Plasma Show at Naninas In The Park

The Sheraton Parsippany Hotel

Our experience at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel was ok. I think the staff was having an "off" night when we were there with setting up.   The room we entertained in was a bit small and cramped and the lighting was awkward.  On a positive note, the staff was very responsive to guests and it seemed that everyone at the event had a great time towards the end of the night.  There was another huge room being used that night and they did a great job setting up for that wedding.  If I were to book a room at the Sheraton Parsippany, I want that room!


The Sheraton Parsippany Hotel often hosts multiple events at the same time which can be a little confusing for guests and the entertainment due to the sheer size of the place. Finding the cocktail hour room was a little confusing even for us.  I had to ask 2 staff members where the room was.  The room was ok.  It had a nice K. Kawai Piano Black Baby Grand, slightly out of tune though.  We provided some live entertainment and it sounded really flat as our sound dropped as guests began conversing.  I don't know if all the rooms have the same acoustics, but it's not a great room for live entertainment.


The Sheraton Parsippany Hotel provided a buffet for dinner.  I am a huge fan of buffets.  I have eaten hundreds and hundreds of top quality meals at the best reception halls in New Jersey and I am hardly ever impressed.  Buffets always seem to impress me even if the selection is limited.  I will never forget the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel for one reason..... Bow Tie Pasta served with a tomato and vodka sauce.  It was out of this world phenomenal.  The other food selections were just ok, but the pasta blew my mind.  That's what I love about buffets.  The guests are bound to find something they like!


Cleon did a great job making sure the guests were taken care of and treated the entertainment like royalty.  Linda, one of the staff helping bar tend also treated the guests and us like gold.  Thanks guys for making the night smooth for us and the guests.


For more specific information about what we liked and our concerns with this hall, please email us at anytime at newjerseydj@gmail.com.

Mayfair Farms

Mayfair Farms is located in West Orange NJ and is a true reception hall. Large rooms, gorgeous grounds, tall ceilings, two ballrooms, great food, and staff truly dedicated to perfection.

 The Grounds as you can see are large and nicely maintained.  The picture above shows a small staging area where wedding ceremonies are held. When the ceremonies are finished, guests walk 50 yards into the hall where cocktail hour is served.

There are two main ballrooms in Mayfair farms, downstairs and upstairs.  Downstairs opens up to a nice patio where guests can sit at round tables and socialize away from the music if they wish.

I also really like the mirrors in the room as they make the room look even more spacious.  There is a large floor to ceiling mirror behind us when we entertain in that room and it looks like people are flirting with us when in fact they are checking themselves out when they are dancing and walking bye.


Cocktail hour is in the other side of the ballroom, sectioned off by a moving partition.  The upstairs ballroom has a separate cocktail room as seen below.

The downstairs hall has a decent size dance floor but the upstairs dance floor is huge.  This is a big very large room and is highly recommended for parties over 200.  I guess you can have a party of 100 occupy this room at Mayfair Farms, but it would look pretty empty.

We love entertaining at Mayfair Farms. As a Dj with live elements, it allows us to really showcase our performance and entertain guests.  The staff is excellent with guests and also makes sure the entertainment crew is well taken care of.   For more information on on this hall email us at newjerseydj@gmail.com.


P.s  Ever think about DJ'ing part time?
Learn how to DJ here

The Highlawn Pavilion

 

The Highlawn Pavilion located in West Orange NJ has one of the greatest views a reception hall can offer.  Last weekend was a day that all brides would be jealous of.  It was 75 degrees, clear skies, no humidity, and a reception hall with a view worth a million dollars.

 

 The Highlawn pavilion sits on the top of Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange NJ.  Guests are able to appreciate the New York Skyline and can also experience a beautiful World Trade Center memorial built to commemorate the people who perished in this great country.  God Bless America!

This Highlawn Pavilion has the feel of a large mansion instead of a factory reception hall. It has cozy rooms, green plants, and warm colors.  As you can see in the picture above, it boasts a large elegant entrance. As people walk in, they are greeted with champagne and are escorted into the cocktail hour room on the first floor.




The cocktail hour room once again feels homey.  Its the large windows in the Highlawn Pavilion that truly warms up the hall.  The food was pretty good, conversation was good, and there was fun had by all.  On an entertainment note, kudos to the hall for the Piano.  The piano was a black Yamaha Baby Grand and it was perfectly in tune.  For some reason some halls are over the top fancy, but the pianos are not taken care of and sound terrible. After Cocktail hour is over, the guests are invited upstairs to the main room.




As an entertainer, I can't like this room, but the guests may absolutely love it.  As the guests walk up into the room, they are walking right onto the dance floor.  Through the dance area to the opening at the other side are where the tables are set up.  The guest tables are set all along the big beautiful windows and the entertainment is on the dance floor which is somewhat separated from the guests.


We are live/DJ performers (keyboard, sax, singers). When we are performing on the dance floor while people are eating, they have no ideas that we are performing.  It just sounds like music is playing.   The dance room is also slightly on the narrow side, so volume can be an issue while people are dancing.  it is also more difficult to motivate people to dance.  When people are dancing the dance floor can pack nicely.   I will admit that because it is more closed in, people are less timid to strut their stuff.

Again, the Highlawn Pavilion has a "mansion" feel to it.  The large windows make this hall warm and bright.  The guests had a great time while we were there and we enjoyed performing for them.  Although the live performances were a little awkward, the DJ was able to get people on the dance floor, even in Mid-Day.  If you like a mansion feel, great views, and a bright event, the Highlawn Pavilion is a good place to consider.

The Brick House

The Brick House is located in Wyckoff, NJ and is surrounded by a beautiful suburban town.  It is a few minutes from Route 208 and is very easy to find.  It looks like a brick mansion as you pull into the parking lot.  It used to be a popular restaurant, able to hold small events but in the last few years they have added a gorgeous reception room. 

The main reception room in the Brick House is not totally square (it has some angles and such) which allows the sound to carry well through the room even at lower volumes. The food was fantastic and the service was excellent.  Tricia, the Coordinator ensured the hosts were well taken care of and even made sure the Entertainment were tended to by the staff.  The staff would come up to us, offer us food and refill our drinks!)  Thanks Tricia and Marcus. 

The room had some really cool features, like the 50" flat screen tv that lifted out of the wall for visual entertainment.  The room in the Brick House also had beautiful brown/tan granite counters for food, pictures, and other things necessary for this party.  Overall, I really enjoyed entertaining at the Brick House in Wyckoff.  The food was fantastic, the staff was extraordinary (including with us), and I enjoyed the tall ceilings and openness of room.  I look forward to going back!

NJ Reception Halls - The Inside Scoop

Email Us at newjerseydj@gmail.com if you would like a personalized detailed review of these NJ Reception Halls! Otherwise general reviews to be posted soon....

The Sheraton Crossroads

The Venetian

Mayfair Farms

The Manor

The Tides

The Brownstone

The Primavera

Brooklake Country Club

The Empire Club

The Channel Club

The Grand Chalet

The Grand Marquis

Richfield Regency

The Valley Regency

Headquarters Plaza, Morristown

Bretton Woods

This Mill

The Old Mille Inn

Short Hills Hilton

Molly Pitcher Inn

Ocean Point Hotel

Lake Valhalla

The Skylands

The Newark Club

The Palace At Somerset Park

The Imperia

Perona Farms

Seasons

Bonnet Island Estates

Naninas In The Park

The Wilshire Grand

The Westwood

Twin Brooks Country Club

The Landmark

The Grand Colonial

The Grand Colonial, Hampton NJ, was a hike out to exit 12 on Route 78, but it was worth it for the beautiful surroundings.  It is only able to hold one event at a time which is nice,  I have been to some reception halls that have 2 or 3 events going on at one time and it is just a mad house. I felt important coming to this hall, even as the DJ.  Driving up to the front I was approached by a very professional man waiting to valet my car.  He was very polite and did a great job with guests as they arrived.

                                    

I loved the views in this place.  It had an outside courtyard that sometimes hosts ceremonies.  This day was a gorgeous day really highlighting the openness of the exterior of this hall.   it even had a really nice gazebo on the other side of the building where the bridal party and guests were able to take pictures on the lawn.  It is also another great option for a ceremony.

  

                                      

The entrance was really beautiful with a nice deep brown Steinway Piano. Once through the doors, cocktail hour was set up.  It seemed a bit cramped for cocktail hour trying to fit 165 guests in here, but it was still elegant.  The staff did a pretty good job.  My favorite person was one of the women bartenders.  She was polite, offered a smile with the service, and made sure we felt special.  The food was ok too.  Contact me if you would like more information about the food served here, I don't have time to go into it right now.  

The Cocktail hour music was delightful once again,  we provided the cocktail music, hehe.  I enjoyed the sunlight shining through the windows while playing the music.  Overall the cocktail hour was pretty good.

 

   

The ballroom was nice but again seemed a little cramped even with 165 people.  I was a little disappointed when they shut the curtains but I understood as the sun shines pretty bright through those windows.  The room was set up very nice and the service was once again very good.  We packed the dance floor all night so that was a good indicator that the room was tailored for dancing.  The food was ok but again if you would like specific details contact me directly and leave a comment.

                                 

Overall, The Grand Colonial was a nice place.  It was smaller and probably best for smaller events. It has really nice grounds, and a fairly elegant interior.  Music played by us, the dj's, had to really watch our volume as the room is fairly shallow, but people had no trouble dancing all night long.  For More info contact us at newjerseydj@gmail.com

  

 

The Meadow Wood Manor

Nice Place!  It just so happened that today was a bright sunny day and a great day for a wedding and reception at the Meadow Wood Manor located in Randolph, NJ.  What I love about this place is that it's right on Rt. 10 but back a bit in the countryside.  The leaves on the trees are green and the flowers are blooming. You're probably asking..."why is this important".  Everything about the Meadow Wood Manor screams spacious and open.  All the rooms have really big windows and great views of the green lush countryside.  I have not been here in the late fall or winter but it's probably not the place of choice when everything is brown and dull but the interior may speak for itself.

Nice country but elegant entrance demands class.  and of course the staff is very professional and greeted the guests with utmost respect.  Joanna, one of the staff managers, really cares about her staff and ensure the food is prepared well and the guests are happy.  Ryan, another manager, was fantastic with us (we were the dj's for the event) making sure we were well taken care of with every course served.  They definitely treat the professionals (videographer, photographer, Entertainment,) with top service as they do with the guests.


 The Cocktail Hour room was very nice.  Here take a look!  This picture was before the food came out. There was a very nice spread of food and the music was delightful...lol.... (we were the entertainment for cocktail hour).  You will notice the natural light coming in from the western window.  Again, the Meadow Wood Manor is very open as you will see in the main room as well.

 The Main Room is tall, long, but it is a little narrow.  The courtyards flaunted the views of the green hills.   It was almost like you could have stepped into a different country while visiting this manor.  The dance floor was nicely placed in the middle of the room with the guests sitting to the sides.  I can tell that this ballroom is a challenge for DJ's because it is narrow.  The sound really has no where to go and it bounces back giving the room a boomy sound if the Dj isn't careful with the volume.  When the volume is controlled, it sounds great!

Notice the bright natural light shining through the windows!  It is a smaller room but I am pretty sure one of the walls opens up for larger events  They had a Viennese with many great desserts in an adjoining room so I would assume the wall could be moved to accommodate a larger event.


Overall, we always have a pleasant experience when visiting the Meadow Wood Manor.  The pictures really do not do it justice so if it is a consideration, you may just have to take a ride up there to check it out.  The food is pretty good, the staff is professional, the music was awesome (haha.. us), and the elegant/countryside manor feel was a breath of fresh air.  Feel free to comment if you want more detailed information about this hall.

The Westin Governor Morris Hotel

 I really like this NJ reception hall, The Westin Governor Morris Hotel, located in Morristown, NJ.  The Westin is conveniently located off of rt 24 and minutes from rt 287.  When you pull up to the hotel, you will notice that it is an older hotel but it still has class.  If your looking for a reception hall that looks like a palace when pulling up to it, this is not the place, but it still remains fancy for people with exquisite tastes.


They have a couple of event rooms but the main ballroom in the Westin Governor Morris Hotel is obviously most impressive.  The hotel even has it's own event lighting company that makes a great looking room, exceptional.  It's quite beautiful when the lighting specialist shine their beams on the crystal chandeliers.  Below is a picture of the main ballroom, still pretty bare, but looking sweet!  As you can see there is sufficient room for dancing.

Another thing I really like about this room is that the guests sit on either side of the dance floor letting the music pump at a nice dancing level without killing the guests ears.  The bars are on the top of the 1st tier and are out of the way of the music as well allowing for ample conversations.


Let's take a step back and talk about cocktail hour.  Its held on the second floor of the hotel over looking the gorgeous lobby.  It's roomy and bright  as the large windows in the lobby of the Westin allow for natural sun light to enter.


The Westin Governor Morris Hotel has a beautiful Kwaii Black Baby Grand Piano.  It sounds great!  The staff waits as the guests arrive with trays of champagne with white gloves on.  The food is also very taste, especially their spinach filled tortellini... so good!  When I go there I especally love their tomato and fresh mozzarella platter.  It's a very classy place and the staff is on top of making sure the guests are well taken care of.


The staff is very good with the guests.  Sue, one of the managers runs a tight ship with her staff, but is respected for her leadership.  The bartenders are very polite and don't even think twice about making sure even the DJ's are taken care of.  I went up to John, one of the bartenders, and I had asked for water.  He filled a glass with ice, poured the water, and them offered me the bottle.  I can only count a few times in 10 years that the bartender took that much consideration with the entertainment.




When we were there providing the entertainment, the dance floor was packed all night long.   The guests really felt comfortable dancing in this room and the acoustics of the room allow for the sound to be dispersed nicely.


The food was very good, the staff was excellent, and the hotel was classy and clean.  Even the bathrooms were really nice with marble and granite.  Great overall experience and I look forward to working with sue and her staff again soon!  Signed.. the professional entertainment.

The Westmount Country Club

I have been to many high end reception halls in NJ but this one I consider the cream of the crop. It lies about a minute off of Rt 46 in West Paterson down a beautiful side road with the classy gray stone pillar entrance on the left. Don't drive too fast or you'll miss the entrance as I had missed it the first 2 times I attended there.


After you turn left and drive up the driveway, you'll see a large car port with beautiful lighting and a polite valet service who greets you as you arrive.   The inside is pretty outstanding with marble and granite floors and ballroom has their own light-show lights either on the ceiling and on the walls.


Another nice feature of the WMCC is the view.  The country club sits on top of a hill looking down  onto the towns below. You won't see long green rolling hills, but view is pretty outstanding especially as the sun sets. 


The service is nothing short of outstanding.  Their white glove service and friendly smiles are inviting a professional to say the least.  They make sure your cocktail plates are full, your drinks are topped off, and make you feel at home.


The food is very good.  I've eaten at many NJ reception halls and have experienced good food and food I wouldn't give to my dog.  I would rate the food at about a 7.5 which is pretty darn good.   One thing I liked was that when I went to eat the Penne and Vodka again, the girl said do you like it, and I just told her to pile it on my plate, then she said she made it.  I congratulated her on a dish well prepared. She showed pride in her dish and she showed me that she loves what she does.  If the staff is happy, the guests are happy. Happiness is contagious.


The selection of the food at the cocktail hour was outstanding. I know it is the bride and groom's choice what to have served but when a reception hall can make all that food for a cocktail hour, keep the trays full and the quality high, they deserve a great rating.


 The courses came out on time, the music was great, the place looked beautiful, and the staff made the event run like clockwork.  One quick note on the staff.  When I went to the bar, I noticed the bar tenders had name tags with their last names.  Mr. Jacobs was my bartender and he was great, not crabby or egotistical like other bartenders I have had the privilege (or not) of meeting.


The upper management seemed a little abrupt, stern, and to the point BUT without them leading the crew with authority this place would not run at the standards that they have achieved.


EXTRA Notes:
Notes for DJ's:  if using the piano for cocktail hour; The piano they have is a beautiful white Bergmann in their Continental room.  It plays a little hard and the pedal is tight.  The other Piano they have in the BIG gorgeous ballroom is pretty good.  I can't remember the name of it but I think it may play a little out of tune.


It's always a good idea to ask reception halls the condition of the piano before using it.  I have played in other Gorgeous Reception hall in NJ with really stinky out of tune pianos.  When playing out of tune, poorly maintained pianos, it makes you look like a doofus and the NJ reception hall look inadequate.


Notes For DJ:  They have many fastened dancing lights in their rooms. They add a really nice touch, but just keep this in mind when bringing you light show.


Notes For DJ:  The rooms are big so the sound will bounce if not controlled properly. Use a subwoofer in all of their rooms to maximize the sound.

Wedding Reception Hall Reviews

What can you look forward to on this blog?

We have performed and have experienced hundreds and hundreds of events for over a decade in NJ's reception halls. Over the last few years, we have been approached regarding our knowledge and experiences with these Halls. We feel it is important, for people looking to "book" a reception hall, to have all the necessary information in order to make a logical decision.

Who Are We?

We are Jean Pierre and Christian Farray, 2 NJ prominent entertainment business entrepreneurs with over a decade of experience in performance, production, recording, and providing honest people with honest reviews.

We would like to give you first a non-biased description of each hall and then give you our honest opinion. Here are some things you may see us commenting on.

• The Appearance (inside/out)
  
• Is the hall a reception factory or just 1 event at a time
• The Cocktail Hour Food and Service
• The Dinner Service (sit-down and buffets)
• The Staff , including Bartender Service
• Lighting / Ambiance

Finally... DRUM ROLL PLEASE....... we would like to give you our
NJ Reception Hall Reviews rating: 1-10
(1 being the least recommended - 10 being to most recommended)

Look for pictures to come!!!

STAY TUNED!!!!