BAM Opens Its Doors to Gay Weddings

For many gay couples in Brooklyn, the day New York State acknowledges their union will be one to remember—no matter where it takes place. 

But one of the borough's premier cultural landmarks is looking to make those nuptials, which will begin in earnest on July 24 when the  takes effect, even more special.

"We're ready and we're open to members of the gay community," said Faiz Osman, project assistant at BAM's General Management division. 

BAM may not be one of the major wedding venues in the borough, but according to Osman, that might be precisely the point for gay and Lesbian couples looking for something out of the ordinary. 

"As an arts organization, we’re a unique space," he said. "It’s going to be a place where not a lot of people are going to get married in."

At BAM's main building on Lafayette Avenue, the arts institution offers its lobby space and second floor banquet hall, Lepercq, for rent mostly during the months of July and August.

During those months, BAM is offering a $500 discount for all couples. A standard event package, which includes a full dance floor and cleared reception, costs anywhere from $6,500 to $9,000.

According to Reverend Deborah Steen Ross, who along with her husband, Rabbi Roger Ross, has presided over same-sex commitment ceremonies across the Tri-State region, the choice of wedding venue does not vary greatly between gay and straight couples. 

"Whether they are straight or gay, male or female, they have the final say," Ross said. "And the places they are choosing usually has special meaning for them."

At BAM, Osman made the case that the Lepercq space, with decades of history spanning all the way back to 1908, could be a great place to stage the triumphant, ending scene to New York's long marriage equality drama. 

"It’s a beautiful space. Everyone who comes here really is excited about getting married here," Osman said. "I mean it's an 100-year-old building... it’s great."

For couples interested in learning more about weddings at BAM, visit rentals@BAM.org or call 718-636-4198.