Jaclyn & Nadav | Northern Valley Affairs | Closter, NJ

Enchanting Grounds

I met Nadav at his best friend Justin’s birthday party in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district. For our first date, Nadav took me to a candlelit wine bar called Tangled Vine. I am an organizational development specialist and Nadav is a continuous improvement manager.

After nine months of dating, Nadav told me we were meeting with friends at Gansevoort Hotel, which happens to be across the street from the place we met. I was totally surprised when we got to the rooftop, where he proposed instead! Afterward, we celebrated at my parents’ house with both our families.

My sister got married at Northern Valley Affairs at Temple Emanu-El and I always loved the venue and the people who work there. We especially remembered Les Friedman, the owner, and Marty Maged, the general manager. It was an obvious choice for me and once we toured the synagogue with its incredible stained glass dome, Nadav agreed.

The venue’s architecture and grounds are enchanting and the food (OMG the food!) was amazing. Les and Marty and their entire staff made our wedding magical. Their attention to detail and professionalism was like no other. We were never worried, knowing that Les and Marty had everything under control. On the day of, Angela, my bridal attendant, was so attentive.

Our rabbi, who is also a close family friend, performed a traditional Jewish ceremony under a beautiful chuppah. As homage to Nadav’s family from Israel, we played Hatikvah, the national anthem of Israel. The best part of the ceremony was when, after Nadav stepped on the glass, all our family and friends danced us out of the synagogue!

We loved that Northern Valley had the capability to do an indoor/outdoor cocktail hour. People raved about the outdoor BBQ with beef and turkey sliders, the tequila bar, and the wide variety of food. Butlers passed hors d’oeuvres such as lamb meatballs, tuna tartare, steak crostini, and more. We also had a signature cocktail, “The Weiztini,” which was a wonderful fun detail.

Our florist did an incredible job transforming our ballroom into an elegant, colorful spring room. We chose yellow, white, and purple flowers to celebrate the start of the season. Our favorite detail was the elegant ring of flowers hanging from the ceiling!

Guests were provided a dinner menu at their assigned seat. The meal started with an appetizer sampler plate of vegetable Napoleon, a field green salad, and a grilled Bosc pear. The entrées included a variety of delicious choices: prime rib, herb-crusted salmon, French cut chicken, or grilled eggplant rollatini. We ended the night with numerous desserts passed out on the dance floor, including cake pops, fruit kabobs, warm cookies, and much more.

We selected our band because they excel in both traditional Hebrew music and English music. The first round of dancing was to traditional Jewish wedding music and we were lifted up in our chairs as our friends and family danced in front of us. The second round of music included throwbacks to the oldies and top 40’s.

First and foremost, thanks to our families for making this day the most memorable day of our lives. We had wonderful vendors, from our photographer, caterer, and band, to our florist. Les, Marty, and the staff at Northern Valley were unbelievably kind and helpful; especially Angela, the bridal attendant. Thank you to our family and friends for making both of us feel special and loved!

Northern Valley Affairs at Temple Emanu-El, Closter, NJ, 201.750.0333, www.northernvalleyaffairs.com