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New Jersey - South
Coleyon24
member
The Merion - Wedding Venue
Hi ladies!
Has anyone had their wedding at The Merion or been to a wedding there within the last year? I wanted to get some feedback on ballrooms and pricing. They won't give any idea on budget over the phone, and I wanted to get an idea how much per person for a Saturday night wedding in Sept or Oct. Also reviews on food and overall experience. Thanks 
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Re: The Merion - Wedding Venue
I'm having my wedding at The Merion next year, and I have been to a wedding there two years ago. It is absolutely gorgeous, I felt like I didn't need to go to any more appointments. For September or October, they will give you a great price break. The pricing was actually less than what we were quoted at The Westin Mt Laurel. With discounts for the time of year, we're paying about $150 per person (including the filet mignon options). All four of the ballrooms have a different feel, but all are very elegant. They include ALL of the passed hors d'oeuvres and 6 cocktail hour stations. I can tell you people at the previous wedding thought the cocktail hour was the dinner. Open bar included, with all top shelf liquor (if they don't have it, they will get it for you). All three of your entree choices are offered to guests, with an additional vegetarian option and special diet options, so you don't have to get food choices from your guests. The dessert spread is phenomenal, and all of the food was delicious. Cake is also included in the price, and they have a new pastry chef with awesome design options. They even give you a sampling of hors d'oeuvres when you visit the first time.
We are having our wedding in the Palazzo ballroom: the room size can be changed based on guest number (don't worry about not meeting a max in this room like I did the first time I saw it), gorgeous columns, huge cocktail hour room, very high ceilings, rectangle dance floor
I highly recommend going to see The Merion, I had looked at Luciens Manor and thought we were going to go with them until I saw The Merion.
My brother in law is a major major problem. I was terrified he would get plastered and start something plus he's a huge guy. I told Cathy (my Merion planner) and JImmy the other main person in charge of my entire wedding about my concerns and they alerted the bartenders to not serve him and also had two guys keep an eye on him all night. It was a huge relief. I liked that I knew I didn't have to hire a wedding coordinator as they had everything in hand.
My wedding cake was stunning.... it was 6 tiers, two flavors, had sugar paste hand cute snowflakes and covered in sugar crystals to look like snow. It was made on site by their baker and only cost me an additional $150 (because I added on two tiers and the snowflakes).
I loved it there so much that we plan to hold our future kids Christening parties there and my mom wants to throw my baby shower there (I'm not even pregnant). I looked at a ton of places prior to deciding on The Merion and the best decision I made was to have the wedding there. Good luck with planning!
my friends had a mornnig/afternoon wedding (11-5)- we left our stuff in the bridal suite. when we went back up after the wedding, it was gone!! they had moved it to another bridal suite because the evening wedding needed it. not a HUGE deal- but just unnerving to know that they were moving our stuff, and didn't give us a heads up about it beforehand.
also, my husband had to stop my friends videographer from video taping the place cards from another wedding. again, not a HUGE deal and could be edited out. but, would have been strange to have another brides place cards on their wedding video!
i also felt like they kind of rushed the meal. we would get up to go get a drink, and come back to our plate gone- instead of them just leaving it there until they asked us if we were done.
again- i think a lot of this was because it was a daytime wedding in may (popular wedding month). but, just something to be aware of- that there most likely will be other weddings or parties going on at the same time as yiur wedding (sharing photo spots, seeing other brides/wedding parties, guests going into the wrong reception room, etc)