The Sanctuary on Penn

Updated January 26, 2024

Photos
About
Amenities
Pricing
Reviews
Contact
Team

The Sanctuary on Penn Photos

📷 See All Photos (64)

The Sanctuary on Penn Videos

About This Vendor

Indy's first and only all-inclusive wedding venue!

The Sanctuary on Penn, built in 1875, is a beautiful church building in the heart of our city. Inviting and friendly, we enjoy customizing each event to create something unique to you.

Amenities & Details

Ceremony Area, Dressing Room, Handicap Accessible, Indoor Event Space, Liability Insurance, Outdoor Event Space, Reception Area, Wireless Internet

Guest Capacity

Up to 300

Ceremony Types

Venue Service Offerings

Bar & Drinks, Cakes & Desserts, Food & Catering, Planning, Rentals & Equipment, Service Staff

Settings

Ballroom, Historic Venue

Business Attributes

Pricing for The Sanctuary on Penn

Option	Value
Starting Cost	Affordable
Cost Starting
Price Range	$11,000 - $14,450+
Couples Usually Spend	$12,750
Peak Season Months	April-November
Peak Season Cost	$11,000 - $14,450+
Peak Season Reception Cost	$3,500
Peak Season Ceremony Cost	$3,000
Peak Season Bar Service Cost	$10
OffSeason Months	January-March, December
OffSeason Cost	$11,000 - $14,450+
OffSeason Reception Cost	$2,500
OffSeason Ceremony Cost	$1,000
OffSeason BarService Cost	$10

Browse The Sanctuary on Penn pricing PDF below for sample services and estimates.

View Prices

The Sanctuary on Penn Reviews

Kali Burks (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-10-2022
I cannot praise The Sanctuary on Penn enough!! Evan helped us not only get our venue situated, but had lots of suggestions for photography, DJs, hair, makeup, officiant and catering. We ended up going with most of his suggestions, leading us to have the most perfect day. Even better, there's an entire room of gently used decor to help manage the wedding budget. The whole team was friendly, professional, and understanding as we navigated our big day. Communication was constant and open. We were given a reasonable payment plan, and even when we had to change credit cards, the process was easy and painless. We've been married for a few months now, but are still getting compliments on our venue--especially the basement bar with its penny floor. I almost want to plan a huge party so I can visit the venue again.
Reviewed on 16-01-2023

Trish Miles (other) 5 out of 5 Rating

We got married here and the venue and staff could not have been more perfect! Carly and the whole staff are extremely organized, communicative and passionate about making sure you have the perfect day. They went above and beyond for us on a few things for the day, and they helped the whole wedding run so smoothly. I can’t say enough good things about this place - we absolutely loved it. We were also surprised by how affordable it was being downtown!
Reviewed on 01-12-2023

Joshua Reyes (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 31-03-2023
My husband and I cannot say enough positive things about The Sanctuary on Penn. When we were looking for an LGBT friendly venue in central Indiana, this place caught our eyes, and we could not be happier. The space is gorgeous with unique features that make it stand out among other wedding venues in Indy. The team is awesome, responsive, and very attentive to the needs and wants of the couples. The in-house contractors (DJ Don Masters, Heavenly Sweets, Sterling Expressions, and Post Road English Gardens) all hit it out of the park with their services. The full-service nature of the venue takes so much stress away from planning the wedding. Thank you Sanctuary for giving us a magical night that we will remember the rest of our lives!
Reviewed on 04-04-2023

Jessi Emeish (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 15-10-2022
I had such a good experience for the year and a half leading up but had some major disappointments on my wedding day. Almost every food item was wrong. I made changes during our tasting and NONE of them were honored. Wrong vegetable, wrong pasta sauce, wrong bread, wrong portion size of the kefta that we specifically asked about. The plated food service was so slow that we ate our (wrong) meal, and made our rounds to greet guests, and had to express apologies to the last several tables that still hadn't gotten their food. The downstairs bar made an undrinkable version of my signature cocktail that people complained about. My three flavors of cake were not set out together, but brought up periodically so guests didn't know there were different kinds. I heard there was a problem with very few hors d'oeuvres being circulated during cocktail hour but was taking photos so I can't confirm. And one of the most frustrating parts: we had flatbread pizzas and mozzarella sticks for a late night snack but they left out the mozzarella sticks and only had 3 small pizzas. It was $5 x 120 people for those 3 tiny pizzas! And my wedding chargers got mixed in with the closet stack afterwards and my husband could only find 40/120 of them. I really thought the Sanctuary was going to check all my boxes but it casted some shadows on otherwise sunny memories of my wedding day.
Reviewed on 15-03-2023

LaTonja Anderson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 30-10-2022
Great staff and beautiful venue with free parking! I recommend for anyone on a budget and in need of a full service venue.
Reviewed on 16-11-2022

Megan Fonde (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-05-2022
From the moment we walked into the Sanctuary, we knew we had found our wedding venue. The space is absolutely stunning, beautifully decorated, clean and well-maintained, with thoughtful touches all over and fun surprises around every corner.From there, our experience just kept getting better. We met Evan and his staff, and they immediately felt like old friends. We cannot say enough about how amazing they were during the entire process. They are so kind, creative, thoughtful, organized- they are magic. They let us handle the fun parts of planning, and they took care of everything else. All of our family and friends could not believe how stress-free and fun the planning, menu tasting, rehearsal, and wedding day all were. Evan and his staff made everything feel special.We spent the entire day at the Sanctuary the day of the wedding. It was so nice to be able to do everything in one place. No running around town, no rushing, no stress. We decorated, we got ready, we hung out, we ate, we took photos, and then we went right into getting married!And ohhhhh, the photos! There are so many beautiful, unique, charming, and romantic places in and around the building for wedding photos! We went with the house photographer Mariah, and she was fantastic! She knows the space inside and out, she’s such a nice person, she has great ideas, and her photos are beautiful.We also went with the house DJ, Don Masters, and he was awesome. This guy knows so much about all different kinds of music! He was really fun to talk to, he was super helpful with planning everything involving music, speeches, etc., and he’s a really great emcee- he knows how to read a crowd, and he kept us all on schedule post-ceremony.Let’s talk about the food!! The chef is incredible. This is not typical wedding food. This is a talented artist sharing her craft. This was really important for us. We both LOVE food- as culture, as art, and as a basic human right. We really, REALLY wanted to be able to treat all of our guests to a delicious, top-notch meal, and the staff at the Sanctuary made that happen. The passed appetizers and the main meal were absolutely amazing. They have so many great options, and they are super accommodating when it comes to special requests, dietary restrictions, kids’ meals, etc. PLUS they donate any food that gets left, so you can start the next chapter of your life by making a difference for others. They really do think of everything!The day of the wedding, Evan and Jade made sure we were happy all day, and at the end of the night, we said our goodbyes, and they reassured us we did not have to worry about cleaning up or taking all of our stuff with us- we could pick it up whenever. What a gift that was! The last thing you and your wedding party will want to do at the end of such a long day is stay late to clean up. And since Evan and Jade honestly care about their couples and want them to have the best day of their lives, they take care of all that for you! And they don’t even charge you extra for it!Which brings us to our final point. The price. It is shocking how affordable this wedding was. We looked at many other venues, and every single one was at least twice the price and less than half the value. Do yourself a favor, and have your wedding at the Sanctuary. You won’t regret it!
Reviewed on 25-08-2022

Kerry Anderson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 09-07-2022
We got married at The Sanctuary on Penn exactly a month ago from today and wish we could do it all over again! It was such a beautiful and special venue and we’ve gotten many compliments from our wedding guests on how much they loved our wedding. It feels like something straight out of Italy in the main room. We really appreciated Evan’s help all along the way with organizing meetings and answering all of our questions over emails and phone calls in between meetings.One of the best and most special parts of our wedding day The Sanctuary coordinated was the private moment after the ceremony, when they set up a table with champagne, cheese and fruit, and we got to savor the moment with just the two of us after just having gotten married in front of a whole room packed with people we love. We also really loved the grand exits they do, from the ceremony and also at the end of the night on the way out to our limo.Their decorations closet was very useful and though we brought a lot of our own decorations in, we saved a lot of money too by using their lanterns for our aisle. It was also so useful that they allowed us to pick up some items after the honeymoon, instead of some venues that rush you into collecting everything at the end of the wedding night.The whole day was so special and magical, and The Sanctuary really felt like a world of our own for the day. We highly recommend it!
Reviewed on 10-08-2022

Sarah Moore (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 29-05-2022
I want to give this venue 10 out of 5 stars. Evan and his team made sure that we were happy with every detail and made sure everything ran seamlessly on our wedding day. The venue is classic and beautiful and the team of people running it ensured that we had nothing to be stressed about so we could just focus on enjoying ourselves!
Reviewed on 06-06-2022

Amanda Stevenson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 22-12-2021
This beautiful venue was perfect for me and my husband on our big day. The decor, services, and food were all great! Evan and his team are wonderful and helped keep everything beautiful and organized for our big day. Our guests were blown away! Thanks so much Evan & the Sanctuary for making our day so special and exactly what we dreamed it would be.
Reviewed on 06-01-2022

Breann Wilson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 05-09-2021
We had the best experience with this venue. Evan and his staff had everything under control. He checked on us frequently throughout the day to make sure we stayed on track and to make sure we were having fun. I did not once worry about the day of coordination, because Evan had it covered. I am sure there were small things that didn't go as planned, but I never knew because Evan had it taken care of. Our guests gushed over the venue and all of the wonderful spots to take photos. Another thing to mention was that we were there from 8am-10:30pm. We did not waste time traveling to and from places to get ready, to have the ceremony, to have the reception, and to take photos after. We saved so much time having everything in one location. I cannot recommend this venue and staff enough. It was the perfect day and we could not have done it without Evan and his staff. Evan was so nice and made us feel special. He is very available and reaches out to check in and replies in a very timely manner.
Reviewed on 08-09-2021

Mitchell S (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 18-07-2020
We LOVED having our wedding at the Sanctuary on Penn! Evan and his staff are amazing to work with and we highly recommend the Sanctuary for others who are looking for wedding venues... Our guests gave us rave reviews about their experiences as well! 5 ⭐️
Reviewed on 03-06-2021

Megan M (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-01-2021
Everything about this place is absolutely amazing! The venue it self is beautiful with the stain glass windows and the classic church charm, but then you add in the people running it and it’s utter perfection! We got married in the middle of the pandemic and Evan was more than accommodating. He helped calm our nerves and worked with us to make sure everything went off without a hitch! I truly can’t say enough good things about our experience! Oh and it’s pet friendly so our little furr baby got to be a part of our special day!
Reviewed on 27-03-2021

Jill Sanders (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 09-01-2021
Where do we even start?! Our January reception at The Sanctuary was nothing short of amazing, we cannot imagine having worked with anyone else! From the first moment we walked in the doors, we just knew this was the place for us. The architecture is beautiful and historic (the photos online truly do not do it justice) yet it also feels so incredibly warm, welcoming and cozy. Not only is the location amazing, but the staff, particularly Evan, are incredible as well. The church where we had our ceremony did not have any “getting ready” areas available for us, so we loved the spaces we were able to utilize at The Sanctuary and the all-day access! They were up front immediately about pricing, giving us a budget sheet after our first meeting that we could manipulate based off of what we were thinking so we could see what various options would add up to. At no point did we ever feel like there were any hidden prices or gimmicks, they were always up front with us and even gave us further tips on how to save money - something we never thought we’d hear from a wedding venue! Additionally, being able to use their “imagination room” full items for centerpieces and decorations previously donated by brides was awesome, we loved being able to save money on what is normally a huge expense, and the venue needed hardly any decorations as it is absolutely stunning already! We wanted our wedding to be as safe as possible when it came to COVID protocol and Evan went above and beyond being attentive to any needs and questions that we had and made everything so easy. Both we and our guests felt incredibly safe and the entire event was stress-free and so well-coordinated. At this point, it’s two months past our wedding and we still have people telling us how amazing it was! We loved loved loved our experience and would 100% recommend them to anyone even remotely considering getting married here - do it - you won’t regret it!
Reviewed on 08-03-2021

Christina Powell (parent) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-09-2020
This place had a majestic look/feel to it. The pictures or virtual tour that is online does not do this place Justice. I would suggest visiting in person. The vintage look with the decor is breath taking. Also Evan was nice and made me feel like The Santucary on Penn will take care of my needs for my big day. This place Definitely deserved 5 stars.
Reviewed on 06-03-2021

Alexandra Buckley (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-11-2020
I couldnt imagine a better venue!! Planning a wedding (even through COVID) was so simple through them that we would recommend them to anyone! Evan is an incredible coordinator, everything ran so smoothly & the venue itself is stunningly gorgeous. We used almost all their recommended vendors who were all also perfect. We love Sanctuary so much!
Reviewed on 24-11-2020

Nancy Nickels (parent) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-08-2020
As parents of the bride, my husband and I were thrilled to have Sanctuary on Penn for the reception! Evan was a dream to work with, as was his staff. We had to re-schedule due to the coronavirus. In an already stressful time, Evan went above and beyond in helping us make changes and plan for unknown possibilities! We also appreciate that the Sanctuary payment plan is on a monthly basis. Most venues that we considered required half payment at booking, and the balance was due on or just before the event date. No surprises here... when our guest numbers went down, Sanctuary prices did as well. it is a beautiful, charming building, and it was nice to get in two days before to do a little decorating. The staff also collected our decorations after the event, and set them aside so all we had to do was come back the next day, box everything up and take it away! We highly recommend Sanctuary on Penn!
Reviewed on 19-09-2020

Emily Nickels (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-08-2020
Our wedding experience with the Sanctuary on Penn was absolutely exemplary. And I feel like we're especially qualified to review them since we basically planned our wedding twice -- once in April and once again in August due to COVID. Evan and his team at the Sanctuary were absolute angels to work with, even in the face of everything going on. They were kind, they were reasonable, they were ready to help in any way, and most of all, they were happy to help us get anything done we needed to make our day absolutely perfect. They helped accommodate everything we were looking to include. They also have really great connections in the wedding community and can make fantastic recommendations for other vendors. We hired our DJ through the venue and it was an AMAZING decision. Don was a great DJ for our day; we also can't recommend him enough. The building is amazing and historic, and it added so much character to our day. Very little decor is necessary because its natural beauty is already so stunning. The outdoor spaces make for some AMAZING photo opportunities. We are so grateful this was the venue we chose, because everything was completely perfect.
Reviewed on 03-09-2020

Dani Gibbs (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-01-2020
The Sanctuary on Penn was everything we could have hoped for! The space is gorgeous, and felt so cozy and lovely during our winter wedding. The staff were so kind and efficient, and I never felt stressed because I knew Evan had everything under control! The food was fantastic, and every vendor they recommended to us went above and beyond for us. We loved that from day one of touring the venue we were shown a breakdown of costs, so we could accurately budget and not have to stress about hidden fees. We're so happy with how our wedding went and our friends are still commenting on how much they loved The Sanctuary.
Reviewed on 21-07-2020

Eleni Shea (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-12-2019
My husband and I held our wedding reception at The Sanctuary on Penn on 12/28/19, and it was everything we had dreamed of for our wedding. We only looked at one other venue before deciding on The Sanctuary and were immediately in awe when we walked in the building. The historic beauty of the building was exactly what we were looking for - the large stained glass windows, the wood floors, the walls, the bar/cocktail areas. It is dark and dramatic but warm and inviting at the same time. We were looking for something more unique and historic than a hotel/ballroom atmosphere, and we are so glad we decided on The Sanctuary!Throughout our planning process, we worked with Evan Appleman, who was SO helpful, responsive, and flexible! I had a very specific vision of how I wanted the reception to look and feel, and Evan helped to make that vision a reality. He was responsive to mine and my mom's many questions as we planned and met with us as many times as needed throughout the year of planning. The day of the reception, Evan ensured that everything ran smoothly from set up, hair/makeup, cocktail hour, and dinner (our guests are still raving about the prime rib!). He even hurriedly put my shoes on my feet when I wanted to switch from heels to flats for the dances at the last minute! We also worked with The Sanctuary's DJ, Don Masters, who was fabulous! Everyone had so much fun on the dance floor, and he helped to make sure each part of the reception was on time and running smoothly. Also, Chef Becky was incredible! The appetizers and all of the meal choices were delicious! It was an absolutely magical day, and we are so thankful we chose The Sanctuary on Penn!!
Reviewed on 03-05-2020

May J (maid of honor) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 26-01-2020
My bestie had an amazing day. They offer you a wedding planner and day of coordinator that was really needed. So many suggestions on how to save money and where to go for this and that. You can tell they love what they do and really care. They had the wedding in the main space and then after an hour of drinks and tasty snacks we went back into the main room that was transformed into the reception hall. How did they do that in an hour? Staff was friendly, food was the best I have ever had. i plan to get married here one day.
Reviewed on 24-02-2020

Josh Bolles (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 29-12-2019
Evan and the entire team at the Sanctuary on Penn was unbelievably accommodating and helpful throughout the entire wedding planning process. Evan met with us as many times as we wanted and was very helpful in walking us through the details of the wedding planning process. We used the officiant, DJ, Chef and Florist through them, and all of them did a phenomenal job! We have had endless amounts of compliments on our venue and how beautiful it was! Thank you Sanctuary on Penn for an unforgettable and amazing wedding day!
Reviewed on 24-02-2020

Melissa Ayers (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-12-2019
The Sanctuary on Penn is one of my favorite venues in Indy and I am so glad we picked The Sanctuary on Penn for our wedding venue! My husband and I had a few appointments set to look at venues - The Sanctuary on Penn was the first one and the only venue we looked at! Evan is amazing and literally walks you through every step, always willing to review a to do list or provide recommendations of things you may have forgotten or never thought about! Our first meeting at the venue Evan walked us around the ceremony space and then to the bar to sit and chat. As soon as Evan lowered the door to show the bar, my husband's eyes lit up and I know he was in love with the space. Evan and Scott were always available for us to come by the space, to ask again and again on space dimensions and willing to work with our schedules for both the rehearsal and the day of. Everything went off like magic and Evan took care of everything! Our family and friends raved about the venue space including Evan & his team. I would recommend this space for events, weddings, or even a great spot to check out downtown! We are looking forward to returning for future events!
Reviewed on 11-02-2020

Hilary Teibel (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-09-2019
Beautiful venue and the perfect reception aesthetic we were looking for. Planning meetings before the wedding made us feel very prepared for our day, but there still seemed to be a lot of confusion on the day of. To give them credit, they do try to keep you on track with planning, even without using their vendors. They do make it a completely customized experience, as advertised. Evan was awesome to work with, but coordinating the wedding and running a venue is definitely not a one person job. We had pretty major issues with our food. They did their best to make It right afterward but our dinner was absolutely not as expected for our guests.
Reviewed on 17-11-2019

Kate Schutte Luebbehusen (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 30-08-2019
Evan and everyone at Sanctuary on Penn helped our wedding be the best day ever! They had resources for everything we needed and made it so easy for us to stay organized and on-track for our planning! So many of our guests commented on how awesome and attractive the venue is and we couldn’t agree more. The getting ready spaces are pretty small which might be difficult for large wedding parties, but it was perfect for our small group (bride, groom, 2 MoH, 2 Best Men).
Reviewed on 05-11-2019

Amelia Schultz (other) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 30-03-2019
Our daughter's wedding at The Sanctuary was lovely. Not only is the venue fun and quirky, but Evan is wonderful to work with. They will let you dream as big as you like and they can provide vendors for everything you need, but then after you have dreamed to your heart's content they will help you get as much of your vision into your budget as you can. They are very professional but approachable as well. They were supportive throughout the planning process and always available to bounce off ideas and strategize ...and on the day of they provided a calm presence in a sea of nerves! I highly recommend their preferred emcee and DJ - Don. He does a great job of getting people on the dance floor. Finally, the food is wonderful. One couple had previously been to a wedding at the Sanctuary and was excited to come back and have more great food! Details that are unique to the sanctuary - It was so helpful to be able to have the whole venue for the day and then be able to come pick things up after the wedding rather than staying late to get everything put together that evening. And the treasure room is great! We found chair bands that went with our decor and made the look a little more fancy.I highly recommend the Sanctuary to anyone considering a wedding. Evan will help you enjoy the process from start to finish and you will not be disappointed!
Reviewed on 14-10-2019

Molly Kourkoulin (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 08-06-2019
My husband and I got married here this summer and we absolutely LOVED it. Evan was so helpful and made the day literally stress free for us. He met with us multiple times before just to make sure the day would be perfect and it really was. I would 100% recommend this place to everyone. The building itself had so much character that we did not need to worry about decorations (which was huge for me as I am a terrible decorator). I also loved that they flipped the room from the ceremony so quickly and we did not need to change locations. They also give you 24 hour access to the building so we were able to get ready, have the ceremony and the reception in the same place. They made the whole day a breeze which made the day completely stress free for us and so much fun!
Reviewed on 17-08-2019

Joel and Ariana Mathews (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 26-05-2019
My wife and I got married here on May 26th, 2019. It was the perfect space for us. Extremely unique with a lot of historic character, while also having an amazing staff to work with. Evan Appleman was our event planner and coordinator and even made it right when there was a minor miscommunication. Thanks for making our wedding planning process so easy and our wedding day so beautiful!
Reviewed on 22-07-2019

Andrew S (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 26-04-2019
The BEST in Indy!My wife Vanessa and I were married at The Sanctuary on Penn in April of 2019. We looked at many venues in the Indianapolis area and none were as fun, accommodating and priced as well as The Sanctuary. Scott, Evan and the whole crew were very helpful and detailed in all the planning and scheduling, always there to lend a hand and meet when needed. From the day we met, they were there every step of the way. We used almost every recommended vendor they offered, simply because they have perfected every area of the wedding world. From the food to the bar, the flowers to the cake, the DJ to the pastor - everything was perfect. We couldn't imagine our day going as well as it did if we were at another venue. Not to mention, the value of our dollar went beyond what we could expect anywhere else. The location and building itself are so rare in Indianapolis, let alone downtown. If we had to do it all over again, we would choose The Sanctuary over and over. We can't say thank you enough for everything they did for our wedding!
Reviewed on 20-05-2019

Britney W (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-05-2019
We held our wedding at the Sanctuary last weekend and it was so incredible that I'm writing this review from my honeymoon because you all NEED TO KNOW! Scott did our initial meeting and I could tell he is so passionate about the space and the events they host. Evan was our planner and let me tell you something, that man is one of the best humans on the face of the earth! He was so great in organizing us and keeping us going with our to-do list, helping/doing everything he could to help us. They were so attentive to our budget and helping us tailor the \"dream sheet\" to what was important to us. We utilized their \"all inclusive\" DJ- Don Masters, photographer- Mariah Handlon and florist- Post Road English Garden and could not have been happier with their products. The day of our wedding was so well organized- we got ready there, did a ceremony with quick flip of the room for the reception (Thanks Swails!). It went off without a hitch- well except for us! haha. The team at SOP care so incredibly much and go above and beyond to make your event what YOU want it to be. I can't imagine our wedding any where else. Thank you Scott, Evan, Swails, Don, Nancy/Post Road and Mariah!
Reviewed on 16-05-2019

Vanessa Staublin (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 26-04-2019
We were married at The Sanctuary on Penn in April of 2019. We looked at many venues in the Indianapolis area and none were as fun, accommodating and priced as well as The Sanctuary. Scott, Evan and the whole crew were very helpful and detailed in all the planning and scheduling, always there to lend a hand and meet when needed. From the day we met, they were there every step of the way. We used almost every recommended vendor they offered, simply because they have perfected every area of the wedding world. From the food to the bar, the flowers to the cake, the DJ to the pastor - everything was perfect. We couldn't imagine our day going as well as it did if we were at another venue. Not to mention, the value of our dollar went beyond what we could expect anywhere else. The location and building itself are so rare in Indianapolis, let alone downtown. If we had to do it all over again, we would choose The Sanctuary over and over. We can't say thank you enough for everything they did for our wedding!
Reviewed on 13-05-2019

Kelsie M (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 13-10-2018
This venue is incredible. We loved the whole experience working with them and having a multi-room venue with outdoor access, was such a bonus for the value of hosting an event here. We have so many great things to say about The Sanctuary on Penn.The staff is great - several of our family members told me how friendly and helpful everyone was and we appreciated the speed and accuracy of all the setting up and preparation of the various points of the night. Scott and Evan made everything such an easy process and we appreciated their efforts to make our entire day perfect.The food - we loved it and our guests have raved about our selection of options and how good they were so we are more than thrilled that we were given the opportunity to customize our meal to our specifics! It was a memorable meal and the quality of the food was above and beyond so many catered wedding buffets - I believe the quality comes in the fact that it is made in house by The Sanctuary's own staff of chefs.Bar Staff was well-loved by our bar-visitors. Overall, our crew enjoyed interacting with the bartenders which was a great plus on the night.Our one complaint was in the Bathrooms - they do have one bathroom near the stage upstairs which worked for handicapped access, however most guests need to use the restrooms which are located in the basement where the wedding party gets ready and keeps their things nearby. Many of our guests drove 40 min to 2 hours directly to the venue for the ceremony and so it seemed, EVERYONE was going to the bathroom beforehand and thus walking down to the basement, seeing me and the rest of the bridal party, which I did not prefer. It would have been nice if the bathrooms could have been partitioned from the rest of the basement to maintain the suspense before the wedding. It was nice, however for the guys to have the ability to go outside and use the little back yard space to hang out, play cornhole and get some fresh air before getting ready.We highly recommend The Sanctuary on Penn for a wedding of up to about 220 - much more than that and it gets to be pretty full during the reception, although we expected 232 and had seating for that many and it fit, just a little more snug than I would have liked. Finally, the All- Inclusive Payment plan - that was the best - made it so easy to feel like the wedding of our dreams was possible and easier to save for knowing there wasn't going to be a lump sum to pay at the end. We decided to use the preferred vendors of the Sanctuary for Florals, DJ, and Videography, so we paid all of them through The Sanctuary as part of our payment plan. We loved how simple it was to work with the vendors and they were all incredibly professional and did such a great job. You can't go wrong with partnering with this venue for your most special events.
Reviewed on 11-01-2019

Jordan Nisenson (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 08-12-2018
We got married at Sanctuary on Penn last month. We had THE BEST NIGHT! My husband and I met in New York and this building reminds us of the old churches in Manhattan. It was as close as we were going to get to a real chruch - his family is Italian Catholic and my family is Jewish, so a religious venue was out of the question. Everything ran smoothly (with one bump in the road of not having coffee brewed for my husbands very italian family), but everything was absolutely perfect. We scheduled our wedding 10 months in advance and met with Scott whenever we needed to. I'm an event planner for a living, so I did a lot of the planning myself. Scott gave us all the vendors they work with and we used almost all of them. Everyone was an absolute dream to work with! Kai was a terrific banquet captain and made sure everything was up to my (ridiculously high) standard. I can't say enough good things about this place! I will say that you have to be pretty self motivated to have your wedding here, but they make it easy and beautiful. I would HIGHLY recommend this venue to anyone getting married. Our wedding was an absolute dream.
Reviewed on 10-01-2019

Abigail Vivo (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-10-2018
We couldn’t have asked for a better venue for our reception. Besides the amazing staff, caterer, and dj we really loved the fact that we could choose every aspect of our evening through their a la cart system. They were so helpful in keeping us organized and assisting with anything and everything we needed. Their flexibility in allowing us to get items and decor into the facility the week of our wedding, to accepting our flower deliveries, and allowing our reservation of the venue for the entire day was a huge plus. We received so many compliments about character of the venue, food, and the dj. My favorite comment was, “I’ve never been to a wedding full of life and love where the guests didn’t want to stop dancing!” Thank you Sanctuary on Penn for the most memorable evening yet! We love you guys and will tell everyone about our special night!
Reviewed on 14-11-2018

Kelcie F. (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 29-09-2018
Scott and his staff are truly what makes this venue so wonderful! They have great recommendations on DJ, cake, hair and make-up, and so on! All my guests and us loved the space, the food, and the environment! It went so well and we have them all to thank! They are also very helpful by keeping you organized and making sure you are on track! We would definitely recommend to anyone!
Reviewed on 10-10-2018

Jake E (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 24-08-2018
It has almost been a month since I got to marry the love of my life; something I never thought I'd be able to say. I've heard from so many in attendance that the love and support in the room was palpable. Believe me, Aaron and I felt it too. Our hearts are still swollen with emotion looking over pictures, watching videos, sharing stories, hearing your stories, finding your messages in our dictionaries, and cherishing every moment of that night on August 24. Evan and Scott, NO WORDS CAN THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!Your venue, breathtaking. Your attention to detail, impeccable. The personal service, we didn't have to worry about a thing. The day was made perfect thanks, in part, to you.
Reviewed on 10-10-2018

Caitee H (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 11-08-2018
My husband and I got married at The Sanctuary on Penn this past Saturday. It really was a fairytale. I don’t have the right words to describe just how amazing everything about this venue and the staff are! The Sanctuary is masculine and feminine all at the same time, and the stained glass is exactly what I dreamed of since I was a little girl. I cannot thank Scott and Evan and their team enough for making our wedding day run smoothly, and for always checking in to make sure we were okay and had everything we needed. Scott is the best guy to have there on such a big day, because trust me, he has the answers! I am still on a high thinking back on how wonderful and beautiful our wedding day was. Thank you, thank you, thank you Scott and Evan! 10/10 would recommend!
Reviewed on 20-08-2018

Kelly Member (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 09-12-2017
We cannot believe how lucky we are!! The Sanctuary on Penn ABSOLUTELY gave us the best day of our lives!! From the beyond beautiful building to the amazing staff, don’t go any where else!!! I cannot say enough great things about them! Scott and Marcia make it such a priority to give you everything you want!! They even BREWED my husband sweet tea because he doesn’t drink. Also make sure to use their photographers and videographer, they are the BEST that you can find. We cannot thank you enough for our perfect day, Sanctuary on Penn family!!
Reviewed on 26-07-2018

Becca A (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 13-05-2017
My partner Aaron and I got married on May 13, 2017. Working with Scott and Marcia was an absolute dream for our wedding. Scott owns and operates The Sanctuary on Penn, and is a kind, gentle spirit with a task master attitude. Scott's compassion for people and sound moral compass attracts kind hearted, hard working individuals. Every interaction we had with an employee or recommended vendors was incredible. We felt as if we had an extension of our family helping us along the way. We can only hope to work with them again in the future!
Reviewed on 12-07-2018

Lexi Haslett (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 10-06-2018
Not only is this venue absolutely gorgeous, but the staff and their services there made our day absolutely amazing! Special thanks to Scott, Brent, Barriebarbra, and Kevin for making our day go so smoothly and making it as stress free as it could be. The DJ and food services were awesome as well! Thank you all so much for making our day special! I would 100 percent recommend this venue because my husband and I had zero complaints about any part of our planning or wedding day with them.
Reviewed on 24-06-2018

Sydney W (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 13-08-2019
I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to phrase my review because I want to make sure I appropriately convey how phenomenal my experience was with Sanctuary on Penn. I am shocked by the negative reviews and just want to say to the guests writing reviews that attended weddings here and didn't like them for whatever reason...it really isn't about you. My (now) husband and I got married here about a month ago and it was the best day of our lives. We originally knew we chose the right venue after someone essentially tried to bribe Sanctuary to give them our wedding date and they did not allow it. I am a very Type A person but Scott and Marcia made me feel comfortable every step of the way. Scott met with us as many times as we wanted to review details and never once got impatient or annoyed, even though I'm sure I was super annoying at times. Leading up to the wedding, I felt like I was calling or e-mailing Marcia almost every day and she always responded very quickly and was extremely friendly and helpful. I was able to relax the day of the wedding and rehearsal which was not what I expected to happen, but I just felt so confident they had everything under control that I was able to fully enjoy my wedding day as everyone should be able to. If anything went wrong the entire day, I had absolutely no idea...and I'm pretty sure I would have noticed. :) We used all of their vendors (except for cupcakes but only because we wanted vegan ones) and it was such a breeze compared to what I hear from friends that have had weddings elsewhere and needed to coordinate logistics and payment with 5+ different ones. I did not have a very specific vision for a lot of aspects of the wedding so I allowed the professionals to use their creative discretion and everything turned out so much better than it would have if I had picked it myself. It was like they knew exactly what I wanted even though I had only provided some high-level thoughts. My guests are still raving about the food.
Reviewed on 13-06-2018

Kevin Cencula (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 25-04-2019
My wife Amanda and I were married at the Sanctuary on September 23rd of this year. The morning after, I couldn't help but think how magical the night before had been. Surely, I must wait some time for that magical feeling to fade, before writing a proper review.Now, exactly one month later, that magical feeling remains. Everything about the venue -- the ambiance, the amenities, the service -- is still as magical in my heart and mind as it was that evening, and the days that followed.Let me start with Scott, the owner and wedding planner. When he first gave us a tour of the place, we were struck with its historic charm and beauty. Initially, we were a little unsure of him. We liked the guy, sure, but how much of his tour was just an act to get us to sign on, versus a genuine enthusiasm for his job, and genuine care and concern for the bride & groom?Well, turns out Scott is exactly who he made himself out to be -- a great wedding planner, an incredible day-of coordinator, and a man who cares very deeply about the experience that the bride and groom have.In the months leading up to our wedding, Scott and Marcia (his assistant) weaved us through all the intricacies of the day with the grace and precision of an Olympic figure skater. What might have been a complicated process turned out to be fairly simple. The Sanctuary comes with their set of preferred vendors, and each one of them hit the mark!Post Road English Garden for flowers? Elegant to a fault, down to the petals lining the aisle.Heavenly Sweets for cake? Multiple guests told us it was the best cake they've ever had!DJ Don Masters for entertainment? He knew how to get people out on the dance floor, and keep 'em there.Since the Sanctuary's preferred photographer had a conflict, we went with our own -- the incomparable Nate Crouch, who supplied us with beautiful memories to last a lifetime.Needless to say, the wedding day went off without a hitch. It was even better than we pictured it in our wildest dreams.Oh sure, there were minor problems. But when there were? Scott was there to solve them.Batteries in the Wii controller die? Scott is there 30 seconds later with some spare batteries.Bride wants a stick of gum? Scott is there, and he doesn't have gum, but will mints do??Every interaction we've had with Scott -- before, during, and after our wedding day -- has been a complete affirmation that we made the right decision to go with him, and the Sanctuary, for the big day.
Reviewed on 25-02-2018

Allyson Baxter (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 29-07-2017
A little late on my review....we got married here the end of July and it was absolutely perfect! Marcia and Scott were amazing to work with. They were friendly, professional, and made sure our day was flawless. The gorgeous venue was perfect for our traditional/religious ceremony and then transformed into an awesome reception with plenty of room on stage for our band. Our friends/family are still talking about how much fun they had and how good the food was! The beautiful venue, location, affordable price, and attentive staff made our day truly a dream wedding!
Reviewed on 21-11-2017

Courtney Ziel (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-10-2017
I wish I had words for how much fun we had planning our wedding with Scott! I can’t imagine using any other venue for one of the biggest days of our lives. Scott takes pride in his work and ensures a one of a kind experience not only for the bride and groom but also for guests. My husband and I had our wedding at The Sanctuary only a few weeks ago and it was an absolute dream come true and went off without a single glitch (at least from my perspective, and that’s what matters, right?! Two of our favorite parts of having our wedding at The Sanctuary were the in house catering (the chef is amazing!!) and Don the DJ! Both nailed all of our requests and were worth every penny!If you’re considering The Sanctuary, take the time set up a discovery meeting and chat with Scott; you won’t be disappointed!Thanks, Sanctuary team! I wish we could do it a million times over!
Reviewed on 14-11-2017

Amanda Salemon (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 23-09-2017
My wife Amanda and I were married at the Sanctuary on September 23rd of this year. The morning after, I couldn't help but think how magical the night before had been. Surely, I must wait some time for that magical feeling to fade, before writing a proper review.Now, exactly one month later, that magical feeling remains. Everything about the venue -- the ambiance, the amenities, the service -- is still as magical in my heart and mind as it was that evening, and the days that followed.Let me start with Scott, the owner and wedding planner. When he first gave us a tour of the place, we were struck with its historic charm and beauty. Initially, we were a little unsure of him. We liked the guy, sure, but how much of his tour was just an act to get us to sign on, versus a genuine enthusiasm for his job, and genuine care and concern for the bride & groom?Well, turns out Scott is exactly who he made himself out to be -- a great wedding planner, an incredible day-of coordinator, and a man who cares very deeply about the experience that the bride and groom have.In the months leading up to our wedding, Scott and Marcia (his assistant) weaved us through all the intricacies of the day with the grace and precision of an Olympic figure skater. What might have been a complicated process turned out to be fairly simple. The Sanctuary comes with their set of preferred vendors, and each one of them hit the mark!Post Road English Garden for flowers? Elegant to a fault, down to the petals lining the aisle.Heavenly Sweets for cake? Multiple guests told us it was the best cake they've ever had!DJ Don Masters for entertainment? He knew how to get people out on the dance floor, and keep 'em there.Since the Sanctuary's preferred photographer had a conflict, we went with our own -- the incomparable Nate Crouch, who supplied us with beautiful memories to last a lifetime.Needless to say, the wedding day went off without a hitch. It was even better than we pictured it in our wildest dreams.Oh sure, there were minor problems. But when there were? Scott was there to solve them.Batteries in the Wii controller die? Scott is there 30 seconds later with some spare batteries.Bride wants a stick of gum? Scott is there, and he doesn't have gum, but will mints do??Every interaction we've had with Scott -- before, during, and after our wedding day -- has been a complete affirmation that we made the right decision to go with him, and the Sanctuary, for the big day.
Reviewed on 31-10-2017

Kristina M (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 19-08-2017
I just wanted to let you guys know how much we appreciated everything you did on our wedding day! If there were any issues, I never knew and it was handled perfectly. The décor for the reception was perfect. The flowers were BEAUTIFUL. The food was amazing. The pictures are great. I really cant say enough about how smoothly everything went on that day. We have had multiple friends comment on how much fun they had and how The Sanctuary \"is the coolest venue\" they have seen.
Reviewed on 16-10-2017

Robert Anderson (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-07-2017
The venue was perfect for our wedding. We used it for the rehearsal dinner as well as the reception on the day of the wedding. The staff was friendly and accommodating. They allowed our family ample time to decorate and were more than helpful in the months, days, and hours leading up to the wedding. The food was delicious. Would highly recommend The Sanctuary on Penn to anyone that's getting ready to tie the knot. Everything went smoothly and we were well taken care of.
Reviewed on 27-07-2017

Lacy Nowling Whitaker (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-11-2016
I simply cannot say enough great things about The Sanctuary! Aside from the venue being absolutely gorgeous, Scott and his staff are simply amazing...from the help with the planning, to the rehearsal and day of coordination—everything went flawlessly. We had around 200 people for both the ceremony and reception, and the staff was able to quickly move everyone and everything to keep the evening flowing. I swear they flipped the room from the ceremony to the reception in 30 mins! I have received so many compliments about the venue and just the overall flow/feel of our wedding since, and would highly recommend booking with them. I told Scott that I did not want to refer friends because I did not want anyone else to have as great of a wedding as we did :)
Reviewed on 07-02-2017

Molly McKinney (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 17-12-2016
I cannot say enough good things about The Sanctuary on Penn. This restored church built in the 1800's is one of a kind. Scott and his team helped with wedding planning and they took care of everything the day of which was a relief not only for me but my family as well. Super convenient to do the ceremony and reception all in one place. Definitely deserving of 5 stars!
Reviewed on 11-01-2017

Cecily King (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 18-06-2016
Thank you so much to Scott and his staff. As we started wedding planning over 2 years ago we had a dream to get married downtown. After looking at a tone of venues and hearing NO over and over when it came to our budget and our ideas for the day we thought that dream was dead.When I set up a meeting with Scott all of that changed. Working with The Sanctuary was a dream in itself. I felt like the most important thing to them was to give us the most beautiful day. Our wedding day was the best day of our life. The day went smooth and if anything went wrong it was fixed before I heard about it. Time and time again I hear from my friends and family that we had the best wedding they have ever been to. THANK YOU so much to The Sanctuary!
Reviewed on 07-07-2016

Kelsey Burton (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 31-12-2015
I've spent a lot of time thinking about how to phrase my review because I want to make sure I appropriately convey how phenomenal my experience was with Sanctuary on Penn. I am shocked by the negative reviews and just want to say to the guests writing reviews that attended weddings here and didn't like them for whatever reason...it really isn't about you. \r\rMy (now) husband and I got married here about a month ago and it was the best day of our lives. We originally knew we chose the right venue after someone essentially tried to bribe Sanctuary to give them our wedding date and they did not allow it. I am a very Type A person but Scott and Marcia made me feel comfortable every step of the way. Scott met with us as many times as we wanted to review details and never once got impatient or annoyed, even though I'm sure I was super annoying at times. Leading up to the wedding, I felt like I was calling or e-mailing Marcia almost every day and she always responded very quickly and was extremely friendly and helpful. I was able to relax the day of the wedding and rehearsal which was not what I expected to happen, but I just felt so confident they had everything under control that I was able to fully enjoy my wedding day as everyone should be able to. If anything went wrong the entire day, I had absolutely no idea...and I'm pretty sure I would have noticed. :) \r\rWe used all of their vendors (except for cupcakes but only because we wanted vegan ones) and it was such a breeze compared to what I hear from friends that have had weddings elsewhere and needed to coordinate logistics and payment with 5+ different ones. I did not have a very specific vision for a lot of aspects of the wedding so I allowed the professionals to use their creative discretion and everything turned out so much better than it would have if I had picked it myself. It was like they knew exactly what I wanted even though I had only provided some high-level thoughts. \r\rMy guests are still raving about the food, the decor, the beautiful venue, how well-organized it was, and what a fun time they had. I could continue to rave about how awesome everything was but feel like even if I did, I could not possibly do this venue and staff justice. Thank you so much Scott and Marcia for making our wedding unforgettable. To others in Indy looking at this venue, I highly encourage you to choose Sanctuary on Penn for your day. It is unique in every aspect and I am 100% confident that they can make you as happy as they made my husband and me.
Reviewed on 01-02-2016

Dani English (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-01-2016
Brandon and I got married on January 1, 2016! This venue is absolutely breathtaking and the staff is beyond amazing. We had such a fun, relaxed, and happy day. Everyone that works with Sanctuary on Penn is fabulous from the photographers, the DJ, to the waiting staff! Everyone was beyond helpful, kind, and just wonderful. I would HIGHLY recommend the Sanctuary on Penn to EVERYONE! Scott and Marcia, thank you for all of your hard work, great ideas, and love! We could not have imagined our wedding day any other way.
Reviewed on 04-01-2016

Annie Lou (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-11-2015
My husband and I just got married November 28th, all the way from our home in Vegas. As you can imagine, our level of party expectations are slightly broader than most people as we see it all in Sin City - Scott and his crew throw a night that our guests raved about (and still are). Their ambience, character in the decor, and food/beverage service was beyond amazing!!! Thanks for throwing us the greatest day of our lives! A well written page in the story of our life together!.
Reviewed on 17-12-2015

Katie Woolard (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-11-2015
We got married here last month. It was absolutely incredible. We visited several venues in Indianapolis, once we sat down with Scott for the first time and saw the venue, there was no question it was the perfect place for us. We met with Scott several times leading up to the big day. He was always available to answer questions, settle nerves, offer advice. I honestly felt like I was forgetting a bunch of things because I felt like I should be more stressed! The day of the wedding, Scott and his staff made the day flawless. They went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed, that everything was how we wanted it to be. We had so many compliments from our guests how beautiful the venue was, how amazing the staff was, the presentation/quality of food, and all around service. This venue is so full of life and history. So many photo ops, so much character. This venue surpassed all of our hopes and dreams for our wedding. I would most definitely recommend it to everyone!
Reviewed on 07-12-2015

Anonymous (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 20-01-2017
I just want to thank you again for being so kind and so down to earth with Derek and I through the entire wedding planning process and especially on our wedding day! you and your staff went above and beyond to make sure our day was absolutely perfect! We had the time of our lives and our family and friends cannot stop talking about how amazing it was and the fun they had! Our memories from this day are going to last a lifetime and we could not have done this without you or your team! You are truly a wedding planning genius and had the most brilliant ideas we would have never thought of! I cannot imagine any other place we would have rather been married! We are suuuuper excited for the Newlywed Ball come February :)
Reviewed on 19-11-2015

Brittany Kincade (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 31-10-2015
My husband and I recently had our wedding at The Sanctuary and words cannot explain how perfect everything was! Scott is truly an amazing person and made sure we had the wedding of our dreams. Absolutely everything from wedding planning to our big day was above our expectations! The venue itself had us weak at the knees the moment we walked in and after talking with Scott we both knew it was meant to be. The staff at The Sanctuary are incredibly nice and did so well with setting everything up just the way we envisioned. I could go on and on about how happy we were with the way everything turned out! If you are searching for the perfect venue for your wedding or special event The Sanctuary on Penn is hands down the BEST choice in Indiana!! Also they have a spectacular chef who's food is to die for along with the most fun and talented DJ, Don Masters!
Reviewed on 02-11-2015

Anonymous (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 03-11-2016
I got married here last month, and I can't stop thinking about how wonderful our day was. We live out of town, and the way they helped us plan everything was amazing. I can't imagine doing or planning all those things on my own. The food was out of this world, and I forget the name of it but the sauce that was on the chicken was some of the best I've ever had. At the end of the night they let us dance as long as we wanted and we took full advantage of it. Everything was so much fun!!!
Reviewed on 03-09-2015

Rachael Lees (bride) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 28-03-2015
We got married here a few months ago an had a great day, all due to the extra work Lorie put in. I am sad to hear that Scott fired her for personal reasons at the beginning of July. She is what made that place tick. We had heard dicey things about going through their vendors, especially their photography, but we couldn't pass up such a good deal!! 5 months later, we still do not have even a preview of our photos. We get excuse after excuse and it has been a nightmare even getting in contact with anyone or a phone call returned. If Lorie was still there I would recommend this place, but without her, I cannot. I am also sad to hear that the building is being prepped to be sold in the next two years or so. My only hope is that is stays a wedding hall and not turned into condos!!
Reviewed on 30-08-2015

Anonymous (bride) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 19-09-2016
If you like never getting returned phone calls and false promises(i.e. invites, save the dates) Since they say they are all inclusive. Then this is the place for you!! (Try wedding paper diva's they never let us down) Food is great but if your are expecting a fun time figuring out what to eat, good luck. Their \"chef\" likes to forget meetings and never return calls!! Hey what happened to the rest of our cake? We only paid $700 for it from an outside source. The cake was to feed 200 guests , we only had 150!! I guess we paid to feed the staff as well because several people saw them eating our leftovers!! If you like the wedding coordinator leaving the event early then once again this place is for you!! Constant non communications. Tell your DJ' to bring their own equipment. During our grand entrance the speakers blow out!! Hey, thanks again Sanctuary on Penn for the unforgettable wedding memories!
Reviewed on 07-08-2015

Erin Whitaker (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-03-2016
Hi guys! This is Jenny - I'm getting married there in March of next year. I just wanted to tell you that when I was a guest there at Jamie's wedding a few weeks ago, everything was perfect! The building looked just as ancient and beautiful as we remember, your staff was super nice, and dinner was sooooo good. We're even MORE excited than we were before!!!
Reviewed on 09-07-2015

a member (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 15-07-2016
DO NOT PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS!!! SCOTT AND LORIE WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOUR SPOUSE TO MAKE SURE YOUR DAY GOES SMOOTHLY AND IS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE! \r\rMy wedding was on the 4th and EVERYONE has told me how wonderful of a wedding it was and there couldn't have been a better way to celebrate the 4th. My wife and I had everything we wanted and then some. Scott and Lorie were so inclined to make it perfect that they hooked us up with things we couldn't afford, because they had extras available. Things like hors d'oeuvres for our guests during the cocktail hour when we could only afford pretzels, making sure there was good quality, local craft beer behind the bar because that's what I wanted to most, and anything my wife and I wanted, we got. It was a dream come true.\r\rI NEED TO ADDRESS THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS FROM 7/6/2015 BECAUSE THEY MIGHT BE FROM MY WEDDING! Do not let this dissuade you from having your wedding here. Here's what really happened and from THE GROOMS POV:\r\rBuilding in disrepair: Sometimes people just don't understand different styles. This venue is beautiful and has exposed brick an plaster in key spots to give a true vintage look. Every other venue we toured looked boring with no style or life.\r\rSmelly Bathroom: Not gonna lie, if you shove 175 people through any bathroom it's going to get a little messy and have a slight smell, like any bathroom. But as I periodically went to the bathroom, it was never smelly or dirty.\r\rThe Owner having a God complex: couldn't have been further from the truth. Scott and Lorie are amazing people and are here to make OUR day go off without a hitch and make it the best possible. When issues arose due to legal concerns, a middle ground was found and compromise made... TO EVERYONE's satisfaction...\r\rConfiscated booze and lost items: cramming 10 guys into the man cave caused a lot of things to appear to be lost. The cellphone fell into the gift bag of an usher. This issue with the booze was resolved. They were gracious enough to let us bring our own booze to pregame on while getting ready because we were not under contract, but we were under contract during the cocktail hour and reception. So legally, they had to police up the alcohol. Due to the chaos of trying to coordinate everyone in place for pictures, no one was told about it when it happened and I FAILED TO REMEMBER TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE POLICY. It was my fault the issue came up... BUT IT WAS RESOLVED. The booze went behind the bar and everyone in the wedding party was given access to it FOR FREE...\r\rGroom having to pay for drinks: complete and utter LIE... I went to my wedding with $0 and actually ended the night with $20 in my wallet from the bar staff as a wedding gift... so yea, take it how you want it but I didn't pay for a single drink and I even got a top shelf Old Fashioned which I didn't pay for and we only offered free beer/wine.\r\rHomeless people coming into the venue: there was only one instance when someone came into the venue to use the bathroom and they were immediately escorted out. This would happen anywhere... wedding venues aren't Fort Knox and there's a movie called Wedding Crashers for a reason\r\rBad location: Actually, it was a great location... 5 minutes from anything and every hotel downtown... sometimes people just can't leave their castles in their quiet little communities without finding something wrong\r\rSummed up: BOOK HERE OVER ANYWHERE ELSE!!!!!! 7 OUT OF 5 STARS
Reviewed on 07-07-2015

Anonymous (wedding party) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 06-09-2016
I don't normally write reviews but this one needed to happen. This building that is supposed to be a historical gem, is just simply in DISREPAIR. The mens restroom was so hot and dank and smelled worse than any port o potty that I have ever been in. Everyone just went outside instead. \rThe owner is a complete hot headed bully with a God complex. He said that we could bring in our own alcohol during the day, that he had a \"don't see don't tell\" policy. But later that night had his staff riffle through the groom and his groomsmens personal bags/backpacks to take what we had brought, claiming it was so that minors couldnt get their hands on it, when really- he just wanted us to have to pay for alcohol at the bar. The groom had to pay for his own drinks all night, it was embarrassing. To add insult to injury, random homeless looking people from the street came into the building to go to the bathroom. This place isn't in a good spot downtown so I imagine that sort of thing happens all the time. Several things came up missing like cell phones that were probably taken by either by the staff or random people coming into the downstairs. DO NOT GET MARRIED HERE!!!!
Reviewed on 06-07-2015

Anonymous (wedding party) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 22-08-2016
I attended a wedding here last weekend. It was a nightmare. We were told that there was parking across the street, but ended up having to park several blocks away. They had parking attendants that showed us where to park, which was nice, until our car and several of our friends/families cars were towed. I had to come back later in the evening to pick up friends that had their cars towed!\rMy sister and parents, a long with several close friends of the bride had to leave very early in the night for it was like a sauna in there. Everyone was pretty miserable.I applaud the ones who stuck it out, I was feeling sick from the heat and just couldn't stay much longer after dinner. I was surprised that considering the temp inside that the food was only luke warm. It was good, but no where near hot. \rI have been to many weddings and must say this was the worst experience for our family and friends. Most everyone had to leave early and the ones that left later had to walk several blocks downtown to their cars at night and it was scary!! They would have taken a cab if they wouldn't have been led to believe there was onsite parking.We keep it to ourselves though so we don't make the bride feel bad because it wasn't her fault. It seems like the owner of this place really took her for her money and lied to her. She was told the building had great A/C and parking next to the building. None of those things were true and I was compelled to write this so that the couples looking for a venue are aware of these issues.
Reviewed on 22-06-2015

Erin Chapman (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-05-2015
If you are looking for a unique venue with lots of character in Indianapolis, this place is amazing! Scott and Lorie (the owners and personal wedding planners) went above and beyond on the day of to make sure everything was perfect! From the tiniest details to the overall feel of the wedding, their attention to our needs was everything plus more. Rosie and her team (the chef) custom made a delicious meal my family and friends are still talking about! The amount of customization that you can add at The Sanctuary is something to note as well. You can truly have the wedding you want! Plus the building has a lot of character to add as well!
Reviewed on 06-06-2015

Denise Maxfield (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 25-04-2015
We loved the pictures of our wedding at the venue, it had a very vintage vibe which is exactly what we wanted. We also enjoyed having the ceremony and the reception in the same venue. However, we were not satisfied with a lot of little things leading up to the wedding. First was parking: Parking was confusing to guests. After reading other reviews I found that parking had been an issue for wedding guests in the past so I planned to set out parking signs the day of our wedding. I was informed that the parking signs would not be necessary because of the presence of a parking attendant. We did not see, nor did any of our guests see a parking attendant the day of our wedding. We were also told by the Sanctuary event planner that if we planned our rehearsal the Thursday before our wedding (rather than Friday) we would set the schedule for any other events that would need to be in the venue that day. When we showed up for the rehearsal, there was a massive yoga class happening in part of the event venue and the instructor rudely informed us that we were being too loud. Also during the rehearsal, I found Scott (the main event planner and manager at the venue) hard to work with and unwilling to sway from the way he did prior weddings to meet my desires for my wedding. On the day of the wedding, the staff (especially Lori) was extremely helpful and went out of their way to make sure everything went well- until dinner. My groom and I were asked to look over the buffet before our guests ate. As we looked it over, we realized the menu was incorrect and missing several items we discussed in our tasting. In order to make up for the mistake, Scott asked our DJ (who did not work for the Sanctuary) to help carry sauces from the kitchen in the basement up to the buffet. Still, one of the items was completely inedible and completely different from what we ate at our tasting. Overall, we did enjoy our day but I felt the Sanctuary lacked some professionalism and was difficult to work with. After we made our final payment the attitude of the staff completely changed.
Reviewed on 12-05-2015

Laurel Baker (wedding party) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 21-05-2012
I was the maid of honor/wedding planner for my best friend's wedding that was held here. The venue was unique and beautiful, but I was much less impressed by the manager. During the initial meeting before we signed the contract , Scott made a lot of promises, but it was like pulling teeth to get him to follow through on them. Specifically a lot of repairs around the venue that he said were going to be taken care of were not, but he kept saying they would be right up until we showed up the day of and nothing had been done. On the other hand Lori and the caterer were AMAZING! Lori is sweet and super helpful and always on top of things, but often overridden by Scott. Overall, I'd be hesitant to recommend this place. If you do, decide to go this route be forewarned and get everything in writing.
Reviewed on 19-12-2014

a member (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 27-09-2013
The staff here is amazing, by the end of the process they felt more like friends. They coordinated everything to a T and eliminated all the worry of planning and made sure my day went off without a hitch! All of my 225 guests ranted and raved about how beautiful the building was and how it was the best wedding they had ever been to. There are multiple bar areas and places for the guests to hang out which they all loved and had never seen before. The only negatives at all I could say is that the food was a little expensive in my option (30/person for dinner, chicken and pasta) but it did taste AMAZING. Our dinner was a little late also but no one minded too much and even knowing these things I would not have had it anywhere else. The ease of not having to clean up after or set up before is great and you can stay in the building as late as you want which I have never heard of anywhere else. They are so laid back and easy to work with there. If you want a fairy tale wedding in a one of a kind historic building this is definitely the place for you. I could never have planned my day without their help along the way start to finish they just made it so easy. Its the perfect alternative to hiring a wedding planner because for what you spend with them they do everything for you so you can relax and just enjoy the moment.
Reviewed on 26-11-2014

Ali Member (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 06-11-2014
this wedding was a dream come true! We did a lot of our own decorating, as my mother is an interior decorator. They allowed us to fill the space however we wanted and move anything around we did not like. At times they were a little disorganized but I kept track of what we paid and owed which helped clear up some discrepancies. The food was amazing, my only complaint was that the sauces were different that what we agreed upon at our trial and they did not tell us before. The DJ they recommended was phenomenal. People danced all night! It was an amazing night!
Reviewed on 08-11-2014

Izzy Martin (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 17-10-2015
We just got married here last weekend. I couldn’t have asked for a better day. It went off without a hitch thanks to the sanctuary team!! Thank you guys so much. There is so much going on behind the scenes that they do to run interference and to make sure everything is going smooth. They really went above and beyond for us. The way the flip the space and run everything is like a well-oiled machine. \rWe booked with them late last year and the process was nice. We would come in and meet with them one every two months or so and go over their planning document. It really helps to keep you organized.\rI highly recommend this place. It’s not a chain, its family run, and they really care about you. You’re not just a number to them. It’s what I loved the most. Well, that and the food. They have an in house chef that will blow you away. They don’t have preset menus; you literally sit down with them and the chef and create your wedding meal from scratch!! They were telling me about one couple that had cream cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. I am a total foodie and the process is really fun!!\rThe day of they were attentive and helpful, especially when my zipper broke off! They took my dress across the street to a guy they know who fixed it for ten bucks. Saved my day!\rI want to personally thank every single person at The Sanctuary on Penn for making my day so special.\rLove,\rAlex & Izzy\r
Reviewed on 25-10-2014

Marnie Flores (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 24-08-2013
We had our wedding reception at the Sanctuary on Penn one year ago tomorrow and it was the most unforgettable of experiences. Part of the reason it has taken us so long to write this review is that the year has flown by and our wedding day feels like just yesterday. Scott is truly passionate about what he does and we trusted him and his vision to materialize on this most special of days. We could not have been happier or feel more fortunate to have Scott and Lorie in charge of our celebration. The decision to have your wedding and/or wedding reception at the Sanctuary on Penn is the best you will ever make. I had quite a few homemade decorations that I brought in the day before, like chalkboard signs, candles, vases, and books, and Lorie really put me at ease (in my day-before-the-wedding stressed out state) and assured me she would be able to set everything up in the way I requested. In fact, she did a much better job with this than any idea I even had in my head. Scott did our photography as well and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Every part of our experience with the Sanctuary was so personal and we really felt at home there. It is evident that Scott, Lorie, and the whole team really cares about people and are willing to bend over backward to make your day special. We never felt like they had any other weddings to think about even though we know their schedule was completely booked. And the food was excellent and people are still talking about how delicious everything was. Justin is an incredibly talented chef and very humble at the same time, and made it fun to plan that part of our day. We knew that whatever meal we chose that it would be amazing. Every part of our day was completely customizable and that never felt daunting because we had the best team to help at every step of the way. If you are looking for a place with talented, creative, and caring people to make your wedding day unique and the furthest thing from cookie-cutter, you should check out the Sanctuary on Penn.
Reviewed on 23-08-2014

Shea Bennett (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-07-2014
We had a large wedding at this venue. I would say overall the experience was good. The ambiance, decor, and lighting helped to give us the romantic feel we were hoping for.
Reviewed on 11-08-2014

Shelby Sarver (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 26-04-2014
Beautiful venue, below average personnel.. Okay if you plan to do it all on your own
Reviewed on 13-05-2014

Tory Draper (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 29-03-2014
The place will definitely sell itself. It's a beautiful building with lots of cool places to take pictures. There was a big lack of attention to detail (silverware not set properly, chair bows looked sloppy, food not cooked the same as the tasting, etc.) that made the price not worth it. The staff were very attentive the day of which made the day easy.
Reviewed on 15-04-2014

therogerswedding (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating

The Sanctuary on Penn is SOO beautiful, more beautiful in person. I am taking the time to write this because I am so grateful to them for making my day so personal and special. - The staff was great. When I had problems/questions, I would always receive help in a timely manner. Whenever I stopped in, even without appointments, everyone was more than helpful. - I know there was a wedding the night before, and I was really impressed how great the venue looked that morning when I arrived. The wedding coordinator, Lori, was there to greet us in the morning and went over things with me that she had questions about and fixed things that I saw that I didn't like. - In between the ceremony and the reception, the changing of the rooms was amazing! My mom and dad had me go in and look to make sure everything was alright before we let guests in and the tables and arrangements looked like a whole new place! - I had discussed with Scott, the owner, my concerns that I had heard from a previous bride, and for the most part I was very happy about all those being addressed. I felt that if a problem/concern arose the day of if I said something to Scott or Lori, the wedding coordinator, it was taken care of. .- The food!!! The food was AMAZING and we have received many compliments on the dinner!!! - Brian and the other bartenders were AMAZING. There was never a line and they were in a great mood all night. –The owner and coordinator just seemed to pop out of nowhere throughout the day and ask what they could do to help. -The building was perfect for what I was looking for. I didn’t want to be in a banquet hall or have the same old boring venue. This place is over a century old and was getting ready to be either turned into condos, or was facing a wrecking ball. The owner saw potential in it and brought the place back to life. It still looks old, original stained glass, mostly original floor, the downstairs bar used to be the old communion rails! It’s distinguished. Everything ran very smooth, and they helped us stay calm on the day. They hooked us up with a very talented Guitarist and DJ- everything is a-la-cart here- you can choose to many, or few of their services, but they have it all available to you. I HIGHLY recommend it if you’re looking for something nontraditional and off of the beaten path!
Reviewed on 10-04-2014

Carolyn MacBain (bride) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 05-10-2013
I was married at the Sanctuary on Penn in October 2013 and would not recommend this space for a wedding under any circumstances. It is highly disorganized and unprofessional and we regret that we had our wedding there.\r\rGeneral:\rWe booked at the Sanctuary was that it is a gorgeous old building with character. That does not excuse some of the general disrepair of the venue. Our wedding day was an unseasonably warm day (low 80s), but the venue was NOT at a comfortable temperature for us or our guests. I can't imagine how they can book summer weddings in good conscience with the lack of climate control. Additionally, it was a rainy day and the leaking roof was out of control. There were major leaks in the bar room, the main hall and over the steps to the loft. One of our tables full of my older relatives had to physically move their table during dinner to avoid being rained on. This is absolutely ridiculous and very embarrassing. I certainly was not expecting our guests to have to avoid the rain WHILE INSIDE.\r\rFood:\rWhere do I begin? First and foremost, the chef did not show up to our event. I literally spoke to the chef the week of the wedding, so imagine my surprise when he was nowhere to be found that day. His mother (!!!) was running the kitchen and no one bothered to tell us until she introduced herself as we were preparing for the ceremony. This is not the kind of information that a bride and groom want to find out from someone they have never met moments before walking down the aisle. We booked a professional, had coordinated the menu and food service with a professional, did a tasting with a professional and that is who we expected to show up the day of the wedding. \r\rIssues with the food:\r-We ordered/ paid for buttled appetizers at the cocktail hour. All apps were set on a table and not passed.\r-Dinner was cold.\r-Dinner service was highly disorganized.\r-We did \"family style\" dining and a \"home cooking\" theme. Some dishes were served without serving spoons/ forks/ etc. and then people were waiting quite a long time to get serving utensils delivered...letting food get even colder.\r-The portions made no sense. People got a vat of greens, but not enough fried chicken to serve the table.\r-We requested a squash medley on the menu, but there was not one.\r-The table that my sister (a bridesmaid) and my cousin and their families were at had chicken ONLY for the better part of the dinner hour. This table had 4 children under the age of 5 (2 of which were the ringbearers and had been there for hours) at it. These were the ONLY children at the wedding and they did not get served until the rest of the room was done eating. Imagine how antsy the poor kids were getting.\r-We provided a count for vegetarian entrees and gave clear direction as to what tables the vegetarians would be at. None of them received their food.\r\rThis is just a sampling of issues. Do not make the same mistake we did. We have been trying to work with the owner to come to a resolution, but he has an excuse for everything.
Reviewed on 29-01-2014

Bree McQuillen (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 16-11-2013
My husband and I got married at The Sanctuary in November 2013 and were far from pleased with the venue's service. \r\rFood/Beverage:\rWe were able to create our own wedding menu, which was unique to this venue and something we appreciated. However they ran out of potatoes, asparagus, and the sandwiches for some of our tables-only chicken was left. When the guests asked about getting those items-they were told that they would be out in 10 minutes and they would be brought to the tables. 20 minutes later, when a guest asked the staff about it, they were told that they had ran out. \rThey ran out of beer 2 times and the owner went to get more each time but came back with Busch Light in addition to our requested beers, which is way cheaper. It then took 20-30 minutes each time for the beer to get cold so the guests then had to wait for beer. They also ran out of red wine and served a \"house\" wine which was homemade wine that tasted more like whiskey. I'm fairly certain this is illegal.\r\rService/Organization:\rThe day of our wedding it ended up taking the staff 1.5 hours to change the ceremony room over to the reception space (we had both in the same space) when it was only supposed to take 45 minutes. Because we lost this reception time, we felt obligated to extend our bar at the end of the night which cost more money. The bar staff was rude to our guests and didn't even pretend to care about the level of service they provided. I (the bride) went to get a drink just one time that night (the rest of the time others brought me drinks to the dance floor) and the staff did not serve me and one server actually told me to move over because I was in her way. Terrible. At the end of the night one of the servers was balancing a tray of glasses in one hand and lost balance, causing the entire tray to fall and break down a stairwell. She then told the owner that a bridesmaid had pushed her down the stairs, which was untrue. \rHazardous:\rThis building does NOT accommodate older guests--the stairwells are steep and narrow. The main bathroom is down in the basement and the 'handicap' bathroom is in the storage closet near the main banquet space. My grandmother used the 'handicap' restroom and a cross fell on her from the cramped storage space. A staff member was informed that this happened and did not even apologize or get her ice. \r\rA month after our wedding I got a letter from \"Bill Me Later\" for a few hundred dollars and I have never signed up for PayPal at all. The letter listed my email as MYNAME@indysanctary.com. When I called the company I found out that a line of credit for $1000 had been opened in my name by the Sanctuary. When I called Scott, the owner to ask about these charges he claimed he knew nothing about it. He then called me back 20 minutes later stating that the few hundred dollar charges were for the 3 extra guests at our wedding but did not seem to have an explanation as to why they opened a credit line (or how they were able to do so). They had our credit card on file since we paid in monthly installments and could have just charged our card, or even better, asked us to pay for the difference. \r\rOur wedding day was not ruined-my husband and I have gorgeous pictures and thanks to our amazing family/friends, officiant, and DJ we had an amazing time. However,I would not recommend to anyone to get married at The Sanctuary on Penn. The owner, Scott, is unwilling to see his own flaws so I doubt any of these issues will be fixed.
Reviewed on 12-01-2014

Laura Killie (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-10-2013
This beautiful old church is a treasure! The Sanctuary is the perfect place for hosting interesting and off-beat weddings, as well as traditional weddings. There is a lot of open space and so many interesting little areas to discover! Stained glass windows, cool little nooks and crannies, pennies lining the floor of several areas - this place has tons of character! There are a few rough spots, but that is to be expected from a place built in the 1800's!! I think one of the things that makes this place so amazing is that the owners really care about the building, clearly love what they do, and genuinely are humbled to be part of someones special day. I recommend this place HIGHLY!!!!! THANKS SCOTT AND LORIE!!!!!
Reviewed on 16-12-2013

Victoria Wheeler (bride) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 11-08-2012
The actual wedding day:\rThe \"limo\" showed up at our hotel to pick us up over an hour late… he couldn't find the Marriott downtown? Then he took an hour to get back to the venue (which is a five minute drive) rendering multiple members of my wedding party car-sick. Granted streets were closed due to a parade, the driver did not know the streets of Indianapolis nor would he listen to those of us who knew where we were going. We ended up making him stop and walking the equivalent distance of our hotel to the venue except from the east side with dresses and all of our belongings. Also, the limo was a piece of junk…. no A/C, everything was broken, torn leather, we couldn't even put our belongings in the trunk because it was filled with junk. \r\rUpon arrival to the venue it was filthy. The venue clearly was not cleaned from the event the night before. The owner, Scott, was called in to replace the limo driver and we immediately made him aware of the old plates, smashed food on the floors, and trashed bathrooms. Upstairs, the venue was placing our wedding decor over chair covers that were torn, had spilled food and drinks on them, and some even had foot prints! My wedding party immediately stopped them and started pulling chairs. The venue never was cleaned. My wedding party, 20 minutes before my wedding, collected garbage trash and used dishes. The upstairs balcony was closed for my wedding due to how filthy it was and no one from the venue seemed to care. \r\rThe wedding music played during our wedding was wrong, which really upset my husband but we just took it in stride. \r\rDuring the reception:\rThe cocktail hour went well according to our guests except there was not enough appetizers… we were told there would be extras. \r \rDinner service was terrible. The vegetarian meals (we had 10) were not given to the correct people, they were served to one table. The children's meals also were given to teenagers not the 3 year olds! Several people requested dressing, salt, pepper, water, or new silverware and the wait-staff never retrieved their items. Although, the food was amazing the service did not do it justice. Also, we arranged with the venue and chef to have extra food cooked for a luncheon the next day. We were told to bring containers for the food and that it would be stored in the refrigerator for us to retrieve the next morning. No food was stored for us and several of our guests stated they saw the wait staff taking home our PAID for food in OUR containers. The venue did not reimburse us. \r\rThe bar:\rWe paid for a premium bar, which was not served. The bartenders did not know how to make any drinks nor shots. Our requested drinks were not cold so they were not served. We paid extra in advance to have our bar open till 12 pm. They closed the bar at 10 pm and requested more money to keep it open. Unknowingly (they did not find my parents, my husband or myself) they requested money from my father-in-law to keep it open. \r\rThe next day:\rWhen we came to get our belongings they were shoved in a corner with several items missing or \"claimed to be the venues\" (things that were brought on loan from our florist and rental company) it was a fight to get our belongings.\r\rWe arranged a refund with the venue after weeks of phone calls, emails and going in person. They would not return our calls. After the arranged agreement they only refunded us 1/3 of the agreed amount and have not returned our attempts to contact them since.
Reviewed on 05-12-2013

Karissa Guerrero (bride) 2 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-09-2013
Booked here June 2012 for our wedding 9/2013. Started hearing some bad reviews halfway to the wedding date. Wish we would have listened! Now we get to write our own review but hoping to save some brides (and grooms!) time and money. The building is beautiful! However it is very old. The day of our wedding it was probably over 80 all during cocktails and dinner. The men's and women's bathrooms flooded several times. Parking is difficult for guests. \rBut the biggest disappointments are the staff. We had TONS of communication issues! Very difficult to get information straight. We were shuffled between 3 different coordinators and Scott. They are already on their second florist tht i know of. Day of the wedding, he pushed my aunt and yelled at my mother. He even called the cops to the venue on my wedding because of \"underage drinking\" (we had 2 teenagers present and the rest of the kids were under 10...so decide for yourself how true that was) and then admitted he overreacted in our follow-up meeting. \rWe read and heard some reviews like this in the months leading up to our wedding. We called Scott and met with Scott and voiced our concerns. Each time he reassured us that they were learning from their mistakes or that the particular wedding we were talking about had guests that were hard to please etc. He ALWAYS has an excuse! We talked to him about our issues (which go wayyy beyond this post) after our honeymoon. He again had an excuse for every problem we had. It was SO frustrating! \rAvoid the headaches and run around! Feel free to contact me for more details!
Reviewed on 08-10-2013

a member (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating

I'll start this review by saying that I very much enjoy vintage things and old buildings. I restore antiques for fun. This place was disgusting. I recognize that restoring anything old will take time but they are not doing a stellar job with this. Plus I got a bad vibe from the guy. He seemed very condescending when I gave him my budget and basically told me I couldn't do it for that. I had a beautiful wedding for half what he wanted to charge. Having all the services at one place should make it more efficient but I think the opposite happens here. I would not use unless you are absolutely in love with the space.
Reviewed on 16-07-2013

Becca S (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 11-05-2013
The building was the reason I chose this venue -- it's an old church from the 1870s being used as a full service wedding venue. The original character of the space is gorgeous, especially the stained glass and detailed wood work. \r\rStaff - The staff at The Sanctuary on Penn is great. They are helpful, easy to work with, and full of ideas. The owner is great - he sees and addresses any needs immediately. The chef is amazing, creates delicious custom food, and gives top service. The rest of the staff set up the space just as I wanted it, and helped execute a flawless event.\r\rCost - Very affordable for this type of venue. They don't rip you off with excessive fees, and are willing to work with in a variety of budgets.\r\rServices - You are required to use their catering service (we had tons of positive reviews of the food, including \"best wedding food EVER\" from one guest). They also offer every other service that you can imagine in house, and you can pick which you want to use.
Reviewed on 30-05-2013

Lauren Musgrave (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 23-03-2013
Overall, we had an AMAZING wedding. The Sanctuary is a beautiful venue and the staff was amazing. I would recommend it to friends, with a few \"pros\" and \"cons\" in mind:\r\rPros:\r- The staff was great. When I had problems/questions, I would always receive help in a timely manner. Whenever I stopped in, even without appointments, everyone was more than helpful.\r- I know there was a wedding the night before, and I was really impressed how great the venue looked that morning when I arrived. The wedding coordinator, Lori, was there to greet us in the morning and went over things with me that she had questions about and fixed things that I saw that I didn't like. \r- In between the ceremony and the reception, the changing of the rooms was amazing! My mom and dad had me go in and look to make sure everything was alright before we let guests in and the tables and arrangements looked like a whole new place! \r- I had discussed with Scott, the owner, my concerns that I had heard from a previous bride, and for the most part I was very happy about all those being addressed. I felt that if a problem/concern arose the day of if I said something to Scott or Lori, the wedding coordinator, it was taken care of.\r- The food tasted delicious and we have received many compliments on the dinner!!!\r- Brian and the other bartenders were AMAZING. There was never a line and they were in a great mood all night. Brian is also the limo driver and was a HUGE help getting everyone from place to place. He just seemed to pop out of nowhere throughout the day and ask what he could do to help. \r\rCons: \r-I feel like there was a lot of change in staff from the time we signed our contract to the actual wedding day, which made me feel like I was answering the same question several times.\r- My programs did not get put out. \r- If you have a band they do only have a small window for them to set up in between the ceremony and reception.\r- At the time of my wedding, they had ordered new chair covers, but not enough and I could pick the old ones out instantly because they had rips/holes/stains on them. (This was addressed and fixed before the wedding though.)\r- The appetizers were not presented in the way that was discussed. We had planned with Justin, the cook, for them to be passed and instead they were set on a table. One of the appetizers was a tomato soup \"shot\" with a bite of spinach artichoke grilled cheese and it was just brought out in a big serving dish. Who in a nice dress is going to scoop themselves a cup full of red liquid? (Scott did send someone to serve stand next to it and serve it once I told him about the issue.)\r- We had an open bar and did run out of two of our types of beers.\r\rI was warned by everyone who has already been married that no matter how hard you plan, things will go wrong. The Sanctuary is still a new business and continuing to work out the kinks, so yes some things did go wrong. However, overall the experience was amazing and really do appreciate the effort that everyone put in to make sure that I had a great day.
Reviewed on 14-04-2013

Emily Gustafson (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 22-09-2012
We got married there in the fall of last year. The church-beautiful. The food-amazing. The best wedding chicken ever! Not even a little bit dry! Working with the people there, although extremely nice, was very frustrating. All inclusive means they offer it. It doesn't necessarily mean they have a reliable vendor lined up. My suggestion is to check it out with this in mind. I would not use there \"convenient\" vendors because on top of the charge you pay for the service there is a tax (expected) and then a gratuity (not sure how this applies to flowers or stationary, food service maybe) that equals 22%. It is a percentage on the total, so the flat rate for the room is also charged a gratuity. Hmm...? Some of what I have read in other reviews is that they are hard to get a response from. We found this to be true in our case as well. In the time we booked with them (a year prior) they had hired and eventually lost a wedding planner. We never got an email about either occurrence. Even though we eventually met with said wedding planner we didn't know she left until I finally got so sick of not being answered by email or phone (a few short weeks before the wedding) that I physically went to the sanctuary to find out what the hell was going on. I can not say we were 100% happy with how our wedding went down but let's face it, no one ever knows but you. And OUR photographer managed to compensate The Sanctuary's short comings by getting the best of everyone and everything.\rPositives- Friends and family thought the place was beautiful, the food was great and the wait staff was very attentive. \rNegatives- The ladies room had a leak and subsequently a puddle of water in the middle of the floor. My friends and I (mostly my friends) ended up doing every bit of the decorations including spacing out the tables, steaming the linens, draping and setting up the cake table.
Reviewed on 28-02-2013

brandy rey (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 08-12-2012
I just got married here last weekend, though there were some rocky points when planning, everything went off perfectly the night of. Jonna, the wedding planner, was amazing, as were the staff. The food was the best wedding food our guests had ever had. The limo is a little beat up, but as it is FREE who cares! Great venue, I highly recommended! They will do anything they can to make your day great.
Reviewed on 12-12-2012

emily cook (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 10-11-2012
The Sanctuary on Penn is SOO beautiful, more beautiful in person than photos even. We got engaged only 2 months before our wedding, and the fantastic staff at the Sanctuary helped us plan our wedding; I know we could not have done this elsewhere. The food was AMAZING, the presentation was beautiful and just as we requested it. Everything ran very smooth, and helped us stay calm on the day. They hooked us up with a very talented Guitarist and DJ- everything is a-la-cart here- you can choose to many, or few of their services, but they have it all available to you. Highly recommend it!
Reviewed on 26-11-2012

Sarah Hock (bride) 1 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 01-06-2012
I would never suggest anyone using this venue. The owner, Scott, is very rude and unprofessional! He was unwilling to speak with me regarding many issues that occurred the day of our wedding. Their limo was very rundown, no security was provided therefore homeless individuals came in and out of our reception, a wedding party for the next days wedding showed up 45 minutes prior to our guests arrival for their rehearsal, and a staff members child was seen eating our left over wedding cake, my parents, aunt, sister, myself, our dj, and a guest set up our entire reception hall. These are just some of the many complaints that he was unwilling to address! I wouldn't suggest this venue to anyone!
Reviewed on 18-10-2012

Meghan Bates (bride) 4 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-06-2012
Our wedding here was beautiful and they will do anything in their power to make your day special. However, they are still a new business. Don't expect them to meet deadlines or for everything to be perfectly smooth.
Reviewed on 06-07-2012

86 Reviews, with a Rating of 4.36 out of 5.0

Contact Info for The Sanctuary on Penn

Contact	Value
Facebook	https://facebook.com/indysanctuary
X (Twitter)	The Sanctuary on Penn
Pinterest	The Sanctuary on Penn
Instagram
Website	indysanctuary.com
Phone	(317) 602-3264
Address	701 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204
Email	info@indysanctuary.com

The Sanctuary on Penn on the map

Meet the The Sanctuary on Penn Team

Evan (Manager)

After working at the venue for several years on the weekends because I loved the team and environment, I took over running the business from the owner. Since then, I have loved planning and running the perfect day for all of the couples that come our way. No job is better than throwing a party every weekend for those celebrating their love. My team and I would be honored to help you celebrate your first steps into being newly weds!

Wedding Service Guide (WSG)