The Sanctuary Event Space

I am a day of coordinator for Austin Occasions. I love working at the Sanctuary every one is so nice and accommodating.

This is the body beautiful space we could find for our wedding in Austin, very clean, affordable, and beautiful. If we had to do it all over again, this venue would be the number one choice again.

My husband and I hosted our wedding with the Sanctuary in November 2022. It was the first venue we visited and we instantly knew it would be the perfect one (we visited a few more but none of them came close). The size was absolutely perfect for our ~50 guests - had it been a warmer weekend, many more guests would have fit very comfortably (capacity is 150 I believe, and the outdoor space definitely would do fine for that), but we mostly hung in the dance area and near the heaters! Niru and the entire team was always so quick to respond and just so easy to work with. Our beloved pup was welcome at the event as well! Despite being very glad all the stress that is a wedding is over, we would both do it over again without question.

This venue was the perfect location for our intimate wedding of about 30 people (including vendors). All of the ladies that helped with our tour, the great communication, and everyone that answered all of our questions promptly, we cannot say enough great things about. It was a seamless process and Niru contacted us anytime we had a due date approaching for paperwork, etc., which helped us tremendously with our very busy schedules. Niru provided us with a user friendly check list for cleanup on the day of the wedding, which was very helpful! I absolutely suggest this very enchanting venue as it is so beautiful and the staff was incredible! Thank you all for providing us with the perfect venue for our perfect day.

This is was my dream venue from the first time I toured it, and the fact thar it's a non profit was important to me. it's such a magical place! The communication was great and Niru is lovely, I appreciate how involved she was in the process and how excited she got. unfortunately we were on our own in the end as Niru got the flu and couldn't be there, there was some confusion going back and forth with the coordinator who stepped in her place, and it rained after the ceremony (which obviously isn't the venue's fault! ) but it's something to consider and plan for. I got umbrellas and tents and it helped a lot.

This is such a gorgeous venue that was perfect for our 50- person wedding. Everyone we worked with was extremely responsive and kind, especially Niru, Maria, and Jen. The overall aesthetic was exactly what were looking for with beautiful string lights and greenery. We loved that we were able to choose our own vendors to bring in, because we were planning our wedding with a very small budget. The only potential downside of this venue was the accessibility for my older parents who have trouble with stairs, but they were able to be seated on one level with only 3 stairs to manage which worked out well. If you want to have a lot of freedom with vendors at a great price with gorgeous scenery, this is the venue for you!

This space is beautiful and affordable. It was the first venue we considered when planning our wedding and we never bothered to visit any others. It's perfect for an outdoor wedding or event. There's a lot of shade, so even summer events are comfortable.

This place is just a hidden gem in Austin and we were extremely blessed to host our 70-person wedding there. Fantastic location, beautifully built, and with an incredible event team. Jessica and Lee were amazing to work with. From our first phone call, through the planning process, and the actual wedding, they were extremely courteous and professional. We had the most frigid and wet weather over the weekend, but Jessica was able to assist us with tent measurements and ensured that our event would be a success (Don't let the weather stop you from booking this amazing venue; our clear tents with string lights looked amazing!). Jessica's attention to detail set her apart from any other venue manager I have worked with. I can't thank her enough for being an integral part of our wedding's success and I highly recommend Sanctuary for your next upcoming event.

The reason I’m rating this place 3 stars is based off the director of events at The Sanctuary. We experienced a huge lack of communication and she was rude every time we spoke with her. It was like we were inconveniencing her. We thought she would be willing to help us make things go smooth, but after a huge miscommunication we found that was not the case. Also the day of our wedding the bathrooms and toilets were disgusting. When you get your wedding contract you quickly realize there are many rules and things you can get fined for I.e. women can’t wear heels in the yoga studio and volume for music or cops will be called. On a better note, the venue is beautiful, but that is all you are paying for.

Beautiful space! The Sanctuary is serene and beautiful setting for your special day! Outside area for the ceremony is surrounded by greenery and the dance floor is a perfect size for a 60-100 person wedding. The Sanctuary is a great location for out-of-town guests to get to from hotels in Austin. Jessica was great to work with throughout the entire process. One consideration - Sunday weddings are less expensive, but keep in mind that rentals (linens, chairs, tables) often have a higher delivery fee for Sunday deliveries, setups, and breakdowns. In our case we paid $800 for the delivery fees alone on a Sunday. But, the Sanctuary has an option to leave rental items on site overnight if they are neatly stacked at the ceremony site. This can help reduce pick-up fees from the rental company.

Love. Light. Intimacy. And more love. The space allowed for the wedding of our dreams. We had a lot of out of town guests and wanted to keep them close to the city for late night exploration. With all the beautiful Live Oaks, we felt tucked away from city hype yet at home in our neighborhood. Simply the best and truest Austin for our guests to experience. We loved all the hidden spots for photos and the bridal suite had everything we needed. We are very grateful to have shared this little gem with the ones we love most.

We chose Sanctuary Event Space for our small Lord of the Rings-themed ceremony/reception in May 2018 The moment we stepped over the threshold and saw the massive old oak, the treehouse loft, the intimate and well-maintained grounds, we fell in love. Sanctuary is close to downtown Austin and South Lamar bars/restaurants, but also completely nestled away into its own little world- the thick canopy cuts down on noise. While parking there isn't great (mostly street parking), it's easily accessible by Uber/Lyft from downtown and nearby hotels. Our wedding was only 45 people, and honestly I wouldn't try to squeeze 150-200 folks in there (as the website suggests this is the max occupancy). Unfortunately Sanctuary is not wheelchair accessible, but older family members with mobility issues didn't have any trouble getting around. Not only was Sanctuary conveniently located, but it was super reasonably priced compared to other venues in the area! All proceeds from the venue cost go to the Amala Foundation, and it was gratifying to know that we were putting our money towards something meaningful. I definitely recommend shelling out the extra cash to rent the upstairs loft for the bridal suite- it was the perfect place to relax and get away from the insanity of everything on the wedding day. Although we didn't end up going there for our after-party, the Gibson Street Pub and the Highball cocktail bar are both within 1-2 minutes walking distance. Special thanks to Jessica Ryan of 3 of Cups, who was an outstanding wedding planner. Not only did Jessica work with us on our budget- which was very low- but she hooked us up with the amazing vendors! Sanctuary has a close relationship with a long list of incredible caterers, bartending services, etc. Jessica was 100% organized and on top of every possible issue, and so kind and sincere. Sanctuary is a magical place and it was an honor to be married there. Thanks Jessica & Amala Foundation, we love you!

Our wedding at The Sanctuary was picture perfect. I really wouldn't have done anything differently and the garden area is so romantic. Just wanted to share a few things I wish I would have know before I booked. Beware of the price. The bottom line venue price is really appealing, but every single little thing needs to be brought in, so it adds up very quickly and gets a little frustrating paying for all the little things when they are included in other venues. On another note, we hired some friends to do our flowers and after the wedding they let me know that the venue coordinator was really rude to them. We did have a good working relationship with her but there was also an unprofessional moment at the end of our reception where she embarrassed one of our guests for drinking too much over the microphone.

The Sanctuary Event Space was everything we wanted and more! Jessica Ryan from 3 of Cups helped answer all our questions and ensured we had a best day! The venue is absolutely breathtaking. The giant oak trees and whimsical grounds make you feel like you stepped into a fairy tale. The venue is conveniently located in the heart of South Austin. Many of our guests came from out of town so we loved that the venue would not require an expensive cab to or from our wedding. All of our guests were simply blown away that such a beautiful space exists right in the center of such a busy area. We had a smaller wedding and had a difficult time finding a venue that wouldn’t feel ridiculous with a small number of people. I would recommend renting the upstairs loft. It was a wonderful space to get ready as well as have some alone time after the ceremony. If you’re looking for a beautiful and unique space for your wedding I would definitely recommend checking out The Sanctuary. It will take your breath away!

This place is gorgeous, ya'll - if you want a whimsical, free spirited yet elegant venue; this is it. My (now) husband and I met in Austin - had moved to San Antonio but as we began the search for a venue - The Sanctuary was EXACTLY what we were looking for. Tucked away and beautiful. You will want to include The Loft space upstairs; worked great for getting ready, alone time after we said our"I Do's, and even a chill hangout space for others during the event. Also, throughout the venue, there are many "sweet" pockets for your guests to mingle (we had about 110). Thank you for providing such an awesome place to begin our journey together!

Such a beautiful venue. My new husband James & I had such a dreamy wedding on October 1, 2017. This venue was everything we ever wanted. So whimsical and breathtakingly beautiful. Every single person that attended our wedding gave nothing but love for the beauty of the venue. Jessica Ryan is such an amazing person. She helped us along the way and it was very affordable and very easy to tell her our needs. I can’t get over the beauty of this place and I can go on and on and on about it. You will not have any regrets if you choose this as your venue. We had little decorations due to the natural beauty that The Sanctuary exudes. Thank you to all involved in our wedding. It made all our dreams come true. Xoxox James & Mikey 10.01.2017

I cannot imagine why anyone would rate this location at less than 5 stars. Our guests marveled at this space and it was perfect in every manner for our wedding. It's central location combined with the price is easily the best option in town. You do not have to have your beautiful outdoor wedding 45 minutes away from downtown at some ranch in the middle of nowhere. This place is as funky and gorgeous as Austin and exemplifies the reasons we've chosen to live here, get married here, and raise a family here. We could not possibly have been happier with how our wedding turned out, and a big part of that was having this amazing venue as a backdrop. Thank you to everyone involved for helping us host the perfect day!

My daughter selected The Sanctuary from online searches and reviews. She also thought the money used to rent the venue in support of the Amala foundation, its mission and vision was an added benefit! We didn't have a lot of money to spend on the wedding ceremony and reception so the value for renting the event space was definitely within our limited budget. We felt we were getting a lot for our money! The Sanctuary is absolutely beautiful and my daughter's wedding was perfect!! Emily was the manager on duty on the day of; she was so thoughtful, polite and understanding. We felt very much welcome and at ease knowing she was there. Our first in person visit to the venue solidified our decision to rent the space even though our meeting with the event director did not go as smoothly as I had wished; this did not change the fact that we wanted to keep our plans and have the wedding there because it's such a beautiful space. All in all, my daughter's wedding was perfect and we were so pleased to have had it at The Sanctuary in support of the wonderful Amala foundation. I would definitely recommend The Sanctuary Event Space to anyone wanting to have a wedding or event in a wonderfully, beautiful setting.

It doesn't get any more stunning than this. If you are looking for a beautiful outdoor venue with a unique atmosphere, this is your place. Our guests were all swooning over the huge oak trees and zen-like gardens. Another main draw for my now husband and I was the multiple houses/spaces available with the venue. Our guests enjoyed mingling about the different areas (main house, yoga studio, and bridal suite) to find different experiences throughout the night. This made the venue itself a conversation piece throughout the night (as opposed to the standard one large room venue). The only reason I give it 4 stars rather than 5 is because the venue doesn't include anything. You simply pay for the space as opposed to other venues that include at the very least tables and chairs. While the Sanctuary does have chairs, you have to pay an extra $3 per chair. None of this sounded like a big deal to me before booking the space. But once I was deep in the planning, I realized how nice it would have been to not have to deal with the extra headache of figuring out plates, utensils, tables, linens, microphones, etc. This could be a local market thing that I'm just not used to. But it's a consideration I wish I would have thought more about up front.

This space is absolutely a hidden gem. It's nestled in the heart of Austin and is surrounded by restaurants, hotels, and attractions for your guests. Most of the folks in our wedding were located less than a mile away. The price was great, there are chair rentals on-site, and the staff was super-helpful in brainstorming with us on solving difficult problems. We also resonated with the space because both my husband and I felt moved to give to a charity (The Amala Foundation, which owns the space) rather than a for-profit organization. Their mission is wonderful. Also, the venue is absolutely STUNNING in the evening time. They already have string lights set up for you, so you just flip them on and have gorgeous lighting the entire time. Wow. There are three things to watch out for should you choose this as your venue, from experience: 1) If you're doing the ceremony at the Sanctuary, you will not be able to fit 150-200 people. We had a wedding of 91 people, and even then, we had to "flip" the venue, meaning that we asked folks to move chairs from the lower terrace where the ceremony and set up tables/decorations during the reception. It went just fine, but it was an extra stressor on us for a while. 2) Because the venue is within the city limits and also next to a residential location, sound must be kept at 75 decibels. This wasn't a huge issue for us, but it did require the DJ to do some extra finagling of the speakers to make sure everything pointed away from the residential area and into the studio, and that the studio doors had to be kept shut at all times when music was playing (which can get you and your guests mighty steamy). 3) There is no smoking at the venue proper, and no high heels allowed in the studio. We thought this was going to be the biggest issue, but it ended up being a non-issue; most people wore wedges, flats, or went barefoot when on the studio floor. If you or your family tend towards smoking or high heels, just an FYI that with the uneven ground and no-smoking policy, it may not be for you. We also, when mentioning the uneven ground, got a fair amount of cancellations from our older guests due to the fact that we couldn't guarantee their safety on the stairs and that there is no ramp/wheelchair accessibility at the venue. Just a heads up. Other than those three things, working with the venue was fantastic. We were able to flip the venue during the ceremony, turned the speaker inwards and kept it quiet and had lots of happy guests. Bringing the chairs back to the Sanctuary was so easy, and the wedding party tore everything down quickly. All in all, it was a fantastic wedding brought to you by fantastic people. Thank you so much!

The beauty and serenity of The Santurary is remarkable. Nestled in the lively bustle of south central Austin, this lovely venue is tucked under three of the most spectacular live oaks a person is likely to see. The furnishings of the main house are classically comfortable. The colors, decor, and setting of the two main buildings are delightfully Austin, with oodles of Southsider charm everywhere you look. Our wedding was held amidst sporadic rain clouds, causing us all kinds of worry. But Jessica and the people of The Santurary played it cool. Putting in extra effort to ensure that all the necessary back-up plans were in place, excussing the extra mess 100 people make in damp weather, and handling all the consfusion caused by changing logistics. The venue was a hot topic of discussion, as our guests relished the setting and atmosphere created by those wonderful oaks. Many a guest could be seen with their eyes looking above them, pondering the quiet beauty that existed in the heart of the city. We would recommend this place to anyone, for anything, at any time. Our very best wishes of luck and good days, - Micah and Alison

Wow, just wow! We were trying to locate a venue for our wedding, and upon first stepping into this space, the energy was instantly captivating. In the heart of South Austin, you could not ask for a better location. Jessica, Jonathan, and Willow were just AMAZING! They all had such care-free vibes, all the wedding stress just melts away. I rented the entire space, including the tree house. We were there all day getting ready for the wedding. Our guests were comparing it to a fairy tale. The string lights at night, coupled with the grandfather trees that grow and crawl throughout the space just made for such an unforgettable evening. I honestly don't think there will be a day I don't promote the Sanctuary. It breathes perfection.

After searching for months for the perfect venue, I stumbled upon Amala Foundation while searching online for a unique setting for our wedding reception. After our initial tour, I fell in love with the location and atmosphere of the space. Jessie assisted my mom and I in every part of the planning process. He was immediate with responses to emails and phone calls. We chatted back and forth for roughly 8 months to ensure every detail could be accommodated for our wedding needs. The weather was perfect on our reception evening, which was great considering the outdoor setting. We were able to set up a photo booth outside of the main house, as well as several cocktail tables and bar stools for our guests to enjoy hors d'oeuvres and cocktails before the dancing and party began. The beautiful exterior plants and trees embraced what we love so much about Austin-nature. The yoga studio was a perfect space for our DJ and dance floor. We set up a bar on the upper deck and vignettes with a fire pit for groups to sit around and chat between dancing. The space was just large enough for our 60 guests. We had originally expected 100, but it would have been a tight fit and almost uncomfortable for dancing, etc. We are still receiving compliments on our choice of such a beautiful setting and celebration. The cost of the location was much closer to our needs and budget, as well as offered more of a unique experience for our guests than hotels and other outdoor venues we'd looked at. Overall, we were very pleased with the location and service we were provided by Jessie and his staff. I'd recommend this location to anyone for any type of event!