Housing Works Bookstore in Soho

ization, to anyone thinking about getting married in New York. They are just the best, and we feel so lucky and proud to have held our wedding at Housing Works.

to go and executed everything flawlessly the night of. The venue itself is a lot of fun - we had 115 people with a cocktail-type set up with seating for 80 and it worked great with the space. It wasn't too crowded but was comfortable and had people up and mingling everywhere you looked. The layout worked great for food as well as for dancing and we got rave reviews from friends and family alike for the unique set up.

rent, and philanthropic as well! Thank you!!

lated our couple vibe. The books, the lighting, the decor, the food, the music - it was all so wonderful that I can't even begin to describe. Josh was so easy and accommodating to work with - thanks for dealing with my million emails adjusting the guest count! I still receive complements about our wedding from family - even my cantankerous aunt said it was her favorite wedding. I have such fond memories of that night that I wish we could relive it over and over again. Thank you Housing Works for allowing us to use your space as the backdrop to the beginning of our married life!

s too few!

ful point person, and helped us feel calm and assured that everything was taken care of. The day went off without a hitch, and the team at Housing Works was a huge part of making it happen. Thanks!

ng about our venue and the food. It was such a special day and we have Housing Works to thank for that.

of us on our big day. The venue is absolutely beautiful. All of our guests were blown away by the space and the decor, as well as how friendly the staff was. And the food is SO delicious and unique. We went with the cocktail style option for the whole night, and our guests all had more than enough food and kept telling us how delicious it was. If you're looking for an intimate, personal, memorable wedding venue, look no further. Thanks you, Josh and company, for making our night so perfect!

The Works Catering team are! The venue is magic. Honestly, it surpassed every expectation I had. With books, hanging lights, and candles everywhere, it is a very romantic and authentic New York experience. Every single guest was raving. And the food was AWESOME. Best part? The proceeds of the event go to support the fantastic Housing Works charity that supports New Yorkers battling with HIV/AIDS and homelessness. If you are considering this venue for your wedding or event, do it!! You will be so happy! Best night of my life!

s are still commenting on the beauty and magic of the bookstore. The food was also excellent- I really liked the buffet set up to ensure our guests were well fed and could get seconds or thirds. I've been to far too many weddings where I come home foraging for snacks. If you are looking for an intimate, nontraditional, beautiful wedding in the heart of New York City, you'd be hard pressed to find a better setting or team to work with. I would especially recommend this venue to brides like myself who wanted to do as little extra work as possible- I wasn't interested in flowers, table settings, photo booths, or other details. You can absolutely do all of that at Housing Works, but if you're a lower key bride, the venue provides essentially everything.

When we visited we weren't disappointed, it's such a beautiful venue. Before we even got there we had the most helpful correspondence with Amanda who made us feel at ease even when we were arranging our wedding so far away. Amanda, Josh and all of the staff we met were so friendly and professional and just wanted to help us have the best day! The venue doesn't need a lot of decoration which was great for us, all we needed were a few personal touches and candles to give it more of a 'wedding' feel. Everyone at our wedding said it was the best wedding they've ever been to! The food was amazing and there were so many choices to cater to everyone's tastes. We knew our wedding was going to be great but having it at Housing Works made it perfect!

nd anticipated. They seriously thought of everything! The day of our wedding, everything went smoothly from start to finish thanks to the phenomenal work of Josh and The Works Catering staff. The food was delicious and the staff could not have been more helpful and fun. Most brides and grooms say they don’t get a chance to eat at their wedding, but the Works Catering staff made sure my husband and I had plates, and even made sure we ALWAYS had our favourite drinks in hand! The venue itself was stunning - our fall wedding was so magical and unique and our guests loved it! Housing Works truly exceeded our expectations and on top of it, a portion of the proceeds went to such a great cause. Would highly recommend Housing Works bookstore to anyone interested!

s we were working with. The space itself was gorgeous and so memorable. We received so many compliments on the venue and how helpful the staff was. Highly recommend throwing any type of event here, especially an unforgettable wedding.

work to accommodate your needs, and will work with you to get what you want. Perhaps because Housing Works is a nonprofit, they don't try to up-sell you unless they genuinely believe the more expensive option is what you're looking for. The Works, the mandatory in-house caterer, makes delicious farm-to-table seasonal fare. Try the duck. The charitable mission of the organization is a huge draw, but you can read about that elsewhere.

tting married at Housing Works Bookstore: the romantic backdrop from every angle; the awesome, professional yet personable staff and EXCEPTIONAL event planners, who actually care about how special this day is to you, your spouse and your family; the delicious food by The Works Catering (and we mean delicious and plenty of it!) that was adjusted to our tastes and our party vibe; how everything is handled out of one venue (food, linens, tables, chairs, staff, bar, schedule, etc.); how you'll only deal with a couple of people from beginning to end; and maybe most of all, the fact that you are donating to an exceptional cause. Yes, there is still more we could rave about, but you get it. If we could do it all again (we kind of want to), we would do it at this bookstore, no question. It will be a part of our hearts always!

of the community, a relationship that they hope to grow instead of end with your special day. The space was beautiful and they did an entirely vegetarian wedding for us. They even made up an appetizer on our request! Totally gay-friendly. Highly recommend.

rtlessly addressed any question that came up prior to the event. Their recommended DJ exceeded our expectations. The food and service were superlative. The wait staff was especially friendly and attentive. We received a myriad of compliments from our guest on the space and the quality of experience. Amanda and Josh are both extremely organized, efficient, friendly and attentive. We would recommend them, their staff and the entire facility without qualification. We are extremely grateful to the entire team for helping us realize our dream wedding. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

ect venue and team for you. In choosing Housing Works, you are obliged to use their in-house caterer and planning team, and this makes choosing food, layout and linens a breeze. As far as decor goes, stringing lights, adding candles and floral arrangements are all you need; the bookstore at night is dreamy, hip and intimate. We are still getting tons of compliments on how unique and lovely our wedding was, and everyone raved about the food. If you are looking for a classy and elegant, yet quirky and casual venue that typifies NYC without the headache that comes with typical wedding planning, Housing Works fits the bill. It also certainly doesn't hurt that all proceeds go to Housing Works' larger mission of ending the dual crises f homelessness and AIDS.

ical night. The bookstore setting gave the wedding such a warm and welcoming feel. Our guests were raving about the food and the attentive bartenders. We had 96 guests and they were all comfortably seated. Plenty of room on the dance floor, too. It was a month ago but everyone is still raving about what a wonderful wedding it was! Bravo to this team who is doing great work and for an important cause, too! Josh and Amanda are the best!

s, books, and nooks of the venue. I had no words other than "this is so cool", which is what I heard the guests say throughout the night. Josh was a God-sent when it came to the reception - he caught and fixed glitches that I never would have anticipated. I loved that the tastings allowed me to really get a sense of not only the delicious food and wine, but of how the set up could look in person (versus just photos). They provided us with high quality recommendations for flowers and a DJ and they provided practical advice about what "extras" were not really worth the cost - especially because there is just so many ways you can go for a wedding. I never had the sense I was being pressured to keep adding options. And I loved that they are a charity with a worthy cause. I highly recommend this venue for anyone's wedding!

we still have friends and relatives raving about our wedding. We wouldn't change a thing!

hing they can to make sure they happens. The space is also beautiful once it's set up and the food is delicious - I got so many compliments from my guests on both. Further, it's affordable for NYC, and because a good chunk (if not all) of the proceeds go to the Housing Works charity, I certainly felt better about spending the money to begin with. I really just cannot say enough nice things about the venue. If you want a very NY wedding with a more offbeat vibe and want to deal with nice people who want to do everything to help you, this is your place!

and the staff was outstanding! Working with Amanda and Josh was a dream. Josh was the event captain on the night of my wedding and he was a star! The rest of the staff was also very attentive and made sure I and my husband had plates made up for the cocktail hour and dinner, and a drink whenever necessary. We received so many compliments from guests about the atmosphere, the food, and the staff. It is truly a unique venue with a staff that throws a flawless event. It made my NYC wedding so special and I cannot thank them enough! If you are thinking of booking here, do it! You will not regret it!

everything about Housing Works Bookstore/Catering for our wedding. We were all treated like royalty!!! I can't write enough about how much we loved everything: the tasting a few months prior really gave us an idea of what the venue would look like on our wedding and let us plan accordingly, as well the food was absolutely delicious. The details provided by Amanda as well as all considerations taken during planning were so beneficial to this first-time bride and her family. For a non-traditional (ie not a church) venue this is a WONDERFUL option. They will take excellent care of you and your wedding will be beautiful and unforgettable, I promise.

h was our event captain and I cannot even put into words how amazing he was. I received compliments about him and his staff the entire night. He was accommodating, organized, friendly and just super fun to work with! The food was really delicious and they accommodated all types of dietary restrictions with absolutely no hassle or issues. If you are looking for a rare and exceptional event space in Manhattan, I highly recommend Housing Works!

the most sophisticated and unique venue!", "The food was the best wedding food I've ever had!", and on and on. There are SO many fantastic things about having a celebration at the bookstore: - THE SERVICE: probably the single biggest aspect that wowed me about the Housing Works were the people I worked with! They were all talented, helpful, patient, fun, understanding, and exceptional to us. They made it happen. Their hospitality was truly amazing. - THE LOCATION! We made it a SoHo themed event: we took our bridal party and family pictures in the neighborhood, stayed at a nearby hotel, walked to and from the venue, etc. . Also, logistically, parking was not bad at all. Almost all guests found free street parking the night of! - THE VENUE itself is so interesting and unique. It is a far cry from the generic catering hall in Long Island. If you have a small flower/decorating budget, this is also a perfect place for you-- the books, the whole interior design of it is so rich, textured, elegant and beautiful that you don't need to do a thing in terms of decor to make the setting spectacular. We added some small flower arrangements to the tables and used extra votive candles on a small decor budget. Everywhere our guests looked, there was something interesting/beautiful to see. No bare walls here! It set the perfect setting for a wedding. - THE FOOD! I am really into fine dining, and every single dish at the HW was delicious and beautifully presented. We had several appetizers which were all well-crafted, and the seated salad and main courses were divine! They were prepared exceptionally well with high quality ingredients. ( I am the rare bride who tried all the food). I got numerous compliments when we got back from our honeymoon. An event at the HW gives for a sophisticated and elegant scene. It's beautiful, charming, and richly lavish without being tacky. We thought it was the perfect location for our wedding and allowed us to have a wedding that was a good reflection of us. I definitely recommend having a celebratory event here.

were both so helpful from the very first meeting thru the night of. They made the process simple and were there to answer each and every one of our seemingly never-ending questions (sorry guys!). The space is absolutely beautiful. We had a total of 97 guests and it was a perfect fit that felt intimate yet full. Oh my gosh, the food. Unfortunately we missed our cocktail hour due to pictures, but the amazing staff at the Works Catering had saved a selection of the hors d'oeuvres we had chosen and gave them to us when we got settled - so awesome! My husband and I also had a "dedicated" server who kept checking in to see if we needed anything throughout the night, which was really nice! The rest of the food we choose was so fantastic and there was plenty of it. We have had so many friends and family rave about the food and atmosphere - I can't recommend Housing Works Bookstore enough for a wonderfully unique wedding venue.

. Because Housing Works handles catering along with the venue, the food was one less thing we had to worry about when planning. They even include a tasting (a month or two before the wedding/reception) of almost all the food options you can choose from. It was fun building our menu! My wife and I loved every minute of our time during our wedding night. And maybe most telling, for a review, so many of our guests also had an amazing time and made it a point to tell us how awesome the venue and food were. The staff and everyone involved, both before and during, our wedding night were super nice and very helpful. Highly recommended!

ur guests. Amanda and Josh were patient, knowledgeable, encouraging, flexible, and professional. It was a seamless process, and I can't recommend this venue enough. Also, the food and drinks are amazing. We opted for a cocktail-style party, and we had plenty of food for our guests, and there were plenty of add-on options as well. And, last but not least, the venue itself is gorgeous and adds a special something to your special day. I loved having our party in a different setting, especially one as gorgeous and unique as the Housing Works Bookstore. Overall, if you're looking for a unique venue but want experienced planners with fantastic follow-through, Housing Works Bookstore is the best option (and extremely affordable).

il, and ensured we had the best night of our lives. They were so professional in all of their dealings with us, yet took the time to answer all of our questions and took into consideration our many requests. They did all this with such grace and warmth that we enjoyed the whole process, from the planning meetings, to the tasting, right up to the day itself with the ceremony followed by the reception. The venue itself looked amazing. It was so intimate and classy looking. All the people who were "Wait! You're getting married in a bookstore?!" were like "Wow! This is cool!" Housing Works recommended a phenomenal dj to us who made the night so much fun. The food was sensational. The decorations were splendid. The staff who worked that night were amazingly attentive. Everyone felt so wonderfully looked after and had such a good time. They all worked so hard and were so good at what they do that the wedding was flawless, and it left us free to simply have a wonderful time and enjoy our big night with family and friends. It was exactly what we wanted. I would wholeheartedly recommend Housing Works as a venue for your wedding!

. The food was really great and we loved that it was sustainably sourced. Our entire experience was excellent we could not recommend too highly.

apacity, Time...) but none impacted our overall experience. The staff is beyond attentive and kind. They made us feel as though they had everything under control. Housing Works is a beautiful venue full of love. PS. People STILL talk about the food!! Every single dish was delicious PPS. Weddings are expensive - but they don't have to be. Knowing we supported a charity by hosting our event at this venue was a wonderful feeling.

were great about replying quickly. We had a few in person meetings, and they were good about making sure we understood each available package, and made sure we had a good understanding of the venue and how things would run. They really know what they're doing, and they also made us feel so comfortable going into wedding day. They really work with you and they brought such a personal experience during the planning, and they were both so relaxed and cool about everything. Even the servers were all so, so nice. We chose the Housing Works because we wanted our wedding to be a personal experience, not one of those typical giant wedding hall weddings with too much purple lighting and bad food. A huge draw of HW is that it's all farm to table and a changing menu depending on the season. We got a great sampling at their food tasting, which was an event in itself (cocktail hour & served dinner made it feel like a mini wedding). For our wedding, we did a buffet style dinner, and a large portion of the guests went up for seconds, that towards the end of food service, they ate everything only some of the vegetables were left over. We all know wedding food is typically terrible, but a lot of the guests were really happy with the food done by HW. We had a friend who went to HW for a wedding several months before our wedding, and they made it a point to let us know they were excited about eating at our wedding several months later. The venue itself is intimate, but large enough to move and dance. The lighting is moody, in a good way, and our photos looked amazing with all the books in the backdrop. The venue needs minimal decorating because it's just that pretty, so it was pretty easy to have a DIY wedding there. The venue is very affordable as well, which we appreciated, especially for where it's located. And a portion of the costs were donated through the venue to those living with homelessness and AIDS, and we appreciated that as well. The Housing Works is not your cookie cutter venue, and you will get individual attention if you host an event here, not just a wedding. You will love the food, and the preferred vendors (they recommended our DJ, James Mulry, who was also the absolute best), and you will just love the people as well. It was all just such a positive, happy, experience from stem to stern. They will leave you with nothing to worry about from the planning process and through the day of. They are completely thorough, professional, knowledgable, and just plain nice people.

le, and what Housing Works is and does was key to that. It's probably clear how beautiful and intimate the space is, so the images you've seen can speak for themselves. What is not visible is how profoundly good the folks at Housing Works were at: - being incredibly responsive, flexible, open, realistic and inventive about our menu, which we wanted to reflect Lower East Side Jewish culture, and which ended up tasting really good - keeping the process super streamlined, and handling everything from napkins to DJ tech conversations, and scheduling regular updates to confirm logistics including budget; this made things very easy to coordinate, even from several states away - being organized, friendly, professional, consistent, and a well-oiled competent party machine that helped make the day great

more quiet café style seating conducive to conversations at the other end. We worked with Josh, who was warm, organized and ran the event seamlessly. The cost of the event was also very reasonable. Many fond memories!

y. It was a magical night, and Josh and Amanda (plus all other staff) make you feel so well taken care of every step of the way. The venue itself is beautiful, and The Works Catering did a stellar job on the food and bar service. We're still getting compliments on how delicious the food was over a month after the event. I can't say enough about how much we love everyone at Housing Works, and how grateful we are to have been so well taken care of, on our most special day.

and a sense of occasion. The food was of an excellent quality and everything was catered to suit our taste and aesthetic. Amanda, Josh and the whole team were very caring and considerate throughout the entire process and we felt entirely safe in their hands. Weddings are so expensive and we were so glad that money from our wedding contributed to the great work of this organization and felt double purposed. We just wish we could relive the whole day again. Simon & Paul

nclear, day of, how things were to get off the ground. Perhaps that was my fault. But other than slight uneasiness on my part in the very beginning we couldn't be happier with the location, venue, and vibe of Housing Works. I would highly recommend it and have to others.

rks got both of us very excited about the venues potential. With that said, it was the staff that really transformed this potential into reality. From guidance on how best to utilize the space to helping construct a timeline the event staff was incredibly helpful. On the day of the bookstore was transformed into an elegant space and the Works Catering supplied a delicious spread, our family still talks about the food at our wedding. From the moment we started working with Housing Works Bookstore to the night of the wedding, I felt both excited and confident in our selection of venue and caterer. They were great to work with and delivered an amazing event.

re responsive, professional, and on top of everything. They answered a ton of our questions and were very flexible, accommodating several changes late in the game (menu and bar changes, head count changes, etc.). They provide their own in-house catering, which was great for us as there were lots of things we didn't really have to think about (hiring a separate caterer, party rentals, etc.) They held a wonderful and fun tasting event a couple of months before our reception, where we could not only taste a really impressive chunk of their extensive seasonal menu and wine selection, but also see exactly how the venue would be set up on the night, which was really helpful. On the night of our reception, they were real champs - they got the venue set up incredibly quickly, were very accommodating to all our vendors, and were unfailingly nice and sweet to all of our family members wandering around the space (but also very good about keeping extraneous guests out until the venue was good and ready). They went above and beyond, for example cueing our wedding ceremony and making sure the whole dinner service went smoothly - totally eliminating the need for a wedding planner/coordinator. The food was wonderful - we got so many compliments from our guests. And they even assigned a staff member to my husband and me for the night, to make sure that we were able to eat and drink without getting overwhelmed by the occasion! I heard numerous comments from our guests aftewards about how nice all of the staff were. For example, a friend of mine dropped a plate of food on the floor, and in no time, people were there to clean it up with a smile and a joke. Everything happened without a hitch and so many of our guests told us that it was "the best wedding ever" - with the fun and intimate setting, friendly staff, etc. And let's not forget that Housing Works does amazing work each and every day. Thanks so much for making our day so fun and great!

t almost everything is provided on-site means there is very little legwork to do. The staff is fantastic and so accommodating.

ting arrangement, which was perfect for us. People grabbed delicious cheeseburgers, fish tacos, noodle dishes, etc in between dancing and partaking of a full open bar and scrumptious, potent signature cocktail. Josh is a genius and took care of every single possible thing so we could just enjoy ourselves. People say your wedding goes by in a blur of details and people—pleasing. I didn't feel that way AT ALL. From the waiters who figured out my favorite apps and found me with them to the bar who learned my drink order, every Housing Works staffer made the whole day easy-breezy. I felt like I could really party with my loved ones from start to finish! I could not recommend this venue more highly!

bookstore early for the event) followed by a dinner reception and dancing. Amanda was awesome making the initial arrangements and walking us through the various options. Josh who ran the event on the day of is spectacular as was his amazing staff who made sure Greg and I always had everything we needed. When our drinks were low, someone was always there to offer a refill and make sure we were enjoying the day. I used to run weddings in college so I know what goes into making an event run smoothly and on time and Josh's execution was flawless. We started the day assuming that at some point, something would go awry and I can honestly say I was happily surprised that nothing went wrong!! For dinner we opted to do a duet option of salmon and vegetable lasagna and they were both fantastic. Both Greg and I loved the bookstore and everyone involved in making the wedding such a beautiful evening all around. Our guests could not say enough about how beautiful a venue it is. If you're looking for a venue for an intimate wedding, we can not recommend this location enough. My only recommendation would be to buy a lot of votive candles for the tables, bar and windows (we bought 300 and used almost all of them!) The candles really add to the decor. Kate & Greg Price

t time they had. I give them my highest recommendation!

bias about the whole marriage/wedding thing. We honestly didn’t know how we would do it in a way that wasn’t cheesy or uptight. Amanda and Housing Works helped us realize we could have an event that was totally our own and reflected our own values and creativity and was just incredibly intimate, relaxed and down to earth. They are totally responsive on email, very reliable and then add a bunch of extra touches in so you have nothing extra to stress about on the night. I can't recommend them highly enough!

ed. I love books, too, but how would that work? The answer: Amazingly, beautifully, wonderfully! A unique and very beautiful store, close to NYU and Washington Square. The staff, led by Josh and Amanda, helped us through every planning stage, not an easy task with the bride and groom in Istanbul, the groom's family in NJ, and the bride's Mom and Dad (me) in Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. But it worked seamlessly. Really. And on the day, it was pure magic. Great staff, delicious food, lots of wine, many toasts, much dancing and laughing. Josh oversaw every detail with great humor and calm. Every father of the bride wants only one thing: his daughter's happiness. And Jenna glowed with joy and love. The pictures all show shelves of books as a backdrop for my lovely daughter, her very lucky husband, and our happy families and friends, all having a great time. Thanks to Housing Works. There's an afterglow too. All profits go to help the homeless and victims of AIDS in New York. That's not why we chose the venue, but it was very nice touch. Thanks. Tom and Bonnie

good hands. Actually, everyone working at Housing Works was really kind and attentive. So many of our guests came up to us exclaiming about the beautiful space and the wonderful staff. The food was delicious and the booze choices excellent. We really had the most perfect wedding for us. Definitely recommend!

too busy to eat too much ourselves, our guests raved about the variety of cocktail appetizers and desserts. It's a unique place in Manhattan to have a party, and it's certainly a place where both you and your guests will remember what a great time yuo had!

advice that actually made things cheaper for us when they could've had us spend more money instead (like having the after party in the bar across the street for free!). The staff leading up to the event and at the event itself was so helpful I can't thank them enough. All our guests were so impressed with the uniqueness of the venue and they also commented on how great the food was. Everything was fantastic!

to be married. Amanda and Josh were so excited about our wedding at every step of the game. They were always only an email away with the best ideas and advice. I felt like I was in the best of hands. And the staff the night of our wedding was pleasant and kind and fun to be around. Every time I turned around there was someone there to make something easier. You know it's amazing when the bride LOVED every minute of her wedding planning!! Thank you, Housing Works!!

rdinating all of the details and making sure we and our guests were well taken care of all night long. We have received nothing but rave reviews from our guests, commenting on the beauty of the space and incredible way the bookstore was transformed into a wedding venue. The food was fabulous—we chose the cocktail party option with a specialty food table, and the food was hot, tasty and plentiful. We will never forget our wedding and at the end of the day, we got to feel good about the money we spent, knowing that we were helping to support an amazing charity that gives aid to so many who need help.

orks: 1. The staff are awesome. They are both very chill and completely on top of everything, and super nice and fun to boot. Service on the evening of was faultless. 2. The venue itself is beautiful. We didn't have to decorate at all because it's already a lovely space. 3. Our guests were able to shop for books throughout the evening! Many people really loved this. (Our recc: make sure you include this in your remarks - that you can buy books - because people won't even realize they can, and it's a missed opportunity for HW and for your guests.) 4. They do everything in-house. It's not the cheapest venue we saw, but for value it's pretty unbeatable. The convenience alone makes it a deal - both in terms of location and because of how many items we were able to check off our list just by picking Housing Works. You pick the linen colors, they have all the furniture, and they do all the catering and service. We originally were planning to do a very DIY wedding where we sourced all the vendors ourselves, until we realized that that REALLY meant. Housing Works was the perfect solution for us. 5. The food. The food! It was sooo good. I still think about it fondly and wish I could eat some more. They have so many great options - vegetarian, gluten-free, etc. you can pick great items to please the dietary needs of your guests, and not feel that you have to compromise on what *you* want. We did a reception instead of dinner, and people really raved about the food. 6. If you feel a little guilty about spending so much on yourself/for a wedding (which we did), the fact that you're supporting a really meaningful nonprofit helps alleviate the guilt a little bit. It's also a pretty unique venue. We've been to 50 weddings (ours was the 50th) and many venues in NYC multiple times, but had never even heard that Housing Works Bookstore did weddings. So chances are you will be able to provide a unique experience for your guests, as we did! Four thumbs up!

um guest numbers and finalise guest counts only 3 weeks before the day was massively helpful due to the amount of overseas guests attending. The pre day meetings and follow ups were timely and helpful and Amanda and Josh couldn't do enough for us (including re-scheduling a tasting for us when we missed the first) in answering questions etc. On the day of the wedding the entire team were amazing - from setting up in record time to dealing with 1001 crazy family requests before our ceremony started to keeping our drinks topped up at all times! The bar and wait staff were friendly and helpful without being overbearing and big props to the chefs as the food was amazing. Every one of our guests remarked on how great the venue, staff and food were and what an amazing night it made. We'd definitely recommend them to anyone who asked

n to walk around. Really great idea. Live band for the beginning. Dj for the dancing at the end. Photo booth and ice luge. I recommend you copy everything we did as it was perfect! Also, get the cup cakes from Molly's cup cakes- they're the best. Wholefoods did the flowers which saved us on cost. We had a sit down dinner and not buffet as we thought that's more classy.

ail went off without a hitch. I can't speak highly enough about Amanda, the events director, and her second in command, Josh, along with the lovely waitstaff and top-notch kitchen. Having worked in the food industry myself - both front and back of house - I can be particular, and these folks knocked it out of the park. They know how to run an event smoothly, and they warn you ahead of time about things you should consider. They were able to recommend a number of vendors who have also worked in the Bookstore before, and that was also a huge help. One thing that we particularly loved about our Housing Works wedding is the fact that the money we were spending for this special day was going to be used to support Housing Works' mission - fighting AIDS and homelessness in NYC. And you couldn't find a more NY venue! It's located on a cobblestone street in Soho, in a huge two-level space, with an arcade around the second level, allowing your guests to watch the ceremony from above. A bonus is that if you get ready in the neighborhood (we stayed at the Nolitan - which I also highly recommend), you can bring your photographer along as you walk up Elizabeth Street to Prince, and use all that great Soho streetscape for your photos! The Housing Works Bookstore is a special place.

this world. If you love books, this venue is more charming than you can even imagine. Finally, the proceeds go to support a good cause, so it is a venue with values.

tastings were especially great because they were held In the space, which was fully decorated so we had a sense of what it would look like during our event. The transformation of bookstore by day to event space at night was really amazing. Everything was beautiful, the food was super, and all of our guests had a great time! It's really a beautiful space, and we really appreciated that the proceeds go straight to the Housing Works charity. It made our night truly unique and memorable.

t our wedding. We were a bit nervous about this, but all three of them were very professional and competent, and a pleasure to work with. They were very good with email and questions. Staff at our wedding was sufficient and did a great job. The food was really great, farm to table, incredibly fresh. Pros: unique setting, very different and original, and very New York. The place works with The Works Catering, and they take care of everything food-related, which is convenient. They have a huge menu with seasonal picks sure to please anyone. Some of the drink options seem a bit limited though. Cons: no bridal suite to speak of, hideous bathrooms, and no refrigeration possible (our cake didn't require it, but I see how this could be a problem to some). Also, make sure you decide on how long you want your party to be upon signing the contract! We thought we could extend later on and pay by the hour, but it turns out they charge a pretty steep nominal fee just for adding hours, so make up your mind early to save some money. But all in all, we could not be happier with how everything went, and our guests really seemed to like the venue as a whole, as well as the food!

ped us through the entire event from start to finish, from wrangling family members for speeches to keeping us on track with our timeline. The great thing about Housing Works/Amanda is that they are fun people to work with - plus they are flexible. They will set up the space and run your event according to how you want it to go. For example, we started with cocktails first and then got married after cocktail hour followed by dinner/dancing. We got married on the staircase instead of having a formal ceremony and it was no problem at all. And the venue is so beautiful and unique and the food/service is top notch. We received so many compliments on our wedding and we truly loved our wedding!!! Thank you Amanda and Housing Works!

ir staff made sure we got exactly what we wanted within our budget. The bookstore itself is a quirky and unique venue, and it is definitely a memorable location.

ever met. The planning was easy and the atmosphere was romantic, intimate, and so different from usual catering hall weddings. All of our family and close friends RAVED about the delicious food, and extraordinary service. I highly recommend this venue if you are A. a lover of literature and philanthropic causes B. looking for a romantic wedding in a chic spot and C. tired of the usual catering hall weddings.

wedding day and from beginning to end they were just wonderful. Organized, communicative, and so so so nice. I received comments from so many guests afterwards about how smoothly everything went, how nice and polite and helpful the staff were and generally just the good vibes that were being given out from every single person there. They listened to us and were a complete joy to work with. We weren't sure about using an in-house caterer but went with The Works catering. DELICIOUS, fresh, seasonal food that got compliments from everyone. I recommend doing a buffet like we did. The food was hot, fresh and delicious (unlike some plated meals can be) and it was a very social and fun way to have dinner. As far as value goes, it can't be beat. Planning a wedding in New York is anything but cheap, but Housing Works provided a price within our budget (and many options to remove or add different things based on your budget) and a portion of the site fee goes toward their charity work and is tax deductible! Win-win! I couldn't recommend everything about this venue more highly. A+++. New York's best kept secret!

or passed appetizers rather than sit down food (since the passed food is always better and this allows people to circulate), and the food was all excellent. Of course, being a Manhattan venue, it's not cheap (though I think it's cheaper than some), but the fact that it's a non-profit eased my mind about that. Some of the money may as well be going to a good cause, right?

o get to. The store is completely transformed at night by great lighting and lovely string lights. It's romantic, warm, cozy, and still with plenty of room for up to 250 people to have a sit-down dinner and dancing! The balcony above is beautiful, and offers a nice, dim, romantic spot to get away to during the wedding. The food is fantastic, and is all farm-to-table, so you are getting quality, locally-sourced food. Amanda, our liaison, sat down with us and helped us choose each menu item. Above all, the staff was beyond what we could have hoped for. Each and every one of them was completely attentive, lovely, and dedicated to making sure my husband and I were always taken care of and that everything that night stayed on time and was not rushed. Josh or Gillian appeared every time I uttered the words, "I'm thirsty" or "I'm hungry." They knew what we needed before we ourselves did. The staff made us feel so special, making this day even more like the perfect day we'd hoped for. They completely managed our crowds, cued our processional, directed people, and made every guest feel taken care of without being too present. Having looked at numerous venues in NYC, this place was also a great value. Coming to approx. $150pp including passed beer, winde, cava, appetizers, buffet dinner, dessert and coffee. An outstanding value for any city, but especially Manhattan! To make it all feel even more worth it, all proceeds go to the incredible charity, Housing Works, which works in New York City to end homelessness and AIDS. We couldn't have imagined a better place to promise our everlasting love to each other. If you are looking for a beautiful, special urban setting for a wedding and/or reception, THIS IS THE PLACE. We will always be grateful to everyone at Housing Works Bookstore for making our wedding day the most special day of our lives.

use of helping people living with HIV/AIDS. If you're looking for a unique place where minimum decoration needs to be brought in for a spectacular look, this is perfect. The bookstore has a u-shaped balcony around the ceremony and dance floor and I recommend getting globe lights to string across the balcony. It really adds to the romantic image. The feel is very vintage and New York. The food is bought from the local farmers market that day and is incredibly fresh and delicious (all my guests raved)! And the staff is amazing! Amanda truly pulled everything together and made sure I had no worries during the event. They do all set-up except for any decorations you bring in (so be advised that either you or your vendors will have to set-up and take down). I cannot recommend Housing Works highly enough. Check out their website for pictures but make sure you visit to really feel the experience. It may feel small, but it's really perfect for anything less than 125. I had 100+ guests and we fit perfectly for a buffet dinner. http://www.theworkscatering.com/our-venues

rs d'oeuvres, a well-tended bar, a full sit-down dinner, and dessert selection. My husband and I were able to taste just about everything and we were very happy with the taste, originality, and presentation of everything. The Works also willingly and easily accommodated a number of guests with particular dietary restrictions (shellfish allergy, milk allergy, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free) and did kids' meals, so everyone got to have great food. It's rare to be able to do some good in the world by hiring a wedding caterer, but ou