Central or South Jersey Receptions???The Merion??

mariantheb

Hello!! I am newly engaged and have just started the planning process!! I made my first appointment to meet with The Merion in Cinnaminson NJ.....Does anybody have any feedback on the Merion or know prices for a Saturday night in October or November??Any other suggestions of venues would be very helpful!! I am not even sure where to start!!

hollyberry88

You are making a good start!  What are you looking to spend per head??  You should also figure out about how many people you are looking to have.  Have you looked at the Bridgewater Manor?  The Imperia?  Those are move central NJ then southern.

smw42

I've heard bad things about the Imperia about theft and shady management- not sure if that is accurate but just a word of caution. I'm also not sure how many people you're looking for but Rats restaurant in the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ is an amazing place but they max out at 150 I think.

mrs.spunky1508

Well the Merion looks nice from the outside, but it is right on 130. I'm unsure if you had an outdoor ceremony (if they have an area for that) if you'd hear the highway. I've heard it is a bit of a "wedding factory" because they have several events at one time but to my knowledge they have decent pricing. The girls on the South Jersey board may be able to help you better with pricing.

justkris10

We looked at the Merion and it was very nice - but for us it was very far for our guests to travel.  That, imo, would be better suited for the So. Jersey Board That being said, central Jersey reception sites that get good reviews from here are: Il Tulipano, Palace @ Somerset Park, Stone House at Sterling Ridge, Imperia (from what I remember) has gotten good reviews from here, we got married @ the Tides but that's not really Central Jersey - Estate at Florentine Gardens - there's more I just can't think of them Best bet - post your budget pp and # of people and the girls here will load off on rec's for you

mrs.spunky1508

Also, what is your budget, per person, including tax & gratuity. Remember, overall, gratuities can range from 18-22% (with the exception of some venues, like Holly's suggestion of the Bridgewater Manor whose rate is 8%). How big is your guest list? Some places have higher minimums, some places have maximum capacities of only 100 or 150. Does it have to be a Saturday? October is a VERY popular month now, and therefore it is expensive. Late November may be considered off-season (although some places only consider January-March off-season) and you may be able to get those dates for a cheaper price. Generally Friday nights, Saturday daytime (12-5PM) and Sundays are cheaper than Saturdays, so if you are looking to save money (read: thousands of dollars), you should look into those other days.

las1977

Congrats. I heard the Merion is expensive. You might try to post on the South Jersey board. Also, have you checked out the Mansion at Voorhees? It is a popular wedding place in South Jersey. My friend got married there but it is expensive so if you are on a budget it may be hard. I am getting married at the Bridgewater Manor is in Central NJ.

njbrowneyedgrl74

I've been to a wedding there years ago and my parents went to one last year.  Everyone always raves about weddings there. The thing that would bother me is that 3 events happen at once.  As pretty as the skylight room is, I'd rather have the venue all to ourselves.

SimplySLB

Some other more central NJ places: English Manor, The Mill at Spring Lake, Addison Park, South Gate Manor, Forsgate Country Club, Crystal Ballroom at Freehold Radisson, Courtyard on Main, PNC Bank Arts Center.Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I am getting married at Addison Park. I love my venue. I looked at most of the above places between my own wedding and my best friends.Like the other ladies said, if you post more info on budget and number of guests, we'll be able to help a little more.

I <3 Seabass

I've heard bad things about the Imperia about theft and shady management- not sure if that is accurate but just a word of caution. This has not been my experience with the Imperia. A couple of other knotties have recently gotten married there as well and from what I can remember they all had great experiences as well. We're all entitled to our opinions but personally I wouldn't be voicing negative reviews or issuing cautions unless I personally experiened it or knew that the information was a 100% accurate.

mbcdefg

We looked at the Bridgewater Manor and liked that. It was within our top 3. My sister just attended a wedding at The Mill at Spring Lake last week and said it was nice. I remember some South Jersey Knotties saying that Tomasello Winery and the Ocean City Yacht Club are nice.

mrs.spunky1508

I agree MB, seaspray and mrs.kapow had their weddings at Tomasello & OCYC and they're my 2 favorite south Jersey weddings I've seen.

mbodek

courthyard on main is absolutely gorgeous and the food is amazing my aunt was married there 3 years ago. im getting married at ariana's grand in woodbridge. its a beautiful place and only does one wedding at a time. so far i've had a wonderful experience working with the staff.