Wedding Jamz!

Music is perhaps the most crucial aspect of a successful wedding reception. If the guests aren't on the dancefloor, chances are you're going to have a room full of really drunk people harassing the band. There's nothing wrong with a little libation and revery but the music you choose sets the tone for the whole event. So after much agonizing over the music, mood, and mayhem, we've found our man. Behold! The sountrack to our future as man & wife. We present to you.... PARKTHOVEN!

Round 2

Ok, I guess it's my turn to do the weekend recap. On a brisk Saturday morning, we got picked up by Mr. and Mrs. Suss for round 2 of our NJ tour. After getting my venti cup of starbucks, I was finally ready to go.

Westmount Country Club
728 Rifle Camp Road, West Paterson, NJ
The doors were locked when we got there, but we walked around and liked what we saw outside. Bobby finally arrived, complete with flashy diamonds on his gold pinky ring, and gave us a brisk tour of the place. The cocktail room was cozy but the ballroom was a bit too small for my liking (no room to dance). The other ballroom, which was being renovated, would be too large for our party, but it looked amazing with green glass pillars and lights. Very elegant, but they don't have any openings in our date range. Plus, Bobby reminded me too much of Tony Soprano and intimidated me.

Valley Regency
1129 Valley Road, Clifton, NJ
http://www.valleyregency.com/
Another Italian owned catering company, the Valley Regency was a bit more comfortable than the Westmount and I liked the flocked wallpaper. Franco kept us waiting while he met with clients on their menu, but it's good that their priority is the paying customer and not a potential one. We gave ourselves a tour - they had a beautiful ballroom, but the cocktail hour and ceremony rooms were too dreary. Plus, they had two or three BUTTER sculptures on display - and I thought ice was bad. Neither great nor horrible, considering price, but will have to think about this one.

Grand Marquis
1550 Us Highway 9, Old Bridge, NJ
http://www.grandmarquiscaterers.com/
This place smelled like nasty food from a second rate motel. I was turned off immediately, even before I saw the christmas lights and dingy ceiling tiles. There was a Bat mitzvah going on and our hostess had the nerve to lead us through the middle of their ballroom as they were posing for professional photos. That is a warning sign for me - I don't want these people to interrupt when I'm having my wedding. She made sure to point out the ice sculpture on display. "It's a dancer, if you couldn't tell." We couldn't. Mrs. Suss said that she liked the silver candelabras for the table centerpiece, but they cost $300 to use. Why? The biscotti they offered us was inedible. Thumbs down, all around.

The Westwood
438 North Avenue, Garwood, NJ
http://www.thewestwood.com/
Laurine was a sweet old lady, who kept calling me Jean until I corrected her. The place was hoppin' when we got there. They were having a bridal show, and we were treated to a dance routine by some DJ company as soon as we came in the door. "Cheesy" would be an accurate description of the overall decor and space. This place would be too small, I think. There were about 150 people attending the bridal show and it was cramped. We got free cheese and crackers though - I love those whole wheat ones. We lost Mr. Suss for a minute but then we were on our way.

Stirling Ridge
50 Stirling Road, Warren, NJ
http://www.stirlingridgeevents.com/index.html
I spotted the orange and yellow building from the main road and expected the worst. But I walked in to a loungy, cozy, woodsy foyer and changed my mind. It was so different! So modern! So US! Beyond a door on the left, there was a fully operating restaurant with a bar, fireplace, and tv ("for boys to check scores"). The cocktail area looked like a hip NY lounge, with a long bar and standing tables. The ballroom was spacious and SQUARE (you'd be surprised how many weren't), and surrounded on two sides by windows, letting tons of light in. I could see it happening there. I loved it. Then Rebecca, our bedazzled maître d', quoted a price. My heart sank. "Oh we could definitely save on costs," she said, "if you don't do as many cocktails or desserts, or choose the chicken entree." Um, we would need to get rid of the whole dinner. Sigh.

Palace at Somerset
333 Davidson Avenue, Somerset, NJ
http://www.palacesomersetpark.com/
We didn't have an appointment but decided to stop by to see if we could get a tour anyway. It is indeed a Palace. We saw glimpses of the building from the street and gasped in unison. After our drive up a winding driveway to the white house-like facade with two round patios, we went inside to gasp some more. 30+foot high ceilings, fresh flowers everywhere, crystal chandeliers, lush carpet, fireplaces, armchairs, huge bridal suites, split staircase, hosts in tuxes - everything was from a movie or fairy tale. The receptionist, Kyle, was so great. When we explained that we were dropping in, he gave us all the information and offered to take us on a tour, describing the different weddings he's seen. It was all very impressive and very expensive looking. Luckily, no one talked to us about prices so that we could daydream for a little while about having our wedding there. But I would guess it costs at least $300 per head. A girl can dream.

So, another weekend in New Jersey down the drain. I'd like to say we're closer to picking a place, but I'd be lying. Maybe next weekend?

Do It Early!

I don't know if you watch morning news programs, but if you do, I strongly recommend the CBS Early Show! They recently renovated their whole studio and the show is much more upbeat than GMA or any of those other shows. The set is bright and colorful, and the lighting they use on the hosts and guests is so flattering.

I've been watching regularly for a few weeks since they debuted in their new studio (boy, someone must have worked hard to build that nice set), and there is this really hot guy I keep seeing on TV:









Wow - HOT STUFF, Right? Make sure you look out for him on your local CBS affiliate.

On the Receiving End

One weekend. Seven Reception sites. One guy's thoughts on the places we've been, the people we met, and the baked goods we acquired.

First I would like to say thank you to the Maid of Honour, (I like spelling it the British/Canadian way) Jung for shuttling us across New Jersey in our search for the perfect venue, thank you to Tutu, our mascot, for keeping our spirits up, and to Korean food for reminding us what it was like to eat.

On with the tour....


The Manor - (West Orange, NJ)

"Nothing to worry about." That seemed to be the theme of this place. It was the first hall we visited so we hadn't yet got the hang of all the questions we were supposed to ask. The room we liked was small, but opened up into a green house area where the cocktail hour would take place. Unfortunately, if the dining room gets too crowded, the DJ has to be stationed in what I assume to be the poorly accousticized glass room. Imagine, the music outside the dining room? "No problem." When our tour guide, who reminded me of Stephen Root during his News Radio days, started talking about what a great deal they were compared to other overpriced high-end places, the conversation was over. All we wanted to know was why would you make our reception special. All we heard about was your inferiority complex and a bunch of glossed over answers. Menu did look good and bonus points for the nicest glossy folder, but I don't see the Manor in our future.


The Crystal Plaza - (Livingston, NJ)

Barry is a selling machine. Luring you in with his calm, soothing voice, and backing it up with the options to customize the wedding however desired, I had to snap out of it long enough not to write a check. It was insane. It made perfect sense a half an hour later why they offered us martinis before noon. Bluntly, the Crystal Plaza has a beautiful ballroom. Everything else is just on the cusp of complete fairytale cheese though. There was also no nice place to have a ceremony. The upstairs room is pretty ugly with only one window. Outside, was perplexing because they said they could accommodate over 200 guests, but we could figure out how. This was the opposite of The Manor in that it was all about the customer service. It still doesn't feel right though. Fun Fact: Barry had a 21 1/2 year old bichon frise. That's apparently the oldest one EVER!

The Skylands at Randolph - (Randolph, NJ)

Pretty imposing from the outside. Mostly underwhelming on the inside. This is your lipstick on a pig case study. Gene, resident crazy eyed guide, tried hard. He really did. Tried to cover up for the moving junior high gym-esque room dividers. Tried to sell us on a wedding in a conference room amongst silk flowers. Even tried to talk us out of wanting the Platinum package. Gene tried to stress the importance of baking 2000 rolls on premises. We even got a box of cookies for the road. You can look to the sky and see beautiful chandeliers, but when you look to the land you'll head to the door.

Meadow Wood Manor - (Randolph, NJ)

We noticed this tucked away place on our way to the Skylands, and when we came back that way, we figured we'd check it out. What a boon. We were greeted by a whirling dervish named Mary Ellen who enthusiastically (but not obnoxiously) gave us the tour and told us everything we needed to know about the place (again, in a good way, not a talking for the sake of talking way). It's a new facility and it's all about doing things how you want to do them. There isn't a customer service option they won't at least consider. Their goal was to center their operation on comfort from furnishings to food and they do achieve that. It's the decorations where it gets a tad hairy. The displays are a little kitschy (I am being generous - check out the gallery). Think, "Let's buy a bunch of crazy stuff from Home Goods and make it glitteriffic!" Still, we could get rid of all that stuff. We walked away with good feelings about this place. We'll see what happens.

The Castle at Skylands Manor - (Ringwood, NJ)

We got a call earlier in the day that another group had canceled their appointment and we could come look at the castle at 5:30. So off we were. Off the beaten path. Off the road. In the dark and through the woods. It was Ichabod Crane style and we were spooked out. When we finally got to the Castle, the proprietor (since NJ actually owns the castle) Jerry greeted us with coffee and a tour of the place. It would have been nicer to see it during the day because the grounds are a major plus apparently. Still it was amusing following a obviously excited Jerry through the seemingly endless labyrinth of rooms on the estate. (It was a bit of a bummer he didn't show us the "Safe Room" in the basement.) I'm pretty sure it would be awesome for hide and seek...hopefully someone would find you. The Castle was another very customizable option (You're renting a friggin' castle!) and Jerry was exceedingly accommodating. After the tour we talked about options, costs, food, dogs, and football. Soon it was time to go, but not before he had a plate of chocolate chip cookies that had been fresh baked earlier in the day wrapped up for us. Because the parking lot was a little bit of a hike, he also drove us to our car and lead us off the unlit grounds. I don't remember if this was a reception tour. I think I just hung out in a castle.


The Gran Centurions - (Clark, NJ)

Shame on me. Fooled by a damn website. There is a reason you don't trust tiny pictures. Now that I've seen the place (for a whole 15 minutes) I now know that the website is infinitely more impressive than the Gran. It looked like a bingo hall. I think we would insult our guests if we had a reception here. I could NEVER actually get married here. The highlight for me was seeing a guy pop a balloon stuck in a light fixture with a stick. No Friggin' Way! FYI: Later in the day I wrote my Hooters take out order on the back of their folder.

The Imperia On Easton - (Somerset, NJ)

What a shame. That sums it all up. It was a bad sign when there was no one to great us when we arrived for out appointment. It was a worse sign when I had to hunt down the lady we had to tour with because she was helping people who didn't even have an appointment. Let me start with the good. The building, which was new, was completely our style. It was the closest viscerally to what we wanted. It also had a great outside are if we wanted to have a ceremony outside. Here come the problems. We weren't sure if anyone actually worked there. It was empty. It was also insulting when the few employees that were there kept interrupting our tour because they were incompetent. When we were being shown one of the downstairs ballrooms, it was being prepared for a party that afternoon. We were appalled to see the customer re-numbering her own tables without the help of any staff. Here the lady is, dressed up for her event, doing the employees work. The nerve. How can you trust people like this with your wedding? Not only that but they were very inflexible when it came to making changes. Well, until she heard we were coming from New York City. Then she was more agreeable to customizing..."for an upcharge of course." I'm getting mad writing this. What a shame.

So that was our first Wedding Road Trip. We had our highs, lows for sure, and what we didn't gain in satisfaction we gained in car mileage. There will be more trips and we will eventually find our place and that is a day I am really looking forward to. As always, if you know any places, we are ready for suggestions. Ready ready ready ready...

Bonus!

Three Reception Hall Cliches
1)Gazebos - They're kinda silly looking. Whats the point really? If I took a picture in front of a gazebo would you be like, "Oh snap! That gazebo is killin' it!" You don't talk like that do you?
2) Ice Sculptures - A heart, a swan, a fish, it's ice, it's melting, it's a waste of money, it's totally pointless. Unless it's a luge.
3) Flow - Everywhere we go, people want to flow. Flow is the wedding buzzword. If we took a shot every time we heard the word flow, we'd be Tara Reid. It is a very big concern that your guests will just mill about uncomfortably like those little wind-up robots that go around in circles. We must flow, we must be free, you can not contain these guests!

Jersey Tour

The internet is great and all, but it's time to see some prospective reception sites in person. I am nervous because I know I am going to be very critical. Picturing your wedding day is not reserved solely for the female set. I've thought about it and I know what I want.

Lucky for me, Ji and I probably have an overlap of about 85% in opinion. We are really pushing for October because there is still a chance of comfortable weather and beautiful scenery. Plus, October is early enough that some of us may still have residual tans. (By this I mean me because I am a very pale individual.) We also want to stay away from winter because the holidays are too hectic and it is an inconvenient time for most people. It's going to be a tough get to find a place we like and find a date in that span, but we're going to give it a try.

What we are going for is comfort. We want all of our guests to really enjoy themselves in the way you enjoy visiting the home of friend. You won't be able to take a nap or anything, but it'll be as un-pretentious as we can make it. Think lots of wood and rich colors, bourbon, and mashed potatoes. I'd be remiss if I didn't factor flowers, sappy music, and romance into the mix. We'd like to incorporate a little New York/Philadelphia too. What better place to get stuck in the middle than Jersey?

So can we find that? Ummm. Yes, yes we can. And we start tomorrow. Nerves of steel. Eeeep.

Stay tuned.

what's in a name?

Yea...I realize how hilarious it is that my name will sound like Our Savior's.
But what are you gonna do?
I love him.

Does Ji Eun Suss sound any better? Should I just keep my name? Hyphenating is too cumbersome.

I hope it gets old soon.
But I can't wait till I'm just "Mrs. Suss"
:-D

Reminds Me

This is a piece by Kurt Halsey Frederiksen that makes me smile.

Thank you for a picture.

First things first, find a venue.

This is a consuming task. The past couple weeks, the search has yielded limited results to put it bluntly. The thing I find hardest to understand are the websites that are supposed to convince you send your party their way. If I'm going to choose your hall/castle/ballroom, would it trouble you to provide more than three pictures? I'm not saying that I would pick a place based on a few pictures. After all, there is capacity, catering, convenience, and coolness to consider. (The four C's, I just made that up.) I'm just saying that more pictures, maybe some pictures of actual receptions would make us want to check out your facilities. I mean, I actually considered doing an aquarium reception because of the visual of giant shark tanks for walls. That's what I'm talking about. Grab my attention. Don't show me a chair, show me the possibilities.

For now, the search continues...next stop New Jersey. Yep, I said it.

salutations

First off, I have to say this is a great color scheme. Perhaps orange and green will work for the wedding?

Thanks to everyone for the congratulations, especially the thoughtful cards. We are so grateful to have so many people be happy for us. We are truly lucky.

We want to get married this Fall 2008, more specifically, in October. So we've jumped right in to wedding planning but man it's so overwhelming! We'll need all the help we can get so your advice and suggestions are very welcome.

First item on the to-do list is find a wedding venue. We are looking anywhere between Long Island and Philadelphia - If you have any recommendations please pass them along!

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This past weekend, we did something I never thought I would do: attend a Bridal Expo. It was in scenic Bethlehem, PA and after some miscalculated routes and a death-defying drive over wooden bridges we arrived at Lehigh University (where the Eagles practice) for this bridal show. There were lots of booths featuring everything from bouncy balloon sculptures to silk floral arrangements to party buses, glowing girls wearing "BRIDE" stickers bustling about with their grooms lagging behind wishing they were watching football instead. We signed up for a few free honeymoon sweepstakes and won a jacuzzi suite in a local motel.

It was not as helpful as I expected, since all of the vendors were local and a bit too "country" for our taste, but we indulged in many cake tastings and chocolate fountain samples and left feeling excited but more overwhelmed and a little nauseous.

I don't think we'll go to another one of these, but it was a fun day.

Welcome

Hello Friends,

As you may have heard by now Ji & myself are engaged. I proposed on the afternoon of December 31st, she eventually said yes, and the rest is history and future. (More posts on this day to follow)

So what do we hope to accomplish with this blog? Aside from obvious narcissism and gag factor of it, we want to keep friends and family updated. We would also like to pressure other couples we know to suck it up, get married, and grow up. We appreciate feedback from the people we care about and would love to hear your opinions or suggestions, be it first hand or things you've come across when attending other weddings.


This is the only official Matt and Ji Wedding Blog, so if you don't read it here, chances are you aren't interested.

We're getting married and you're coming with us.