Jennifer & Anthony | The Park Savoy Estate | Florham Park, NJ

“Completely Wonderful”

Anthony and I went to the same high school but never spoke to each other. It wasn’t until after college, when his best friend and my best friend were dating, that they set us up. We went to a very competitive mini golf game, which I won, and went to dinner afterwards. Now, I am a speech therapist and he is a pharmaceutical sales rep.

After four and a half years of dating, he proposed. We were by the shore after going to one of our favorite restaurants, Xina. We stopped on the dock in Lavallette Bayside, presumably to see his sister and brother-in-law before they went home. I was completely oblivious to the rose petals, candles, and white paper bags with lights in them that said, “Will you marry me?” Finally, Anthony pointed and said, “What’s that?” I was so shocked as he got down on one knee that I barely remember anything other than saying, “Yes!” Our families came out from their hiding places to congratulate us and we spent the evening celebrating.

I’ve always loved The Park Savoy. Walking inside, you feel like you’ve stepped back in time in the best way possible. Known as one of the best cocktail hours and food venues in our area, it is also incredibly beautiful. They went above and beyond to make our day completely wonderful. Their checklists helped with planning things we wouldn’t have thought about.

Manny, our maître d’, was thoughtful and sweet. He helped facilitate the night and when our sparklers were too short for our end-of-the-night photo, he provided new ones. Mary, my bridal attendant, was a dream, always ready with a water and a vodka club, letting me choose which I’d prefer. She helped with my dress for pictures all day, making any possible worry disappear.

Sam Tillawi, the general manager, spectacularly organized every aspect of our wedding. He helped with food selections, table arrangements, getting a stage for our band, and more!

We were married at St. Vincent Martyr, the beautiful church my grandparents were married in almost 70 years ago. Father George led an amazing, heart-warming ceremony, after which we celebrated with champagne right outside the church.

Arriving at The Park Savoy in an old Bentley, we were taken up to the bridal suite to enjoy a tray of selections from our cocktail hour. We were so thankful to have that before greeting our guests. Some items we chose were mini crab cakes with chipotle pepper sauce, short rib quesadillas, gnocchi in sage walnut sauce, and nine different captain stations! Our favorite was the fresh mozzarella, made right in front of our guests, as well as the martini bar. Finishing cocktail hour, our guests headed to the gorgeous ballroom. Subtle amber lighting gave the room an enchanting glow.

The flowers, arranged in three different centerpieces, were breathtaking. We danced our first dance as a married couple, did our father-daughter and mother-son dances, then listened to incredible, thoughtful speeches.

Our first course, a tasty salad, was followed by a mini dance set. The band was awesome at keeping the momentum going and reading the crowd. They announced dinner, which was a choice of chateaubriand, chicken saltimbocca, or grilled salmon, and we all took a break to eat more delicious food.

Then we went right back to dancing, stopping only for dessert and cake! We cut our vanilla cake, I threw the bouquet, and we went back to the cocktail room for our Venetian hour. Desserts ranged from creme brûlée to fried Oreos; it was really remarkable.Back in the ballroom for our final dance set, the band went all out. They came into the crowd to sing and dance with us and left us all breathless! We ended the night with late-night food, such as grilled cheese and fries. Cigars were handed out and we were able to mingle and wind down with our guests after an exhilarating night.

Our wedding was so memorable, we will never forget the love we felt. We thank everyone who helped make our day. We can’t thank Barry and Joe Maurillo, the co-owners of The Park Savoy, enough. To everyone at The Park Savoy, my hair stylists, make-up artists, and photographers, thank you all for creating the wedding of our dreams. To our families and wedding party, we love you and are so thankful you were all by our side on one of the most important days of our lives!
The Park Savoy Estate, Florham Park, NJ973.377.7100, www.theparksavoy.com