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Weddings

About

A Tuscan-inspired wedding venue in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, Il Tulipano Catering & Special Events specializes in unique wedding celebrations. Family-owned and operated since 1982, the venue is dedicated to honoring the traditions and beliefs of the Polimeni family’s Italian heritage. Boasting an ambiance of sophisticated warmth, Il Tulipano Catering & Special Events’ world-class style and impeccable service make it the perfect choice for exceeding expectations!

Facilities and Capacity

Comfortably accommodating a maximum of 330 guests, Il Tulipano Catering & Special Events offers endless options for couples to host their ceremony and reception. While the beautifully landscaped Piazza features brick walkways, stone arches, and a cascading stone waterfall, the charming and graceful Grand Ballroom features crystal tulip chandeliers and romantic lighting. The elegantly appointed Tulip Terrace touts spectacular views of the venue’s impressive grounds from its window-lined walls.

Services Offered

This venue offers a variety of wedding-related services and amenities. Said options include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Bridal attendant
  • Setup
  • Cleanup
  • Event planning
  • Event rentals
  • Lighting/sound

Cuisine

The venue’s professional culinary team prides itself on using the best and freshest ingredients for your special day. Offering a variety of catering services, options include—but are not limited to—the following:

  • Server(s)
  • Tastings
  • Hors d’oeuvres
  • Buffet-style dinner
  • Station-style dinner
  • Family-style dinner

Other Facilities

Il Tulipano Catering & Special Events features various wedding facilities for couples to use during and prior to their event. From the glass-enclosed Great Hall to the window-lined Tulip Terrace, each is a fitting option for bridal showers, engagement parties, and rehearsal dinners.

Other Services

Interested couples have the option of including a variety of bar services with their celebration. Said services include but are not limited to:

  • Liquor license
  • Bartender(s)
  • Open bar
  • Cash bar
  • Limited bar
  • House liquor
  • Premium liquor
  • House beer
  • Specialty beer
  • House wine
  • Specialty wine
  • Signature drink

Location

Il Tulipano Catering & Special Events is an accomplished wedding venue in Essex County, New Jersey. The venue is less than two miles from a number of famous landmarks, such as Peckman Preserve and Hilltop Reservation.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

No

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

1,000

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

1,000

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Bridal Suite
Chairs
China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Lighting/Sound
Parking
Set Up

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Dessert
Server(s)
Wedding Cake

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$30

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
Champagne Toast
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Banquet Hall

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Event Planner
Event Rentals
Get Ready Rooms

What event items are available?

Audio Equipment
Centerpieces
Chairs
Chair Covers
Dance Floor
Furniture
Lighting
Photo booth
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Shuttle
Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

May
June
July
August
September
October

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
April
November
December

Reviews of il Tulipano

This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Review summary

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Il Tulipano offers an elegant, timeless venue with lovely natural light and attentive on-site coordination. Guests rave about phenomenal food — sushi towers, seafood, and customized menus by the chef. Staff are professional, flexible with setup/breakdown, and make planning stress-free. Highly recommended for intimate weddings and special events.

Review summary

Powered by AI
This AI-generated summary gives you a snapshot of the overall ratings and feedback from the reviews this vendor has received.

Il Tulipano offers an elegant, timeless venue with lovely natural light and attentive on-site coordination. Guests rave about phenomenal food — sushi towers, seafood, and customized menus by the chef. Staff are professional, flexible with setup/breakdown, and make planning stress-free. Highly recommended for intimate weddings and special events.

Rhianna
Rhianna Sent on 11/19/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Everything was perfect

Our wedding at Il Tulipano was everything we dreamed of and more. Michael was an absolute pleasure — personable, professional, and made us feel completely comfortable and confident from the very start. Carol and Sunday went above and beyond, staying on top of every detail for me as the bride and my family.

The food was phenomenal — guests couldn’t stop talking about the sushi tower and the seafood. The venue itself perfectly captured the timeless and elegant vibe we wanted, and it truly allowed our vision to come to life.

We would absolutely book future events here and highly recommend Il Tulipano to anyone looking for a flawless wedding experience!
K
Kasia Sent on 10/09/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Unforgettable Wedding Experience with Chef Mario’s Exceptional Care and Cuisine!”


We had the absolute pleasure of hosting our wedding at this incredible venue, and it was nothing short of perfect. From the moment we began planning, Chef Mario and his team went above and beyond to ensure that every detail was taken care of. Chef Mario was not only an exceptional chef, but he was also incredibly helpful and accommodating, making the entire process so easy and stress-free for us. His professionalism, creativity, and genuine care for our event made all the difference.

The food was beyond amazing, with every dish carefully prepared and bursting with flavor. Our guests couldn’t stop raving about how delicious everything was! Chef Mario truly has a gift, and it showed in every bite. He listened to all of our preferences and created a menu that reflected our tastes perfectly, while also adding his own special touch.

The venue itself was stunning, but what truly made our experience unforgettable was the way the staff worked together to bring our vision to life. We felt completely supported from start to finish, and the atmosphere was relaxed and joyful thanks to Chef Mario’s seamless coordination.

We highly recommend this venue for any special event, especially if you’re lucky enough to have Chef Mario on your team. He will make your day as magical as ours was!
A
Alissa Sent on 01/10/2024
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing Experience with our December Wedding!

My husband and I booked our wedding here in May of 2023 and we just married in December. We happily met Carlos for our initial appointment and we knew in mere moments that this was the venue for us. Wanting a smaller wedding (less than 150 people), he worked to build a package for us that fit our numbers - both budget and minimum guests. In the months that followed, Carlos and Joellen were beyond accommodating answering our questions and meeting us for appointments with our vendors. With no events booked the day before and the day after our wedding night, they let us set up our ceremony decor (4 Christmas trees) early and break them down the next morning. My guests and vendors raved about the delicious food, attentiveness of the staff and overall joyful and beautiful atmosphere. It was truly the best day of our lives. We can not thank il Tulipano and the entire staff that made our wedding so magical. Absolutely do not hesitate to visit this spectacular venue.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Sent on 11/11/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Great food! Great space!

At Il Tulipano I was the only wedding on site, they have everything you need on site, and the staff is great. We got ready on site and Mike made sure we had everything we needed. The day ran so smoothly. We made last minute changes to signature drinks and we brought a machine that prints faces on drinks. The staff learned how to use it. The ceremony and reception space was beautiful. All the guests rave about the food. The venue has natural light and elegance with a subtle theme of tulips.
K
Kim F. Sent on 08/19/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Sweet 16 for my daughter

Had my daughters sweet 16 in July. Michael Ventola was amazing. He made my daughters sweet amazing. Food was amazing. I reccomend everyone to go there. I give them 10 out of 10 stars.
J
Jayant Sent on 04/25/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Excellent arrangements

I would like to profusely thank the serving staff, Chef Mario, and Mr. Michael Ventola - for the excellent arrangements made for our dinner event on April 15, 2023.

All guests were very appreciative of the service provided, and of the quality and quantity of food served. We restricted the standard offerings with our request for additional vegetarian items - the final products were all very much appreciated.

Guests I talked to were very appreciative of the service provided by the staff.

The dessert offerings exceeded our expectations - if we had known, I probably would have skipped the dinner for the desserts. I saw a few people take pictures of the spread from one end to the other.

Thanks again
T
Tamara Sent on 01/13/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing!!!!

IL Tulipano is the perfect place to have your wedding. Amazing food and service! Michael was amazing, kind, and attentive from beginning until the end. The venue is spotless and the food and drinks are top of the line! The cocktail hour was great all of our guests loved it! I want to renew our vows here again!
C
Chris Sent on 11/09/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Best decision we ever made!

We had our wedding at il Tulipano in November 2022. To say that everything was perfect would be an understatement! Everyone knows that this venue has the best food of any wedding venue in NJ (and I received compliments on the food all night and the days following from my foodie family members and friends). However, what sets il Tulipano apart is the service and the staff. Other venues are way less flexible and refuse to deviate from their standard proceedings, while il Tulipano truly cares about you and wants to make your wedding perfect according to your wishes (whether you want to customize your food, drinks, table arrangements - literally anything within reason).

Mike, the man in charge of most of the operations, went above and beyond to make our day perfect. He set us up with three signature drinks, included specialty scotch and beer that we chose, and made a great impression on my family (he even arranged for everyone to sing happy birthday to my grandma for her 91st birthday). At one point, he saw that my newly wedded wife wanted a new drink and personally went to the bar to prepare her a fresh one.

Sunday, our bridal attendant, was also the absolute best. She was on top of everything, kept us and the party on track all night, and brought us any food or drink that we needed (and quickly too), and wrapped up anything that we could not finish. She even gathered and packaged everything that we left behind that night for us to easily pick up the next morning.

Carlos was generally our point person and handled all of our questions and concerns with great professionalism and care. He had a keen attention to detail, and followed through with all of our requests and never forgot anything from our discussions.

Back to the food - Mario (the head chef) called us before the wedding to confirm our menu, and prepared special dishes for some of my more picky family members.

On top of all this, the venue is absolutely gorgeous and immaculate inside and out. The inside floors are porcelain, there is tons of room and seating in the cocktail area, and the outside grounds are spacious and beautiful.

Trust me and have your wedding here, you will not be disappointed!
D
Donna Sent on 09/17/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Amazing night celebrating Jimmy and Vanessa

We just had our sons and his fiancée engagement party wow it was everything I could have ever Imagined this night to be . We met Mario for the first time and we felt like we new him ! He Immediately knew what we wanted and His suggestions were a huge success . The food was phenomenal.. the service was 5 star . We have had many parties over the years but our night at Il Tulipano was as magical and perfect as it gets! Thank you Mario Carol Phil Michael and alll the staff that made us feel so
If you are looking for a venue ! Your search has ended ! Make your next event a night to remember!!!!♥️
Donna and David Tischler
Jordyn
Jordyn Sent on 07/13/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Our Wedding was Magical!

My husband and I chose Il Tulipano for our wedding in May. It was one of the best choices we made for our special day. It was perfect for our guest count (150) and they were super flexible with the indoor/outdoor wedding (and rain backup plan). Everything was beautiful! Our guests were over the moon with the entire event. The pictures by the back waterfall garden came out gorgeous!!! Carlos was fantastic to work with and very flexible with our decor and setup requests. EXTREMELY SMOOTH day-of execution. Couldn't be happier with the entire process. Would highly recommend having an event here!

photo credit: https://dianaandkorey.com/
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Awards

163
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2019 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2016 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2014 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2012 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

2 Endorsements
Florentina Flowers and Event Design Florentina Flowers and Event Design Wedding Florists

As a wedding professional I work with my catering site but Il Tulipano is one of the finest catering sites in NJ. We hosted a family party recently and they go above and beyond for the clients. Looking forward to using them again in the near future.

My Cinderella's Dream My Cinderella's Dream Wedding Hair & Makeup

Il Tulipano Catering was actually the Venue that Rita (co-owner of My Cinderella's Dream) and her husband got married at. Their Wedding was in April and even though it drizzled that day the Catering Hall was bright and inviting. The food is outstanding and all the people who work there couldn't have been more accommodating. Just goes to show you that good food, great place, friends and music is all you really need to make a great Wedding (Party). We as Vendors ourselves know how important it is to have a great review. We have worked with Il Tulipano on many occasions getting our Brides ready for their Wedding Day. We recommend them highly recommend them. Thank you for always being so gracious.

Map

il Tulipano frequently asked questions

il Tulipano includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Bridal Suite
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Parking
  • Set Up
il Tulipano includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Dessert
  • Server(s)
  • Wedding Cake
The bar service starting price at il Tulipano includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • Champagne Toast
  • House Liquor
  • House Wine
  • Limited Bar
  • Open Bar
  • Premium Liquor
  • Signature Drink
The space offered by il Tulipano for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Banquet Hall
il Tulipano offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
il Tulipano offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Engagement Party
il Tulipano offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
  • Get Ready Rooms
il Tulipano offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Audio Equipment
  • Centerpieces
  • Chairs
  • Chair Covers
  • Dance Floor
  • Furniture
  • Lighting
  • Photo booth
  • Tables
il Tulipano is recommended by 98% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.9 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 5 in quality of service, 4.9 in average response time, 4.9 in flexibility, 4.9 in professionalism and 4.9 in value.
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