The Mill

The Mill, located in Spring Lakes Heights, New Jersey, is another wonderful location for a daytime wedding . We were in the ground level "Blue Room" for this reception. A wall of windows provided a spectacular view of the lake! There were so many trees visible in the distance that one could only wonder how amazing the view must be in the fall. A graceful swan was in view the entire time. As darkness fell, a most unusual tree that arches towards the water was lit by a spotlight and reflected beautifully onto the water.

The wedding at The Mill was scheduled to be outside lakeside, but mother nature had other plans. Torrential rain comes to mind. However, the room the service was held in was beautiful and did have a lake view and a skylight bringing the outdoors in. And the valet parking was much appreciated by the guests who arrived during the thunderstorm!

The bride and groom had their table in an unusual location. Usually when there is a view, the couple's table is against the window. In this case, the couple was on the far side of the room facing the windows. They got to enjoy the view of the lake too instead of sitting with their back to the view! Smart!!! And that made it great for the toasts. Nothing much worse for video than everybody against a bright window for the toast.

The Mill strives to keep weddings affordable. As of this writing, packages begin at $64.95. There are many options and choices to make your wedding truly unique. This couple opted for a simple cocktail "half hour". Dinner consisted of a pasta course, a salad course and a choice of three entrees for the guests. The DJ's, photographer and videographer received their food with the first of the guests. A big thank you to The Mill for that! It can take 20 minutes to serve a room their dinners. And most places feed the vendors last. The first guests and the bride and groom and often ready to party while the DJ or band is still waiting to eat. Feeding the vendors first allows your vendors to be ready to get the party going ASAP!

The Mill also has a Sunday Brunch from 10am until 3pm. The brunch was going on when I arrived and I can see why they suggest reservations. They really had a full house!

For more information about The Mill in Spring Lake, NJ, visit their website at:

http://www.themillatslh.com/wedbanquet/special.html

The Buttonwood Manor

Planning a daytime wedding? The Buttonwood Manor in Matawan, NJ truly has a room with a view! The Caribee Room with its wall of windows looks out on a picturesque lake. The smaller Greenhouse Room overlooks the gardens. An attached deck is is available for an outdoor wedding, nestled between the lake and the gardens. A waterfall, small pond, the lake, and assorted greenery and flowers lend on site variety to your pictures!

The Caribee Room at the Buttonwood Manor itself is down a flight of stairs, but there is a ramp around back providing access to the room. Restrooms and the bridal suite are located beside the reception room.

The Buttonwood Manor has info available in the entrance area which talks about their "Affordable Elegance". Floral centerpieces and the wedding cake are included! The cocktail hour and dinner menus can be customized to your needs and budget. The hostess that greeted the vendors and bridal party as they arrived for the service was very helpful and accommodating. I really appreciated the nice cold glass of iced tea I was offered! Thank you!

One thing I noticed about the Caribee Room was although we were there for hours in the daylight, the sun never hit the windows directly. Sunlight streaming onto a dance floor or into the eyes of your guests can be harsh. Kind of defeats the purpose of a beautiful view if you have to close the curtains in order to see. The Caribee Room at the Buttonwood Manor provided a perfect view all day long!

For more information, you can visit the Buttonwood Manor in Matawan, New Jersey online at:

http://www.buttonwoodmanor.net/

The Berkeley Plaza

Located on Springfield Ave in Berkeley Heights, NJ, the Berkeley Plaza features 2 beautiful reception rooms. Each room is pleasantly neutral in color. No matter what your color scheme is for your wedding, either room will provide the perfect setting. And the staff? They are just plain fun to work with! Great people!

The downstairs room at the Berkeley Plaza is the larger of the two ballroons and features a majestic staircase for your grand entrance. A bridal suite for all your belongings is provided right down the hall. The upstairs room has the bridal suite right inside it. You and your bridal party will be introduced from the bridal suite entrance. You can all hang and and chill until the very last moment! Both rooms have a spacious dancefloor.

An outside gazebo is available at the Berkeley Plaza for your service or pictures. And you can change the look of your pictures just by taking a walk around the back of the gazebo. Lots of greenery for a change of scenery.

The variety at cocktail hour is always a hit. And the choice of what gets served is yours!

Dinner at the Berkeley Plaza can be customized as well. This particular dinner consisted of fresh bread on the table, a pasta course (penne alla vodka), a wonderful salad with walnuts, madarin oranges and cheese in a balsamic raspberry dressing, and choice of a Chicken Francaise or Beef Tenderloin. The Deluxe Venetian table and a chocolate fountain followed the traditional cake cutting.

Below is a direct link to the Berkeley Plaza cocktail hour choices:

http://www.berkeleyplaza.com/menus.htm

On behalf of all my fellow videographers and photographers, a BIG THANK YOU to the Berkeley Plaza for always providing us with our own little table for the entire reception right in the room with the guests. We often miss cocktail hour taking pictures or getting set up, and a typical day can have us on our feet for 10 hours or more. We do get a dinner at most places 2 hours before the reception ends, but often with no where to sit and surprisingly no utensils to eat with. The Berkeley Plaza treats us as well as the guests. Every course is served to us. Even coffee and dessert! Thank you Berkeley Plaza! We really, REALLY appreciate it!

You can visit the Berkeley Plaza website at:

http://www.berkeleyplaza.com/default.asp

Perona Farms

Located in Andover in Sussex County, NJ, Perona Farms is incredibly picturesque! An outside gazebo, a little island and apple orchard are all available choices for your wedding service. The wooden bridge that leads to little island on the lake and the island itself are great for pictures. Perona Farms offers a choice of two different size and different looking rooms to fit your needs. Both rooms as well as the outside ceremony locations and cocktail hour areas are on the ground level providing easy access for guests with disabilities.

The cocktail hour at Perona Farms is amazing! Each room has its own scenic spot outdoors when the weather is good, and plenty of room indoors if the weather is not so good. The food is wonderfully prepared, extremely tasty and every dish is labeled. With food allergies so prevalent and so serious, it is a much appreciated touch. And even if allergies are not an issue, your guests will enjoy knowing what delicious treat awaits in each dish. Perona Farms is famous for its smoked salmon. In fact, it has been featured on the Food Network!

Perona Farms will work with you the customize your menu from the cocktail hour all the way to dessert creating a wedding celebration that is uniquely yours!

If you would like to visit, Perona Farms has a wonderful Sunday Bruncheon served each week from 10:30am to 1:30pm. Its a great way to experience the great food and warm, friendly staff that are so much a part of the Perona Farms experience!

For more information, visit the Perona Farms website at:

http://www.peronafarms.com/

UPDATE!

In April 2009, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Perona Farms. I cannot say enough about how wonderfully we were treated! The food was delicious and the staff treated my parents like absolute royalty all day. They never had to leave their seats to get a drink at the bar. Everything was brought to them. We had chicken and fillet mignon and all the beef was cooked to order. I am a big fan of really rare beef and it was perfect! There were always several staff members in the room making sure everyone had everything they needed. My mother is still on a high from the days events! My sister and I put together a slide show honoring our parents 50 years together. May every couple be as fortunate as they have been! If you would like a peek at my parents slide show, click here!