Planning a wedding in New York City is no small feat, especially when you’re working with a strict budget and a larger guest list. While there are plenty of incredible restaurants across the city, most top out well before you reach 125 guests. Realistically, if you can keep your guest count closer to 80 or fewer, you’ll open up a lot more restaurants and smaller venues that can fit a $50,000 budget comfortably.
But if celebrating with 125 guests is non-negotiable, you’ll need to be very strategic about where your money goes. In this article, we’ll be looking at 8 venues that would fit into a budget range of $50,000. If you’re interested in viewing the actual pricing PDFs where this information comes from, you can check it out by logging in to TulleTogether.com and viewing the Wedding Pricing Transparency Project! This crowdsourced database has collected more than 2,700 pricing PDFs, including 500 in New York alone.
Before we go over specific venues, let’s break down how you should approach your $50,000 budget between venue, catering, rentals, and other categories.
Understanding wedding category allocations within a $50,000 budget
When you’re working with a $50,000 wedding budget, the biggest single expense will almost always be your venue, catering, and rentals. Industry averages reccommend that couples typically spend between 45% and 58% of their total budget in this category. For a $50K budget, that translates to anywhere from $22,500 to $29,000.
That range is important, because if your venue and catering costs creep much higher, you’ll quickly find yourself with very little left for essentials like photography, attire, entertainment, and flowers. While you can push those percentages higher (like pushing your venue, catering, and rentals share to 70%), you’ll need to be very disciplined to rein in your other costs. This budget range takes a conservative approach that is more likely to ensure you would stay within $50,000 budget without going over.
Coming up with these allocations is one thing. Finding a venue that works for them? That’s a whole different challenge. But thanks to real pricing data from the Wedding Pricing Transparency Project on TulleTogether, we can see how different types of venues handle 125 guests and still come in under $50K. Here’s how eight NYC venues break down.
Papillon – Manhattan Restaurant
Papillon is an example of a Manhattan restaurant that can actually accommodate 125 guests without blowing the budget. With a cocktail hour, dinner, and three-hour open bar, the total could come in just over $28,000 once admin fees and tax are added. That’s on the higher end of what you’d want to spend on venue and catering, but it’s doable as long as you keep other categories—like flowers and entertainment—leaner. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
Hamilton Loft – Red Hook
Hamilton Loft is a flexible space in Red Hook, but it comes with some requirements. The venue has its own in-house beverage program, and catering must be brought in separately. To keep the numbers in budget, catering would need to stay around $85 per person and get married on a Friday. With those conditions met, the total could land just under $29,000. It’s a great option for couples who want creative control, though it does take extra coordination. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
Talea – Williamsburg
Talea is one of the most affordable options, with a total around $20,000 for a peak season Saturday. But there’s a tradeoff: it’s structured as a minimum spend for the space, not a traditional catering package. That means it’s best suited for a casual, non-traditional wedding—think food stations, passed bites, or light catering. You may even want to switch to a cash bar at some point in the night. For couples who love the brewery vibe and want something relaxed, it’s a smart way to stretch the budget. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
Atmosfera – Queens
Atmosfera is another non-traditional choice, with pricing that makes it one of the most budget-friendly options. The total for 125 guests is just under $13,000, leaving plenty of breathing room for splurges in other areas of the wedding. It works best for a cocktail-style reception rather than a formal sit-down dinner, which makes it perfect if you want something lively, social, and affordable. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
The Sanctuary – Roosevelt Island (Between Manhattan & Queens)
The Sanctuary gives you the more classic wedding venue experience, with a ballroom and traditional setup. To make it fit within a $50K budget, you’d need to book in the off-season—November, December, or March—when pricing drops enough to work. The total could come in in just under $30,000, which is at the very top of the comfortable range for venue and catering, but it’s possible if you’re careful elsewhere in your budget. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
Astoria World Manor – Queens
Astoria World Manor offers a straightforward, banquet hall-style experience. For 125 guests, the numbers land around $24,500 (or potentially even less – we estimated a venue fee of $5,000 as there wasn’t one listed, just in case), putting it right in the middle of the target spend range. It’s a traditional, practical option for couples who want the classic wedding feel without the complexity of juggling external vendors or unusual event structures.
PAN – Brooklyn
PAN is able to keep costs down by offering a shorter three-hour reception format. The total could land at just under $22,000, which is affordable, but it does mean you’ll need to manage expectations—both in terms of timing and space, which can feel a little tight with 125 guests. For couples who prioritize budget over runtime, though, it’s a strong contender. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
Arte Cafe – Manhattan
Arte Cafe is another Manhattan restaurant that can work for a 125-person wedding. With a cocktail hour, dinner, and three-hour open bar, the total could come to about $23,800. Like Papillon, it sits on the higher end compared to what you’d pay at a smaller restaurant with fewer guests, but it proves that a restaurant wedding for 125 is still possible within a $50K budget. Using the details from their pricing PDF, here’s a sample of the costs:
These examples show that while a $50,000 budget in NYC is tight for 125 guests, it’s not impossible. The key is how the costs are structured—venue fees, per-person catering, beverage programs, admin fees, and taxes all add up quickly. If you’re willing to get creative with non-traditional event formats, breweries, and cocktail-style receptions, you’ll have more flexibility. And if you want something more traditional, it’s still possible, as long as you’re strategic about timing and guest count.
Of course, trimming your guest list down to 80 or fewer opens up far more options—especially among the city’s many restaurants that simply can’t stretch to 125. But if 125 guests is a must, these venues prove you can make it work without breaking the $50K ceiling.
Photo credit: Pexels
