Prospect Park Boathouse — Attraction in New York

Our wedding at Purslane at The Boathouse was an unforgettable experience, and I would absolutely choose it again. The venue itself is breathtaking—the architecture and beautiful tiles created a stunning backdrop for our ceremony and reception. Even with our rain plan, it made the day feel incredibly intimate and even magical. We loved the feeling of hosting a wedding in our "backyard," with the picturesque lake and park setting.

The day of servers were extremely kind and attentive, especially to our table and our VIP guests. They made sure we were well taken care of, always offering food and drinks without us needing to ask. Another standout aspect was having attendants to guide guests through the park, which ensured no one got lost on their way to the venue.

However, there are a few things future couples should be aware of.

At our first tasting, the staff didn’t know what they were serving us and had to check multiple times. Thankfully, they allowed us to have a second tasting, and this time there were menus, so it went much more smoothly.

One of the biggest challenges all future couples should be aware of is their strictness with parking and delivery passes. You only get four delivery and four parking passes for vendors, VIP guests, and yourself, and they do not budge on this—even for guests with disabilities. This was difficult to manage, especially for our elderly grandmother and for family members picking up or dropping off items.

Another important thing to note is the timeline. You’re only allowed access to the Boathouse two hours before the event starts, and most days there are other events going on earlier in the day. For example, the morning of our wedding, there was a bird-watching event until 3 pm, and we couldn’t get inside until 2 hours before our 5 pm wedding. Our florist even had to start setting up outside in a truck to make it work, so if you want big floral arrangements, it may be a challenge. Also, if guests arrive early (like ours did, about 20 minutes before), they won’t be let inside, even if it’s raining. Another heads-up, rehearsals are only allowed during public hours, and we weren’t allowed inside, which made it harder for our VIPs to visualize the walk down the aisle, especially with a rain plan.

There were also a few minor issues during the event itself. The bar accidentally closed an hour early, which was frustrating because we had paid for the full time. This was fixed relatively quickly but many guests were turned away too soon.

Some of the food at our wedding was different from what we had at our tasting in July: For example, the brown butter gnocchi I fell in love with at the tasting was served with a completely different, thicker squash sauce on the wedding day, and the mussels were missing from the seared halibut. Neither of these were communicated ahead of time. I understand it’s farm to table and dependent on what is available, but it would’ve been nice to know about these changes ahead of time.

Additionally, in the beginning of the night, the custom cocktails had the wrong proportions of alcohol. Luckily my brother and sister in law were able to sort it out with the bartenders who were great about it.

We could also hear some back-of-house noises during our ceremony since we were inside due to rain, including a timer that went off twice during the officiant’s reading.

Lastly, if you’re planning to do the Hora, you will need to rent 2 chairs. The chairs at the Boathouse are folding chairs and not safe to lift in the air.

Despite these challenges, the beauty and ambiance of the venue truly made our wedding day magical. These are just some things to keep in mind while planning. All in all, we loved every moment of our wedding at Purslane at The Boathouse and would choose the venue...

The Boathouse is a dream venue. My husband and I got married in October 2022 and we knew this was the only venue we wanted to have our reception. The architectural details are stunning and it was the perfect size for our 80-90 person wedding. They handled all of our requests with very quick responses and a willingness to meet our ideas. We had both a DJ and a Band and they all fit perfectly in the space beneath the stairs while leaving ample space for a dance floor. We worked with Gina who was the absolute best, but she, unfortunately, left Purslane before our wedding so she was not there for our special day. She went above and beyond to accommodate any requests we had and even found ways we could be efficient and save some money. Our only feedback is that we had a sweetheart table and Purslane provided a floor plan with four tables on either side, centering the sweetheart table. We discovered just before our room reveal that only three tables fit on one side, five on the other. Our planner, Cherish Events, jumped right on it so that our two family tables were still the closest to us, but it required a bit of last-minute maneuvering of table names and namecards. Word of advice to brides+grooms is to double check these things! We also had three different points of contact from Purslane during our wedding planning process, making it feel slightly impersonal, but inconsistency in planning wasn't smooth. They were all EXCELLENT and very professional, but it was difficult to catch up and get to know a new person each time. All that said, the Boathouse staff and Purslane catering were top-notch service and the food was delicious. We found out later that the security also escorted some of our guests back up to the loop to where their cars were parked - an additional level of service we greatly appreciated. With a little more organization and dedicated team, Purslane at the Boathouse...

Prospect Park Boathouse: Brooklyn’s Quiet Masterpiece

The Prospect Park Boathouse feels like it was lifted from a Wes Anderson storyboard and placed gently into the middle of Brooklyn. With its Beaux-Arts architecture, soft reflections off the Lullwater, and a sense of stillness that’s rare in the city, it’s one of those places that makes you pause without trying too hard.

Inside, it houses the Audubon Center, which adds depth to the beauty. It’s not just a pretty building. It’s a space for learning, birdwatching, and connecting with the park in a more thoughtful way. The exhibits are well curated, and the staff are genuinely passionate about the ecosystem they help protect.

Every spring, the lake becomes a stage for Prospect Park’s most anticipated debut: baby swans. They paddle out like tiny, fluffy aristocrats, stealing attention from joggers, birders, and wedding photographers alike. It’s the kind of moment that makes you forget you’re a subway ride from Midtown.

The surrounding area is quiet and lush, with trails that wind through the woods and benches that invite you to stay longer than you planned. There are no paddleboats here, which somehow makes the calm feel more intentional. It’s a place built for reflection, not recreation.

The Boathouse also houses Purslane Café, a welcome addition that deserves its own spotlight. That review is coming soon.

Five stars for timeless architecture, thoughtful programming, and the annual swan parade. The Boathouse doesn’t shout. It whispers. And if you’re listening, it says...