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About

On WeddingWire since 2009

Pleasantdale Château is a wedding venue located in West Orange, New Jersey. This historic estate presents endless possibilities for the storybook wedding of your dreams. Frequented by celebrities and other high-profile clientele, this property has no shortage of stories to tell.

Facilities and Capacity

This château reflects the Norman style of architecture found throughout the northern French countryside. Guests will be captivated by gorgeous stone masonry and the grand scale of the building as they arrive. Pathways meander in and around the enchanting woodlands and take guests over weathered bridges, past serene ponds, and underneath the property’s original gazebos. All of this creates a sense of tranquility, especially for those couples who hold their ceremony on the lawn. Indoor weddings at Pleasantdale Château may be held in the Grand Ballroom. This room is designed around a massive rotunda, elegantly designed, and held up by a series of arches and columns. Light pouring in from the glass dome which sits atop the highest point of the room will astonish wedding guests as they enter from the long hallway.

Services Offered

This venue offers event planning services for your wedding or reception. The in-house culinary team, lead by Chef Robert Albers, will work to design a customized menu meant to amaze the most discerning of palettes. Many of these creations contain the fresh, organic produce which is grown on the property’s farm. This facility offers other services such as valet parking and transportation by limousine to local attractions. For those who opt for another mode of transportation, the estate’s heliport can accommodate helicopters traveling to and from several airports in Manhattan or New Jersey. Guests can take advantage of the in-house salon and barbershop for final wedding preparations.

Accommodation

Pleasantdale Château offers 30 well-appointed guest rooms contained within the main house or located in the Petite Château. Each room contains distinct architectural details, period furnishings, and luxurious upholstery. The modern amenities which are offered to overnight guests aid in achieving the standards of high-end hotels.

History

In 1912, Charles Walter Nichols purchased the property which became known as Pleasantdale Farms. With the help of world-class architect, Augustus N. Allen, he traveled across Europe in search of inspiration and constructed the Norman-inspired château. The property changed hands, eventually to be purchased by the Knowles family, who are responsible for the addition of the Grand Ballroom. The family has carried out several restorations of the grounds including the farm and greenhouse.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

10

Describe your venue:

Ballroom
Garden
Historic Building
Mansion

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Get Ready Rooms
Liability Insurance
Outside Vendors
Wifi

What transportation and access is available?

Parking
Valet
Wheelchair Access
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Any other questions?

Message vendor
4.8 out of 5 rating
94 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
96% Recommended by couples

65 User photos

94 Reviews
S
Samantha H. Married on 08/06/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Fairytale Wedding!

We can't say enough about our exceptional experience at this wedding venue. As foodies, my husband and I had that at the top of our priority list…and let me tell you it was nothing short of amazing. Every single item blew us and all of our guests out of the water. Seriously everyone could not stop raving about it, saying it was the best food they’ve ever had. It even exceeded my expectations, as I’ve never been to a wedding or event where I did not have single critique or complaint about a dish.

The venue itself was a dream, a stunning and gorgeous backdrop for our special day. Tucked away in the little town of West Orange, it’s very unassuming at first…but as you drive in you feel that you’ve been transported to a gorgeous little getaway. You definitely don’t feel like you’re in NJ anymore!

The second priority was the service and we wanted to find a venue that paid attention to detail, deliver exceptional service, and could ensure the day went smoothly. Pleasantdale achieved just that. The service and staff were impeccable, and anything we or our guests needed was taken care of.

A special shout out goes to my bridal attendant, Liz, who went above and beyond to keep me calm, happy, and assist me with every single thing I needed (and I mean EVERYTHING) throughout the day. She even went as far as to keep me cool by fanning me with an electric fan in between all my pictures. She helped bustle my dress, put on my veil, helped my train, and carried my touch up makeup and cellphone throughout the day. I needed to change into sneakers and she found my socks from my luggage upstairs in a split second. I don’t know how she does it but she is a superwoman!!! The day truly would not have been the same or run as smoothly without her. I really missed having her by my side when the day was over LOL.

Lastly, we worked with Fred, who was our dedicated planner/ coordinator. He was so helpful every step of the way…from when we first toured the venue, to curating our food menu and even working with all our vendors to ensure everything was perfect for the big day. He was always quick to answer my messages and always had our best interests in mind…making sure we were happy and well taken care of. As a bride, there's often a lot to be stressed about, and a lot of details and logistics to figure out. But in working with Fred, I instantly felt at ease because I was confident that he would be able to take care of it all. (Which is extremely important because the last thing you want is to be stressing out on your wedding day). The entire Pleasantdale staff and service was truly exceptional, and unlike any experience I've had before. It allowed me to stay present, have fun, and create lasting memories for a lifetime. I’m still reminiscing about our wedding day and how perfect it truly was. Thank you Pleasantdale and everyone involved who helped make our big day so special!!!
C
Carla K. Married on 04/21/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Spectacular

If you want the most perfect, amazing, stress free wedding day - have your wedding at the Pleasantdale Chateau. From day 1 of simply touring the chateau we were speechless. Through all of the planning, every single person we came into contact with was better than the next. Our wedding day was the best day of our lives, everything we wanted and more, and because of the amazing staff we were able to enjoy every second with no worries. There was not a detail out of place, the staff at Pleasantdale will leave you speechless. Special shout-out to Fred, his daughter, Santiago, Dawn, Beatrice, Angelique (and soooo many more) for going above and beyond from day one all the way til we packed our cars and drove off the next day.
The food? Never had better. Guests having been raving about our wedding…from the staff to the food to the decor & ambiance since they stepped foot on the grounds. If you are questioning if you should book here, no more questions, stop and book (and please invite us so we can experience a wedding here LOL) You will not regret it for a single minute!
Jonathan
Jonathan A. Married on 03/18/2023
5 out of 5 rating

Best decision of my life!

We have toured 50+ venues until we saw and fell in love with Pleasantdale. Best. Decision. Ever. Our wedding at Pleasantdale was perfect from start to finish - beyond our wildest dreams. We were treated like celebrities. Months later we still get texts and calls from guests (as well as people who didn’t attend but heard about it) raving about the best wedding they’ve ever been to. My husband’s grandma can’t stop talking about our wedding and calls it one of the best events in her entire life. The venue is breathtaking inside and out, from the rustic chateau to the all encompassing grounds for any wedding theme imaginable (water/pool, forest, rustic, greenhouse, fairytale, etc) - you won’t run out of photo ops. As someone who toured over 50 wedding venues I truly hope this review will save you some time and pain.

We got married at Pleasantdale this spring. And every day since I wish I could go back to that day. If I have to name 5 best decisions of my entire life - choosing Pleasantdale was definitely one of them. I do really wish we saw Pleasantdale first or only saw Pleasantdale (for obvious reasons) because it checked all the boxes (year-round gorgeous grounds, a charming rustic European/American golden age chateau, fairytale wedding ceremony options - both indoors and outdoors, raving reviews/reputation, INCREDIBLE food (cocktails AND entrees), and most importantly, the BEST team/family you’d ever work with). We saw venues across Long Island, NYC, NJ & CT prior to Pleasantdale (it was a long difficult, painful 7-month journey). Had we seen Pleasantdale first it would have saved us the 50 trips touring other wedding venues. If you do the math, it’s a minimum 1-2 hours getting to/from venues, then about 1 hour at each venue. 50x that… I don’t think I could fully articulate the pain.

Pleasantdale was actually the first place we called based on the many friends’ recommendations but when we called they were all booked for the year. A few months - and many venues later, just when we were about to give up, my then fiancé said why don’t we give it another try? Lucky for us they just had a last-minute cancellation for a date 4 months out and this was why Pleasantdale was the last venue we ever saw. One of our luckiest days.

From saying yes to Pleasantdale to our wedding day it was just shy of 4 months. A very short time but it was no challenge for the team at Pleasantdale. We were so blessed to work with the nicest, most talented, most professional people who love what they do and are passionate about making the day the perfect day for every couple.

From the bottom of my heart I want to thank Fred (the venue manager) who was a miracle worker. Without him we wouldn’t have had this wedding, and most definitely not a wedding at all because any sane person would have given up after seeing so many places and feeling let down. Fred is basically someone I could trust my life with. From day one Fred gets it, makes it happen, and has this rare natural ability to make anyone feel at ease (I was a hot mess) because he’s already got the flawless wedding figured out! A breeze to work with, Fred was honest, patient, and took great care of us. Not to be weird but I just wanna say I wish Fred were my dad. Fred - we will never be able to thank you enough. Pleasantdale being one of the best decisions of my life, you had everything to do with that. Thank you for giving us the most beautiful memories.

Santiago, Santiago, Santiago. How much more can I love you? Santiago was our Maître d. We only needed to talk to Santiago once or twice a month prior to our wedding because boy did he know how to throw a party! Santiago knew what we liked before we even did. He listened to our every word to help us craft the perfect menu, our perfect day. He was like a big brother to me. His passion and dedication to the couples is his secret sauce.

Tori (the banquet captain AND best wedding advisor) was kind and supportive from the moment I met her. She had a great eye for things. I trusted Tori’s taste way more than my own. The day of our wedding Tori checked on us throughout the day making sure we were well taken care of and having the best time. Tori also worked her magic, along with Bryant, to make the day run as smoothly as it did. Thank you for letting us lean on you. We couldn’t have imagined the day without you! And there are so many more staff that we are so thankful for that we can’t name all here - Dawn, Lisbeth, and Beatrice and many more. It took a village! Thank you all for being there for us and being so kind ❤️

Our wedding was perfect from start to finish. It was a fairytale better than anything imaginable. We are forever grateful to the Pleasantdale Team! To anyone interested in Pleasantdale, I am more than happy to help with any questions about Pleasantdale. Don’t wait, book with them today!
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Awards

94
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2022 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2020 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2013 Winner

Real Weddings

Francesca & Robert
21 photos · 08/31/2023
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40 photos · 06/09/2022
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67 photos · 09/18/2021
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24 photos · 11/30/2019
Arianna & Adam
40 photos · 11/23/2019
Monica & Jordan
65 photos · 09/02/2018

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Pleasantdale Château frequently asked questions

The space offered by Pleasantdale Château for wedding events is known for:
  • Ballroom
  • Garden
  • Historic Building
  • Mansion
Pleasantdale Château offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Pleasantdale Château offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
Pleasantdale Château offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Get Ready Rooms
  • Liability Insurance
  • Outside Vendors
  • Wifi
Pleasantdale Château is recommended by 96% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.8 in quality of service, 4.8 in average response time, 4.8 in flexibility, 4.8 in professionalism and 4.8 in value.

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