The Sanctuary RI

All-inclusive venue

The venue takes care of it all - food and beverage, rentals, the works!

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $15,000 for off-peak dates, and $20,000 for peak dates

Guest capacity

Up to 300 seated guests

About this venue

Nestled in a beautifully restored former church, The Sanctuary RI combines historic elegance with modern charm. The venue boasts stunning original stained glass and a serene, intimate atmosphere. Guests are often impressed by the exceptional service and the breathtaking views of the East River, making it an ideal setting for any special event. The landscaped patio provides a perfect space for cocktail hours, while private rooms offer cozy settings for more intimate gatherings. This venue's flexibility and attention to detail ensure a memorable experience for all occasions.

Best of Zola 2025

Seated guest capacity

  • 50-300

Venue type

  • Beaches, Waterfront Settings
  • Historic Estates, Mansions

Venue setting

  • Covered Outdoor
  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
851 Main St, New York, NY 10044

Our event spaces

The Sanctuary

Historic converted premises to fit your each and every need.

Complete with brand new HVAC, a built out bar, and a stage.

Guest capacity

100-200 Seated

200-300 Standing

Square footage

2,000

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

The Terrace

Beautiful fully paved and built-out exterior space. 2400 Sq Ft all-weather tent included.

Our 4000 Square Foot Terrace serves as the perfect space for receptions. Sweeping views of the East River and Manhattan’s Upper East Side, your guests will be mesmerized watching the waterfront activity as they enjoy one of our signature cocktails. This space accommodates up to 250 people seated or 400 people standing (with High-Top tables). The Terrace features one of two sculptures by the world-renowned artist, Don Gummer. The Terrace has a dedicated marble bar.

Guest capacity

250-300 Seated

400-600 Standing

Square footage

5,000

Ideal for

Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Farewell brunch, Other, Cocktail hour

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

The Patio

The front yard

Our front yard has been converted to a landscaped and manicured space. Featuring our second Don Gummer sculpture and over 75 feet of East River waterfront, this is the space to impress your guests during cocktail hour or for a more intimate event. With immediate access to The Sanctuary & its bar your guests will enjoy mingling & walking the space throughout your entire event.

Guest capacity

200-300 Seated

400-500 Standing

Square footage

3,000

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Other, Cocktail hour

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Private Room 1

One of our three private rooms on the second floor of the attached abode.

To be used as you please -- whether as green room for a shoot, private room for downtime and storage, or a bedroom. Each room comes with a pull out couch featuring a full sized Queen bed.

Guest capacity

5-10 Seated

10-15 Standing

Square footage

180

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Private Room 2

One of our three private rooms on the second floor of the attached abode.

To be used as you please -- whether as green room for a shoot, private room for downtime and storage, or a bedroom. Each room comes with a pull out couch featuring a full sized Queen bed.

Guest capacity

5-10 Seated

10-15 Standing

Square footage

200

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Private Room 3

One of our three private rooms on the second floor of the attached abode.

To be used as you please -- whether as green room for a shoot, private room for downtime and storage, or a bedroom. Each room comes with a pull out couch featuring a full sized Queen bed.

Guest capacity

5-10 Seated

10-15 Standing

Square footage

130

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

The Sanctuary

Historic converted premises to fit your each and every need.

Complete with brand new HVAC, a built out bar, and a stage.

Guest capacity

100-200 Seated

200-300 Standing

Square footage

2,000

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Available services that can be provided by The Sanctuary RI

Services & amenities

  • Bar services
  • Catering services
  • Clean up
  • Dance floor
  • Dressing room / Bridal Suite
  • Event coordinator
  • Event rentals
  • Event staff
  • Liability insurance
  • Lighting/Sound
  • On-site accommodations
  • Pet friendly
  • Service staff
  • Set up
  • Transportation
  • Wedding cake services
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wifi

Reviews

Write a review

4.7 out of 5

26 reviews

Write a review

  • Employee appreciation event

    •Verified review
    •Mario B.•Mar 10

    We hosted an employee appreciation event for our team of 45. Everything was exceptional. The food, drinks, hospitality, and location were perfect. Our team enjoyed the delicious appetizers, fresh pizza, cocktails, and outdoor games. This is our 2nd time at Sanctuary. We look forward to this event every year.

  • Perfect Day, Planning Hiccups

    •Verified review
    •Sarah & A.•Mar 3

    We had an absolutely fantastic celebration at The Sanctuary! We recommend them as a venue that is not just beautiful and accessible, but affordable as well. We did have a frustrating experience with the venue managers Frank and Alfonso: Frank overpromised when we initially signed the contract, and Alfonso reneged on many of those promises. Alfonso was also domineering and dismissive when we tried to collaborate on a solution. Amelia ultimately managed our event after that, and we had a much better experience working with her. The day-of team (led by the incredible Kat) were hard-working, flexible, and kind - they really made the day special. Despite some hiccups during the planning process, we loved working with them and are so glad we chose The Sanctuary! We rented out the tent from 12:00 - 3:30pm for a casual gathering of friends and family. We had crafts, board games, lawn games, projections, and a DIY photo booth available; we also gave speeches, hosted trivia, and learned a dance together! We took a break from 3:30 - 5:00pm. At 5:00pm, some of our guests performed and recited blessings in the chapel. The guests then had a buffet dinner in the tent, where we had a few more speeches. At 7:30pm, we had a band in the chapel who performed until 10:00pm, with a break halfway through for dessert. Overall, it went better than we could have ever hoped, and we’re thrilled to have chosen The Sanctuary for our celebration! Little things we’re grateful for: -The food at our event was much better than what we had at the tasting. I also think they threw in some mozzarella sticks to the buffet after I mentioned my love of them to Amelia a few weeks prior. For the afternoon, The Sanctuary provided two games of Cornhole, and a projection screen - for no charge. -The temperature changed wildly over the course of the day (the sun made the tent extremely hot in the afternoon, and then it dropped to freezing in the evening). They were great and accommodating, opening some slats of the tent in the afternoon to let a breeze in, and turning on heating lamps preemptively in the evening. We were so comfortable all day! -Our talent show ended 30 minutes early, but the tent was already set up for dinner! They worked hard to make sure that dinner came out as soon as possible, and we’re really grateful. -We had a birthday cake which they kindly stored in the refrigerator most of the day, and then cut and served it! -Although the lunch was catered by a third party, they packed up the extra food and held it in a back room so we could take home whatever leftovers we wanted. Other notes: -In the chapel, we were able to set up 100 chairs, 3 high top tables, and 10 stools, with 50 guests standing in the back. -We chose to hire an outside day-of coordinator as we had lots of moving parts (music, speeches, performances, etc.); it was the right choice for us. -Our band advised that the sound system was insufficient, and we had to rent sound equipment. -You cannot store anything at the venue before or after the event. -The venue does not have WiFi, but there is reception (we used hotspots as necessary throughout the day).

  • Hidden Gem

    •Verified review
    •Tracy S.•Jan 20, 2025

    Look up hidden gem in the dictionary and you will find The Sanctuary. Hosted a baby shower for my brother and his girlfriend, and I can’t say enough about how amazing the experience was. From start to finish, Alfonso was incredibly helpful, making the entire planning process seamless. On the day of the event, Kat and the staff were fantastic. Can’t beat immaculate views, great ambiance and good food and drinks. 10/10 recommend booking for your next special event, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

  • Best Day of my Life

    •Verified review
    •Gerlim de la C.•Jan 8, 2025

    My fiancée and I loved the space since we first walked in, and after finishing the tour we could envision our big day happening at The Sanctuary. Amelia was great since the very beginning and even shared with us a detailed proposal catered to our guest count previous to us touring the venue. We had an amazing experience thought the planning process, and didn't have to be dealing with a ton of different vendors since they offer catering, and our package came with DJ and wedding cake included. Their team was always responsive to all of our questions during the planning process, and our day went really well. We had the ceremony offsite and our cocktail hour was amazing. The food during our reception was more delicious than during the tasting and drinks were flowing all night long. All of our guests had a great time at the party, and I truly can say that I had the most magical wedding day at The Sanctuary.

Real couples who got married at The Sanctuary RI

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