I began working at Hotels Unlimited, located in East Windsor, in October 2012 where I quickly began to learn (and love) everything about the four banquet halls we own throughout Central NJ.

When Mike popped the question in July 2013, I immediately went into planning-mode (we had the venue, photographer, and DJ booked within 3 weeks of getting engaged)! We visited a few other NJ venues, but no one compared to the Crystal Ballroom. Not only do they answer all your questions almost immediately (phone, email, or in person), they take the time to get know you, your fiancé, and your family. Plus the price for the amount of food you get was unbeatable! The value didn’t even come close anywhere else. Even though I knew the menus and packages inside and out, Andrea and Sydney still took the time to give me, Mike, and my family a tour and explain each package in detail so everyone knew exactly what we were getting.

We booked the Diamond Package for August 16 and added on the Outdoor Patio which I highly recommend for a spring, summer, or fall wedding. Our family and friends loved it! We didn’t attended cocktail hour, but when we got our photos I’m pretty sure every single guest was outside. Plus it comes with an extra bar, and who doesn’t love that?!

The day of the wedding was amazing, relaxing, and surprisingly stress-free. I was able to book one of the suites at the Radisson for two nights (the night of our wedding was FREE!) so some of my bridesmaids and I didn’t have to worry about waking up super early to get our hair and makeup done. Andrea and Sydney checked on us a few times to see if we needed anything and assured us everything was being taken care of.

Our ceremony was in the Crystal Ballroom at 6:30pm, so we did our photos beforehand at Thompson Park in Lincroft, NJ. When we returned to the Radisson, we had some time to relax and mingle with our wedding party before the ceremony. We didn’t even need to worry about what time to go down to the ballroom because Andrea and Sydney came to get us and instructed everyone through the entire ceremony.

We were able to have a private cocktail hour in the Atrium, and they had a ton of our cocktail hour food choices waiting for me, Mike, and the whole wedding party after the ceremony. The reception was a total whirlwind! When everyone tells you the day flies by, they aren’t joking!

The ballroom looked stunning! It was great to see our vision come to life when we stepped into the ballroom. We chose pink ceiling cove lighting (they have SO many color options including rainbow!) that transitioned to blue throughout the night. Unfortunately, I did not eat (like I said – time gets away from you), but I heard nothing but outstanding feedback from all of our guests. We chose the Roulade of Chicken Florentine, Filet of Mahi Mahi, and Slow Roasted Prime Rib for our entrees, and everyone raved about their choice. The Mahi Mahi was a HUGE hit!

My favorite takeaway from the whole experience was something my dad told me when Mike and I returned home from our honeymoon. He said, “It was amazing seeing how perfectly everything turned out, and how happy you and Mike were that day. The staff weren’t just worried about you and Mike though, they took care of everyone!” Yes, this day was mainly a celebration of me and Mike, but it was also about our families and friends, and to hear they were taken care of just as well as we were was amazing.

I tell my co-workers over and over, it is one thing to read all the wonderful reviews that come from our brides and grooms, but it’s another thing to experience it first-hand. This is how you want and expect your wedding day to be.