Macaluso's - Hawthorne, NJ

Macaluso's has a great reputation for food in North Jersey. Not only do they have an unbelievable spread but they quality and taste are known to be excellent. It seems like a perfect fit for a nice Italian wedding.
It also seemed like a great option because it was a one wedding at time hall. The problem we ran into is that if you don't meet their minimums that they share the hall with another party (not a wedding but a smaller event). The other event is right next door to the main ballroom and it takes over the nicer option for your Cocktail Hour. If you are having around 200 or more people this isn't an issue.
Less than that and you are looking at a small part of the main room closed off for the food and seating across the hall.

The main ballroom is very pretty but a little darker and slightly old fashioned looking. Actually the whole hall looks a little old fashioned. The stairway is a nice way to enter the room and the fire place adds a nice touch.

The fountain in the entry way will give you some nice pictures and there is a small area right outside the front door for a few shots as well. The fountain looked like it could use a little sprucing up but with a good photographer I am sure the pics will come out nice. These pics from the website must be older.

The bridal suites are large and beautiful if that is something that is important to you.
The price for a Saturday in April with a ton of food options (the upgraded package) was $195 after all taxes and gratuities but before negotiations.

Nanina's in the Park

This hall is absolutely beautiful but if you don't have a larger guest list and a big budget, don't bother.
They don't negotiate much on price or minimum head count.

For January and February the minimum was 175 people and the cost was $175 per person.
For the rest of the year they really try to lock you at 200 people at about $250- $275 per person.

They do one wedding at a time and they have a nice look to the place but the reviews on food have been mixed.

For what they are charging they should be flawless and the food should be out of this world
all the time.

IL Villagio - Carlstadt, NJ

IL Villagio was suggested a few times an a nice and yet affordable option so we checked it out.
I had been in their small room on the restaurant side last year for a Rehearsal Dinner. The place was nice, the food was very good and the service was wonderful.

The place has been redone recently and is brand new looking both inside and out. It is clean and elegant. While the outside isn't super fancy it is nice.

 It does only one wedding at a time but keep in mind there is a restaurant and small party room on the other side of the building. When walking in you are greeting by someone who either show you to the dining room or lead you to the bar in the lobby where the cocktail hour will start. They have their cold display set up there. The hot foods are in a small room next to the lobby. There is plenty of seating for guests during cocktail hour but they are split between the small room and the lobby bar area.

After cocktail your guests will move to the main ballroom which is beautiful. It is not a huge room but will hold about 200 people comfortablly.
They have it set up with a small raised stage type area off the bar for the couple and/ or bridal party or band.

If you were to have a venetian hour it would be set up in the cocktail hour room (not the lobby).

We were quoted  for saturdays - $165 after taxes and all for April and $195 for May, June, July and September.

We were told the prices would be negotiated once we set a date and that we can expect them to come down a bit but we were still put off by the very high starting price. The cocktail hour in the lobby was something that turned off my sister in-law as well. They would have people coming in and out the front entrance while your guests are eating.




If you can get a good price quote and are having a smaller wedding, I think the food and service here are great.

Seasons - Washington Towship, NJ

Seasons is beauiful. It is clean and elegant and right off the Garden State Parkway which makes it very easy to get to.
They have 2 weddings at a time one larger wedding downstairs and one smaller upstairs. The upstairs room holds about 200 people. I have personally attended a wedding with 165 people and there was more than enough room both at the cocktail hour and the reception. We danced all night and there was plenty of room on the dance floor.

My personal opinon is that you can't go wrong with this choice. It is owned by the same people who have the Venetian and their reputation for food and service is well known. They don't even offer you an option for a food tasting because they are that confident.
The man we spoke with was not very friendly and he barely gave us a tour or tried to sell the place. He didn't give us a ton of info but he gave us a quote for a Saturday night in April for a minimum of 150 people at $185 per person. He quickly dropped down to $175 with a full venetian hour added in.

The Fiesta - Woodridge, NJ

I grew up passing the Fiesta all the time. I had been in there for various events but never for a wedding. When I passed it a few months back I saw the big changes that were made to the look of it and found out they changed the inside as well.
I was really impressed with the clean modern look of the cocktail hour room and the new ballroom.
It was large and open feeling with nice light colors.

The menu seemed large and very affordable. The only problem was the way the guests came into the venue. My sister in-law thought driving in under the building and being surprised by the fountains was a nice thing. My mother in-law said it was too dark and creepy. I guess everyone has a right to their opinion.

We did not taste the food so I can't comment on that but as far as looks and menu go, this place gives you a lot for the money. We were quoted $135 after all taxes and gratuities for a Saturday night in April 2013.

The Manor - West Orange

The Manor has beautiful curb appeal. You pull in and drive down the driveway and take in the amazing landscaping and flowers. When you pull up you go into the front door and are told to either go right or left for one of the 2 weddings that are going on.
The left ballroom is more of a darker wood look with outside fountains and the right is a lighter whiter version with views of the gardens.

The building has an older feel to it but it some how just adds to the charm. It isn't modern looking, it is more old mansion feeling.

The food at the Manor is known to be very good. Friends and famliy have dined here and attended many functiosn over the years. They offer a pretty standard menu for dinner but it is basic and not as over the top as some of the other halls that we visited.

The prices for a saturday in April were around $150 p/p after taxes and tips. It included everything on the menu plus a venetian hour and a few minor changes.

Ravello's - East Hanover

This place was very pretty and not very expensive. I have heard some great reviews about the food and staff.

The guy we talked with was very nice and friendly and quoted about $140 for a Saturday night in April.

When you pulled it looks nice but there is not much of a main entrance. It has some gardens off to the back for pictures which looks nice.

The cocktail room is big and has plenty of seating for all the guests. It is very pretty and nicely set up.

The ballroom is pretty and has nice size dance floor. It has a big built in bar off to the back which was very nicely done. It has some light blue accents which I was not thrilled with.

I thought this was a great option for the money and they only do one wedding at a time which is nice. You get the whole place to yourself.

The only negatives I saw were the very basic and small bathrooms and the lack of appeal walking up to the front door.

IL Tulipano - Cedar Grove

First I will start by saying I attended a wedding here not that long ago and it was wonderful. The place is beautiful and the food and service was excellent.

We were given a tour starting with the Cocktail rooms and outside area. If you get lucky enough to use the outside it is very nice and adds a beauitful addition to your cocktial hour.

The rooms for Cocktail are beauiful with a big built in bar and a piano in the corner.

The upstairs ballroom is not huge but can comfortably fit about 200 people but i wouldn't go more than that. The room is very pretty has just enough decor to make it elegant but not over the top so you can add your own touches with centerpieces.

We were quoted for a Saturday night 2013 - $135 Dec- March plus tax and gratuity. Includes 5 hour reception -full cocktail, dinner, venetian hour and cake.
April - Sept $185 and $140 for Oct & Nov

The Grove - Cedar Grove

When we first pulled up to the place we were really
impressed by the look of it from the outside. It is brand new and it looks it.
It is classy and elegant and has great curb appeal.
Walking in we see a modern marbled tiled entry and some
interesting chandeliers hanging. There is a big stair case that curves up to
the second floor but it is pushed off to the side of the hall not where you
first enter.
The tour started with the upstairs bridal suites and they
were very nice and spacious. Walking around up there everything looked elegant
and beautiful.
We continue to the cocktail room and we are shocked by the
big empty square room that has partition (non-permanent looking)walls. The room
is plain and has nothing going on to make it special.

We moved to the main ballroom where we were surprised by the
bright baby blue carpets. The entry and halls in the place are all beautiful
neutral colors of creams and beiges and all of sudden you are in a room taken
over by blue. It was strange.

I wouldn't say the place is not nice because it is. It is beautiful. I just think there are better options in the same price range.
The price we were quoted was $185 plus tax and gratuity for
any time during the year and no flexibility really on the price. They also were
almost all booked for Saturdays in March, April and May of 2013.

Introduction

I have been helping to plan my sister in-law's wedding and I have attend close to 25 weddings or major functions in the last few years. I know how hard wedding planning can be so I thought I would share useful information about the places we have visited.

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I love in Bergen County, NJ but my husband's family is spread out across the New York City and Long Island areas.
Most of the places we have visited are in these areas.
This blog is to share reviews of halls and restaurants in the NJ/ NY City Areas.