at a cost of $3,200 and up plus a security deposit; lawn tents must be rented from a third party.
Morris-Jumel Mansion
65 Jumel Terr., at 160th St.
212-923-8008
morrisjumel.org
Built by a British colonel in 1765, this mansion is Manhattan’s oldest residential building. The furnishings are true to the period, and many are original (one Empire bed is rumored to have been a gift from Napoleon). Both the mansion and its sunken garden can be rented for $350 an hour, with the mansion accommodating 100 standing guests or 30 seated.
Tappan Hill Mansion
81 Highland Ave., Tarrytown, N.Y.
914-631-3030
abigailkirsch.com
Built on the site of Mark Twain’s estate on the Hudson River, Tappan Hill encompasses two ballrooms available for individual rental (holding 250 and 160 people) as well as elegant lawns and terraces. The whole property can be booked at once to accommodate parties of up to 700. Catering is provided exclusively by Abigail Kirsch; prices start at $110.
The Vanderbilt Mansion
at Dowling College
Idle Hour Blvd., Oakdale, N.Y.
631-244-3131
vanderbiltmansion.com
Built in 1876, William K. Vanderbilt’s summer property borders the Connetquot River and the Great South Bay. Have your reception or cocktails in the Hunt Room, a softly lit Arts and Crafts–style space with wood-paneled walls; the light-filled Fortunoff Hall; or the glassed-in Mayrock Conservatory, which looks out on the river. In-house catering averages $85 to $150 for up to 150 guests.
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