The Housing Works Bookstore Reviews

My husband and I hosted an anniversary party at the Housing Works Bookstore, and the team truly made our vision come to life! Each team member we interacted with was a pleasure to work with, both during the planning process and on the night-of. Many of our guests commented on how unique and special the venue was, and we completely agreed. We'd highly recommend hosting a celebration at the Housing Works Bookstore!

Housing Works provided a dream wedding come true! The space is really unique with a beautiful aesthetic and accommodates 100-110 fairly well. Bookstore by day, the venue cleans up. The staff and managers are really great to work with and really kind. They went above and beyond when accommodating our needs and making sure everything went smoothly. The day of the wedding, a managing member of the team was present and very active in facilitating all the behind-the-scenes logistics. People couldn't stop telling us how great the wedding was and how unique of a space it is. Plus, the $7000 required for deposit is a tax write-off. I would easily recommend Housing Works for a more non-traditional, but no-less wonderful, wedding venue.

Deciding to have our wedding at the Housing Works Bookstore was definitely the best choice we made in our wedding planning journey. The space is unique, warm, and intimate and was perfect for our New Year’s Eve wedding. The people who work there couldn’t have been any more helpful and kind. Our venue coordinator Tomek made sure that every detail was fine tuned for the big night and he did whatever he could to make sure every one of our visions came to life within the space. I was worried about the potential for rigidity having a wedding in a bookstore, but they couldn’t have been any more accommodating and flexible. This team knows what they’re doing. On top of that, they have hand picked an extensive list of vendors who have been in their unique venue and can pull off killer weddings and events within the specific layout of the space. One of the hardest parts of choosing our vendors was narrowing down the list of options because they were really all incredibly good choices. On the night of the wedding the venue looked like a dream. Our guests couldn’t get over how the space was transformed from a bookstore into the jaw dropping spectacle that it was. How they pull this off if beyond my understanding, but I can tell you that if you want a unique venue in NYC that will exceed all your expectations and leave your guests gushing for weeks to come, Housing Works Bookstore is for you. I can’t recommend them highly enough. (The photos I'm posting were taken by Forever Photography)

My husband and I had unofficially decided on Housing Works Bookstore for our wedding long before even seeing it set up for a wedding. Tomasz and his team made our ceremony and reception an absolutely perfect evening. They are a well oiled machine when it comes to setup and service. 10/10 would recommend!

We just had our wedding here and it exceeded our very high expectations. The number of guests that said "this is so cool!" and unique, etc. was so heartening. You get SO much for your money here (most of which you can take off your taxes) and it just...looks amazing. The coordinators were extremely helpful and responsive. The charity itself is an excellent one (look it up). They made the whole experience just incredible. The price we paid included a lot of up-charges we opted into that we think most people would (e.g., they have provide the bar and bartenders, but we went for the premium package; they can provide the linens and decorations, etc. which we also paid for).

You're going to spend money on a venue anyway-- why not make it go to a good cause? Tomasz was friendly and helpful, always guiding us towards staying within our budget and helping us figure out things other venues wouldn't, like help cleaning up at the end of the night. The venue itself is gorgeous and unique-- we used it for both the ceremony and reception. Very queer friendly!

My husband and I absolutely LOVED getting married at Housing Works Bookstore! The space is stunning and it felt like such a special place to have our big day. Our guests couldn't stop talking about how much they loved our venue. Tomek, the events coordinator at HWBS, is a pleasure to work with - he's friendly, professional, and efficient, and we felt like we were in good hands throughout the whole process. We also loved that Housing Works is an organization that's doing great work in New York and we were happy to support a good cause via our venue choice. I'd highly recommend HWBS to anyone looking for a slightly unconventional venue.

Housing Works Bookstore is an incredible place. I was so excited to come across it during my online venue research. Firstly, they do amazing work to uplift the homeless living with HIV/AIDS. And I’d you choose this venue, the rental cost will be a donation to their mission. What’s better than that?!
Working with Tomasz was effortless. He’s professional, kind, organized, and just a genuinely good person. All the vendors HWBS and works with are on another level. Our guests were in awe and pleasantly surprised of how beautiful and magical a wedding can be inside a bookstore. Choose HWBS! You won’t regret it!

We couldn't have asked for a more wonderful venue for our reception! Tomasz went above and beyond every step of the way for us. Thank you so much!

100% recommended, and yes we are going to return here for our 5/10-year anniversary!!

We had our wedding recently (both ceremony and reception) from 7PM-midnight and writing to express huge thank you to Tomasz, our contact and event captain from the housing works bookstore. We met Tomasz for the first time when he showed us the venue for the tour, and we fell in love with the place and the people. The bookstore is beautiful, especially at night after being repurposed for the wedding.

For ~100 people wedding, the bookstore is perfect-sized (we had 75 guests). We loved the missions of the housing works, and the bookstore fitted with our wedding theme and our goal. Tomasz is very organized, and he makes sure you have absolutely beautiful day through multiple meetings, and he is 100% present on the wedding day by making sure the day flows smoothly.

We also found the housing works bookstore rate is extremely reasonable, and rather affordable given the convenient location and what the venue offers. The bookstore offers the liquor, and we found, at first, wine selection is a bit limited, but later we noticed they are quite delicious. Guests often commented how unique the venue is, and how pleased they were with the whole experience.

Highly recommended, and if you are not hiring for the wedding, please visit during the day (either bookstore or thrift shops) and support Housing Works!

Oh wow - where to begin! First of all, as a New Yorker, Housing Works has renowned immaculate vibes. Not only is it a wonderful organization doing the good work of fighting homelessness and HIV in NYC, it's one of those magical New York places that just *feels good* the moment you walk in. You know? It smells like old books, the floors creak a little, it's been the home to many a famous open mic and intimate concert - it's the real deal. History, romance, and purpose are all vibrantly present in the space.

For anyone who is looking to make their wedding unique and special (and who maybe doesn't vibe with the traditional pomp and circumstance of big, formal weddings), this is your place. You get to be married surrounded but art and stories. The staff is absolutely incredible and will help you design an evening that feels authentic to you. Pro tip - they know what they're doing! Listen to their suggestions - I promise they aren't trying to upsell you, they just want you to have the best experience ever. I'm really glad that we took all their advice an worked with their perferred vendors. Everyone who was a part of our celebration was a delight and went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of.

Our wedding was fun, no stress, joyous, and exceeded all our expectations. Can't recommend HWBS enough - I wish we could get married all over again!

I don't even know where to begin... but because I have to start somewhere, let's start with the space itself. if you're considering HW, hopefully you're familiar with their mission (the nonprofit), the incredible book collection, the string lights... Gorgeous space all around, which also helps you save on superfluous lights, flowers (we had none, we didn't feel the need... we spent more on food!), etc. The space is the draw!

We were married privately earlier in the pandemic and postponed our renewal ceremony and party at HW when we hoped things would become simpler, safer. Fast forward to our pandemic, blizzard wedding of ~90 people, navigating proof of vaccination, an extra hour of party time and late night bites so people wouldn't have to venture out after hours...

Our wonderful HW people were there every step of the way. While we originally signed with Josh (who is so lovely), Josh ultimately left HW and handed us over to Tomek, who I would, honestly, follow into hell because he gets it. You want to work with someone who doesn't get rattled by spreadsheets and last-minute safety changes, pandemic or not. And that's what you get at HW: a uniquely beautiful place, an incredible list of preferred vendors who also understand and respect HW (the space and the mission), and staff who make you feel seen. Our all-start support system: our coordinator Gillian, our photographer Kelly, our bartenders, our caricature artists (we had caricature artists! Not a preferred vendor and HW completely handled this dream of ours), our caterer (Comparti) -- it was all somehow exactly as I would have hoped, and that's with a difficult pandemic with a lot of important red tape and a blizzard.

HW is special. It may not be for everyone, but if it's for you, you'll cherish the experience forever.

The perfect venue for our intimate ceremony and reception. Dad walked me down "the aisle" to bagpipes from the balcony; our UU (occasionally funny) ceremony brought tears; with drinks and superb dinner perfectly accommodated.

We cannot say enough good things about Tomek and his team, or the venue itself. Planning a wedding at Housing Works was easy, efficient and fun at every step of the process. Tomek is incredibly professional and invested in making sure every detail is to your liking, and all the bartenders and event staff were friendly and super capable. A couple of especially great things: 1. Your wedding can be as simple or involved as you like, since the bookstore and Tomek are really flexible; 2. No need to go crazy with decor, since the store is already one of the most beautiful interior spaces in New York; 3. The venue pricing is eminently reasonable, and you can feel great about what you do spend, since the proceeds function as a donation to Housing Works' homelessness and HIV/AIDS efforts. Top to bottom, an amazing experience.

Our wedding ceremony and reception took place at Housing Works Bookstore on August 28, 2021 and we had the best time! Our original date was back in June 2020, and HW was extremely helpful and easy to work with as we changed our date multiple times throughout the pandemic. The clear dedication and passion of the staff we worked with gave us every confidence that our wedding would be beautiful, and they worked seamlessly with our other vendors and our day-of-coordinator. The space is already beautiful and full of life during their normal business hours, so the ambience cannot be matched for a unique and beautiful celebration. We would very highly recommend Housing Works Bookstore for anyone considering that type of space for their big day.

Housing Works Bookstore Cafe hosts events, and it's an amazing space. My wife and I had our wedding here in June, and we couldn't be happier with the result. When you walk into a bookstore on a normal day, it's cute, but it doesn't look like a place where you would host a wedding. Looks can be deceiving. Josh and his team turn the bookstore into a classy, erudite, and intimate space with a little work and a lot of creativity. Housing Works Bookstore was the perfect venue for our 80 person wedding, which consisted of a short ceremony, a full plated dinner, and an evening of dancing to jazz music. We would recommend Housing Works to anyone who wanted to host a small, classy, and intimate event.

We actually booked Housing Works site unseen (due to COVID19). My wife and I were living across the world, and we couldn't come together to check out venues due to travel restrictions. We worked exclusively with Josh, who is simply wonderful. Josh is thoughtful, accommodating, honest, and easy to get along with. From the very beginning, Josh made my wife and I extremely comfortable. He carefully walked us through all the options, choices, and impacts of various decisions. He helped us frame up our event, and design a wedding that was perfect for us. Without his care and patience, our event wouldn't have been near as memorable.

Housing Works provides bar options, and we went with the premium bar, added signature cocktails, and we also booked the wine table service for dinner. We are so happy that we selected those options. The bar and service was excellent (the set up is beautiful), the signature cocktails were loved by our guests, and the wine table service at dinner increased the intimacy and class of our dinner tenfold.

The ambiance and intimacy of the space was truly memorable. Josh and his team transform the bookstore into an intimate venue through the use of subtle lighting and carefully placed accents that highlight the old woodwork, the vintage books, and the industrial interior of the bookstore. The presence of the books all around the venue actually creates a cozy aesthetic, which brings people closer together. We couldn't imagine our wedding photos without all the books in the background!

Lastly, everyone at Housing Works is simply wonderful. The staff is kind and helpful. Empathy flows from staff, and that makes sense considering that Housing Works is a charity. Perhaps that was the best part of the whole event. Our venue fee went to a great cause - to a charity that does yeoman's work for those most in need in our great City.

We were married at Housing Works Bookstore on 3/7/2020, and I still cannot believe how warm and magical our wedding was. Choosing Housing Works as our venue was the best decision we made in the whole planning process--Josh is a dream to work with, and has great relationships with vendors. We basically followed all of Josh's recommendations for vendors and were delighted with how easy (and fun!) the process was from there. No drama, no problems, just awesome professionals who all care about supporting Housing Works and fighting the twin crises of HIV/AIDS and Homelessness.

Getting married at the Housing Works Bookstore is a way to make sure the money you spend on your wedding supports a good cause--and it is really well-priced for Manhattan! We had a cocktail-style receptions, which I would absolutely recommend. I was a bit nervous about how it would work beforehand, but it was fantastic! Everyone was drinking, eating, talking, and dancing the whole night without being interrupted for sit-down meal service.

The appeal of getting married in a bookstore means having bookshelves as your backdrop, plus Housing Works provides electric candles among the books, string lights, and even has book bundles you can use for centerpieces. With all that, it really doesn't require extensive décor, we just used additional candles and small bud vases for the tables. I highly recommend attending one of their open houses so you can see how gorgeous the space looks when set up for an event.

If you get married at Housing Works Bookstore, I promise you'll have a wedding your guests will never forget, all while supporting a great cause!

We celebrated our wedding (both the ceremony and reception) at the Housing Works Bookstore at the end of October. From the time we started working with Housing Works through the end of our event, we couldn’t have been happier with our experience. The space has an absolutely unique vibe that can’t be matched elsewhere, with books, string lights, and a balcony encircling the main area. There was something truly magical about being surrounded by loved ones during our ceremony. It’s hard to believe that a venue this wonderful also has such an excellent mission behind it, and we were thrilled that our venue cost was a donation to Housing Works’ mission. Josh, our event coordinator, was kind, funny, detail-oriented, and extremely professional throughout our planning process. He offered his expert recommendations whenever we had questions about the space and was extraordinarily accommodating, from bar setup to venue access to planning meetings to vendor collaboration. He was there on the night of the wedding to ensure that it was a perfect, effortless, and unforgettable evening for us. Thank you so much, Josh and Housing Works, for making our wedding such a fantastic event!

What really made HousingWorks spectacular for us was the staff. The whole day functioned as a well-oiled machine! Every detail was thought out and excellently cared for. The planning process was straightforward and we always knew our options and the due dates. For a ceremony and reception venue in Manhattan, we found the rates they offered really competitive, especially given what excellent service we received. Everyone at the wedding remarked what a unique and beautiful venue it was and every single person I've run into who has been to a wedding there still remembers it years later! If you want a memorable and unique wedding, do yourself a favor and book with HousingWorks!!!

Working with Tomek was awesome. He was very professional throughout the entire process. He was quick to respond to all our emails and answered all our questions. We met several times to discuss our vision, including attending an open house event that housing works offers. We felt very confident that the venue was going to look perfect the day of and it did. Thank you Tomek for all of your help. We highly recommend HWB and Tomek for your event!

We had a wonderful wedding at Housing Works in August 2019. The venue was gorgeous (and affordable, without looking like we'd compromised at all). Tomasz and his team were incredibly helpful, both in the run-up to the wedding and on the day itself. Thank you, Housing Works!

We had the absolute best wedding! Most of our guests were from California and had never been to NYC before and everyone was blown away! It was so unique! Everyone felt transported into old New York! Josh and his crew made it so easy to work with them and were always so enthusiastic! We recommend this venue so much and what we love the most is that anytime we go back, we are greeted like family!

My guests couldn’t stop talking about how much they loved this venue. A quaint bookstore by day, Housing Works Bookstore transforms itself for special occasions into something quite magical. Spiral staircases, dozens of votive candles, soft strung lights and draped walls created a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The staff was most accommodating throughout the process and the evening flowed smoothly from one moment to the next. And it’s close to the F train stop! Totally perfect!

The moment we heard that Housing Works hosted weddings, we knew it would be our venue. You can’t find a more beautiful, special, elegant, and purpose-filled venue — and at a very reasonable price. Tomasz and his team were a delight to work with, and we had such a wonderful wedding here. A truly one-of-a-kind, only-in-New-York venue.

We got married at Housing Works this May and we are so happy with the decision on every level. Working with Tomek and his team was great - they're responsive, professional, have very useful advice/suggestions based on how you want your wedding 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.

If you're tired of the same traditional wedding, look no further! This place was so incredible from the set up to the very end. Josh is amazing! Plus it goes to charity so it's really the best venue!!

I highly recommend booking this space if you want an intimate, vintage vibe. Josh, the store event manager, was a pleasure to work with. He is so accommodating and really guided me on how to plan for a smooth set up that included the ceremony, the cocktails, and dinner. Josh was very helpful in recommending reliable wedding vendors such as my caterer, the band, and my day-of coordinator. Though I went a little bit over the budget for the venue, I think I got my money's worth. They handled the linens, the chairs, the lighting, and alcohol as well with additional pricing.All in all, I had no regrets in booking this place. (Bonus: proceeds will help HIV/AIDs people)

Wonderful venue for a wedding. Friendly, efficient, responsive, experienced. Tomek and his staff organize and run a great event and Housing Works is an outstanding tax-exempt charity. Delightful environment. Highly recommended.

I cannot rate this venue highly enough. The space was gorgeous and the staff were beyond professional. It was a magical night!

We could not have been happier to hold our wedding reception at Housing Works! The whole process of working with them was amazing. It is such a unique place to have a wedding (all your guests will think so, too!), but they are true professionals and know exactly what to do every step of the way. Amanda and Josh were great to work with and our tasting was such a fun preview of the wedding! The day of the wedding, everything was beautiful and went perfectly! The food was delicious, too! Great veggie and vegan options as well!

We cannot say enough nice things about Housing Works Bookstore Cafe! The venue is so unique - very little additional decor was needed & our pictures are absolutely stunning! The staff was incredible - particularly Josh, who was our point person for the actual wedding. This place really knows how to throw a party! One very important thing to note - the food is absolutely incredible - my husband and I are foodies & pretty tough critics - seriously some of the best food we have had & our guests agreed. We will never forget our wedding here - it was so special! XO, Jayne & Alex

The experience from start to finish was INCREDIBLE. Amanda helps you plan and map out your event and Josh works his magic the night of to ensure top service. I don't have adequate words to express how wonderful the venue, the event planners and 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!

My husband and I are from the UK and we booked Housing Works as our wedding venue without ever having been there ourselves. We knew we wanted somewhere different from the norm and the reviews and pictures we found of Housing Works were amazing! 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!

Where do we begin?! Could there be a more perfect wedding venue for two professional word nerds living in NYC? Nope, there's no place more fitting. We feel so grateful to have found it!

Honestly, we could on and on about all the virtues of getting married at Housing Works Bookstore: the romantic, magical 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!

From start to finish we could not have been happier. Planning with them was fun and easy. The price could not be beat and the convenience of having the caterer and rentals included and on site made coordination a breeze. They quickly and effortlessly 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!

This was the perfect location for our family. If you have more than 120 guests, this venue could be tight. If you have between 80 and 120, this location is perfect! Go to the tasting and you'll be treated to an evening of tasty treats, more than you can eat! Go nuts on table flowers but keep them small. No need for any other decorations as they got you covered! The staff is SO nice and professional and crazy organized! My daughter was as happy as I was with Housing Works!

Don't go overboard with decoration - this venue is magic all by itself and I ended up overdoing it. There is so much character to the bookstore already and little details are just icing! Use the food tastings to inspire you on set-up. Listen to the recommendations of Amanda and Josh, including their list of vendors. They are wedding superstars! When I walked in the room for the reception, I was absolutely blown away, and I know my guests were impressed too.

I cannot say enough good things about Housing Works Bookstore and the staff. We got married at a Catholic church nearby and celebrated our reception here afterwards. My parents have repeatedly told me how impressed they were: the food was great 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!

Our wedding at the Housing Works Bookstore was flawless! The venue itself is incredibly beautiful and affordable (for Manhattan) and it completely transforms from a store during the day to a really unique and romantic event space at night.
Josh 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!

Loved everything about it! We had a last minute change when it poured on our wedding day and we had to have the ceremony here as well as the reception, and they couldn't have been more accommodating. Space is awesome, food was great, and everyone still talks about how unique it was.

BEST decision we ever made. I honestly don't know what more we could have asked for. Housing Works made planning so easy (seriously, all we had to do was select our food options, pick a linen color, and show up--THAT'S IT) and the night was just absolutely perfect. The space is beyond gorgeous, people raved about the food/bar, and the entire staff was just so helpful and kind both the night of and during the entire planning process. I can't say enough good things about this venue or about Amanda and Josh, who were helpful, patient, and all around an incredible calming force. Plus the fact that proceeds go to a good cause made it a lot easier for us to justify the cost of the wedding in our minds.

I should maybe add that I had some reservations about going with a less traditional space that were happily proved wrong. I was concerned that the layout would deter people from dancing. The dance floor is in the front of the store and the tables are in the back, and I thought this would make the party feel disconnected. NOPE. We had quite the epic dance party and most people mingled toward the front near the dance floor. It was definitely a cohesive event and my concerns were entirely proved wrong. I'm including this only to address others who may have similar concerns. Seriously, it could not have been a better night.

I cannot rave about Housing Works enough. Every aspect of our wedding was fantastic. The space is beautiful, the staff is amazing, the food was delicious. We did a cocktail-style dinner, and there was plenty of food, all great. The only drawback is the size of the space - while our 160 guests did fit, there wasn't much room for people to circulate. Guests who settled in the front of the store missed out on food that was set up in the back, etc. But for a smaller wedding - I'd say 125 or fewer? - it could not be more perfect.

A wedding venue that supports activist work on behalf of those with HIV/AIDS in a historic building with character, books and charm would be more than enough. But rolled in with superb catering and incredible flexibility (we wanted a Lower East Side theme to the food and they did it exquisitely) and it's a dream. Then add to that they do everything and essentially roll in a wedding planner and it couldn't possibly get better.

Housing Works was simply the best possible venue that we could have ever asked for. The location and style were ideal for our fun, New York wedding. Josh and Amanda were incredibly kind and helpful and made the process so easy and fun. The space is wonderfully unique and doesn't require a lot of extra decorating. The food is FANTASTIC - more than I expected! Reasonable pricing is not something we expected to find in Manhattan, and we found it here. We were able to do the ceremony and reception (including band, cocktails, and heavy appetizers including one station) for close to 100 people. For us, it was perfect!

Amanda and everyone at Housing Works were WONDERFUL! During the planning stages, they offered lots of helpful guidance and made sure that all our questions were answered - the whole process was very clear and straightforward. The group tasting before our event also gave us the opportunity to see the venue in "party mode", which was really nice. During our reception itself, all the staff were so solicitous; they were always in good spirits and ready to help, without being in your face. Also, the bookstore looked BEAUTIFUL. We got a lot of compliments from guests about how great the venue looked and how good the food was. Bottom line is that this venue and its staff are really great. From the beginning, they made us feel comfortable and didn't try to up-sell us on anything. They just really wanted us to be happy and have a great party, and we did!

Housing works and their event manager Amanda were incredible! I can’t express how much they brought our event together and how grateful we are that we found them. We are a queer couple who really didn’t want a “traditional” ceremony and had phobias 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!

This truly is a unique place for a wedding. Everybody was very professional, helpful and really catered to your every need. The food was wonderful and all our guests commented on what a great place for a wedding.

Housing Works Bookstore was the perfect venue for our wedding. The venue itself is unique and beautiful - wonderful to get married surrounded by books. All of our guests loved the space and ambiance. The staff is wonderful. We are still amazed at how quickly they were able to turn over the space from bookstore to wedding in two hours, but they did it. Housing Works in-house catering company, "The Works" produces delicious food featuring local ingredients. We got lots of compliments on the food.

On top of all that, one of the reasons we chose this venue was that a good percentage of what we spent on the event would go to support the Housing Works organization, which we've been long supporters of through book donations for years. The things you need to know that could be challenging are that you have very limited access to the space until after the bookstore closes on that day (for a 7:00 wedding, that is 5:00) and there is no refrigerator on site. However, it is well worth working around those relatively minor inconveniences.

Housing Works was such an amazing venue! The store itself is gorgeous and they way the crew transforms it into a soft-lighted venue from a bookstore café is awesome. A friend likened it to stepping into a world from Alice and Wonderland. The food is delicious, and the serving staff is extremely attentive. Also, a shout out to Amanda and Josh, the awesome coordinators - they keep everything running smoothly and they take care of all of the details. I cannot recommend Housing Works highly enough. It's also a bonus that it's super affordable and you are making a donation to their charity by booking them for your wedding.

Getting married at Housing Works was a dream come true and worth every single penny. The venue is a warm and intimate space, the food was abundant and amazing (all of our guests raved), and the decor speaks for itself. The space is imbued with warmth and love, and the best part is that your money goes to such a good cause instead of into a random person's pocket. The team there--especially Amanda--is exemplary. Not only are they professionals and on top of anything, but they are such lovely people whom we are happy to call friends. If you want a magical and unique wedding, do it at Housing Works!

Housing Works is an amazing place to get married in New York City. Not only are they an extremely affordable option, but the staff is helpful and fun to work with. They are very accommodating to our needs, as we wanted a vegetarian wedding. Their 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.

Housing Works is a rustic bookstore in SoHo, NYC that not only sells books, but gives its proceeds toward housing homeless people living with AIDS. Those are just a few reasons we booked our special night at this venue. The staff I met with in planning our wedding were incredibly attentive and caring. When we arrived at the venue, everything was set up so beautifully. We provided a few decorations (you don't need a lot since it's in a bookstore!!) and they did a wonderful job setting them up, as well, with minimum guidance from us as to where everything should go. Our guests have told us that our wedding was the most original and unique they've ever been to AND that the food at this venue was the best wedding food they've ever eaten (NO JOKE!). Housing Works even let our guests purchase books if they wanted to! If you're a book lover (and hopefully you are), plan your wedding here! :) Thank you, Housing Works!

Housing Works was a great choice for our medium-smallish wedding reception (75 people). Josh and Amanda were so friendly, accommodating, and helpful. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect: intimate, cozy, and chic. Plus you can feel good about supporting a good cause. I would recommend Housing Works for anyone who doesn't want to micromanage the catering and setup (that said, I did bring in our own simple flowers and decorations, and they made it really easy for us to deliver some things ahead of time and pick them back up the next day). The only note to be aware of is that the timing is a bit tight: If you want to do your own decorations or even if you're using a professional there's only a small window for setup (between the bookstore closing time and the start of your party) so you can't go nuts "transforming the space." The bookstore doesn't need it anyway--beautiful as is!

From our first meeting with Matt to our final emails with Josh, we were constantly impressed and excited by the Housing Works team. We wanted an intimate, laid-back wedding, and Josh, Amanda, Emily, and Matt made us feel comfortable without ever seeming like they themselves were slackening the reins. Josh ensured that our reception went smoothly, and Emily went out of her way to accommodate my husband's strict diet (SCD). So wonderful working with these people.

The bookstore itself is beautiful, with its hardwood floors and high ceilings, and being bookish people we loved that books were the main decor of the evening. Some of our guests even bought books during the reception! The bookstore is truly transformed for special events, with lovely low lighting, LED candles, and strings of lights on the balconies. It was magical!

One more note: what really sold us on this venue was that all profits (and they do turn a profit, as they are good at what they do) go back to the Housing Works organization. That was really important to us.

Housingworks was easy to deal with from start to finish. They worked with my budget to help provide the best wedding possible. My questions were answered quickly, and I felt comfortable the entire time. They exceeded my expectations on my wedding night. Everyone was incredibly nice and helpful, and I did not have to deal with anything that day.

We booked the Works Catering for our wedding last Saturday. We did not have it at the bookstore Cafe but at another location. Needles to say they were awesome.

Like many NYC brides you soon find that if you are on a budget very few vendors want to work with you. Not Housing Works. They worked around our budget, came up with an amazing menu and treated us like the rich and famous. I have nothing but good things to say about Amanda and her team. She was reliable, punctual and insightful to our needs. Best of all they mad magic happen even with a limited budget. We never imagined that a week later our guests would be talking about how delicious the food was.

If you are looking for a great cater at a reasonable price please consider this caterer. I spent a year planning our wedding and I looked around. This is an amazing organization and they deserve high regards.

If I hadn't just gotten married last night, I would want to marry Amanda O'Callaghan, the director of weddings at Housing Works. Amanda did the most outstanding job with our wedding at the bookstore. From the first time we met with Amanda to start planning the wedding, everything was just perfect. The bookstore is a beautiful and unique venue. The food was delicious. The staff was super professional and helpful. I really can't recommend Housing Works enough. There was not a single detail of our wedding that could have been better.

My husband and I found Housing Works after doing some internet searching on a good place to have a small wedding in New York. We went to check it out in person the next day and met Amanda, who would be our contact for the next few months as we planned all the details of our big day.
We loved the space at Housing Works and felt that it was just perfect to have the ceremony, cocktails, dinner and dancing all in one venue. We only had about 40 guests and the space felt perfect for that amount of people.
Amanda was invaluable in assisting us with choosing menu items and options and she and Ron were both there the day of our wedding and all evening making sure that everything ran smoothly.
We really can't recommend them highly enough. We had a great evening and the venue really made the night perfect. What was even better (since they are a non-profit organization) was that we had left-over cupcakes and Housing Works was able to sell them in their cafe then next day!

I loved my wedding venue. This location is so unique and beautiful. Your guests will talk about and remember your wedding forever. Both Amanda and Josh were so great to work with. The bar and wait staff were amazing. They were also very flexible with us regarding setting up a two-person sweetheart table for me and my husband. I had a day of coordinator and she raved about working with them. I was concerned in the beginning because the staff always seemed so calm during the planning process. But Josh assured that they throw a great party and he was right, they did!

Housingworks Bookstore has everything going for it for the couple that wants a nontraditional wedding venue: it is a beautiful building in a great neighborhood, the staff is professional, helpful, and easy to work with and they offer everything you need in one place. Having our wedding at Housingworks made the entire experience easy to plan and was a really special place to be. They have thought through all the details and manage everything. Our guests loved it and we felt well taken care of. If you are looking for a unique venue you will always remember we highly recommend Housingworks.

I could not have imagined my wedding anywhere else.
We LOVE Housing Works! The organization, the people who work there, the wedding coordinators, the staff, the venue...are ALL wonderful.
Seeing the space turning around for an event exceeded our expectations!!

It was, beautiful and perfect for us.

I love that Housing Works is a non-profit and the proceeds for all events go to their very good cause of working with people living with HIV/AIDS and homelessness. And I would go with them again in a heartbeat. The space is gorgeous and has tons of character, and the staff were super friendly and warm. The food was great and so was the wine. All that said, you do need to be someone who doesn't need their hand held through this process. I think they might be a little understaffed at the moment - hopefully that will change. But they don't always respond to emails quickly, and the night of, we weren't even sure until an hour or so in who our "captain" was. That person will help you if you ask them for something, but don't expect them to be the kind of extremely hands-on, "don't you worry about anything because I'll make sure the night is perfect for you" kind of event captain you'll get at someplace like the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Again, I would absolutely go with them again, but just make sure you're on top of things yourself.

Excellent service
Very professional
Good catered food