The team at The Sanctuary did an incredible job with our October wedding reception. We used the in-house photographer, catering, and DJ services, and we HIGHLY recommend all of them. They facilitated our request for long tables. Custom food menu was delicious and beautifully plated, they do a great job accommodating dietary requests. Parking is free. We used easels, vases, and picture stands from the Imagination Room. Nearly all our guests were from out of town and they raved about how convenient the location was to our hotel block (Hilton Garden Inn). They have a secret bathroom on the first floor for any guests with mobility issues. We used all the getting ready spaces. We had beautiful weather which meant we fully used the outdoor space as well. Very professional team. When food service took longer than usual, we were offered a no-cost extension of DJ and bar service. We did not need to clean up after the wedding. We showed up the next afternoon and everything was boxed or bagged up and ready to go. That specific service was exceptionally above and beyond, I've helped many other couples clean up a space after a reception and it was a relief not worrying about that. The space is so beautiful, you really don't need much additional decor. We knew we were in good hands every step of the planning process. Beautiful space, great location, wonderful team of talented people. Thank you, Sanctuary!

My husband and I cannot say enough positive things about The Sanctuary on Penn. When we were looking for an LGBT friendly venue in central Indiana, this place caught our eyes, and we could not be happier. The space is gorgeous with unique features that make it stand out among other wedding venues in Indy. The team is awesome, responsive, and very attentive to the needs and wants of the couples. The in-house contractors (DJ Don Masters, Heavenly Sweets, Sterling Expressions, and Post Road English Gardens) all hit it out of the park with their services. The full-service nature of the venue takes so much stress away from planning the wedding. Thank you Sanctuary for giving us a magical night that we will remember the rest of our lives!

From the moment we walked into the Sanctuary, we knew we had found our wedding venue. The space is absolutely stunning, beautifully decorated, clean and well-maintained, with thoughtful touches all over and fun surprises around every corner.

From there, our experience just kept getting better. We met Evan and his staff, and they immediately felt like old friends. We cannot say enough about how amazing they were during the entire process. They are so kind, creative, thoughtful, organized- they are magic. They let us handle the fun parts of planning, and they took care of everything else. All of our family and friends could not believe how stress-free and fun the planning, menu tasting, rehearsal, and wedding day all were. Evan and his staff made everything feel special.

We spent the entire day at the Sanctuary the day of the wedding. It was so nice to be able to do everything in one place. No running around town, no rushing, no stress. We decorated, we got ready, we hung out, we ate, we took photos, and then we went right into getting married!

And ohhhhh, the photos! There are so many beautiful, unique, charming, and romantic places in and around the building for wedding photos! We went with the house photographer Mariah, and she was fantastic! She knows the space inside and out, she’s such a nice person, she has great ideas, and her photos are beautiful.

We also went with the house DJ, Don Masters, and he was awesome. This guy knows so much about all different kinds of music! He was really fun to talk to, he was super helpful with planning everything involving music, speeches, etc., and he’s a really great emcee- he knows how to read a crowd, and he kept us all on schedule post-ceremony.

Let’s talk about the food!! The chef is incredible. This is not typical wedding food. This is a talented artist sharing her craft. This was really important for us. We both LOVE food- as culture, as art, and as a basic human right. We really, REALLY wanted to be able to treat all of our guests to a delicious, top-notch meal, and the staff at the Sanctuary made that happen. The passed appetizers and the main meal were absolutely amazing. They have so many great options, and they are super accommodating when it comes to special requests, dietary restrictions, kids’ meals, etc. PLUS they donate any food that gets left, so you can start the next chapter of your life by making a difference for others. They really do think of everything!

The day of the wedding, Evan and Jade made sure we were happy all day, and at the end of the night, we said our goodbyes, and they reassured us we did not have to worry about cleaning up or taking all of our stuff with us- we could pick it up whenever. What a gift that was! The last thing you and your wedding party will want to do at the end of such a long day is stay late to clean up. And since Evan and Jade honestly care about their couples and want them to have the best day of their lives, they take care of all that for you! And they don’t even charge you extra for it!

Which brings us to our final point. The price. It is shocking how affordable this wedding was. We looked at many other venues, and every single one was at least twice the price and less than half the value. Do yourself a favor, and have your wedding at the Sanctuary. You won’t regret it!

We got married at The Sanctuary on Penn exactly a month ago from today and wish we could do it all over again! It was such a beautiful and special venue and we’ve gotten many compliments from our wedding guests on how much they loved our wedding. It feels like something straight out of Italy in the main room. We really appreciated Evan’s help all along the way with organizing meetings and answering all of our questions over emails and phone calls in between meetings.

One of the best and most special parts of our wedding day The Sanctuary coordinated was the private moment after the ceremony, when they set up a table with champagne, cheese and fruit, and we got to savor the moment with just the two of us after just having gotten married in front of a whole room packed with people we love. We also really loved the grand exits they do, from the ceremony and also at the end of the night on the way out to our limo.

Their decorations closet was very useful and though we brought a lot of our own decorations in, we saved a lot of money too by using their lanterns for our aisle. It was also so useful that they allowed us to pick up some items after the honeymoon, instead of some venues that rush you into collecting everything at the end of the wedding night.

The whole day was so special and magical, and The Sanctuary really felt like a world of our own for the day. We highly recommend it!

Our wedding day was truly the greatest day of our lives. Evan worked his butt off to make sure everything went smoothly! He also had amazing communication between all of our vendors and the day could not have gone better! We had such an amazing time. The food was incredible, the decor was spot on, the changing of the room during cocktail hour went over without issues, and the whole day was incredible thanks to Evan, Tiffany (the chef) and the rest of the staff. I also was told by many, many of my guests that the bartenders were so fun and really great to work with! Thanks to the Sanctuary's team of people! We had the best wedding we could've ever dreamed of.

We LOVED having our wedding at the Sanctuary on Penn! Evan and his staff are amazing to work with and we highly recommend the Sanctuary for others who are looking for wedding venues... Our guests gave us rave reviews about their experiences as well! 5 ⭐️

Everything about this place is absolutely amazing! The venue it self is beautiful with the stain glass windows and the classic church charm, but then you add in the people running it and it’s utter perfection! We got married in the middle of the pandemic and Evan was more than accommodating. He helped calm our nerves and worked with us to make sure everything went off without a hitch! I truly can’t say enough good things about our experience! Oh and it’s pet friendly so our little furr baby got to be a part of our special day!

Where do we even start?! Our January reception at The Sanctuary was nothing short of amazing, we cannot imagine having worked with anyone else! From the first moment we walked in the doors, we just knew this was the place for us. The architecture is beautiful and historic (the photos online truly do not do it justice) yet it also feels so incredibly warm, welcoming and cozy. Not only is the location amazing, but the staff, particularly Evan, are incredible as well. The church where we had our ceremony did not have any “getting ready” areas available for us, so we loved the spaces we were able to utilize at The Sanctuary and the all-day access!

They were up front immediately about pricing, giving us a budget sheet after our first meeting that we could manipulate based off of what we were thinking so we could see what various options would add up to. At no point did we ever feel like there were any hidden prices or gimmicks, they were always up front with us and even gave us further tips on how to save money - something we never thought we’d hear from a wedding venue! Additionally, being able to use their “imagination room” full items for centerpieces and decorations previously donated by brides was awesome, we loved being able to save money on what is normally a huge expense, and the venue needed hardly any decorations as it is absolutely stunning already!

We wanted our wedding to be as safe as possible when it came to COVID protocol and Evan went above and beyond being attentive to any needs and questions that we had and made everything so easy. Both we and our guests felt incredibly safe and the entire event was stress-free and so well-coordinated.

At this point, it’s two months past our wedding and we still have people telling us how amazing it was! We loved loved loved our experience and would 100% recommend them to anyone even remotely considering getting married here - do it - you won’t regret it!

The Sanctuary on Penn was everything we could have hoped for! The space is gorgeous, and felt so cozy and lovely during our winter wedding. The staff were so kind and efficient, and I never felt stressed because I knew Evan had everything under control! The food was fantastic, and every vendor they recommended to us went above and beyond for us. We loved that from day one of touring the venue we were shown a breakdown of costs, so we could accurately budget and not have to stress about hidden fees. We're so happy with how our wedding went and our friends are still commenting on how much they loved The Sanctuary.

My husband and I held our wedding reception at The Sanctuary on Penn on 12/28/19, and it was everything we had dreamed of for our wedding. We only looked at one other venue before deciding on The Sanctuary and were immediately in awe when we walked in the building. The historic beauty of the building was exactly what we were looking for - the large stained glass windows, the wood floors, the walls, the bar/cocktail areas. It is dark and dramatic but warm and inviting at the same time. We were looking for something more unique and historic than a hotel/ballroom atmosphere, and we are so glad we decided on The Sanctuary!

Throughout our planning process, we worked with Evan Appleman, who was SO helpful, responsive, and flexible! I had a very specific vision of how I wanted the reception to look and feel, and Evan helped to make that vision a reality. He was responsive to mine and my mom's many questions as we planned and met with us as many times as needed throughout the year of planning. The day of the reception, Evan ensured that everything ran smoothly from set up, hair/makeup, cocktail hour, and dinner (our guests are still raving about the prime rib!). He even hurriedly put my shoes on my feet when I wanted to switch from heels to flats for the dances at the last minute! We also worked with The Sanctuary's DJ, Don Masters, who was fabulous! Everyone had so much fun on the dance floor, and he helped to make sure each part of the reception was on time and running smoothly. Also, Chef Becky was incredible! The appetizers and all of the meal choices were delicious!

It was an absolutely magical day, and we are so thankful we chose The Sanctuary on Penn!!