The Bernards Inn

We had our candle lit ceremony and cocktail reception in the Wine Pantry / Silver Vault. It is an elegant and charming venue. Diane Carr and The Bernards Inn staff were fantastic and they exceeded our expectations! The food was exceptional... including the presentation. Our wedding also happened to be on the day of an unusual October snow storm. Power outages all over the community for several days and not only did the Inn remain lit, the staff was incredibly relaxed and very comforting to us and our guests. It was truly a memorable time and a wedding any bride would wish for.

My wedding reception was recently held at the Bernards Inn in Bernardsville, NJ. From day one of the planning to the big day, the team at the Bernards Inn went above and beyond to make sure my wedding day was nothing short of perfect. Every detail was attended to and their commitment to excellence was evident at every turn. My guests enjoyed great food, unparalleled service and a beautiful setting. Lauren and Diane were incredibly helpful—they took care of every detail so that I could enjoy the day. Simply put—my day was magical and one I’ll never forget. The Bernards Inn was a fantastic venue with an impressive staff that is customer-oriented, professional, friendly and committed to making every event perfect.

We have nothing but great things to say about the Bernards Inn. Our coordinator was Lauren and she was wonderful from the start. Immediately upon touring the Inn, we loved the charm and the quaintness of it. We had been to see many different venues and we saw few things that we liked. Many offered a great ocean view, but terrible food. The Inn was a little farther then we planned on traveling and a lot more expensive, but Lauren was able to work with us on the budget and we immediately agreed to book our wedding reception. Previously, I might have rated it less on value, but after seeing how much we got, it is definitely worth the price.

Lauren went out of her way to assist us in the planning of the wedding throughout and she would respond to any of our questions within minutes. We decided to have the ceremony at an outdoor venue at a beautiful arboretum not far from the Inn. On the day of the wedding, there was a chance of showers in the evening, but in the morning the sun was shining and we declined a ceremony at the Inn. 4:00 came and the guests were arriving at the arboretum. The groom was there as well when suddenly the skies opened up and the rain began – at a rate of 2 inches per hour! Lauren and the other wonderful people at the Inn reached out to us and told us to come back to the Inn and they would arrange some type of a ceremony. When we arrived, Lauren and the others were outside ready with umbrellas to keep every person dry. At the last minute, they put together a beautiful complete ceremony that we are so grateful for.

Every one of our guests was amazed at the way the staff made sure each and every person was taken care of. The guests loved cocktail hour and emphasized the fact that the food just kept coming. Our friends and family are still raving about the great food served throughout the reception. Many said this was the best food they ever had at a wedding. Unlike many of the other venues, we truly felt special at the Bernards Inn during every step of the way. They even left us a slice of wedding cake and other desserts in our room for us that night. Despite all of the chaos, the staff at the Inn maintained a level of professionalism that many people would not.

We would HIGHLY recommend the Bernards Inn to any couple looking for a location for their wedding.

What can I possibly say about a place that was utterly perfect? Literally EVERY detail from the planning with Lauren Montemarano, to the food, to the venue...ALL was perfect. My guests are STILL talking about the amazing food and service and just the sheer beauty of the place. The decor is quietly elegant. No detail is overlooked but nothing hits you over the head.

They work with you on every detail and they worked with us to design a wedding reception that fit our budget. Not one thing went wrong the day of our wedding. The food is outrageously good, there are a ton of selections and you can customize every detail. My wedding cake was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and we gave the pastry chef a picture printed from the internet. I also decided to surprise my groom with a grooms cake and that FAR exceeded my expectations. It was the highlight of our night. I would recommend to anyone to have their wedding at The Bernards Inn. You will receive top notch service, excellent food and be transported back to a time of refined elegance that cannot be found at any other venue.

Very professional, upscale service. All of the management, especially General Manager, Diane Carr, at Bernards Inn were on top of things. If I had a request, they would make sure it happened. Executive Chef Corey Heyer went out of his way to make sure there would be food I'd eat (since I'm on a very restrictive diet--gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free...and what he created for me was delicious beyond words). All of the guests were asked table-side if they have special dietary needs, and all were accommodated. My guests cannot stop raving about the service and atmosphere of our venue. Many have said it was the best wedding they'd ever attended. The Bernards Inn is worth the price!

My only complaint is with the overnight accommodations...the bed in the bridal suite was rock hard and located right above the terrace bar, where rowdy revelers were partying loudly. Combine that with a baby crying in the room next door at 2:00 AM....and well, this bride didn't get much sleep the night before her big day...but, everything else was perfect.

We had our wedding at The Bernards Inn on 5/6/11. The Bernards Inn truly made our day more special. It does not have that run of the mill feel like so many of the other places we visited. The service and food are incredible. My guests said they never had a filet mignon cooked so perfect at a wedding. The intimate old world charm ambiance is just so unique and romantic. The Inn has a such a warm feeling too so
what a great way to start a life together. Diane Carr is fabulous - went above and beyond... didn't miss a beat or any special request I had and there were quite a few. Overall a wonderful experience!

The Inn was wonderful! It was a elegant and sophisticated with an understated simplicity, which fit us perfectly. The setting was wonderful; it was intimate and personal and had character. The food was excellent, and the service was wonderful. Lauren was incredibly helpful along the way -- she made it such that we had so little to think about!

We had a near perfect experience. You guys did an amazing job in all respects.

Thank you!

We had the best time at the Bernards Inn. Lauren, our coordinator at Bernards, was exceptionally helpful! She is so knowledgeable and friendly, and it was a joy to work with her! Our guests were blown away by the attentiveness of the staff, the elaborate cuisine, and the wonderful ambiance we were able to create there. We ate, drank, and danced the night away!

We had a truly lovely family gathering at the Inn. Our expectations were exceeded in the quality of the food, the excellence of the service, and by the loveliness of the setting.
Thank you for making our gathering such a lovely event.

Kathy & Wayne

From the beginning of the planning to the day of the wedding, the service provided by the Bernards Inn was impeccable. No detail was left undone. The planning coordinator was of great help to my daughter the day of the wedding in calming her nerves. She was a huge part of that day. From a monetary standpoint, I am thrilled I will not be planning another wedding, but if I did, I would RUN - not walk - to the Bernards Inn. It was THAT great!!

Keeping our wedding small and intimate was key for me and my fiance. We had the wedding of our dreams, it was completely magical. The food and service were out of this world. Lauren, the catering sales manager was WONDERFUL!!! She kept in touch with us the months leading up to the wedding, and made sure all details were in place. All of the staff made us completely feel at home at the Inn. The Bernards Inn now holds a truly special place in our hearts.

After looking at four other potential venues for our wedding, we chose the Bernards Inn. We wanted our wedding to be small (about 40 guests - some from out of the area) and first-class - and after having our event there last weekend, we are completely pleased and satisfied with the experience. Diane, Lauren and Bonnie were all professional and helpful throughout the process - the food was excellent - the service is terrific without being overbearing - and all of our guests loved it. The staff made it a relatively stress-free process as they managed every detail. We actually had both our ceremony and celebratory dinner at the facility. It worked out very well for us - and we'd certainly recommend it to anyone else.

I could not have chosen a more perfect place to have my wedding reception. The food was amazing and everything looked beautiful. The direct staff that I worked with - Tracey, Lauren, and Justin were exceptional.

Diane Carr and her team at the Bernards Inn provided us exceptional service and the wedding of our dreams! i could not have asked for anything better! Everything went better than we could have hoped for and it was just magical from start to finish! I would recommend Diane, her team and the Bernards Inn to anyone for any event. As an event planner myself, i couldn't have been happier.. every detail was taken care of for us and we enjoyed every second of our wedding! Thanks for a wonderful day!! :)

I had an afternoon wedding at the Benards Inn in August of 2010 - best wedding decision I made! Wow, where to start. I worked with Lauren Montemarano on the planning and execution of the day, she did an amazing job. Lauren was extremely professional and super flexible. She made everything work just the way I wanted it too. Lauren went out of her way and responded almost immediately to all of my questions. She guided me through the whole process and even when I had no idea how to make a decision, she led me in the right direction!

Everything was perfect, from the food, to the lay out, to the service. Here are a few things that the guests have told me since the wedding.
- "This was the best food I've ever had at a wedding."
- "The service was the best I have ever seen, we never had to ask for anything, it was always brought exactly when we wanted it."

I have to agree with my guests - it was the best food I'd ever had, and I never felt like I had to wait for anything! All in all, the professionalism of Lauren and the rest of the staff was flawless. I couldn't be happier. It was worth every penny!

Superb service from start to finish! Every detail attended to courteously and professionally. Masterful cake decoration as well!

When my fiance and I first began the process of looking for a place to have a wedding reception for approximately 60 guests, we quickly became frustrated. Many of the places we looked at would not even speak to us since we were having such a small reception. At one point, we thought we would not be able to have a reception at all. But, that all changed when we found the Bernards Inn. As soon as we walked in, the staff was very interested in making this event work for us and them. They spent time getting to know us and paid attention to what we were looking for. Our coordinator Lauren, really listened to what we wanted and gave us so many great ideas. The end result was an intimate wedding reception that was both classy and comfortable. So many of our guests gave us compliments regarding the service and event space. I would recommend taking a look at this "hidden gem" before going to a big, run of the mill banquet hall. We had a wonderful time and we look forward to returning for future events and anniversaries. What a PERFECT day!

The Bernards Inn was wonderful! They responded so quickly and were really on top of things. The food the night of the wedding was AMAZING!! No problems whatsoever, we were thrilled.

The only drawback is that because they rent out their spaces to anyone (they don't just do weddings, anothewords) we would have had to pay to rent the room for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Just something to keep in mind. Otherwise it was fabulous!! They were so great to us and we had an excellent time.

The Bernard Inn provided exceptional service! The catering managers are excellent communicators and help you make the best decisions based on your personal tastes and situation.

I can't say enough good things about the Bernards Inn as a wedding venue. The location is beautiful and the staff was nothing but pleasant and accomadating. They met every one of our needs including offering us a modified menu to meet our budget. It was an unforgettable day!

Having a wedding at the Bernards Inn made the whole wedding process stress-free! Their attention to detail and promptness was excellent. They listened to all my requests and questions. They made me feel like my wedding was the most important wedding of the year...and did not miss one detail. So many of my guests commented on the quality of service, responsiveness of the staff, and excellent food.

We held our wedding reception at the Bernards Inn. We had a difficult time finding a reception venue that was willing to reserve a summer Saturday for such a small reception (~35 people). Bernards Inn was willing to work with us and we had the date reserved less than 24 hours from our initial consultation. We held the cocktail hour in the Silver Vault and moved into the Wine Pantry for the dinner. Both rooms are already elegantly decorated, meaning less work and money for us. There are bathrooms nearby and an alternate entrance from the street if you have older guests who can't take the stairs. If you have a small reception and are looking for a space that isn't the usual white ballroom, consider holding the reception at the Bernards Inn. Their Fenwick Ballroom holds more people, but I didn't look into it and am not familiar with its decor. Lauren Montemarano helped plan everything and was very professional and friendly. In fact, Lauren's presence and professionalism impressed me immediately and distinguished the Bernarnds Inn from other competing venues in the area. If somebody is planning a wedding reception, they better be confident, organized, and on time for meetings. Oscar was very helpful and made sure everything ran smoothly the day of. He kept us informed of when to expect speeches and when there were any breaks between courses where we could get up and mingle without missing our dinner. All of our guests were impressed with the quality of the wait staff, food, and drinks. The Bernards Inn is more expensive than other venues, but you get what you pay for. Guests got a glass of champagne, not a small sip just enough for a toast. The drinks were well-prepared, and the food was plentiful and delicious. We never felt rushed through our meal. The Bernards Inn also prepared our wedding cake, and it was wonderful (vanilla cake with hazelnut layers). I would highly recommend this venue.

The Bernards Inn was extremely helpful in making our wedding a great day. After our hall cancelled on us we were under a time constraint to replan. The Bernards Inn as very accomodating and made a stressful situation easier to handle. The staff was a pleasure to work with and walked us through the entire process.

My wife and I with her children give high marks to the organization for helping us with the marriage of our children.

You won't find a more romantic and pefect venue for an intimate, classic, and memorable wedding. The catering and event staff was kind, friendly, professional, and attentive. The food was divine (cake was heavenly!). The Bernards Inn is a must for the "perfectionist" bride!

I had my wedding reception at The Bernards Inn, and it was perfect. I highly recommend this place. The people are wonderful and the food is delicious. And it is such a beautiful place, with great character.

We had a wonderful wedding!

My son and daughter in law's wedding was absolutely perfect at the Bernards Inn. Everyone was accomodating, enthusiastic and professional. The food was delicious (everyone thought so!). The wine was special and flowing. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Everything went very smoothly and the food was excellent.

Lauren and everyone at the Inn were extremely helpful and made planning my wedding from an ocean away incredibly easy! The day was absolutely seamless with every member of staff going out of their way to make everything perfect. My guests had a wonderful time, the food was amazing, and I can't wait to go back for our anniversary.

Our experience with the Bernards Inn as a reception venue was top-notch from the planning stage to the day of the event. All of the staff were extremely professional, the food was wonderful and the service was of the highest quality. I would describe the Bernards Inn as elegant, but warm, welcoming and low-key at the same time.

Although I was a hesitant bride and had reservations about holding a formal reception, it was really a wonderful day that exceeded my expectations. My only regret was that it was over so quickly and that I did not have enough time to sufficiently enjoy the delicious food and beautiful setting!

Just about 5 months ago my husband and I were married at the Bernards Inn. Our ceremony was downstairs in the wine pantry and reception followed upstairs. From the moment we saw the space we knew it would be perfect for us. It was intimate and special, there weren't 5 different events going on that night like you get in so many large catering halls...it was just about us.
As a "hands on bride" I knew exactly what I wanted and they sure gave it to me, from the cookies and milk to the amazing wedding cake everything was perfect!! Friends and family still talk about our wedding and what an amazing time they had. Diane helped us get through all of the planning with a smile, she worked hard to give us what we pictured and we really couldn't have been any happier.
We had a brunch the following day at the B.I. which was the perfect send off for us, many of our guests stayed at the Bernards Inn as well and they loved the cozyness and warmth they felt during thier stay.
The Bernards Inn is a staple, it is here to stay, its about class, elegance and style... I want to get married all over again just to celebrate there!

Working with the Bernards Inn was an absolute pleasure. The venue and service is top notch in terms of professionalism, presentation and service. The Catering Sales Manager, Lauren Montemarano, is terrific and does a fabulous job in making you feel special and attended to. All of my guests were truly impressed.

I 100% recommend this venue for any wedding/party needs.

The Bernards Inn was exceptional. The food is excellent, and the staff is highly professional, competent, and lovely to work with. The reception ran very smoothly, and the staff especially spoils the bride and groom. We were never told "no" to any of our requests.

We were very satisfied with everything at the Bernards Inn. Our catering manager Lauren was extremely helpful and accommodating, always had good advice and referrals, and held our hand throughout the entire wedding planning process. The venue was beautiful, the staff friendly and helpful, and the food was definitely a cut above the usual catering fare.

The Bernards Inn delivered everything that was promised....excellent food, excellent service. Bonnie was the face of The Bernards Inn for our daughter's wedding......she is warm , professional and fun to work with.....thankyou, Bonnie. Our guests raved that it was the best wedding they had ever been to.....everyone had fun. A total success.

Everything was great, except that they are totally unwilling to work with the pricing.

In terms of service, the Bernards Inn was a paradigm of professionalism, responsiveness, and friendliness. The staff was well-versed in the traditional components of a ceremony and reception, but was also willing to make adjustments to make the day unique. Planning meetings with staff made the whole wedding planning process easier, and, on the wedding day, our every whim was catered to--truly a treat. The food was absolutely excellent (a priority for us) in both the way it was presented and in taste. And, of course, the setting is very classy--it was just what we wanted.

For a casual fun affair, the silver/wine cellar downstairs is perfect. Lauren, who came on after my initial contact with the Bernards Inn is absolutely wonderful to work with and very helpful.

Although I am a wedding planner on the West coast, Lara at Bernard's Inn has made my job so much easier. Planning a wedding from across the country can be challenging but working with Bernard's Inn has been fabulous!

Fantastic place to have your wedding. The management is top notch and you are in excellent hands. They know what they're doing there and that makes a big differnce, believe me.

The Bernard's Inn is by far one of the greatest venues to work with. Their staff is second-to-none and the food is spectacular on every level - and as fresh as can be! The Inn has an elegance that is unrivaled by other catering halls and their uncanny ability to accommodate their clients, no matter the request, is something no client should overlook. They will exceed your expectations - guaranteed. They have always been great to us and we love the relationship we've been able to create and sustain with them throughout the past few years. We look forward to working with them on more great events in the future.

The Bernard’s Inn is a local gem, with graceful space, glorious food and one of the most professional and attentive staff in the business. It is always a pleasure to work and decorate there!