Venue: NYC Fire Museum

In honor of Mrs. in May's suggestion, I am featuring a venue that doesn't have their own caterer.  The New York City Fire Museum allows brides and grooms to rent out their entire space for 8 hours and bring in your own catering!

I got in touch with them as soon as I learned that they had rentals available...I know, I know, I am engaged but come on... firemen! Plus, Big Guy thinks its a great idea (what little boy doesn't dream about playing in an old firehouse at one point or another???)

They were very nice and sent me all of their rates and space specifications:

"Although most of your festivities would take place in our third floor loft, you and your guests will have access to the entire Museum. Your guests will be able to visit our two exhibition floors and view the beautiful antique fire apparatus and artifacts that are on display."

The good news: "Our fee is a flat rate- there are no additional taxes - included in the fee is a firefighter on duty for security and a handyman to assist with clean-up."

- No taxes! Firefighter! .... that might be favorite sentence ever.

The not as good (although not bad) news:  "The cost of rental is $3300 for 8 hours (2 hours to set-up, 5 hours for your party and 1 hour for clean-up)."

- The fee is very reasonable for Manhattan and using my guesstimated guest count would become approximately $20 per person

- But yet again we only get 5 hours to party hardy... which is ... sigh... short... especially if we do the ceremony there too

Still the thought of roaming around an old firehouse with our guests seems like it would be really fun...especially since no amount of self-control would stop me from sliding down the pole in my wedding dress!

I need to start looking into wedding caterers... I wonder if their are Russian wedding caterers independent of established Russian restos... if anyone knows, please shoot me an email!

{images from the NYC Fire Museum}