The Palace at Somerset Park

I had to write a review after a fantastic wedding on Sept 25. The Palace was amazing and so many of my guests were saying this was the best wedding they ever went to. I'll admit, the sales contact we worked with didn't leave a great impression on us and even scared us a little on our decision, but once we were booked these people went above and beyond. I worked with Melanie, who is so patient and wonderful, and the day of Anthony was our M'D and I couldn't have imagined it with out him. Oh and Elena was my bridal attendant and also rocked! I probably emailed Melanie with so many requests that she should have been sick of me, but never acted that way - always responsive or willing to look into things for us and helped us with questions we had no idea of. The tasting was a fun event, but the food was ok. However, the day of our wedding, the food was so incredible that when the chef came our we couldn't stop thanking him for such a wonderful execution. The place was beautiful, well lit and breath-taking. We were in the West Wing and there was actually another wedding in the East Wing, but you never knew it - you couldn't hear or see anyone. I would highly recommend a wedding at the Palace, it was everything we hoped for!

PERFECT

I cannot believe the negative comments I'm reading! We had our wedding at The Palace two months ago in November and I have to say we are still getting phone calls from guests telling us how incredible our wedding was! The food was out of this world and our guests were blown away by the service. We had no trouble finding servers at any point and one of our friends even commented on how he didn't even have to go to the bar for a drink as his table's server went and got them for him.
From a behind-the-scenes standpoint, our maitre'd Anthony and my bridal attendant Maya were out of this world! Maya was only a few feet away from me at all times so I never had to look for her or wait to get anything I needed! At one point, the hook at the top of my dress's zipper broke while I was on the dance floor and I turned and headed for the stairs with my Maid of Honor to go to the bridal suite to fix it; as soon as I got to the bottom of the steps, Maya was already there with safety pins in hand, following me up to take care of it (which she did in two minutes). She was extremely sweet and at the end of the night she even had my gown packed away wonderfully for me along with anything else I ahd in the bridal suite (I changed into a cocktail dress after the cake-cutting). She was definitely a highlight of the night! (Maya, good luck on your own wedding!! You'll be a beautiful bride!)
As far as the planning experience, I called the Palace several times for vendor referrals and just words of advice. My questions were always answered by the end of the day by either Laura or Melanie, and both were incredibly kind and knowledgeable. I have even kept in touch with Melanie since the wedding. Laura gave us tips on how to select a band along with recommendations and Melanie helped me with our menu, our wine selections, our lighting (which i disagree with the other bride -- we used the lavender and it looked incredible, everyone noticed -- maybe the problem was the amber). At no point did I feel as though they had left me on my own after the contract was signed -- they assisted me through the entire process. Also, I remember during the tasting my mom ended up liking a different dessert than the one we had selected -- Melanie was gracious enough to note that down and make sure my Mom received her own personal selection the night of the wedding (a little touch that I truly appreciated). My cake was very important to me as I am a cake-decorator by hobby and so I designed my own cake. I cried when I saw how beautiful it turned out and tons of guests took photos of it, commenting on how stunning it was (and it was DELICIOUS).
Honestly, we are still being told by lots of people that it was the best wedding they ever went to and everyone fell in love with the Palace. The money per head was worth every penny. As far as the mandatory headcount -- DUH! Obviously if you don't expect that you haven't shopped around. We went to visit seven different venues and they ALL had a headcount! The Palace only required us to guarantee 140 for a Saturday night in November in the West Ballroom which is smaller and very intimate-feeling. We thought that was very doable and we ended up with 152 guests! Most other places wanted 200.
If you can afford it, have your wedding at the Palace!!! It was incredible and they truly made our reception a dream come true! Tell Melanie when you get there that Liz and Paul said hi! :-)
Also, for flowers Rosie's Posies in Manalapan was incredible to work with and their work was gorgeous! Our band was the Silk Band and everyone is still saying how they were the best! (we've already been asked for their info by three other engaged couples at our wedding) And our photographer from David Eric Studio in Nutley was excellent! Our proofs our beautiful! We got our invitations from gourmentinvitations.com, a designer who does all custom work. They were a real wow-factor and very easy to work with!
ANY place can have a bad night, but it also sounds to me from some of these comments here that some brides can be very petty and demanding about details that will NOT make or break a night. The little details are important, sure, but really the Palace took care of them all for us and they were spot on every time. As for the food being bad, I can't believe that. Our tasting was incredible and we even thought they culdn't possibly manage it to be that good with 150 dinners the night-of... we were wrong. It was great!

If I had to use one word to sum up my wedding at The Palace at Somerset Park, I would choose the word PERFECT!
If you are looking for a venue that will make all of your wedding dreams come true, there
is no need to look any further. From the moment that you enter the palatial estate your breath
is taken away.
I knew immediately that this is where I wanted to host my dream wedding. During the entire wedding
planning process I could not believe how flawlessly the staff executed my wishes.

The staff at the palace are some of them most talented ,meticulous and creative professionals that I have
ever had the pleasure of working with.
I was always made to feel like a VIP at this five star establishment. The entire planning process was so easy, and I had total
confidence in my coordinator.

One of my favorite experiences was the tasting. The menu tasting was hosted by your personal chef that will preparing all of the meals the evening of your event.
It was held in his private dining room, which was a beautiful room right off of the main kitchen. They took us through every course including the wedding
cake, all paired with the perfect companion wines for you to choose. It was such a lovely personalized event. We also took this opportunity to really get to enjoy everything that our guests would be experiencing. The food was so imaginative and the presentation was so creative.

The day of my wedding all that I had to do literally was just show up.
My ceremony was held in the main foyer and the reception was in the west house of the Palace. I could not believe how absolutely beautiful
everything looked the day of my wedding. It really surpassed all of my dreams of how my wedding would be.

My friends and family are still raving about my wedding. They were so impressed by the incredible service, the beautiful and unique location and of course
the food. I received so many compliments on how delicious all of the food was. Especially the dessert.

If you are looking for a venue to have a true fairy tale wedding, then I recommend making an appointment to experience the palace for yourself.
Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

I recently got married at The Palace and it was a flawless process from start to finish. My Sales Manager was knowledgeable and professional. My planner patient and a doll to work with. My Maitre D was on top of his game and was by my side the whole night. Sure, the price is high, but worth every penny. "No" was not in the staff's vocabulary and I genuinely felt at ease the day of my wedding. I was hesitant to book being the 6th one of my close friends to get married there and wanting something different, but I trusted their judgement and being there and seeing that many events go off without a hitch made my decision easy. I can honestly say that this place really is magnificent and a wonderful group of people to work with!

:::UPCOMINGBRIDE::: - If you look at the overall reviews, you'll see that the majority are not good, but great. I cannot imagine based on my experiences and those of my friends what could have possibly gone wrong. The sales manager that booked me no longer works there but the planner is. She was wonderful and PATIENT.You can email me directly if you would like her information. I can also have you talk to any of my friends that have gotten married there. None of them have a single bad thing to say. Just so you're aware, the sales manager sells you the deal. After that, they are no longer involved. The planner takes over from there. In my opinion, that's the most important relationship.


:::Just a few comments-While it is true, there is no communication with the sales manager after the contract, they tell you that from the start, it's no secret. If you didn't feel at ease with that part of it, you should not have booked. Also, while I cannot imagine pleasing everyone, especially brides, any bride who can sit there and actually count how many servers they have on their wedding day, says a bit about the bride herself. Had you spent the time enjoying your wedding instead of counting staff, you may have had a better time. Just an observation. Not in a million years could I imagine spending a moment of that day going around counting how many people were working at my wedding.
UPCOMINGBRIDE-If you are hesitant to booked based on these comments, let The Palace know that. I'm sure they are willing to share plenty of good references. Good Luck where ever you end up.

::I was just stating my experience and opinion, which all of a sudden, if it's a positive one, must mean I work there!? lol. I don't know what happened at your wedding, and I'm sorry that it did ( I really am), however I feel that it may have possibly just been an "off" night, who knows. But to say they do that to everyone is obviously not the case.

My husband and I had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Palace at Somerset Park on 9/19/09 and we could not have been happier with the turn out. Laura was our sales person and Melanie was our event coordinator so I highly recommend working with these two. I was a very involved and detail oriented bride and Melanie was there for me every step of the way for two years and through over 400 e-mails from me! and they were always supportive and helpful and worked their hardest to accommodate the requests of my husband and me.

Our ceremony was beautiful on the terrace in September and everything ran smoothly which made me happy because I was seriously stressing someone walking down at the wrong moment or something silly like that. All my girls and the mothers had the entire day in the bridal suite to get ready and they kept making sure we had everything we needed. The reception was perfect! It looked perfect and everything there went smoothly as well, especially thanks to our maitre D Jason. Our cocktail hour was indoors as well as out on the terrace and I truly felt like a guest at my wedding. I didnt have to worry about anything or when to cut the cake or when the toasts were, they took care of everything.

I'm honestly really taken back by the random negative reviews of The Palace. I didn't think anything negative could be said about this place. I highly recommend The Palace!!

Hi everyone! I got married last year and I worked with Laura and Melanie. Both were wonderful to work with and on top of everything! If one wasn't available, the other one was right there when I needed her. They helped me throughout every step and even helped me pick out all of my vendors! I got married in the West Ballroom which was GORGEOUS! The Palace helped me pick out my colors for their specialty lighting and even my linens which matched the room! They even allowed me to come in with my florist to see a sample of what my piece would look like in the room! They set up a sample table with my linens and then put on my lighting so I could see everything come together. It was amazing! The tasting was out of this world! They have a private room dining room in the kitchen where you watch the chef make everything right infront of you! The food was INCREDIBLE! They let you customize everything and switch things around. They even let me and husband have our own special entrees. I remember mentioning at The tasting that my husband loved peanut butter and my mom loved rainbow cookies. To my surprise, on our wedding night, for dessert, Alan brought over a special peanut butter dessert that the chef had made just for him and a whole plate of rainbow cookies for my mom!!! That meant alot to me.
The day of the wedding it was pretty hard to let go and enjoy everything, but my Maitre D, Alan, and my bridal attendant, Maya, made sure I didn't miss anything! They were always there for anything I needed. I even tore my dress dancing and she fixed it for me!!! I'm sure just like any wedding, things went wrong, but I would have never known. Everything was perfect from start to finish and I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to work with or a more wonderful place to have my wedding. If I could do it again, I'd do it the same!!!!

I have to say that The Palace truly knows how to make a couple feel special on their wedding day. It's a year from when my husband and I said our "I do's" and we still receive compliments on how wonderful the reception was. The Palace is a beautiful venue with impeccable service from everyone on staff. Throughout the engagement, I had a wonderful wedding planner who was invaluable in assisting me coordinate reception details from an hour away! Everything - menu, the setting, top of the line service, and the very personalized attention - couldn't have been better. My husband and I were treated well beyond our expectations, as were all of our guests.

A bride chooses the Palace at Somerset Park for many reasons. I chose it for perfection. Perfection with the details, the atmosphere, the service, the food and creating the most memorable night of your life.

Not just a business: The Palace was only but a foundation on Davidson road when I first saw it. I worried that a non family run banquet facility would be strictly business and lack the personal attention you crave as a needy bride. To my surprise, I was treated like royalty from start to finish in the planning process. Working with Melanie Malave was like talking to a best friend. She guided me through the process and helped me on days when I tried to do her job, her bosses job and the chef's job (I was slightly obsessive compulsive). Having her reassure me that the small details wouldn't be overlooked made me breath a sigh of relief.

The cost of perfection: Sure its a tad more expensive than getting married in mom's backyard, but honestly, it was worth every penny. The look on the faces of your guests when they arrive to this mecca of a structure will be completely worth it. Upon entering they are greeted with friendly car attendants, welcoming waitstaff (serving up my specialty pink beverages) and a huge spread of cocktail hour just waiting to be devoured. Good food can come from anywhere, but good food, service and atmosphere are worth paying the price for in my book.

All the little things: While taking photos our hosts were right there with us making sure that we were fed, drinking and most of all enjoying the moment. Think of what a celebrity feels like when they're being handled for a concert. Its the same thing. My bridal attendant bustled, fixed my hair if necessary, found tums when I needed them, helped me to change into comfortable shoes when she saw my feet were hurting and find a way for me to stash some cookies in my purse on the way out.

Yum Yum: My husband and I work in New York and decided we wanted our cake to be black and yellow looking like a NYC taxi cab. all I had to do was explain my vision to Melanie and the pastry team and viola! a stunning conversation piece arrived infront of my sweet heart table on the day of the wedding. It was so professional you wouldn't believe that the cost was included in the price! All of the desserts were tailored to my husband and I. I asked for swedish fish, i got it. I wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream, it was there. Being led through the dessert hour before my guests were invited to join was so special. Seeing the hard work put into making this night so special while gazing up the huge staircase in the grand foyer was breathtaking. And that was just dessert!!!

The tasting is like being on a television show only no one gets voted off. You just keep tasting course after course and get to laugh and bond with your planner. I remember enjoying the tasting with my family so much that I thought about asking if i could come back and just pay to have private tastings after my wedding was over.

Think of banquet halls that you've been to before and how their food tastes. Decent I'm sure. But anyone can make a tray of baked ziti and some chicken parm. The food at the palace was like inviting 200 of your closest friends to a trendy new restaurant. Its whatever you want, its peronal, its fresh, its hot and its delicious.


I honestly have so many wonderful things to say about the Palace and would be happy to go on and answer specific questions if you'd like to email me. mspink108@aol.com

The Palace at Somerset Park is not only exquisite, but the people are the best. My wife and I looked at several venues. NOTHING compared. We can truly say this was the best day & night of our lives. We could not have been anymore pleased with the incredible service and planning process by everyone involved in creating such a spectacular day for us. Everyone at the Palace made us feel like celebrities. We had visions that we were not sure could be met. They were not only met, but exceeded our expectations. I would recommend the Palace to anyone looking for the perfect occasion. The only regret we have is that it is over.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email at bphodkinson@hotmail.com. I can go on for hours. Unfortunately, I have to get back to work.

Hey PW Brides-
Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful!
Atmosphere-A+
Food-A+
Service-A+++

I can't believe it's over! I would do it again in a heartbeat and not change a thing!

A million thanks to them for creating the most beautiful, memorable night of my life.

When I became engaged in June, 2007, my fiance Vincent and I began a journey which would culminate on September 27, 2008 with the most spectacular event we had ever experienced. Although we had seen many other venues, as soon as we met Jose Russa and saw The Palace, we knew that this was the place which would host the most important day in our lives. When we met Michelle Malave, we felt that we had the "Dream Team". Jose and Michelle worked tirelessly for many months to insure that our wedding would be like no other. Any questions, phone calls, and emails (and there were many) were answered promptly, professionally, and cheerfully and with such personal interest, that, over the course of time, we have grown to feel that these two people are our extended family.

When we came for our tastings, Steve and Evan outdid themselves. Every morsel was scrumptious and presented so beautifully that the entire meal was a culinary delight. Alan Fried and Jacob were knowledgeable beyond their years with their helpful pairing of wines for each course and we appreciated it. My father is a wine aficionado and he was very pleased with all of the wines we chose.

Finally, during that last stressful week before the wedding, we met Anthony Panchery, and we knew we were in capable hands. On the day of the wedding, the entire staff conducted the event as smoothly as a symphony, attentive to even the tiniest details. Latonya, our bridal attendant was terrific! We expected perfection. The reception exceeded even our expectations! The cocktail hour, wedding feast, and Viennese tables were culinary and visual masterpieces!!! Our cake was not only magnificent, but just as delicious on our one year anniversary as it was on our wedding day.

For weeks after the wedding, we were inundated with phone calls, letters, and emails from relatives and friends telling us that our wedding was the most wonderful event they had ever attended. Two of our friends have since had their receptions at The Palace and people are still raving about their experiences as well.

Upcoming Bride-

I have not had my wedding yet, but we are having our reception at the Palace 10/8/10. From the experience I've had so far, I can tell you they are worth every single penny you pay. Jose was our sales manager, and was great at working with us to get a price we could afford and suggesting other things to help us meet our budget. Due to the time of year and popularity of October for weddings, we did have to go a little higher than wanted, but as I said, you get what you pay for.

Michelle is our planner, and although I've only spoken to her once so far, she is fantastic. She responded to my email with a phone call within 2 hours, despite the fact that my wedding was over 14 months away when I contacted her.

My fiance's friend also works there, and has nothing but great things to say about the staff and service. He has worked there for over a year, and said he still looks forward to eating the food every shift. You know if you're getting good reviews from insiders that it's true! Family and friends that have gone to events there are so excited when we tell them that's our venue and say they can't wait to go back.

I realize it's a hard decision, but just wanted to let you know my personal experience and how much I'm looking forward to the day. Hope that helps!!!

PS- If you're looking for a florist, I HIGHLY recommend Cathy from Conroy's Florist (preferred vendor for the Palace). She is fan-freakin-tastic, hilarious, and great to work with! Will do everything in her power to meet your budget!

I find it very entertatining that all these posts emphasize about the sales people and event planners, and the so called important role they have in your wedding. Well upcoming bride and to whoever is interested, take the advice from a bride who had her wedding at The Palace a couple of months ago.

The sales person and event planners are meaningless. They were very nice people who did what was asked of them. Their job is to get the information and hand it over to the people that actualy execute the event. Those are the individuals that will guarantee the success of your special day. Not the girl who asks you what color linen do you want. Please!!!!!!!!!

So in know way whatsoever should you not book your wedding at The Palace because of them. The Palace is a beautiful place with great food and staff.

Our salesperson we only met twice, and he passed me on to the event planner who basically just took our details. She wasn't even their the day of the wedding. Was I upset, no! That's how the Palace works.

A couple of days before the Wedding you meet youre Maitre' D at whats called a final. That is when we met Jason. He was great, and we laughed through out the final. It was like dinner and a show with him. As soon as we met him, we knew we were in good hands. We asked him to e-mail the outline of the night for us, and by the next day we had it.

We had a great wedding, that I wish we could do it again. Latonya was our bridal attendant and she was terrific. Her and Jason make a great team, so If you do get married at The Palace make sure to ask for those two. Please don't let a misunderstanding about what an event planner or salesperson does take you away from The Palace.

I will be having my reception this June at the Palace and so far have been very excited and extremely happy with the planning experience. I booked with Jose who was great, and he let me know I would be working with Michelle for all planning. I have been engaged since October of 2008 and probably have been bothering Michelle with questions since January of 2009. Michelle has been exrtemely responsive, I work best through email and we will exchange tons of emails a day to make sure my questions are answered. She has been so helpful and beyond patient since I have a random questions about the big day all the time. From asking about parks in the area, other vendors, lighting etc, I always get an answer right away. Michelle scheduled the tasting far in advance to make sure I had the date I wanted. We are meeting four months before the wedding to just simply review everything and make sure I am comfortable with details booked so far. She truly has been beyond helpful! I hope to have a great reception as many of the reviewers had. I just wanted to share my experience so far as a bride currently still planning. Overall, the Palace (Michelle) has been awesome work with and has made planning the reception details an easy and exciting time.

The Palace is an absolutely wonderful venue. From planning to execution, I really felt that the staff of The Palace (specifically Melanie, Maya and Alan) were there to help me and took away a lot of the stress that brides often feel!

Planning was very enjoyable with Melanie - she made the process simple and helped us take our ideas and make them into a reality.

Our wedding night went off without any issues - Alan, the Maitre D' and Maya, the bridal attendant were spectacular. They waited on us, our wedding party, and our parents hand and foot.

I can honestly say that there is NOTHING that I would have changed from the wedding. The only downfall to our night was that it had to end!!! I STRONGLY recommend The Palace to any bride. Your guests will walk away in absolute awe and you will feel on top of the world before, during, and after your wedding.

We got married April 2009. Melanie was our point of contact and she was amazing! She returned phone calls and emails within a 24 hour period, which was very helpful since my husband and I do not live in NJ. Melanie made it possible to do most of the planning via email and phone so we did not need to travel up more than 3 times and that included viewing the room.

Melanie provided me with the hairdresser I used and really listened to what we said which was evident at the reception. We were the only wedding there that day so our guests were able to enter through the main entrance. During our tasting the chef and Melanie took due diligence regarding my food allergies, so on the day of my wedding I knew I could everything without worry.

The actual day was amazing. My husband and I were waited on hand and foot by Maya; our drinks were never empty or watered down. Jason, the Maitre D', allowed a group of us to take a shot at the bar. He also helped to ensure the babysitter had what she needed and the kids were not creating an unsafe dance floor.

I can say without hesitation that I would change NOTHING!! The staff at The Palace truly made my husband and I feel like royalty on our wedding day. I STRONGLY recommend this venue and commend the staff at working with us on cost.

After visiting dozens of reception venues, I knew the minute that I walked into the Palace that I wanted my reception to be held there. The service we received was unparalleled and they catered to my every desire. The food was delicious and the presentation was exquisite. No detail was overlooked at the Palace.

The Palace was excellent! The food was amazing, and the service was phenominal! Not one single complaint here! They catered to all my requests before I could even ask!

Not only was the venue beautiful, they were very accomodating to our needs and wants. If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely choose the Palace!

We got married at The Palace on 10/11/2008 and us and our guests absolutely loved it. It is one of the most beautiful venus that I have ever been to. The minute my parents and my fiance stepped inside, we knew that The Palace was the place. The staff is exceptional and the food is amazing. We had 2 custom cakes done for our wedding and the pastry designer there could not of done a better job. If you want a day that will be flawless, I suggest booking the palace for your wedding. Absolutely nothing went wrong the day of our wedding - it could not of been more perfect.

I got married at the Palace and cannot say enough wonderful things about this venue. This was the first place I went to see and after seeing dozens more, I was certain the Palace was the most beautiful. Their staff is so accessible and accommodating. I must have called Melanie 100 times and she was so responsive and always willing to help. The day of the wedding, everything was absolutely perfect. I don't think one thing went wrong. The food was delectable, the decor was exquisite, and the staff was impeccable. I would recommend this venue to anyone!

I got married at The Palace 11/9/2008 and they were BY FAR my (and my husband's) absolute favorite vendor!!! Their attention to detail is exquisite and they exceeded expectations in every way!! Their banquet room and bridal suite (we were in the West Ballroom) is to die for!!!! It is modern, and gorgeous with neutral tones, a fireplace, and a staircase descending from the bridal suite where my husband and I made our grand entrance! They also have a balcony where you can throw the bouquet from to make it extra special. I was actually not even going to do the bouquet toss, but when I saw the balcony, I knew I had to take advantage :-) The bridal suite is gigantic and has 3 bathrooms and a fireplace as well!We worked with Jose Russa and Michelle Malave during the planning process and they were incredible. I asked tons of questions and changed the menu and other things last-minute and they were able to accommodate us with no problem and no complaints. Friends and family kept telling us that little things will go wrong on your wedding day and to just ignore them because it's normal and it's to be expected. Well, we didn't notice one thing go wrong with The Palace!!! Everything was a dream and it was absolute perfection. The food was amazing and we ate everything, which I hear never happens! We made it a point to be in our chairs for the food, because it was so good we didn't want to miss out. The cakes were tasted during our food tasting weren't the best, so we changed our order to something else that we hadn't sampled (vanilla custard) and it was delicious! I'm not even a cake person and I went gaga over the wedding cake!On the day of, our Maitre D was a guy named Allan and my bridal consultant for the night was a girl named Maya. Both were incredible and were right there when we needed them, but didn't interfere at all with us having a blast all night. Maya bustled my dress and they both took care of our drinks all night. We even invited Allan to the after-party because he was so much fun and was so helpful!! When the hotel shuttle failed to come back to pick up the last few guests (us and a few members of the bridal party), Allan took it upon himself to drive us to our hotel himself! The Palace is pricey, but worth every single penny and Jose worked with us to make sure we stayed within our budget. If you like modern elegance and want a new place (it's only a few years old), you MUST see The Palace!!! You will fall in love!!!

We could NOT have asked for a more perfect venue, staff, or quality of service!!! four months later our guests are still calling to say it was the best wedding they've ever been to! The food was sensational and the quality of service and the site were beyond compare!

The Palace at Somerset Park was amazing! We had the best time ever at our reception. The venue was spectacular (and the Christmas decorations were great)! The food was delicious (way to go Justin)! The service was above and beyond! Great venue for our winter wedding!

We had our reception at the Palace at Somerset Park on November 5, 2011. They are OUTSTANDING in every way possible. The reception was absolutely perfect. Amazing food, impeccable service, gorgeous ambiance. It was the wedding of our dreams and then some! From the moment we booked them until the end of our wedding and even afterwards - they were professional and provided quality service. I would highly recommend the Palace. It is soup to nuts perfection! My husband and I had the best time every at our wedding and received rave reviews from our family and friends. Top notch in every way.

Words cannot describe the wonderful staff and crew at the Palace at Somerset Park. My wedding was on October 8th, 2011 and it was one of the best days of my life. From the planning of the event with our coordinator to the day of the wedding with the Maitre'D and wedding attendant, things could not have gone more perfectly. Everyone was so accomodating and a pleasure to work with. I wish I could have taken my bridal attendant home with me as she was there for everything I needed throughout the day. The Maitre' D was so organized and helped me stay confident throughout the day that everything would go perfectly, and it did! The site is gorgeous, the food was outstanding and there was nothing but praise from all of my guests. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had my weddnig at this venue and I highly recommend the Palace for any girls fairy tale wedding. Thanks to you all!

The most amazing venue ever. The staff is fantastic. The food it to die for & the presentation is unbelieveable. I'm still hearing from guests that it's the best wedding they've ever been to. Richard is AMAZING & so is Michelle. They really worked hard to make the day very special. I can't wait to have another event at The Palace & will be recommending it to everyone of my friends who need a venue.

We just got married at the Palace at Somerset Park and our experience was sensational. They provide the wedding of your dreams. From the employees, to the beautiful rooms, to the amazing food... this place is top notch. We had the ceremony and reception there and all aspects of both were perfect. Usually something goes wrong the day of the wedding but not at this place, not for us.Michelle our event planner was so helpful from the beginning to the end, the bridal attendant, wait staff, chef, and everyone else did an awesome job. Our maitre' d David was outstanding. He made sure the day of the wedding ran smoothly and was right there when we needed him. And how can we forget the food!! People are still talking about it. We chose an appetizer of a crab cake which was the best crab cake ive ever had and then the filet mignon for dinner was melt in your mouth perfect! Cocktail hour was a fantastic display of everything from lamb chops (which were amazing!) to sushi. The Vienniese hour for dessert was a fantasy for anyone with a sweet tooth-they had something for everybody. Chocolate fountain, boardwalk station with zeppoles YUM! Our wedding cake was visually stunning and delicious. The Palace is so accomodating and honestly once you see this place you probably wont look any where else.

I had my wedding at The Palace this past month. Words cannot describe how amazing this place is! I had my ceremony there and was able to use the beautiful suite to get ready in. We had 15 girls! It was so relaxed and stress free thanks to our bridal attendant. They had food and beverages for us, and were there for all of our needy requests.

Our Ceremony was perfect. We got married in the Grand Foyer. There were candles everywhere and it looked beautiful. I came down their staircase and felt like royalty!

The cocktail hour was out of this world! Every time I turned around, there was another yummy station! We had signature drinks passed that matched our color scheme and champagne with berries. We were able to use the terrace as well which was awesome! There was food and a bar out there.

The West Ballroom was a dream come true. We had the uplighting that The Palace provided and it transformed the room! I didn't want to see the room being setup since I wanted to see it for the first time ready to go. I'm glad I waited. I was in heaven. Our Maitre D was god sent. he was by my side the whole night, and left me wanting nothing. Then, there was Viennese. I felt like a little kid all over again! Goodies everywhere!! The Boardwalk Station was a huge hit. My wedding cake was mouth watering and looked exactly as the picture that I showed my wedding planner.

Overall, everything was perfect. My guests are still talking about how it was the best wedding they have ever been to! Many thanks to The Palace for making that unforgattable for not only me, but my family and friends. We will treasure it for a lifetime!

Our wedding day on 6/25/2011 was PERFECT! We had the perfect day. We loved everything The Palace had to offer. We were extremely pleased with how everything turned out. The Food: If you're a foodie and your all about food presentations this is the place you want your wedding to be held. We were able to really customize our wedding menu. There was so much food to pick from. A nice varity from the cocktail stations to the elaborate cocktails stations to the butler passed Hors D 'Oeuvres that were passed around. Our Sit down menu for the reception was so delicious. We did a choice of Steak- Grouper-Rack of Lamb. The Palace Viennese Display was beautifully laid out. I loved the boardwalk station. Made me feel like I was a kid again walking down the shore on the boardwalk. It smelled yummy and tasted delicious. Everyone is still raving about the food. We had our wedding outside on the upper west terrace and it was perfect. The perfect backdrop for when we said our vows - calm and serene. Inside/outside Cocktail hour -laid back and wonderful. All our guests were comfortable in the space and as big as the west side is: it still felt very intimate. We had our wedding in the west Ballroom and it is so beautiful. When our guests walked into our ballroom it took their breath away. It looked amazing. I loved the details in the west ballroom and the colors- cream - deep aubergine and lush purples set the tone for the colors I was going to do for our wedding. It was Spectacular! The room is one of a kind. You can't get a reception room like that in any other hall in New Jersey. The Palace is just so grand and gorgeous that you will fall in love with it when you see it. If you're getting married in a warmer months you need to get the fireworks. What bride & Groom gets fireworks at their wedding? You do if you get married at The Palace. Our guests were so blown away by having their own firework show. They were better than Macys! They were SICK! The day of our wedding went off without any issues and if there was one our Maître D' Rich probably took care of it. He was very professional and on point. He kept the wedding moving along. He was very attentive to our needs and just wonderful to deal with. Maya his bridal attendant was beyond amazing. See with The Palace you also get a 3room bridal suite. My bridesmaids and myself were able to get ready there all day. They were waiting for us to arrive at 11am. Maya was there helping me out with everything that I needed. I was a very calm bride. Maya was there throughout our pictures and I had 2 different shoe changes and she was there with both pairs exactly when I needed them. she held my flowers during my pictures. I had a slight rip in my gown at the bottom. I didn’t know till I was told weeks later she bent down and pinned my gown so perfectly that I had no idea it even happened. My husband and I were never without a drink - food or anything else that we needed throughout the whole night. Our wedding was amazing. If we could do it all over again we would and we would not change a single thing. From the first step we took into The Palace to the last step we took out they always made us feel like a King & Queen and that our wedding was the most important. From the sales managers to the event planner(Alex-Amazing) to the Chef (Amazing) to the menu and the people who work there. I applaud you for being the BEST at what you do!!

The Palace helped me create a wedding that was beyond anything I dreamed of. It truly was a fairy tale wedding and still can't believe it was actually my wedding!

From the moment I decided to have my wedding at The Palace, I knew I had made the right decision. From the beginning I had a wedding coordinator that was extremely helpful and attentive to all my questions and concerns. She was very good at explaining the various steps of the process and let me know exactly what I needed to have done for each step. She was very knowledgeable and professional and never left me in the dark wondering because she was always there if I needed to get a hold of her. Her dedication to making sure any and all of my questions were answered right away helped reduce my stress and anxiety immensely. Her helpfulness and displayed expertise about coordinating my wedding at The Palace definitely made my wedding planning process an enjoyable experience.

On our wedding day, the staff was friendly, very attentive, and displayed the utmost professionalism throughout the entire day. I knew when I arrived on Saturday morning that I did not have to worry about a thing because of the level of service and expertise that was provided by the staff. The Palace provided an absolutely gorgeous bridal suite for me, my mom, my mother-in-law, and all the bridesmaids to get ready in; it was a well thought out bridal suite because it had more than enough to space to accommodate all of us women and all of our bags, clothes, shoes and makeup. Not to mention the spread of food and drinks that the provided to ensure no one became victim to starvation or thirst at any point in the day. I was also assigned a personal attendant whose job was to follow me and make sure my every need was met. She definitely made my day run a lot smoother by taking care of any worry or concern I had, making sure I was able to enjoy some of the delicious appetizers, and just being there whenever I needed help with my dress, bouquet, or simply a glass of water. Our Maître D' was also fabulous. It was such a relief knowing there was someone there to help keep my husband and I on track, as well as not letting us miss seeing any of details. Everything from the terrace where the ceremony was held, to the grand foyer where we had cocktail hour, as well as the ballroom where we had our reception was held was topnotch. The elegance and grander of the grounds justifies why the place is called The Palace, because I truly felt like a princess in a fairy tale. If I could do it all over again, I would not change a thing about The Palace. The warm staff, the delectable food, the delicious beverages and the extravagant atmosphere all combine and make this place the most remarkable place for a wedding.

The Palace is absolutely amazing. The venue is beautiful and the service is fantastic. We picked this place not only for the beautiful decor, but for the secluded feeling of driving down a tree-lined street and turning up the grand entrance. It created a romantic feeling before even stepping foot into the building. The staff is incredibly attentive and were able to accommodate nearly every request we had.

This place is amazing. We had a budget in mind when we first started searching for vendors. I thought the palace was going to be expensive. Although they can be, they worked with us until we got within our budget and we had the wedding of our dreams. Their menu is huge and the food is absolutely delicous. I think most of our guests got full at the cocktail hour, that's how much food is offered. My bridal attendant was an amazing woman. She was there at all times making sure we were all ok, making sure we are where we are suppose to be. Made sure we had food and drinks in our room and the best of all was how she took care of my 2 yr old son and made sure he was well fed and taken care of. The maitre d was also great. He managed everything and made sure everything went smoothly and it did. It was an amazing night to remember and everyone who worked there made it all happen that way. We are so happy with the results.

Absolutely amazing and beautiful! I had so much fun that day! From the day we booked with Christie (who was so bright and wonderful to talk to and she even remembered us despite not seeing her for months!) and emailing and meeting Alexandra (Who responded right away, was super sweet, helpful, and such a great happy person that even put up with all our quirks and gave us wonderful ideas to make our day even better) up to the day it was so great! I was so nervous that day and I even did cry at one point because of some drama but the bridal attendant Latanya was so sweet and knew exactly what to do and what to say to make everything better. She helped me with my clothes, got me food, made sure I was comfortable, and that I was happy. Now Richard was also an amazing Maitre D', he was the coolest person ever who took care of everything that I was incredibly worried about, he even made sure the "guys" behaved so that it would go smoothly and kept everything on schedule. I felt like he was more upset than me when things were delayed or didn't work out! Everyone there was so professional and nice, it was so cool seeing everyone with their ear pieces and looking like spies. All our guests commented on their professionalism and the way everything went smoothly! Jeff the cook was soooo great! Our guests really enjoyed themselves and said the food was amazing (Filet and Suckling pig was the best!!). The cake was also SOOO beautiful, a lot of our guests took pictures of it and posted it to their friends! So great!The Palace really made our wedding incredibly memorable!

We had an amazing wedding. As soon as we walked into The Palace we knew that we had to have our wedding there. We booked our wedding with Kim and she was amazing! Alexandra handled organizing every detail of our day and she couldn't be more accomodating. Even with last minute requests the staff at The Palace took care of us. We had our dream wedding. Our guests couldn't believe how much food there was in the cocktail hour - they were too stuff to eat dinner. They include a Vienese hour that was too delicious for words.I cannot say one bad thing about The Palace. I honestly hope that every bride has this amazing experience like my husband and I did.Good luck planning and I hope you choose The Palace at Somerset Park!

Can you say SPECTACULAR? One of our foodie friends went to a wedding at the W Hotel in Manhattan where Todd English is the executive chef, and he said OUR entrees were the best he's ever had! I had about 30 DIY projects - they assembled them all with no problem - laid everything out perfectly - and I got back all of my belongings without an issue. Michele Malave was a dream to work with - I changed my mind on certain details a few days before the wedding and she and her team were more than happy to accommodate in order to make the day exactly what I wanted. The day of our Maitr'D and bridal attendant were amazing and could not have been more attentive or available. The team knew what we wanted before we even knew we wanted it: "do you need something to drink?" "how about some nosh?" "i have your lip gloss and your fur stole." If you want to feel like a princess AND have your guests feel like royalty - you found the venue! Make sure you get the stuffed chicken!!!

This venue was the most fabulous venue I have ever been to! My husband and I married at the beginning of November this year and we were floored at what our day turned out to be! We both would have wanted to be guests at our own wedding to experience everything they had to offer us!
From the start, Alex (wedding planner at The Palace)treated us with absolute respect. She helps plans so many weddings per year and for her to be as organized as she is about keeping her brides separate from one another is a true talent. Every time I emailed her a question, which was many on a daily basis, she got right back to me with the answer. She helped keep me organized and helped satisfy my bride brain through the entire process. She is truly an amazing asset to The Palace! She even got my husband a case of his favorite beer for the event!
Our Maitre d' was AMAZING. Alan kept us (and our guests) on time and in order the whole evening. He got us food halfway through our cocktail hour because we kept getting bombarded by guests. He made us sit down and eat and made sure at every moment of our evening we had full drinks and plates of food or whatever else we needed/wanted. Not once did my husband and I have to get up to get ourselves a drink. Tamara, our bridal attendant from the moment I walked in the door, catered to our every need as well. She bent over backwards to get us what we needed every second of the day, even carried my train for pictures both before and after the wedding. Every time I turned around, she was there taking care of me and my dress! She attended to my family and bridesmaids in our bridal suite before the wedding and managed to keep up with everyone!
Our experience at The Palace was unforgettable. I get tears in my eyes every time I think of how special our day was because of not only the beautiful venue, but all of the special people it took to make our event memorable for us and our guests (who still cannot stop complimenting us on our fabulous day!). When we first booked at The Palace, we weren't quite sure where our money was going to be going, but once we started the planning process with them we realized what we were really paying for. Not only was the food absolutely to die for, the wonderful selection of top shelf liquor and the staff that created the vision I had in our ballroom . . . it was the people that really made this venue worth while and made our day perfection! None of our friends weddings had the attention to detail that The Palace provided for us. We were/are truly, truly impressed with their sophistication, flexibility and all around good sense! It was a fun yet elegant affair that will not be forgotten!
I hope that others find this review helpful, as we have had a WONDERFUL experience at The Palace from start to finish! They worked well with all of our vendors and we really cannot stop saying enough good things about them!

When you book you wedding at the Palace, you are ensuring that your wedding will be full of class and sophistication. And you can rest assured that your wedding will be an event to remember.

After visiting several locations, The Palace topped our list by a wide margin. The architecture, grounds, and ballrooms create a magical ambiance. And when you combine that with the white glove service, attention to detail, and professionalism of the staff, you could not ask for a more perfect venue.

During the months leading up to our event, our assigned wedding coordinator, Michelle, answered every email, every phone call, and always made me feel relaxed and comfortable with the wedding plans. No matter how many times I changed my mind about things, she accommodated me.

And on the day of the wedding, I was treated as though I were a high-ranking official in the U.S. Government. Our maitre d, Anthony, handled the entire affair with precision, our personal attendant, Arpita, was a God-send, and the entire service staff treated all our guests like gold. The chef even came out during dinner to make sure that we were happy with the food. By the way, I do not have enough room here to explain the food, but I will say that everything from the cocktail hour through the Viennese display was 5+ stars.

Most importantly, almost all my guests said that my wedding was the best, by far, they have ever attended. No lip service here... only genuine sentiments.

From the first day we met with Christy we knew that the Palace was the place for us. Christy was absolutely wonderful when she took us through all the things the Palace offered. We left and signed the contract the next day.

Melanie was our wedding coordinator and it was an absolute joy to work with her. She was responsive and took away all the stress that comes with planning a wedding. She responded to any questions we had (and it was a lot) in a timely manner, gave us other recommendations for vendors and made our overall experience wonderful.

Alan, our Maitre D', was fantastic. He kept the night moving along and everything was flawless. The entire staff waited on not only our table but our parents table hand and foot and we were never without anything the entire night.

My experience with the Palace was AMAZING. From the very beginning, I knew that I had to have my wedding there. I looked at tons of places but nothing compared to the elegance of The Palace, not to mention the menu. The cocktail hour is so impressive and all of the food was amazing. It is almost two weeks after the wedding and I am still getting phone calls about my guests' favorite food items. The amazing part is that no one has had the same favorite. The entrees were just as good and they even brought out all three choices for me and my husband to taste. I had given a picture of a cake that I had liked but never imagined it would come out that way. I was definitely surprised to see that it came out even more beautiful than the picture in the magazine. We chose to have the Venetian dessert display and all of the desserts were delicious. There were so many to choose from, I just wish I wasn't so full by that point.

When it comes to the staff, I could not be happier. Melanie assisted us throughout the planning process and there are no words to express how helpful she was. From recommendations to simply calming my nerves, Melanie truly was the BEST. She always returned my phone calls/ e-mails within a day and was very up front and honest about all that The Palace had to offer. I cannot say enough about Melanie! She really made this entire process stress-free. Anthony was our Maitre D' and he was incredibly helpful the day of. He kept us informed of the timeline and made sure we were able to enjoy our special day. Even when we realized that one of my flip flops was left in our car, he made sure someone got it and placed it under my seat so I could be comfortable while dancing. Our bridal attendant was equally amazing. She kept reminding me to take it all in and to just have fun. She was always good for a laugh when things got hectic or stressful. Overall, I had the most amazing time at our wedding. The lighting was great, the customized floor plan ideal, and the service phenomenal. The entire day was perfect and our friends/families are still talking about it.

PS- If anyone is looking for a great band, definitely try The Silk Band. They are apart of Time Machine Entertainment and really just topped off the whole event. The entire party was up dancing :) My photographer Stephanie Jones was also unbelievable. Very easy going, really knew how to relax everyone which made for great/ natural pictures

We just returned from our honeymoon and I couldn't wait to write a review for The Palace! It was an absolute dream wedding from the planning to the actual day.

Everyone we met at The Palace was professional and helpful. I must have emailed Melanie, our catering manager/planner, a million times and she was always there with a quick response and a smile. She didn't forget a thing - even making note of my husband's favorite dessert that we had tried at the tasting and having the chef make it especially for him on our wedding day!

Unlike some other reception venues, The Palace didn't at all feel like a "wedding factory". The cocktail hour was amazing! We lucked out with great weather and were able to use the outdoor patio. The stations were set up out there and most of them are made to order so it never felt like generic, catered food. Our guests are still raving about the dinner appetizer and entrees. And of course the wedding cake - TO DIE FOR!! We had shown Melanie a picture of our dream cake and were a little worried that the intricate design would be too difficult. We were floored to see our gorgeous wedding cake just as it was shown in the magazine...and it was delicious!!

I could go on and on, but the main point is: Don't hesitate to get married here - you absolutely won't regret it.

The Palace in Somerset Park, NJ was the perfect choice to have my wedding. The palace looks and feels like royalty from the time you drive in to the parking lot.
This venue has it all, it looked amazing. My husband and I had shopped aroung to several other venues and they could not compare to the Palace. My wedding planner, Alex was unforgettable, she was quick with responding to any thing I needed, she made sure I had everything I wanted and needed. My matri'd Alan and his team did everything to ensure that my wedding was was i dreamed it to be, and it was. The food was very tastu and the guest commented all night long and they still are taking about my wedding. All of my guest were amazed with the food, service, and looks of the Palace. My wedding at the the Palace included alot of parts to it, I had horse and carriage ride to my outdoor ceremony. I had a butterfly and a dove release. I had a steel drum player for coctail. I had three dresses to get in and out of and fireworks. Could you believe the Palace were able to accommidate all of the different things i had going on and still run on time and made my dream come true. I am extremely happy that i choose the Palace, i have no regrets, it was the best time of our lives. My husband wants to do it all over again at The Palace. You will feel like a celebrity, a King, or Queen on your day. You should settle on your day, make the right choice in venue, it will make the world of difference.

I can't tell you enough how happy we were to have our wedding at the Palace. Since most of my friends who lived in NJ had married before me I worried before I got engaged that I wouldn't be able to find a place that was equal to my friends weddings (and yes, I'm admitting that I started searching for places before I was engaged).... After searching wedding websites I found the Palace and loved it immediately. I got engaged a year and 7 months before my wedding and tried to book the weekend of July 10th, 2010. Both rooms were already booked- both nights... That was how I knew this place was going to be great. We ended up booking the weekend after and it was a perfect day. We worked with Michelle & Alan.
Michelle was so much fun to work with during the food tasting! I have a very obnoxious, sarcastic family and she was so nice and patient with us!

Alan was fantastic as well. We felt so comfortable with him on our big day & he took such good care of us...

I do not have a single complaint... a silly thing that meant a lot to me was when one of the workers brought me up to throw my bouquet-she told me to take my shoes up (that were killing me)... she reminded me that i'd want my shoes on in the photos (which was so true)... I appreciate all the little things they thought of throughout the day to make us feel so special! I would not change a thing <3

The Palace was my dream venue from the moment I saw it online. When my husband and I got engaged, it was the first place I visited. Nicole, our initial wedding consultant was very helpful in answering all of our questions and working with our requests. About six or seven months before I was contacted by our event coordinator, Alexandra. Alexandra was absolutely wonderful to work with. She answered all my questions quickly and was very patient with my wedding craziness! She walked me through everything we needed to know in order to be prepared for our tasting, which was a wonderful experience. We were able to meet Justin, the head chef that would be taking care of us on our wedding day. Not only was he accommodating to all of our requests, but his cooking was phenomenal! Any special requests we had, whether it was specifying our menu or choosing wines that were not normally offered, were met. The week of our wedding we met with Alexandra and our Matre' D Alan. They walked us through how our day was going to run and left us with no questions to ask. Alan was wonderfully professional but very personable as well. Our wedding day was the most wonderful day ever. Our bridal party was greeted with a small buffet of food and drinks in the bridal suite to hold us over until the wedding. We had our ceremony outside on the patio and it went off without a hitch. Alan even got our two, very young, flower girls to walk down the aisle with no problem! Our reception was the best reception we have ever attended (and not just because it was our wedding). The food was out of this world. Our guests did not know where to start at the cocktail hour because there was such an array of food. The biggest hit, by far, was the Mashed Potato Martini Bar. To this day we are still getting compliments from friends and family about how they had never been to such a beautiful wedding with such delicious food. We chose the Filet, Salmon and Chicken breast as our dinner choices and were brought one of each plate! We also received compliments on how well orchestrated the staff was in bringing out all of the guests food at once, so no one was waiting and watching other tables eat. During our cake cutting, we opted to add the fireworks package, and it made our night memorable for everyone. Our bridal assistant, LaTonya was amazing as well. My husband and I always had a full drink and after almost missing the dessert hour because of guests chatting with us, we had a sampling of each dessert waiting for us on our table. And at the end of the night, all of our belongings were collected from the bridal suite and boxed, as well as extra desserts! We didn't have to lift a finger.

All in all I would highly recommend the Palace to any bride to be. It was worth every single penny. My husband and I are already scheming up our next party to throw at the Palace!

Loved it! They were very helpful and everything ran smoothly. Melanie (Catering/planning manager) is one of the most efficient and pleasant people I have ever met. Anthony (Banquet captain) was personable, fun, and organized. They definitely made planning much easier.

Amazing venue. We worked initially with Jose but mainly with Michelle for the planning. We were able to get evening appointments which was great since I work late nights some evenings. The day of attendant was very sweet and helpful. It was planned so we had time to eat and enjoy dinner (we were served first before our guests) and then go and greet tables while they were having their entrees. We were also brought a sampling of appetizers in the bridal suite right after our ceremony which was great too because trying to say hello to everyone with food in your mouth isn't glamorous. Our vendors worked well with the venue which is always a plus. We were unaware of any problems and were stress free all day/evening. Any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me!

The Palace was the first venue we looked at before visiting with another dozen or so catering halls and no other venue came close to comparing. The building itself has a such a great wow factor when you are driving up to it and inside is really kept absolutely immaculate. The Palace staff were all very easy to work with and very accomadating throughout the whole process. They hold 2 events at a time but with seperate entrances. We never crossed paths with the other event so it definetly feels like you have the place to yourself. My only concern before booking with them was that I had read quite a few negative reviews about there not being enough wait staff during cocktail hour so we made sure to put the waiter ratio in our contract (which the venue was happy to do) and day of it was not an issue AT ALL. The only reason I even mention this is because the reviews had me questioning if i should book here but really it was not an issue day of. It was also very important to us to do a food tasting before we booked since we had never been to an event here. We paid out of pocket for the tasting and were then reimbursed once we booked with them. They normally do the tastings after you book (no fee). The food tasting was such a great experience, not many venues give you a full sit down tasting the way the palace did and really went through every detail of the menu until we were 100% satisfied. Their cake designs are gorgeous as well. We booked the hall with Christie and then Melanie was our planner. It was really important to us to list all the day of details in the contract (including the full menu, waiter ratio, specific liquor etc) which The Palace again was happy to do even though its not standard for them. We also made some changes to their contract, which again they were willing to negotiate. Day of, everything went perfectly. Richard was our maiter'd and the bridal attendent was very helpful as well. They were always close by in case you needed anything. Our quests were so impressed with everything (venue, food etc) that they still talk about our wedding. It was really the best day of my life and everything I envisioned it to be & much much more. Beautiful & classy. We couldn't have picked a better venue. ...

We had the most spectacular wedding at The Palace. The staff was truly a white glove service through and through. Anthony was the best maitre 'd we could have asked for, our wedding planner had nothing to worry about! She just handed it off once we arrived. They followed the flow, the timing was perfect and they were right there for us even the day after...truly amazing. I wish I could have a wedding there once a month!! Truly amazing and absolutley flawless!!!

The Palace was a great place to have our wedding!! We were so pleased. The night was so perfect. Richard our maitre d and LaTonya my bridal attendant were amazing, our bridal party and parents were talking about them for weeks after the wedding. I had a slight problem with my bustle and LaTonya fixed it in a second. Someone in my bridal party mentioned a redbull and 10 minutes later, LaTonya came to the bridal suite with her armful of redbulls! The cake came out perfect even though I changed the design last minute and the food was great, they were very open to making any changes. We also had our ceremony here which, was very convenient for our guests. I am so happy we had our wedding here! We had our wedding off season so the pricing was very reasonable.

The Palace provided a venue that was not just the usual "hall" or banquet rooom. They offered us a more intimate setting for our 60 guests. Their wedding planner, Melanie, smoothly and professionally guided us through the entire process and helped to see things we may have missed. She always made herself available to us. I don't think we could have worked with anyone better.We were also lucky to have Richard as our Maitre d. The man was a champ on keeping the wedding on track and worked behind the scenes with the Palace staff to meet all of our needs. Richard exceeded our expectations in every way and was also so pleasant to work with.

The service in this place is outstanding. I felt like a Queen on my wedding day. No complains at all. The food is excellent and the place is very elegant. Actually, they were very flexible because they wrap up the left over of the everybody's food and give them to them because they said that we already paid for it. My guest were so happy because they served so much food that no one could eat all the dishes.You can negotiate the price per plate by reducing the amount of food. Let me tell you something there was too much food. I love it. :)

Our wedding reception was held at the Palace in Gatsbys and we had THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE EVER!! Our wedding "planner" was Melanie W and our Maitre D was Richard - and they both went above and beyond to accommodate our every wish/need. Our guests were truly floored with how gorgeous everything looked, how on top of everything the wait staff was and of course, how delicious the food was. They made our wedding cake exactly how I asked them to and it had people commenting on how pretty it was all night. I could not have asked for a better reception site or staff - our wedding day was really a dream come true.

A very happy bride...

After visiting 5 or 6 different venues, The Palace was the last appointment on our list. My fiancé at the time, (husband now) Jeremy, and I fell in love with The Palace instantly! The decor and presentation seemed to suit our personalities. We wanted to keep our options open and proceeded to carry on negotiations with The Palace and another venue we liked as well. The sales rep we dealt with was Christie Castellana. She was more than willing to work with our budget...the other venue not so much. That was the deal breaker for Jeremy and I. Soon after we booked The Palace, I was introduced to Melanie Wernersbach who became my wedding coordinator. And then the planning began.

I provided Melanie with a power point presentation to give her an idea of what exactly I wanted for my wedding day. I started everything early. Within the first month of being engaged we had the venue, photographer, videographer, DJ, Florist and Limo booked. I researched everything and asked questions frequently. I learned over the years to not leave anything to the last minute and I didn’t want to end up one of those stressed out bridezilla’s the last month before the wedding. I emailed Melanie on a monthly basis asking questions about marriage licenses, champagnes, measurements…etc…you name it…I asked. Melanie remained responsive throughout my entire experience. She was so helpful, knowledgeable and professional. She never made me feel as if I were an annoyance to her. I think her strongest characteristic is that she makes you feel as if you are the only bride she is working with.

Melanie provided me with all the information I needed to make our decisions, payments, and plans. I will truly miss working with her. You form a certain bond over the period of time planning the most important day of your life that it is almost sad to say goodbye.

The Palace was pretty flexible with our requests except for one thing that Jeremy and I were slightly disappointed with. We had requested a certain type of Champagne be served at our wedding. Due to NJ distribution laws, we were unable to have the champagne at our wedding. This is obviously not a fault of the Palace.

The quality of service met our expectations. Our taste testing was a blast and the food was a amazing. Every compliment we have received thus far in regards to The Palace are focused on the food and the overall appearance. All of our guests commented on how great the food was, how much food was provided, “The Palace is BEAUTIFUL”…etc!

Our Maitre d was Alan and although a very strong headed man…he really knows what he is doing. I thought, when I first met him, that we were going to butt heads a bit but in the end he really came through for us. Jeremy and I purchased sparklers…we really wanted to do a photo at night that we had seen online with the sparklers. In the photo the sparklers were set up sticking out of the ground in the shape of a heart and the couple stood inside the heart. While they were lit the photographer took pictures from a spot up above. Well Alan surprised us and made it happen! We were so excited. He ran the wedding just I as I had always envisioned it.

On the day of the wedding I had to make a decision that morning whether or not I wanted an outdoor ceremony. The week before the wedding had a consistent temperature of 75 degrees every day. On the actual day of the wedding it had dropped significantly. I was concerned that my guests would be freezing. Considering our ceremony was very short, I made the call to do it outside. The Palace accommodated my decision and worked around the weather. Even though it was cold, it was a beautiful clear evening. All the guests were instructed to enter the balcony right before we walked out so no one was outside for any longer than they needed to be.

All in all we had an amazing experience with The Palace for our wedding. I would not change one thing! I wish I could do it all over again. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Beautiful place, very attentive. Cocktail hour was amazing.

Everyone in this place was high class 5 star and completely commendable. Once you get past the sticker shock per plate, and the sales managers who won't budge on the price. You'll be thrilled to work with their friendly, accomodating and knowledgable planning and catering staff. You'll be treated like royalty in this Column laden cross between the White House and a Greek Castle. Its truly a spectacle for Middlesex NJ. Food is still being talked about by my guests. Its amazing how much attention to detail they paid for every plate. All food was incredibly fresh, inventive and left you wanting more for taste not hunger.

I recently had my Wedding At The Palace At Somerset Park. I wanted to share my expereince with others. When I first saw the Palace with my mom, our sales person did a great job of showing us the Palace. He explained how the whole night would be from cocktail hour, the beautiful bridal suites, introductions and uplighting in the Ballroom.

One thing that stood out was how he commented on the staffing level. He stated that we would have 1 server per 10 guests. When I heard that, it became the deciding factor. I thought what a special touch for my guests to have that extra special attention. I looked at other Banquet Facilities and even though some were beautiful, they never made that promise.

On the day of my wedding, my maitre d'was great. He was very professional, attentive and went out of his way to ensure that we had a good time. However I noticed that my event seemed like it was short staffed. During cocktail hour there was only 3 servers passing drinks, and 2 passing food. This was not the image that was portrayed to me from the sales person. The maitre d' was even passing food to my mom and dad. I think he was trying to hide the low staffing level from us. When I asked him about the amountof employees, he did a great job in using his sense of humor to hid the fact from us. It worked! We went straight back to having a good time.

However as the night went on, you can tell that the promised amount of employees was not there. I didn't say anything to the maitre d' because it was probably no fault of his own. We loved him!

It made us think that the Palace might say anything to get the sale. So I wrote this to future brides out there. Be careful when you speak to your sales person. If they promise you a ratio of 1 server per 10 guests, make sure you get it in writing. Or even better see if you could work directly with the maitre d' that will work your wedding. Not to get into it, because overall I did have a great wedding! However it seems like as soon as they took my check, that nobody returned my call.

Also if they offer you a lighting package don't take it. It's a waste of money. I had an amber gel on the columns and you could barely see it.

Overall it was fun day specifically because of the maitre d' and bridal attendant, just be careful with what promises made by the Palace!

Hi everyone. I had my wedding reception at the Palace at Somerset Park last year and just wanted to post about my experience and offer some advice. I worked with Jose and Michelle...they were awful. They were great in the beginning when they wanted us to sign on the dotted line, but that was about it. They don't return phone calls...it would take me leaving angry messages & emails, for them to finally return calls and I got the usual..."Sorry, we're so busy..." I had to basically do all of their planning myself -I had to call them and schedule a time to drop off my favors(the storage room is only available a certain amount of time before your wedding and they were supposed to tell me when it was ok to drop the favors off), I had to insist on a tasting (they forgot to book us for one and expected us to just go without it), I even had to call them to come in and pay the balance! The due date passed by...nobody called...My Mom had to insist on a time to come in and drop off the money. Btw, there is an additional discount if you pay with cash --When Jose gave my Mom the price, she told him what we were willing to pay (she lowballed it), knowing with negotiation we would end up where we wanted, and we did. If you are able to, definitely pay with cash so you can get as much as a discount as possible. Also, if anyone works with these two, I suggest making sure you stay on top of things and your schedule, because they definitely don't.

Our tasting was great...the food was pretty good -the wine mediocre, but I'm a wine aficionado. The food at the wedding was nothing more than average, definitely disappointing, however cocktail hour was spectacular! Everything was delicious, the lamb chops and caviar bar were a big hit. The cake was delicious at the tasting -NOT SO at the wedding! It looked NOTHING like the picture I had given the pastry chef and tasted NOTHING like it did at the tasting. I was really upset about that.

On the day of the wedding, the maitre d' and bridal suite attendant were FABULOUS! They attended to everything we needed help with, the maitre d' coordinated with all the vendors really well and made sure everything went off without a hitch.

All in all, the room I had (the East Ballroom) looked great, I loved my flowers (can't say enough good things about my florist Amaryllis Decorators (www.amaryllisdecorators.com), my photographer Patricia Goya (www.patriciagoya.com) my band & dj were great so everyone had a great time dancing the night away.

Although my reception went off smoothly, and in the end everyone had fun, if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't choose the Palace.

A June Wedding is considered to be in the prime season, so you can expect to pay top dollar for a Saturday in June. At the Palace the price would be at least $200 a head, and you would haveto guarantee a certain amount of people for them to even consider your wedding.

Take the advice from a bride who recently got married at the Palace. For what they charged me which was close to $200 per person, it was not worth it!

They made promises that were not delivered on, and the planning aspect with the sales department was a horrible experience.

Read my post from 1/6/10, and maybe that will help. Good luck to you!

Dear Bride2b,
I got married last year in June, and the comments by Barb10 are extremely accurate. The Palace charged me $210 per person and told me that I must guarantee 250 people in order for them to hold the date. I agreed only because I loved the place, and we were wanted to have our ceremony outside on the terrace.

But trust me Bride2B, after they get your money they quickly forget about you, and move on to the next bride.

For the money we paid we were very dissapointed. I was promised that my wedding would be staffed 1 server per 10 guests and it wasn't. The food was not so great, the sales person was rude who never returns my phone calls. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

Go somewhere else and you will get better quality for what you are going to spend!

GLORIOUS BRIDE: I would assume that the comments about not counting servers and enjoying the wedding is directed at me. So I must respond.

Obviously the thought of counting the amount of staff never entered my mind. However it became obvious that there was a problem when only 2 staff members were passing my signature drink, and 1 person passing food. When I booked at The Palace this was not the image that I had for my wedding! Why? Because of the sales person who repeated time and again that the palace is different then any other banquet halls because of the level of attention that my guests will be receiving!

So I did not intend on counting, but when service suffers it's kind of hard to ignore. When you have the banquet manager passing drinks and food to my family, that's a problem. All I am saying is please don't lie to brides just to get their money. If it wasn't for the Banquet Manager then the whole night would of been a disaster. His sense of humor and personality saved the night.

But please don't talk of counting servers like I had an agenda even before the night. It sounds like Inglorious Bride works for the Palace?

Glorious Bride;
Even though I think its great for glorious bride that she had a wonderful wedding, and I am very happy for her. However that doesn't guarantee an exceptional event for you.

I had my wedding there last year, and it is true that the event planner plays an important role. However that was not a positive role. Her lack of experience as well as bad attitude added to a very stressful time the months before my wedding. The original sales person who I met with, and did a great job in selling me the palace was gone after receiving payment. I know that sounds crazy, but thats how the palace does business.

So just a note UPCOMING BRIDE,please take that into consideration before you book.It is a 2 step process. The original sales person sells you the palace, then hands you off to the event planner who plans the details of your wedding from food to floor plan.So if you have a bad person to deal with who you don't particulary trust, it can be very stressful.



However once I got past the planning aspect the wedding turned out to be a great day. But I just had to comment on glorious brides comments regarding the planners. Hopefully these comments are of some help. Good luck.

Dear Bride-to-Be:
I live in that area & was at several high-end functions including, being a bride's maid at my sis' wedding last summer. Beautiful place! the food was A++, the place was dripping in flowers, our Banquet Manager was with us all day & all night...the whole wedding party was made to feel like royalty! I still keep hearing about how evrything went off so smoothly...thanks to the service staff!!!
I booked my wedding there too. The planning experience is not going so well, the Sales Mgr never answers the phone. The event planners can't give you an answer on anything, they will "get back to me". Ugh. And I went in w. my florist & parents twice and the place is desserted!! And our fav. Banquet Mgr is not there that ran all those upscale events over the past years! He was funny & professional, now they wanna asign me a Banquet Captain?!? What the heck is a Captain?

I am not a bride, however I was a guest at the Eden by Moonlight event back in September. My friend who is getting married next year, and currently searching for a venue asked me about the Palace since I was recently there.

This was my second year attending this charity event. Last years event was much better then the one in September. I think it is true about the staffing At The Palace, as mentioned in the previous posts. You could barely find a staff member for passed food during the cocktail hour. That was my favorite part of the event. The food stations, bars, etc... It seemed like everything was scaled back. I know the management has changed, so I am sure that has something to do with it.

Maybe The Palace charges extra for the event to be staffed at a certain ratio of servers to guests? If so, not the smartest thing to do in this economy that we are currently in.

I will tell my friend that The Place is a beautiful venue to host her wedding, but definitly ask the right questions before hand, as well as get it in writing.

The staffing which leads to guest satisfaction concearns me, and the previous posts reflect that.

This is a very beautiful location. The atmosphere is great & you will be partying the night away.. Have fun:)