Shadowbrook was everything I dreamed of for my wedding day!! My whole day was perfect everything from the service to the food was spectacular!! Not to mention the venue is absolutely stunning!!!!

Our daughter, Callan was married in the Oak Room on 11-11-11. From the moment we stepped through the doors last December, and spoke to the staff, we were sure we had made the right decision.Throughout the year planning, every interaction we had both by phone and in person only reinforced our decision. Linda, Fredy, Susan and Leona--the entire staff was a pleasure to deal with, and made sure our every request was honored. They do not 'nickel and dime' you for every little thing--as other venues do, and you get what you pay for---on the day of our daughter's wedding we were catered to, the staff made sure everything ran smoothly and we were able to enjoy every minute of our daughter's wedding--Although there was another wedding at the same time, the staff did an excellent job---we never knew they were there until the evening was over. Since then, we have received an unprecedented number of calls, emails and notes complimenting on her wedding. The food was outstanding, there was never a line at the bar, and the service was impeccable. The helped us realize my daughter's vision of a lush, 'old world' elegant fall wedding. I highly recommend them to everyone planning a wedding.

My fiance Brandon and I got married at shadowbrook on July 23, 2011 and I had the best experience ever. The staff there was so friendly and willing to do anything to make you happy.The food was amazing and the garden was beautiful. I couldn't of wished for a better place.

The Shadowbrook was such an amazing place to have our Civil Union. The grounds & manor are georgous and the staff was amazing. They went out of their way to make sure everything was perfect. The food was out of this world. I highly recommend them for everyone.

Where do I begin?? Ah yes..the engagement period. My husband and I are both very Italian with very big Italian families. We have lots of cousins that got married last year and have gotten married this year and are yet to get married this year. Yes, every wedding venue is beautiful and yes the food is wonderful, but we were looking for something a little different...say without marble columns and floors..So we were on the hunt for a timeless look and boy did we look. We traveled to Long Island, Upstate, North Jersey, and finally South Jersey to Shadowbrook. The first thing we loved was the tree lined drive..I being the Bride, got butterflies in my tummy because I knew this was perfect for my horse and carriage...second we noticed were the gorgeous grounds which is a beautiful site for coctkail hour..third, the mansion and all it had to offer. My theme was Cinderella meets Scarlet O'Hara where I wear the gorgeous ball gown and have the sexy seductive look and my husband and his groomsmen wore tails. It was perfect. The Oak Room really sealed the deal, it was absolutely stunning and was far from the norm of an Italian reception with marble floors (no offense, marble is beautiful but not our style). And finally, what really sold us on the Shadowbrook was the staff, especially Robert. Robert the owner sat down to talk to us about our options. He was the first person to talk to both my hubsand and myself and not just me. He didn't brag about his venue or talk so fast that our heads were spinning. The price was perfect for the food..best deal we got!! He was very respectful, answered OUR questions, and addressed us a couple which was nice. In all other venues that we visited, all the consultants spoke to me and wanted me to make decisions as if my husband was not even there! When we called Robert to let him know we made a decision we scheduled a tasting which was devine!! The food was excellent and I am glad I had a chance to eat it during tasting because I didn't really on my wedding day!!Our whole engagement process with the Shadowbrook was pleasant and a dream. They let me bring in anything I wanted. I literally moved in two days before the wedding!!


The wedding day was a dream. Guests raved that the food was amazing and the grounds were more gorgeous then when I visited the first time. The staff was amazing as well as they catered to all our needs.. My photographer had a field day at the Shadowbrook for the grounds and the mansion were so beautiful that we tried to take as many shots to capture the beauty it offered, but unfortunately there just is not enough time in a wedding to do that! All I have to say is that it was a dream come true. My guests had a great time, and so did we. If we could do it all over again, I would have my reception at the Shadowbrook. Please be sure to check out some pictures at Patrick Sweeney Photography. com or visit his facebook page under Marino wedding. Thank you so much Shadowbrook!!

Yours truly,

Mr. and Mrs. Benny and Paola Marino
7/10/11

I got married at the Shadowbrook in June of 2011. They are an institution in our area, because when I was younger, it's where everyone had bat mitzvahs and sweet sixteens. Originally I wasn't interested in considering it for the wedding b/c I was worried it would be too old-fashioned--but I absolutely loved my wedding there and could not have asked for a better venue or staff.

Robert, the owner, is very involved in the process and seems to know everything that is going on. To me, this is very professional and shows that he really knows how to run a business. His staff is wonderful--they are all so kind and helpful. The food is fantastic as well, and the grounds are incredibly beautiful. It is really a unique and gorgeous venue, and it is far more charming and interesting than a hotel ballroom.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about the Shadowbrook. I would get married there again in a heartbeat.

We had an amazing experience with the staff at Shadowbrook! I was initially reluctant to visit and consider this venue but am so grateful I did! We worked with Linda who is truly a kind and loving person. She was so attentive to us and suggested options that we didn't know or think about. Our only concern was that we did have some grandparents who had a difficulty time navigating the facility and I'm not exactly sure if they were assisted. However, ths was something we neglected yp discuss and plan with them prior to the ceremony/reception.

We WERE able to personalize our wedding with the full cooperation and assistance of the staff. We have nothing but glowing things to say about Shadowbrook and would fully recommend this venue to all.

I had gotten married at shadowbrook on 10-02-2010. Shadowbrook is gorgeous and i am so very happy that i had gotten married here. The weather was beautiful and we had our ceremony in the main garden as well as our cocktail hour. The reception was held in the Regency room. Linda was so helpful and so very easy to work with and very accomodating. The food was excellent and my guests are still raving about it! I highly recommend getting married here....besides the place being so beautiful the staff is so helpful and extremely nice.

The ladies at The Shadowbrook were very accomodating and a pleasure to do business with, they made what is a very nerve racking time, very calm for me. They understood my needs and accomodated me. Freddy the Maitre'D was a sweetheart and very helpful and cooperative and attentive. I highly recommend having a wedding here. The food was superb.

We are currently planning our third wedding at the Shadowbrook. I am the mother-of-the-bride this time and previously have been both the bride and the mother-of-the-groom. In each case, my husband and I have been the ones to contract the wedding with Mr. Zweben and his staff.

When I first went to the Shadowbrook looking for a reception venue, I drove down a beautiful long road that gave the senses time to leave the busy towns immediately around it and the mind time to reset itself into a mode of anticipation, only to be blown away by the first impression when the building came into view. It was like a step back in time. Everything, from the meticulously maintained and expansive gardens to the impressive exterior of the elegant mansion to the unending delight in the impeccable details inside that kept the vintage feel, was vibrant and alive as if I had just gone through a time warp and walked into the very best of the turn of the last century. The totality of the ambience set the stage very dramatically for a romantic fantasy.

The staff came next and I was greeted and led through every phase of their offering. The creativity and exquisite taste level left no detail unexplored. After traipsing through many other venues and realizing how much needs to be done for a memorable wedding, I felt the stress melt away because someone had already done the work and had thought of all the countless minutiae on my list as well as much more I hadn’t come up with yet.

The day came and went off without a hitch. Of course something always goes wrong, but it was of my own doing. The floral centerpieces for the table came in the one color I had not wanted. I should have checked… Oh well, no one remembers that now except me, and the Shadowbrook now handles the centerpieces too. All anyone remembers is the excellent and abundant food and the dream-come-true quality of the entire day. It was the perfect wedding until…

Next generation: my son wanted a beautiful wedding for the love of his life, so I suggested the Shadowbrook. “No Ma, not your wedding again, mine…” was the response. We looked all over, again, and finally came back to the Shadowbrook where his fiancée had the same reaction as I had had years before. Though constantly new and fresh, it was still a return to another more gracious, elegant era, an experience to be relished.

This time the wedding was at Christmas, not in the spring as mine had been. The gardens seemed to come inside with splendid poinsettias everywhere. The bride brought in a special wedding arbor she and her family had made and, uh oh, it was too tall for the room where the ceremony was to be held. No problem, we’ll find a way was the response and the room for the ceremony was switched to accommodate the arbor. Special favors were laid out just as requested at the tables (a little tricky since they were different for different people) and again guests were WOWed by the entire affair. The flexibility and responsiveness of the staff were phenomenal. The food was a culinary delight and the setting was gorgeous. Maybe I’d even have to say it was more perfect than mine. Any regrets or disappointments…yes…there wasn't enough time or room in my stomach to try every mouthwatering dish. I guess we’d better go for “take 3”.

My daughter was engaged, where do we go? “No, I don’t want my wedding to be my brother’s all over again only a year and a half later.” So we went all over and compared the memory of her brother’s wedding to what she saw. Reluctantly she finally dragged herself into the Shadowbrook where her maid of honor had the same reaction of awe that her now sister-in-law and I had had in the past. Mr. Zweben and his staff assured her that her wedding could be unique as well. First it will be in early summer so the gardens are available, next, a different location for the cocktail hour in case of rain, special little touches with the table linens and chair covers (which are classy and elegant as befits the locale), and a menu and presentation for the entire party that will be customized for her. Well, what did she decide? Sold…We’re looking forward to our third perfect wedding.

I had my wedding at the Shadowbrook May 24, 2009 it was a wonderful experience! I went to a bridal show at the Shadowbrook and fell in love with the classic elegance of it. My husband and I both wanted a venue that was more than just a place to have our reception we wanted a place that had history and told a story and the Shadowbrook did just that! I was in awe when I found out that one of the banisters was from the Old Paramount Hotel in NYC.

My Experiences:
My first time at the Shadowbrook was at a bridal show. This was the first time that I met Mr. & Mrs. Zweben. They were both wonderful they showed me around the property and explained all the options that were available for my wedding. They made everything feel very personal, even though there was a bridal show going on they gave me the personal attention that I needed. After touring the property it was time to taste the food. I loved everything so far, so the food tasting was going to be the deciding factor of if this was going to be the place for my wedding..... and it was!!!! The food was great! (When I went into the area where the buffet was set up I kept saying to myself secretly I really want my wedding here. I really hope the food is good!) I was so excited after tasting the food it was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders....I had finally found the perfect place for my special day!

Now it’s time to get planning!
Planning my wedding could not have been easier. Robert (Mr.Zweben) was so easy to work with; he was accommodating and met ALL of my needs and requests. There was nothing that I wanted that was rejected or disregarded. I was even allowed to bring my dogs! I decided against it because I thought that it may be traumatic for them, but really how many places will let you bring your dog! (I'm not sure what happen to Martha or Jennifer below on their wedding day. Maybe they did not communicate their needs well. Nothing that happen to them happen to me!)

Time to party!
May 24th 2009 wedding day! I had a cocktail reception with 100 people in the Victorian Suite (it’s the first room on the left when you come in the front door). At first I was a little apprehensive about the Victorian Suite b/c the rooms are kind of separated but to tell you the truth that's what I liked best about it. Well that and the fact that we had a secluded area of the garden to use the entire time of my wedding. The separation of the rooms was great it went perfect with the cocktail reception! My reason for having the cocktail reception was b/c I hate being on a schedule. I wanted everyone to have fun and eat when they wanted to not when I said so.

When the food came out it was in a room off to the side which was great it was out of the way of everything. Some people ate in the dining room, some outside and some at one of the tables by the dance floor and dance in-between bites of food! Everyone loved the food I received several complements on how great it was. They really had something for everyone to eat!

Then came dessert.
To my surprise Robert arranged for me to have all kinds of extra desserts. It was unexpected but I loved every second of it! The whipped cream with fresh strawberries was my favorite, I made everyone try it!

The maitre’d was wonderful I believe his name was Bob. (I feel bad that I don’t remember his name) He made sure that we had everything that I wanted or needed he took great care of our party! I didn't ever have to ask for anything he was always two steps ahead of me. Robert was also there to ensure that everything went smoothly, although he didn’t have to be Bob had it under control! I mean it was nice to see that he was there and cared about the details.

I cannot thank that Shadowbrook enough for making out day perfect in every way!

P.S. I am still hearing from family and friends about how wonderful my wedding was! I thought that we felt like this because it was our wedding, but hearing from everyone else that they had as good of time as us, is confirmation that the Shadowbrook it truly the perfect wedding venue!

This place was beautiful. The staff were so nice and helpful. Food was wonderful!! the price was great for a winter wedding. IT was perfect.

I am a New York City girl, born and raised, however when my fiance and I got engaged, he expressed a strong desire to get married where he grew up in New Jersey. He had told me about Shadowbrook, and how his cousin had her wedding there and he hadn't forgotten how great the wedding was. I had always envisioned getting married in the city, and was pretty upset that he had his heart set on getting married in New Jersey - I wanted The Pierre and Central Park, the quintessential New York Wedding, not some catering place in the burbs. But, being the good (new) fiance that I was, I took the ride down to Shadowbrook, mostly to humor him.
Well, the joke was on me. I was complaining the entire way to Shadowbrook, and when had said we were close, I was freaking out because we were driving down a highway lined with strip malls. Then, we turned onto this long, beautiful driveway, and drove up to a place I didn't even know could exist in New Jersey - an elegant mansion, with manicured grounds. Now I was intrigued... We walked in and were greeted by a friendly hostess, and although we didn't have an appointment, she told us that the owner would be happy to speak with us. I was amazed that we even had access to speak with the owner, nevertheless on our first visit there. I'm not sure what the reviewer below meant about him being rude and unprofessional, and that is what compelled me to write this review to begin with - I was speechless at how eloquent he was, and after chatting about New York City and establishing common ground, he proceeded to tell us all the unique ways we could personalize our wedding and make it truly the perfect event for me and my fiance. Don't get me wrong, I STILL wasn't sold on having my wedding in New Jersey.
Since we sat to meet with him before we looked around, he offered to give us a tour of the venue. Being an interior designer, I was in awe of the traditional beauty of Shadowbrook. I could not believe some of the antiques they had there, and what impeccable shape the place was in - Also, I am a little OCD and always check nooks and crannies for dust/dirt, and everything was spotless. The Oak Room, in all its grandeur, is a beautiful backdrop for any wedding. It also overlooks the gardens, and once I caught a glimpse of them, I was sold. The rose bushes must have just bloomed, and walking through them made me feel like a princess at a castle I never got to experience growing up in NYC.
Now that my mind was made up (I'm stubborn, I still didn't tell my fiance), we went back into the office and got to business. I'm not the easiest person to deal with, and friends and family expected me to be a nightmare planning my wedding, but for some reason, the owner Robert made me feel at ease and had a constructive answer for each of my crazy questions. He recommended some wonderful vendors, most of which I used except for the florist - I had to use my family's florist from Manhattan, however the candelabras at Shadowbrook were so beautiful it isn't even necessary to bring in flowers if you don't have the budget to.
I cannot say enough nice things about Robert and his staff - they made the planning process so easy, even for someone as controlling as myself, that I proved everyone wrong and was far from being a "bridezilla." I see that some people complain about not being able to taste the cake, but that really didn't bother me at all - no one actually eats the cake, do they? I have had chocolate cake before, it is pretty simple not to mess it up. For me, the cake just had to look pretty, and when I brought in a picture from a cake designer I knew from Manhattan (featured on Martha Stewart), Shadowbrook put me in touch with Piece of Cake and despite all my doubts, they reproduced it flawlessly.
Fast forward to the wedding date - We chose a date in October, I always wanted an early fall wedding, too many spring/summers in the city have scarred me. The sky was blue and cloudless, the hair had no humidity, and the breeze was just perfect. We had a picturesque setup for the ceremony outside in the main gardens, cocktail hour in the gardens adjacent to that, and the reception in the Oak Room overlooking the garden we just said our vows in. The food was amazing - we went all out on this, being a family of foodies, and nothing disappointed. I only wish that I was able to eat more, however the staff brought me everything and more that I requested - naturally, I didn't want to risk getting anything on my dress :)
I cannot even describe how perfect the service and the setting was for my wedding - not to mention the staff and Robert, who was there for both my ceremony and my reception making sure that everything ran smoothly. I felt very special having the owner there, and after finding out that Shadowbrook is a family run business through generations, I was impressed that he took the time to be at my wedding. Professional for start to finish!
Nothing can compare to how amazing my wedding was, and believe me, I did not want to have the wedding in New Jersey, but now I couldn't picture myself getting married anywhere else. All of my Manhattan friends were raving about Shadowbrook, and couldn't believe that this special venue exists only an hour away from Manhattan. My friend was going to have her wedding at the Botanical Gardens, however after my party, she switched and got married there 3 weeks ago! How lovely it was to be back there, and honestly, you must be insane to choose anywhere else.

Shadowbrook was amazing! We orginally had booked another venue but realized that they didnt add their taxes into the price they gave us and we went to look at shadowbrook just to see if we could afford it. and we could! every little detail was excellent. its a beautiful property and the staff is so nice!

Everyone at the Shadowbrook was great!! I would absolutely recommend anyone have an event at this location! You can't put a price on this atmosphere and level of service.

The wedding planners were helpful through the easy process of choosing the menu, linens and wedding cake. Although there was no tasting for the cake (disappointed :( ) the cake was so beautiful and tasty the day of the wedding that I had nothing to worry about all along. Joe the maitre'd for our wedding was outstanding! We couldn't have wanted for anything all night long (except for the evening to keep going). He brought us drinks, made sure we ate the delicious dinner, and helped my mom follow my long list of items to be packed up after the reception was over. The wait staff was great and attentive. I don't think I could have wished for more.

While I thought the cost was out of our price range in the beginning, I came to realize that everything was included. There were no hidden costs to pop up the week or day of the wedding, and my guests felt pampered all night long. Definitely go to one of the monthly bridal shows to check out the cocktail hour food! And if you are considering a winter wedding, the decorations here are absolutley amazing! It would cost a fortune to even try to decorate any other location like this.

The service and grounds were absolutely amazing! The staff was wonderful and really make everything we wanted so nice. For an outside wedding or cocktail party, this is the perfect place! Th flowers are so beautiful and everything is kept so nice.