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Bear Brook Valley Reviews

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Reviews

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    Jerry Sent on 07/03/2026
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    Jordan. Bruzzone party

    This was an excellent venue for a wedding. The grooms room was off the charts. I heard the brides room was also. The outdoor grounds were beautiful. Ceremony space was perfect. We had a hot day. That was the only downside. The cocktail hour was also off the charts. Like 5 serving stations. So much food. Food was great. The room was so spacious and elegant. Large walk up bar No problem getting a drink. Then we went upstairs to wedding room. So spacious and elegant also. Dance floor was plenty. The service all night was excellent best I have ever seen at a wedding. Food came out at a timely manner The manger who was in charge cam. Did an excellent professional job. He was on top of everything. Service was top shelf supervised by Cam. Staff was so helpful and professional. All the guests raved about the place The dessert / Viennese hour was also off the charts. Many kinds of cakes and pastry’s to ice cream. I recommend this venue hands down one the best around.
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    Amanda Sent on 04/24/2026
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    The best in the business!

    If you are thinking of booking Bear Brook Valley as your venue, stop reading and do it now! If you are really still unsure let me assure you, the team at BBV knows what they are doing. I didn’t have to worry about a single thing on my wedding day. Rebecca was my coordinator and guided me through every step of the way. She answered so many of my questions and was so responsive. She would check in with me throughout the whole wedding planning process to make sure I was on track. She would keep me updated on things that were going on at BBV especially during all the renovations. I truly take pride in choosing a venue that cares about the quality of service they provide and continues to grow, expand and renovate their facilities in order to provide top notch service. The wedding day was seamless. Our Maitre’D, Mikayla, took care of us all day and everywhere I turned she was there. She followed me everywhere for all our photos on the premises. The staff is all connected via earpieces and we’re constantly communicating with each other so staff knew everyone’s whereabouts (including wedding party and family) and where able to seamlessly guide us for our first look and hide away for the ceremony. Both Rebecca and Mikayla communicated with each other to ensure we stayed on time and handled all our vendors arriving to point them in the right direction without having to bother the bride and groom. BBV has a social media team who followed us around and took videos throughout the day. She shared a file with over 100 videos of what she captured throughout the day and I was beyond appreciative of that. I did not have a videographer or content creator due to budget and the work she provided filled in all the moments I missed being a bride. Such as ceremony entrances where my brother forgot to shake my husbands hand by accident (but looked planned), our t-shirt toss entrance to the reception and seeing everyone’s entrance since me and my husband were in the back and couldn’t see, and so many other small moments that created the memories for us to look back on. Our guests were blown away with the quality and quantity of the food provided during cocktail hour. Even getting 5 entree options for dinner makes BBV stand out amongst the rest and provides great options for our guests. Francisco and his team behind the bar do extraordinary work. They kept the drinks flowing all night and they are all absolutely delicious. I could really go into detail how every single aspect of my wedding day was absolutely perfect but this review would be an essay at that point. If you got this far and are still reading the review, go book a tour and see for yourself how exceptional the venue and team is at BBV. I can’t thank everyone enough at BBV for making my wedding day perfect and magical.
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    Nicole Sent on 04/03/2024
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    The best day of my life, thanks BBV!

    Bear Brooke Valley speaks for itself. This is truly the most beautiful venue I have ever been to. This venue was the first venue I visited. During my tour I can recall standing on the back porch and just envisioning having my reception there. I left BBV feeling like that was the venue that I absolutely wanted to book with. I visited the others that I had appointments for and after every one concluded I would say "Its nice, but it's not Bear Brook". I compared all the other venues to BBV and just knew that BBV was the the one for us. Something about the grounds, the people and the atmosphere drew me in. I found BBV to be one of the more affordable venues in North Jersey and one that had so much included in the final price. There were no hidden fees, the number they gave you at the first meeting was the number you paid for at the end (with the exception of add ons if you so desired to add things on, we did) BBV is the total package. Truthfully, you do not need any add ons because what BBV includes is more than enough, but we did opt to add a few more things to enhance our experience even more. The entire team at BBV is incredibly professional and helpful every step of the way. Ensle was amazing to work with. He helped me though every part of the planning process, I can't thank him enough. On the wedding day I had the pleasure of being assisted by Amanda and my husband, by Kyle. They both exceeded expectations. They were by us throughout the entire night to help with anything that we need. Amanda steamed ALL of the dresses, held my dress while walking around the grounds and always made sure there was a drink in our hands. The bartenders made amazing drinks, the spicy marg was one of the best I've ever had! The service staff were fantastic, I had guests coming up to me all night to tell me how great you all were.

    My husband and I are over the moon about our BBV experience. We speak so highly of BBV and their staff. Truly, it was a night we will NEVER forget. Thank you for the amazing memories at your beautiful venue.

    P.S: My dog came to take pictures with us when we got back from the church and he would not stop barking (*eye roll*). BBV got our dog FRESHLY COOKED BACON as a treat to get him to stop barking... BACON!! Amazing (and hilarious), you guys are awesome. Thank you so much for going above and beyond for us (& Maui)!
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    Nicole Sent on 03/17/2024
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    A true dream of a wedding venue!

    We could not have been happier with our experience at Bear Brook Valley!! From our first tour at the venue, we immediately felt at home there - the gorgeous event space, the serene grounds in nature, and of course, the wonderful and welcoming staff. It was the perfect blend of nature/rustic paired with elegant that we were looking for. We had our tour with Jen and then continued to work with her throughout the whole process leading up to and during the wedding. Jen was incredible and helped make the whole experience seamless. She is truly an expert in this field and really helps as a guide along the journey of wedding planning, and doing it all with a warm smile and upbeat energy! I felt great knowing I could go to her for any question - even if it was related to help finding another vendor, etc. The whole BBV team was wonderful and this really showed the day of the wedding. Our wedding day was everything we hoped it would be and so much of that is because of the beauty and care that BBV offers. The whole day was very stress-free and I felt totally confident that the BBV team was taking care of everything that needed to be done. Everything turned out so wonderful and we got to really experience the day for ourselves without having to worry about every little detail. Our guests were blown away by the beauty of the venue, as well as some of the unique features they offer! The hour and a half cocktail hour was a huge hit, with such a fun and delicious array of food and drinks to choose from. It was so much fun picking from all the amazing food options that BBV offers, and all of our guests commented on how great the food was the whole day - from cocktail hour, dinner and a well-assorted dessert selection. BBV has some really fun add-ons, and really allows you to make your wedding a very custom experience to fit your vision. We had such an incredible day and keep saying that we wish we could do it all again at BBV. A particular rave review came from my niece who said after the wedding “can we come back here as a family every year??”, which I must admit that I agree with that sentiment! If you are looking for a wonderfully caring, stunning and unique wedding venue, Bear Brook Valley is the ideal choice for a truly incredible wedding that you and your guests will look back on with the most wonderful memories!
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    Kara Sent on 07/25/2023
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    Thank you Bear Brook Valley for our magical wedding!

    I am so grateful for the staff at Bear Brook Valley that made our wedding day a dream come true. We worked with Anastasia and she is a true talent. We loved the planning process and her calm strategic demeanor was perfect. On the day of- we worked with Emma, Rebecca, Tony, and Ensle. They were fantastic and attentive to our entire bridal party. Bear Brook Valley is stunning, the food is unbelievable, the bartenders are excellent, and all the staff were phenomenal. Bear Brook Valley is an established venue with strong relationships with many vendors. The coordination they did behind the scenes the day of was impeccable. I could go on and on. I can't thank the Bear Brook Valley team enough for going above and beyond to make our wedding day more that what we could ever imagine. Thank you!!!
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    Leslie Sent on 04/24/2023
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    Book bbv now!

    This was by far the easiest vendor to book for our wedding. BBV was the first venue that we toured, and we instantly knew, they stood out from the rest. BBV pays such close attention to every single detail. They have a solution for every potential issue. My wedding was torrential downpour and BBV didn’t skip a beat. They quickly setup in the stables and made my dream wedding come to life. Ensle and team were extremely attentive and made sure we had the best days of our lives. The endless food and gorgeous property make this venue worth every single penny. Our guests are still raving about the food. Then at the end of the night, they pack up every single thing that we brought to the venue and had it all ready for pick up the next day to avoid hassle. This is the most stress-free venue. I never once felt anxious or stressed about my wedding day and it was all thanks to Ensle and the BBV team. Because of BBV, I had the best time at my wedding!
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    Michael Sent on 01/17/2023
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    Beyond Exceeds Expectations!!!

    My wife and I had our wedding at Bear Brook Valley in December and the day was a true dream come true. Our wedding coordinator, Ensle, was so amazing to work with leading up to the big day and was always responsive to all of our questions. On the day of, Ensle and the bridal and groomsmen suite attendants were essential to how perfect our day was. I felt like nothing could go wrong with the coordinators by my side. The grounds at Bear Brook valley are absolutely stunning even on days with inclement weather.
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    Liz Sent on 12/05/2022
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    The most perfect day

    This is the perfect venue! The entire Bear brook team is amazing! We worked with Christina and Ensle and they were so responsive and personable. They made our day so perfect. When rain was a potential threat, they kept us calm and helped us think of every case scenario. The grounds are absolutely breathtaking. All of our guests had so many amazing compliments and it all started at the venue. My bridal attendant, Rebecca, was also amazing. Anything we needed was perfect and she gave us the greatest advice day of and helped us stay calm in all the craziness. It is a hidden gem and if you are able to get married here, they will do anything to make your day perfect.
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    Alyssa Sent on 10/10/2022
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    Dreams do come true at BBV!!

    Bear Brook Valley made all our wedding dreams come true! The venue is absolutely stunning, but what truly made our wedding day amazing was the staff. They are professional, well trained, kind and seem to truly love their job. Christina was so helpful and accommodating throughout the whole planning process. Caitlin, Rob and Camilo took the best care of us that day. They paid attention to the tiniest of details and were a step ahead of us all day long. Caitlin quickly bustled my dress when everyone else forgot how to do it, Camilo always had a fresh drink in hand for us and Rob took the best care of the boys.Our day was nothing short of perfect because of these four people! The food was plentiful and delicious (my guests won't stop talking about it) and the waitstaff were remarkable. BBV is a well oiled machine, they have thought through each part of the day and truly take care of their couples. We wish we could relive this day over and over and are so thankful we chose BBV!
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    Kristyn Sent on 08/29/2022
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    The Perfect Venue

    Picking a wedding venue felt like one of the hardest choices for while wedding planning because so many other decisions would come as a result. While searching online I found Bear Brook and knew from the photos and other reviews that I had found the one!

    When touring Bear Brook for the first time Christina was incredibly through to show us all of the details that come with a Bear Brook wedding; 1.5 hour cocktail hour, on site bride and groom suites, standard open bar, the list went on and on. After booking our date Christina and her team helped to guide us every step of the way. It was so great to have someone that I could ask silly question to and who went above and beyond to make sure our day was special.

    When looking at venues I didn't realize how important it was to find a place that only did one wedding a day. This ultimately became a huge factor! I never had to worry that my day would be anything less than their priority.

    On the day of my wedding, I took advantage of their bridal suit. Upon arriving, all of my girl's getting ready gifts were set up on the table and breakfast was out. My hair and make up teams were also all set and ready to go! I had a bridal attendant with me all day and she did everything from steaming dresses to making sure I had my comfy shoes ready post ceremony. My groom and his guys felt equally as cared for as they spent the morning playing yard games and hanging out with each other.

    No detail was spared. Every one of our guests is still talking about how beautiful our wedding was and how much they enjoyed it! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get to attend a BBV wedding as a guest so that I can come back! No need to look further than Bear Brook Valley for your wedding.
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    Sami Sent on 08/07/2022
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    Dream Venue!

    Bear Brook was an absolute dream from the minute we toured it. On my wedding day they truly exceeded my expectations.

    Our guests still cannot stop talking about how good the food was from cocktail hour until dessert. The attendants (bridal suite attendant, groom suite attendant, maitre d, day of coordinators) were truly amazing. They were all sooo attentive and I did not worry or stress once the entire day. They helped with literally everything and even reminded us to make sure we eat!!

    Book BBV now 😍
  • Michelle
    Michelle Sent on 07/12/2022
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    Thank you for the perfect wedding day!

    Obviously, the venue is gorgeous. It is somehow even more beautiful in person! The amenities were top notch, from the Silo Suite/Woodford Lounge, to the amazing cocktail hour space and gorgeous glass walls in the ballroom. I made a joke that I was looking through the cleanest window I had ever seen in my life. But you can tell it’s gorgeous from photos – what really sets Bear Brook apart is the staff. From the first time we stepped on the property, we felt cared about and important to them. So I’d like to take some time to share some of the amazing people at Bear Brook we interacted with, and how they went above and beyond in their service.

    Our day-of coordinator was Ensle. He checked in with us every few months, and responded to even the most mundane emails within 24 hours. He never made me feel silly or small about my questions or requests. On the day of our wedding, he checked with me multiple times to make sure the ballroom was being set up in the way that I had imagined. We chose the tailgate station for the cocktail hour, and even though my husband is a rare Saints fan from NJ, Ensle decorated the station so well! When we went back to collect our decor the next day, Ensle and his team had carefully packaged and cleaned EVERYTHING – such a help!

    My husband’s attendant, Rob, was a favorite among the guys. He was helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about whiskey and cigars, which the guys loved. They are still talking about the Japanese whiskey Rob introduced them to. He worked the cigar and whiskey bar later that evening, and even had a tiny little cigar waiting behind the bar for me. When we went back the next morning, Rob was already hard at work behind the bar preparing for the next day’s wedding.

    My bridal attendant, Caitlin, went above and beyond for me the ENTIRE day. When we arrived at the Silo Suite, my gifts to my girls were laid out and ready for them. She steamed the bridesmaids’ dresses, and displayed my dress on the wall. Even little things – when I was getting my hair done, she asked if she could bring me a bottle of water. There was a chance of rain on our wedding day, so she kept me at ease and checked Accuweather. During photos, she was there with a drink in her hand for my and my husband. She drove the little buggy for us, and navigated the hell out of those grounds! She even helped me with my veil and bustle, which my MOH was pretty relieved about. It was just Caitlin and I in the suite before the big walk down the aisle, and it felt like I was sharing a special moment with a friend I’d had forever. I will never forget her kindness and humor; she ensured that what could’ve been a very stressful day was nothing I had to think twice about. I want to be friends with her in real life!!!

    Our maître d' was Cam. The NICEST guy! The day before our wedding, he introduced himself to us and allowed us to give our shuttle service his number so that he could ensure all our guests were safely transported. Not only did he check in with us all night, making sure we had drinks in our hands and water at our table, but he did the same thing for our parents and immediate family. I never had to search for Cam. When I wanted the photographer to take a picture, I found Cam first, who grabbed him for me. When one of our shuttle tried to leave with only 2 people on board, he stopped them and made sure the van filled up before leaving. When some extended family members were a little too intoxicated to drive, Cam asked for their keys and allowed them to park on property overnight for their safety.

    THE FOOD. The food!!! Just absolutely over-the-top good. My favorite question to my guests in the days after our wedding has been, “what was your favorite thing you ate?” Some of the top favorites included the doughnuts from the add-on doughnut wall, the hanger steak from cocktail hour, and the mahi-mahi entree. One of my favorite moments from the day is when they allowed my husband and I to walk around our cocktail hour before officially closing it up for the reception. My guests said that basically everywhere you turned all night, there was more food. “Fantastic” isn’t even a strong enough word.

    If you can swing for some upgrades, our favorites were the Silo Suite/Woodford lounge, the cigar and whiskey bar, the doughnut wall, the boardwalk station, and the late night food option as your favor. These are things our guests are still talking to us about!

    We had the PERFECT wedding day, and it was only possible through the efforts of Ensle, Christina, Jen, Rob, Caitlin, Cam, and the entire staff of Bear Brook Valley.
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    Julie Sent on 01/06/2022
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    Elated with bbv!

    I cannot say enough good things about BBV! Our wedding day was perfect! My husband and I received SO many compliments! Perry (Owner) knows what he is doing - Christina and Jenn (Wedding Coordinators) were amazing and a pleasure to work with! I highly recommend this wedding venue to anyone who is looking for a beautiful, rustic, modern venue with an outstanding waitstaff! ❤
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    Lauren Sent on 10/27/2021
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    Perfect Wedding Reception 08.12.2021

    I can’t recommend Bear Brook Valley enough if you are planning your wedding!

    We originally booked our wedding for 08.02.2020 after setting up an in person tour where they were very welcoming and up front with pricing. During the planning process, we were appointed a coordinator who was very responsive to any questions we had via email.

    In June of 2020, we expressed that we wanted to move our wedding reception to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and BBV worked with us to move the date without any fees or hassle- I was SO grateful for this!

    When August 2021 finally came we had the most magical day. The bridal and groom attendants are AMAZING (Kasey literally saved the day multiple times over) and the day of coordinators helped everything run smoothly. It was the wedding we had dreamed of and it was truly all thanks to the unbelievably fantastic staff at BBV.

    Other than the process and team, you can’t say enough about the venue. The grounds are gorgeous with so many great places to take photos and the cocktail hour, reception hall and ceremony sites are clean, new, and so beautiful. There are so many options for adding on extra features, picking your menu, rain back up ceremony sites, and food to go for guests. Not to mention the food is incredibly good and the cocktail hour is filled with tons of choices.

    If you’re considering Bear Brook Valley for your wedding, book a tour and see for yourself! Thanks BBV team for the wedding of our dreams!
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    Jessica Sent on 09/02/2021
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    PERFECT NJ Elegant Rustic Wedding Venue!!!

    I am absolutely blown away by our experience getting married at Bear Brook Valley on August 19, 2021. The team was unbelievably amazing throughout the entire planning experience, which included rescheduling once due to COVID. Jen T. was our coordinator, and she answered every single one of our many, many emails and questions in less than 24 hours. They were so accommodating throughout planning, from the initial meeting, to the rescheduling process (which they did as fairly as they possibly could have), to adding and changing a few things within the last few weeks before the wedding, to on-site coordination. As someone who often works events, I was just floored by how they handled everything during the wedding. We got married off-site, but decided to get ready in the silo suite and groomsmen lounge, which kicked off the day with attendants who handled every single thing – from steaming dresses to bringing drinks and food to making sure we were as stress-free as possible. After our ceremony, we were greeted with our signature cocktails and overly enthusiastic and excited attendants, which made us feel so special! The cocktail hour was UNREAL – our guests were floored by the sheer amount of food, the unique stations and the insane quality! The rest of the staff – from our incredible maître de, to the servers and bartenders, to the kitchen staff – everything was so perfect. The food was delicious, the service was impeccable, everything ran so incredibly smoothly, like a well-oiled machine. Our decorations were set up perfectly, and even packaged up AND packed up in our car for us to pick up the following morning. Truly cannot express what an incredible, incredible experience we had with Bear Brook Valley. Could not have imagined a more perfect day and venue.
  • Ana
    Ana V. Sent on 06/09/2021
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    Phenomenal

    The staff was great!! Everyone made sure the guests were content, staff was always after me making sure i was eating and staying hydrated.. have no bad things to say!! I keep going around telling family and friends to get married there so i can relive the night 😂
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    Christine Sent on 12/02/2020
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    Exceptional, beautiful, and perfect in every way!

    My husband and I could not be more thrilled with the decision to get married at Bear Brook Valley. Initially we were supposed to get married at their sister venue but due to the pandemic we had to postpone and have a micro-wedding at a much later date. The staff offered us the option to hold our wedding at Bear Brook and we accepted. It was the BEST choice we ever made. The staff was fantastic. They were so attentive. They made us feel safe, secure and so comfortable. Our guests are still raving about the food, picturesque grounds and stunning interior. The staff at Rock Island and Bear Brook are second to none. They go above and beyond to help you even when in a pinch. Our wedding day was everything we dreamed even in these uncertain circumstances because of Bear Brook!
  • Michelle
    Michelle Sent on 11/18/2020
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    Dream Wedding Venue

    Our wedding at Bear Brook Valley was a dream come true. The beauty of the venue speaks for itself, but the staff truly go above and beyond to make your day special. Leading up to our wedding day, every phone call and email was answered promptly and thoroughly which put us at ease knowing we were in good hands. My husband and I didn't have to worry about a thing on the day of the wedding or even the day after since the staff packed up all of our items and decor. The entire day was unbelievably organized and everything ran according to plan. Juana, our Maître D', was absolutely incredible, and we are so thankful for her. She hyped us up, kept the drinks flowing, and was ready and willing to help with anything we needed. Bear Brook Valley's rustic chic vibe, delicious food, stunning grounds, and spacious getting ready suites made it our dream venue. We really couldn't have asked for more, and we hope to attend a wedding here as guests one day!
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    Kara Sent on 09/25/2020
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    Above & Beyond Our Expectations

    We booked our wedding with Rock Island Lake Club for 9/18/2020. Given COVID, our wedding reception was going to be held in a tented outdoor space, lakeside; however, the week of the wedding, the owners offered us an option to switch our reception to their sister location, Bear Brook Valley due to expected low temperatures on our wedding day and being in an outdoor space. They explained how Bear Brook Valley was newly renovated to allow indoor/outdoor access throughout the reception space and increased comfort for our wedding guests. We were initially wary of changing the location of our venue the week-of (due to logistics and fear of guests declining to attend since the reception would no longer be fully outdoors), but we were also concerned about how a tented reception outdoors could be chilly for our guests if we kept the reception as planned. Ultimately, we decided to take the owners up on their offer to switch to the renovated space at Bear Brook as we were assured this would be a great option for our guests. We met the owners and Bear Brook staff on 9/17, saw the renovations and incredible space, and were SO excited to host our event at Bear Brook the following day. We had zero doubts that our wedding would be incredible and fully trusted the staff to accommodate our wedding details as originally planned at Rock Island. Even still, they beyond exceeded our expectations on our wedding day. From the very moment our wedding party arrived on 9/18 to the very end of the reception, we were treated like royalty. The service provides was seamless and top-notch. Our guests had an awesome time and followed up with us the next day about how great our event was. Truly, we couldn’t have been happier with how our day went and are so grateful to the owners and staff for having our day run so smoothly. We have been raving about our wedding ever since and encourage all couples to trust that the renovations and indoor/outdoor access is a great option! Our only hope is that we will attend a future wedding at Bear Brook or Rock Island as guests ourselves because we had such an incredible time! Thank you to Rock Island/Bear Brook for making our wedding day the best day of our lives.
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    Amanda Sent on 06/29/2020
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    The BEST wedding venue!

    My husband and I researched venues throughout New Jersey and New York in search of the perfect place to celebrate our wedding. Bear Brook Valley was the most incredible venue that delivered the best wedding day we could have imagined. We wanted a day that was exceptional and extravagant without being stuffy; Bear Brook certainly provided the most upbeat, fun, lavish day.

    Logistically, Katrina is extremely organized and prompt; coordinating with her throughout the wedding process was truly a joy. She provided clear lists and benchmarks that helped keep us organized and on track with a timeline; she was so communicative that we did not need to hire a wedding coordinator outside of the venue. On our end, I have an extreme attention to detail (a little OCD!), and Katrina was on top of every last item that made it easy to give her full control and relax on the day of.

    Stylistically, Bear Brook allowed us to truly personalize the reception so that it felt like us. Everything from the food to the décor had nods to us as a couple. On the day of, the food is nothing short of exceptional; our wedding was almost a full year ago, and our guests are still talking about the outrageous cocktail hour. The “package” that Bear Brook provides far exceeds that of any other venue.

    Perhaps the most underestimated quality, though, is how amazing the staff is. Everyone - from the coordinators, to the attendants, to the waiters, to the bartenders - is joyful, knowledgeable, and efficient. They have the process of putting on a 200+ person wedding down to a science, while still letting it feel unique, fun, and personal. I wish that we could get married a second time just to be able to work with the people again. If you’re thinking about Bear Brook Valley, don’t hesitate another second and book!
  • Mel
    Mel C. Sent on 05/04/2020
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    The Perfect Venue

    I don't think Bear Brook Valley needs any more 5 star reviews, but here goes. This is hands down the most amazing place you could imagine to have your wedding. It is absolutely stunning! The attention to detail to making this place exclusively a wedding venue is extraordinary. Not a single square inch of the venue is wasted; it was designed to host a wedding from start to finish. Planning with them was so simple! You have your one point of contact the entire time and they handle everything. No worries about rentals, overwhelming options, and hiring multiple different companies. Bear Brook is your venue, caterer, bartender, rental supply, cake supplier (included in contract price but you order at provided bakery), set up and tear down crew, and even day of coordinator! The amount that you are saving by having BBV provide all of this for you is priceless! Like, do you know how much an independent day of coordinator costs? Oh, and their prices are inclusive of sales tax and they don't charge a service fee. Venues we thought were more affordable really weren't after you add on that tax and 22% gratuities. I love the honestly and integrity behind their no hidden fee pricing and their "leave gratuities if you feel moved to" tipping philosophy. At BBV you are a part of their family. Even though they do so many weddings a year, it's always like you are their top priority. For our wedding, we dropped off our decor 2 days in advance and had the place to ourselves with Becca, the day of coordinator, and Juanna the Maitre D, and were able to set some stuff up with them and they had no problem with me meticulously telling them how I wanted everything. They were happy to oblige! After the wedding, we left my husband's truck in the parking lot and they had it packed up ready to go with all our decor the next day. Like, what venue does that?! That's just a little peak into the service the staff will provide to make you feel like royalty on your special day. In all, BBV is just the perfect modern wedding venue. It's rustic yet timelessly elegant. You can get ready in the beautiful Silo Suite that has everything you need, or the Woodford Lounge with all the games your groom will love. You can get married on site and have a perfectly seamless transition from ceremony, to cocktail hour, to reception; guests are never bouncing back and forth between locations. You have an abundant of stunning locations for photos so you have all different kinds of backdrops without ever having to leave the venue. You get a flexible and accommodating staff that says things like "well we've never done that before, but that sounds great, let's do it!" or "we reduced the price of [an upgrade] in our package this year so I credited your account the [few hundred dollar] difference!" And you get the job of 6 different vendors all rolled up into one easy package, no complex tiers to weigh options. You will not regret booking Bear Brook. That's just the honest truth :)
  • Carly
    Carly Sent on 01/05/2020
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    Magical Venue = Magical Wedding Day!

    My now husband and I knew from the moment we walked into Bear Brook Valley that it was going to be "the one". I already had a feeling based on how excited I was from pictures alone, and how spot on everything was in person. (The drive in was also gorgeous!) We live in NYC and often travel upstate for long weekends, day hikes, etc., so our first thought was to look for a venue in the Hudson Valley. The vibe we wanted for would include both indoor and outdoor space, a modern take on the farmhouse/barn house style, hold only one wedding per day and be surrounded by trees and/or mountains. Bear Brook Valley checked every single box and then some! It is nestled in the greenery of northwestern New Jersey, so the lushness and connection to nature was perfect. I could go on forever about how much we, and all of our guests, LOVED our venue, but instead I'll highlight key areas we thought were important and stood out from all the other venues we considered.
    KATRINA, FRANKLIN & STAFFFirst and foremost, our entire experience, including our wedding day, would not have been as magical as it was if we did not have Katrina. She is the secret sauce to BBV's success, in my opinion. She is the wedding coordinator & manager for the venue, with you through every single step of the process once you've locked in your date. I really don't know how she does it -- her attention to detail is unmatched. Of course that is part of her job, but what I mean is, she goes beyond the basics. She really made us feel like our day was the most important on her list of weddings and she truly cared about even the smallest details because they mattered to us. She is hands-on on your wedding day making sure everything runs smoothly and up until then, your right-hand-woman. Franklin was our head server on our wedding day, paying close attention to our needs as well as all guests. He was absolutely on point and our guests noticed as well (several commented on how friendly and accommodating the entire staff was). Overall, the bridal attendants, servers and Katrina were amazing and brought our day to life. I could easily recommend this venue based on their services alone!
    PROPERTY
    The grounds are beautifully manicured and offer a variety of landscape for photos as well as your guests to peruse. BBV provides a golf cart that will take you through the property with ease. The ceremony space overlooks a pond with the vineyard visible in the distance. During cocktail hour on the lower level, there is plenty of outdoor patio and seating and a space to gather around a bonfire cauldron. There is a large outdoor balcony space with an active fireplace that runs the full length of the building, available during your reception time upstairs. Decor throughout the inside is well-planned and offers the perfect modern-romantic-rust feel for your wedding day. 
    BRIDAL & GROOM SUITESI have never experienced anything like this! Although these are add-ons to have for the entire morning, they are absolutely worth the experience and the reduced stress-levels, because you can be on property early and eliminate travel to/from. It definitely makes sense if you're getting married on site. The bridal suite is gorgeous! BBV thought of everything -- you'll have drinks/breakfast/lunch provided, a salon-like section for hair and makeup, long mirrors, a large bathroom and awesome center room to relax in, with great lighting for pictures. You can also watch your ceremony space come to life and you're on the opposite side of the building from your partner. The groom's suite comes equipped with drinks/lunch/games, billiards, table shuffleboard, comfy chairs and access to play some outdoor games. My husband was not going to use it at first but ended up being really glad that he did -- why not feel a little pampered on your day? (P.S. you are granted access to the bridal/groom suite up to 1hr before ceremony at no cost for the rest of the day, if you do not choose to upgrade to use them earlier.)
    INCLUSIONS PER PERSONI had read some reviews where couples felt that pricing changed throughout their planning process or there were hidden costs. However, in my experience, I do not feel like I had to shine light on any hidden fees or sneaky add-ons. Katrina and her team are VERY transparent in pricing and can answer any questions related to cost. You'll also have access to your contract digitally and it will be updated several times throughout the process allowing you to modify whatever you'd like up to a few weeks before your wedding day. That aside, I felt that all of the inclusions in the price per person went above and beyond. BBV supplies tables, chairs, china, silverware, glasses. Included in the in-house catering at no additional cost are 8 passed h'oeuvres, 3 chafing dishes, 3 live chef stations, 2 block stations, many of which come with paired drinks, and an extensive open bar that included local craft beer. Our guests raved about cocktail hour, which probably looked like we upgraded, but did not have to! The meal includes a salad, up to 5 entrees, viennese dessert, ice-cream and your cake, plus wine for the table and a champagne toast! All of these are things that other venues may charge separately, require upgrades or are not include at all. All of the food we personally tasted was delicious -- guests always comment on a venue's food, and ours gave nothing but positive praise. Bonus -- my husband and I were offered the option to order all entrees on our menus as our dinner options, should we want to try more than one dish each. 

    We highly recommend Bear Brook Valley for your wedding day -- it did not feel like an ornate or factory-style wedding venue. It was personal, open and cozy. Take a tour, you will not be disappointed!
  • J
    Jaimie Sent on 11/21/2019
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    11.08.19 Wedding

    My fiancé and I looked at about 10 places when we decided to visit Bear Brook. As soon as we walked onto the property we knew we loved the venue. Then meeting all of the staff, seeing the bridal and groomsmen suites, and the gorgeous rustic romantic decor sold us. Our wedding coordinator made everything idiot-proof for us: reminding us about payments, timelines for vendors, etc. We recently had our wedding there and people have not stopped complimenting us about their experience at Bear Brook. They loved the food, the staff, and the overall ambiance of the place. We are so thrilled with how our wedding turned out, thanks to Bear Brook!
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    Anderson Sent on 11/19/2019
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    The nicest staff

    I am a professional florist (ANDERSON FLOWERS, METUCHEN, NJ) and I just did my first wedding at Bear Brook Valley - and the people there are so nice to work with. And - That surely translates into a great experience for the Bride, Groom, Their Families and Friends.
    Look forward to being back there
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    Danielle Sent on 11/14/2019
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    The most perfect experience!!

    Just had our wedding at Bear Brook on November 1st 2019 and we could not be happier about how everything went! The experienced staff was with us every step of the way in planning not only for the Bear Brook related decisions but also for when we should have our vendors booked, where we could get our dresses and suits, and fun ideas to have throughout the day. They were flexible with us when we changed our minds and helped mold our thoughts into fully formed ideas. The day of, the staff was more attentive than I have seen at any other venue. They were incredibly organized and would consistently check up on us to make sure not only my husband and I, but our entire bridal party, was happy with everything. The day could not have run smoother, and they thought of things that we had never expected, like putting out hot apple cider when it got chilly for our outdoor ceremony. The property was a gorgeous place to take pictures and we have not stopped receiving compliments on the food, beer selection, and the venue itself from our guests. We could not recommend Perry and his team enough!!!
  • Lynn
    Lynn Sent on 10/03/2019
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    Amazing Wedding Venue

    Booking with bear brook valley is so easy! And staff is very flexible and helpful!
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    Alyssa Sent on 09/05/2019
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    Visiting the hall

    We went for a visit and right away they poured us a glass of wine or beer. The grounds are beautiful, everything was explained thoroughly, and the presentation was exquisite. We booked right on the spot. After we booked they immediately got in touch with us and communication has been open ever since. I look forward to working with them
  • Kelly
    Kelly Sent on 08/20/2019
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    Phenomenal experience!

    Wow where to even begin about how AMAZING Bear Brook Valley was for our wedding on 8/17/19! Katrina Boyle, our wedding coordinator, was absolutely INCREDIBLE during the entire planning process. From her helpful checklists and suggestions, to her on the spot magic she pulled, she made sure every detail was what we wanted and made sure our wedding was exactly what we dreamed of. Franklin and the bridal attendants were also fantastic the day of as they were SO attentive, helpful, and readily available to help with any request throughout the day. Our food was spectacular, the cocktail hour was raved about, and the end of the night food stand on the way out was a huge hit. I could rave about the beauty of Bear Brook all day, but the people made it that much better and easier to work with. I couldn’t imagine having my wedding anywhere else and I’m SO greatful for Katrina’s patience, flexibility and her eagerness to accommodate our every request. I would highly recommend Bear Brook Valley and once again Katrina was an absolute pleasure to work with as her professionalism and experience is invaluable.
  • Mauli
    Mauli Sent on 07/27/2019
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    The definition of perfection!

    I don't know where to start - everything about BBV is perfection. I got married here a few weeks ago in what would be BBV's first "big fat Indian wedding". We had picked Bear Brook Valley a year ago knowing that they hadn't necessarily done a wedding like ours, but regardless selecting them was the easiest decision to make. Katrina was incredibly warm, welcoming, attentive, and so excited - we knew that this was going to be the place for us. The chefs worked with us to create a nearly custom menu that helped us accommodate all of our guests many different dietary restrictions and they executed everything so well - every single guest is still raving about it. We were honestly able to enjoy our entire day at Bear Brook Valley, because the staff made it so easy for us to relax and not worry about any details. Frankly, we're already discussing getting married again so we can be back at BBV ;)! Don't overthink and go with BBV, you will not regret it!
  • K
    Kaitlyn Sent on 07/24/2019
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    Amazing Day!

    When I first stepped foot in Bear Brook Valley, we knew we wanted to get married here based on how beautiful it was. After we booked, Katrina communicated with us about every detail and made us feel at ease throughout the wedding planning process. The venue is gorgeous, with so much natural beauty. We didn't need to worry about a thing the day of because the service was impeccable from arrival in the morning to the minute we left at night. The whole staff was so attentive all day and night and made the day perfect. The food was amazing, and the guests are still complimenting how great the venue was. I highly recommend Bear Brook for your wedding day.
  • B
    Brittney Sent on 07/06/2019
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    A Lil' Rain Never Hurt No One!

    Bear Brook Valley was the first venue we looked at and after seeing others,
    we just kept going back! From beginning to end, the staff, and especially
    (KATRINA<3) were amazing. Their professionalism is unmatched. Last minute,
    it started storming! Normally, a brides worst nightmare .... but alas- the
    awesome staffed pulled through and the ceremony turned out even more
    beautiful than we had planned! The venue, food and most importantly, the
    people at Bear Brook Valley are second to none! Couldn't recommend this
    place more!! If anybody is two guests short on their minimum - let us know!
    Were generous ;)
  • K
    Kate Sent on 06/06/2019
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    Absolutely perfect!

    I don't know how I could possibly put into words the overwhelming sense of love and happiness I feel when I think about Bear Brook Valley. I wish I could rate 5,000 stars instead of just 5. A simple "5 star review" just doesn't do it justice. My husband and I got married 5 days ago, and I have been brought to tears many times over the last few days when thinking about how PERFECT our day was. First, its the most STUNNING venue I've ever seen. Its so unique, yet classy and sophisticated, too. The ballroom is so spacious, but not so spread out that you feel like you're in a different country than half of your guests. The food was delicious, multiple people contacted us after the wedding to tell us it was the best food they've ever had at an event. The staff... I truly don't have words to describe what wonderful people they are! They went above and beyond for not only my husband and I, but our parents and bridal party throughout the entire day. We chose to spend our whole day at the venue getting ready with our bridal parties, and it was the best decision. As a bride, one of my worries was having to "think" and stress on my wedding day, and I am happy to report I did not worry one bit about anything. The staff took care of everything for us. They treated us like family from the day we met them, and that is truly invaluable. I could go on and on, and I will continue to tell anyone who will listen- this venue is the best of the best. If you are considering booking Bear Brook for your wedding- stop reading this review right this instant and BOOK IT! You will not regret it for one second! Every single penny we spent was worth it. We will forever be indebted to Bear Brook Valley for the most amazing day we could have EVER imagined. To the staff- we truly love you all. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You made our day a living fairy-tale.
  • L
    Lisa Sent on 04/05/2019
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    Simply the Best!!!!

    I don’t even know where to start. This is the best place ever!!! When I got engaged, I knew I wanted a rustic looking venue that offered the same food amenities of a banquet hall. I didn’t want a venue with rug, tablecloths, or chairs with seating covers. In north jersey that is hard to find. I first saw their sister venue Rock Island lake Club which is beautiful too!! I knew it was a little small for our headcount and I knew I had to see Bear Brook valley. When I walked into Bear Brook Valley for the first time, I started to cry. I knew it was it! There was no rug, no tablecloths, no chairs with seat covers. It had these beautiful farm tables. The whole venue screamed rustic. Also, my husband is big into video games. When I saw the groom’s lounge with all the video games that still screamed rustic I was sold! As a side note, I highly recommend keeping the groom’s lounge open during cocktail hour. It added something different to the wedding. After booking the venue, I worked with Katrina who is beyond fabulous. She constantly checked in with me and answered any questions I had in such a timely manner (like within minutes). Fast forward to my wedding day. It was raining that morning, but I really wanted to have the ceremony outside. When I got to Bear Brook for pictures (2 hours prior to the ceremony starting), we had to decide whether to have the ceremony outside. After talking with Katrina and her assuring me that it would not be raining when my ceremony was occurring, I said let’s do it outside. I am sooo glad we did, and I thank Katrina for being so supportive as I would have regretted not making that decision. It did not rain during our ceremony 😊. Now on to the reception. It was beyond perfect. The atmosphere is to die for. The food was amazing. The staff was so organized, attentive, and helpful throughout the whole night. I can’t say anything, but good things about this venue and the team attached to it! I would recommend this venue over and over and over. I hope I get to go to another wedding here very soon!!!
  • Lindsay
    Lindsay Sent on 04/04/2019
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    Upcoming Wedding

    I booked Bear Brook Valley for my upcoming wedding. So far the experience has been perfect and with such professionalism. Every so often someone reaches out to see how we are doing and to give us some helpful tips. The place itself is amazing. Can’t wait to marry my best friend there!!!
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    Amanda Sent on 12/03/2018
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    The best wedding venue in New Jersey!!

    My husband found Bear Brook Valley in The Knot magazine the day after we got engaged and he pointed to it and said “Yep, this is it!” and he was SO right!! I cannot say enough positive things about this venue!!

    The layout is perfect for a wedding: the ceremony space, the grounds and outdoor landscaping, the private suites to get ready in, the cocktail hour and the ballroom - every space had a rustic but elegant feel to it and the food was unreal!! And no other venue offered an extensive package like Bear Brook Valley’s - so much is included!

    Katrina - the wedding coordinator at Bear Brook Valley, helped us every step of the way answering any questions that we had and made the planning process smooth and non-stressful. She responded immediately to any emails that we sent her and she kept us on track sending checklists to make sure we were accomplishing certain items when we needed to. Katrina made us feel like she genuinely cared about our wedding and making it uniquely ours and by the end of the process she truly felt like a friend!

    The day of our wedding could not have gone smoother and if there was an issue - I didn’t know about it! Which is how it should be! There wasn’t anything that I had to do or think about other than to just enjoy the day.

    The service throughout our wedding day was impeccable! Bear Brook Valley made sure the entire bridal party and all of our guests were catered to all night long. Everyone is still talking about the service! Every staff member was extremely friendly and looked like they enjoyed working there - the entire environment was fun!

    Bear Brook Valley went above and beyond exceeding all of our expectations!
  • Emma
    Emma Sent on 11/19/2018
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    Best Day Ever

    Where do I even begin with this incredible venue! When I was looking for wedding venues, I had an idea in my head of what I envisioned as my perfect wedding venue - rustic, yet elegant, and somewhere that offered different aspects that you normally don't see as opposed to your typical wedding venue. I have been in and attended a lot of weddings in New Jersey, and I can honestly say that Bear Brook Valley is one of a kind. From the first day I found Bear Brook Valley online, I knew without even visiting the venue that this is where my husband and I would be getting married. From the first conversation I had with Adriana, I felt a sense of welcoming and professionalism that I hadn't felt with any of the other venues I had spoken with already. The minute I walked into the venue with my parents (my husband couldn't come with us that day because of work) I knew I had found the perfect place for us to get married, and my parents felt the same exact way. I decided to hold a date for our wedding there until my husband could get there to see it a few days later, and when he went to see the venue, he fell in love just like I had. I had no idea what I was doing when it came to planning a wedding, but Adriana and Katrina made the process SO EASY. When we started working with Katrina, she was so kind and professional and would email me almost monthly (if not more frequently) to update me on things that I should have done, things I should be getting done soon, etc. When I had any questions or concerns throughout the planning process,Katrina was ALWAYS so easy to talk to and responded promptly to my emails. On our wedding day, all of the staff was extremely attentive to our needs and made not only me but my husband feel at ease - I wish I could remember everyone's names that were working that day, but I have to say that every member of the staff, especially Katrina, Jen (name check on this one but she was the bridal attendant), and Franklin were beyond amazing! The entire day went smoothly, and our only regret is that we didn't take the time to pause and actually eat and enjoy the delicious food that we hand picked for our special day because to this day I have people coming up to me saying how amazing our wedding was and how delicious the food was! The cocktail hour selections that Bear Brook Valley has to offer were beyond my expectations and blew away any of the food every other vendor had to offer. Out of every wedding I have ever been to, none of them had the abundant selection of food for cocktail hour like our wedding had! People literally thought that the cocktail hour food was the entire selection of food for the night, so imagine their disbelief when they got to the reception and realized there was even more food for them to enjoy! The main course selections for the reception were equally as delicious as the cocktail hour food - people have told me it was the best steak they have ever eaten! Trust me when I say - you will not regret choosing Bear Brook Valley as your wedding venue. It is the most picture perfect venue, and I couldn't be happier with our decision to book Bear Brook. If I could do it all over again, I would in a heart beat! Thank you to all of the staff at Bear Brook Valley for giving us our dream wedding and for all of your hard work!!
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    Ashley Sent on 10/28/2018
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    Truly Amazing!

    We really could not be happier! Our wedding was a dream come true all thanks to this beautiful venue and all the fabulous people at Bear Brook who made it happen! The entire place is breath-taking and all our guests keep raving about it, including the food, especially the AMAZING cocktail hour! Katrina is simply the best! She is super organized and kept me on track with planning the whole time with monthly emails and was a BOSS the night of the wedding to be sure everything was perfect! All the staff & servers were so friendly & accommodating.. they treated us like family! We seriously can't wait to go back as quests one day!
  • Taylor
    Taylor Sent on 10/25/2018
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    Fairytale venue

    BBV worked with me- from across the country. Katrina genuinely cared about every detail just as much as I did and made me feel so special for the year leading up to the wedding and all through my day. There was not one second that I had any doubt that I chose the perfect venue. Thank you!
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    Victor Sent on 08/14/2018
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    Bear Brook Valley was the first place we saw, and to be utterly cliché it was love at first site. We were hesitant at first because we saw the venue before they'd had their first event. We didn’t have a reference – but what we saw was potential. We fell in love and our trust in the BBV team was rewarded every step of the way, and tenfold on our wedding day. The space was gorgeous, set in a gated community at the heart of an old golf course where you can find peace and quiet, as well as beautiful green hills, and a sea of stars above you on a cloudless summer night. A small waterfall lay hidden in the woods behind the building, giving life to a stream that makes its way to the pond at the feet of the pergola where many outdoor ceremonies take place. Aside from the shear beauty of the location, the building is also something to marvel at. From all of the outdoor fireplaces and areas to discover, to the cocktail area which is incredible. When you see it filled with your guests you couldn’t imagine a better place for them to mingle before the main event. As you make your way up the iron staircase decorated with the signature cattails, you set your eyes on the large hall, with exposed beams, exposed wood tables, and the view of the grounds. This is not your typical New Jersey wedding venue… but it was the venue of our dreams. The entire staff was amazing, from owners to valet, but the star was the program coordinator. Katrina went above and beyond, always available, and bent over backwards to make our ideas a reality. Three months after our wedding people are still talking about the beautiful venue, excellent service, and delicious food. We couldn’t have imagined a better place to have our wedding. The minute our wedding was over we started to tell everyone we knew about Bear Brook Valley, with the secret wish that someone would have a wedding there so we could go back as guests. You will not be disappointed.
  • J
    John Sent on 08/06/2018
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    Couldn’t be happier with the way our wedding reception went. It was the perfect day. We first visited Bear Brook in December 2016 when it was still a construction site. We were excited to visit based on the wedding package they offered and the pictures of the expected finished product. The owner even showed up for our first tour and was so excited to show us around. From our first visit until the end of our wedding we so happy with the service we received from Bear Brook. Adriana and Katrina were with us the whole way through, always checking in to see how planning was going, making sure all the details for the reception were set, reminding us of the things to get done, etc. The wonderful service went beyond just the day of, our entire engagement we had the constant support of Bear Brook. Our guests couldn’t stop talking about how great the cocktail hour was and how beautiful the venue was. The entire night we didn’t need to worry about a single thing, Katrina was there for whatever we needed. The staff were friendly and provided great service throughout the night and stood a little later for us due to some issues with our shuttles company to get back to the hotel. We appreciate all the hard work Bear Brook put into making our wedding perfect.
  • A
    Ashleigh Sent on 07/24/2018
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    Bear Brook Valley was the absolute best place to get married. From the very beginning, we had a wedding coordinator Katrina (who is a Rockstar!) help us every step of the way. Not only did Katrina help us with details for the venue but she always sent reminders about what we should be doing throughout the planning process. Katrina answered all of my emails and calls so promptly and always had the best answers. On the day of the wedding, no stone was unturned. The whole staff truly goes above and beyond to ensure the day is perfect. Our bridal attendant Brook was awesome and she was with us the whole day. The venue was an absolute dream. Everything was PERFECT. The food was amazing for both cocktail hour and dinner. Our guests are still raving about the food and service. It is truly top notch. I would HIGHLY recommend this place. Thank you Katrina and Bear Brook Valley for making our wedding day a dream come true.
  • D
    Deborah Sent on 07/09/2018
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    We feel SO incredibly lucky to have been fortunate enough to get married at Bear Brook Valley. I really dont have enough adjectives to describe how amazing our day was. It surpassed all of our dreams and wishes and made our wedding a truly magical day.
    We began working with Adriana but then seamlessly transitioned to Katrina. Katrina is AMAZING. she is detail oriented, calm and incredibly easy to work with. Our guests raved at the entire wedding day -- the venue and scenery speak for themselves -- it is one of the classiest and most gorgeous venues I have ever seen. The food put everything over the top, our friends and family are still talking about how incredible everything was. I cant say enough good things about Bear Brook -- it made for an absolutely perfect wedding!
  • A
    Ashley Sent on 06/09/2018
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    Bear Brook Valley was fantastic! We looked at close to 15 venues, and this one was by far the best. The food was just incredible and the location is lovely. It absolutely poured on our wedding day, but it was still fantastic. I highly recommend this venue! Huge shout out to Katrina, Brooke, and Franklin for making our day even better!
  • K
    Kelly Sent on 12/24/2017
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    My husband and I got married on December 16th 2017, and we had the perfect winter wonderland. I cannot stress how perfect our wedding day was, all thanks to A.J., Katrina, and the rest of the staff at Bear Brook Valley. We booked Bear Brook about 7 months before it opened, it was just one big construction site. As soon as we met A.J., we knew this was the place where we had to be married, even though the place wasn't finished. My husband and I didn't want a North Jersey wedding: purple carpets, gold curtains, aka another wedding factory. This place was exactly what I had been dreaming of.

    I cannot put into words how amazing the staff was before our wedding and on the day of. Katrina and AJ's responses were quick, professional, and they were so accommodating throughout the entire process. On our last meeting, everything TJ and I could think of was addressed: the staff even knew our drink order for our wedding day so they didn't have to 'waste our time' asking what we would like to drink. They even made sure we were to get every entree during dinner so we could enjoy everything we picked out.

    On our actual wedding day, the moment my husband and I with our parents and bridal party walked in we were treated like royalty. Not one guest had to lift a finger the entire night, and the staff was just waiting on all 180 people. Not to mention, the food was INCREDIBLE. Every person was asking how we found this place, how amazing the food was, and they wish they knew about this place earlier. During cocktail hour, Katrina had a special plate in a private room waiting for TJ and I so we could have a few minutes to ourselves and enjoy some of the delicious food.

    Every guest commented on the amazing service, fantastic food, and great bar staff. It was even better that none of our guests had been there before - we were all BLOWN AWAY. Thank you so much Katrina, AJ and the rest of the amazing staff making our day perfect!
  • C
    Camille Sent on 10/27/2017
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    My daughter was married at Bear Brook Valley last weekend, Everything was absolutely WONDERFUL. From the moment we arrived till the end of the night, they did not skip a beat. The food, the venue, the staff incredible. I HIGHLY recommend this venue for your wedding!!! Camille Battaglia MOB
  • L
    Lara Sent on 07/21/2017
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    What can I say? This place is truly a gem. Do not look further! It has rustic charm and elegance. My husband and I had quite a unique situation where we were originally scheduled at their sister venue, Rock Island Lake Club (a gem in itself as well) but switched to Bear Brook for fear of our guest count and space on the dance floor. Rock Island had actually suggested that we check out Bear Brook. We visited Bear Brook in its bare bones and were still BLOWN AWAY! It had been smooth sailing working with Adriana who was flexible with appointments, quick to respond, and listened to every word we said since day 1. Steve, our maitre'd was extremely accommodating and professional making sure we were taken care of all night long! Perry and Michele, the owners are fabulous! Any concern we had, Perry was able to address. Boy, did they deliver on the day of! I am still in awe of our big day! Everyone complimented how beautiful the venue was (including the other vendors), the grounds, the personable staff, and the delicious food. What a truly remarkable location for the best day of our lives!
  • S
    Shea Sent on 06/07/2017
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    From the first call with Adriana all the way up to my wedding (June 3, 2017) I felt like a VIP. Adriana dealt with my crazy questions and kept me calm. She walked us through the entire process and helped us plan every little detail. Perry was fabulous, he was always there when we visited and made us feel so welcome. The bridal attendant Natalie is a rock star and took care of my bridesmaids and I the day of the wedding. We were fed and pampered all day long. She even went out of her way to make us iced coffee, and had my favorite champagne chilled and ready to go (BONUS: she was prepared with gummy bears to keep our flower girls attention during pictures!). Steve the maitre d made sure everything went smoothly and even guarded the sweetheart table so my husband and I could actually eat our dinner. The entire staff was friendly and treated us and our guests like family.

    This place is perfect and worth every penny. My only regret is that we didn't get the extra hour at the end!
  • D
    Danielle Sent on 05/17/2017
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    I can't even put into the right words how amazing this venue is!! We chose this venue before it was even built. We knew it would be beautiful, but what sealed the deal for us is AJ (the coordinator) felt like family the minute we met her. She went above and beyond. Our day was absolutely perfect! The owners, Perry & Michelle, are very present and you see them often, which we loved! Thank you so much, Bear Brook Valley - you made our dream wedding a reality. Brides, do yourselves a favor and make this place your one and only stop for venue searching!
  • N
    Nicole Sent on 05/10/2017
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    UPDATE: There are no words to describe how incredible this venue has been throughout the entire process. Since we had a Friday wedding, my family & I were able to come the day before to drop off decorations, which made the day of much easier to navigate. On the wedding day, the BBV team were super attentive to both the bridesmaids, groomsmen & families. Like most brides, I didn't eat much during the wedding, but everyone said that the food was consistently good at cocktail hour & into the reception; the mozzarella station in particular was a HUGE hit. They have a younger wait staff, but that did not stop them from being accommodating & helpful. As mentioned below, Adriana is a true gem - she is what makes this venue so successful. We cannot thank BBV enough for the wedding I always dreamed of.

    INITIAL REVIEW: Even though my fiancé & my wedding isn't scheduled until October of this year, I had to take a minute to write a review because of the service we have received so far. Perry & Michele - the owners - have been wonderful & are very down to Earth; you can tell the pride they both have in this beautiful venue. However, the absolute star of this place is the wedding coordinator, Adriana. She is simply fabulous. From the beginning of this whole process, she has been responsive (I get emails answering my questions in detail before I even get off the phone with her), patient & kind. We had an extenuating health-related circumstance that caused us some increased stress, but she was overly accommodating & understanding. She's a bit of a pistol & tells it like it is, which is one of the things I appreciate most about her - you will always get a straight answer. I have high expectations for this venue, but because of her & her outstanding service, I am very confident that they will deliver everything that is expected. I will be updating this review once the wedding is here, but I felt the need to highlight how awesome she is!
  • B
    Breanna Sent on 04/12/2017
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    My fiance and I are getting married this October at Bear Brook. Adriana and Perry have been AMAZING through the process and have both been so excited to share the vision and progress they had for Bear Brook from the moment we met with them in August. If you are looking for your not so typical "Jersey" venue, this is definitely it! Adriana goes above and beyond her call of duty and her speedy responsiveness was a huge selling point for me prior to booking our wedding. Cannot wait for October to come!
  • U
    User2959832 Sent on 01/26/2017
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    Bear Brook was the FIRST and ONLY venue we looked at. My fiancé and I knew immediately upon stepping foot into the building and meeting the event coordinator Adriana that we had found our spot! Adriana has been with us every step of the way and goes above and beyond answering all of my questions. She is always quick to respond and extremely helpful. The design of the venue is impressive. They literally have thought of everything. A great wedding venue addition to the area-- one that will stand out without a doubt. My fiancé and I couldn't be happier that we chose to celebrate one of the most important days of our lives at Bear Brook Valley.
  • K
    Kelly Sent on 07/31/2021
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    A dream come true!

    I got married here on 7/24/2021 and it exceeded all of our expectations. I wanted a venue with beautiful outdoor space and BBV offers it all - greenery, a vineyard, a pond, waterfall, woods, grassland etc. Their ceremony space is stunning. The indoor space is equally as beautiful. Very "rustic chic." Our guests could not stop raving about the scenery, the food, and the overall atmosphere. Everyone said they never saw so much food at a cocktail hour and everything was delicious. The staff were incredibly helpful and accommodating and made me feel both special and comfortable as the bride. So many guests called our wedding "epic" and one of the best they have ever been to. Could not recommend BBV enough, thank you for the happiest day of our lives!
  • JoAnn
    Joann Sent on 03/18/2020
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    Skip Dinner

    My son’s wedding last Saturday was absolutely magical. Everything was just perfect but had one flaw. The dinner was terrible. I had the salmon which was so dry, I could not swallow it. Spinach was swimming in salt and sweet potatoes was raw. My husband had the lamb. It was overdone and dried out. Our entire two tables were totally unhappy with their meals. The cocktail hour food was delicious and plentiful. I have never seen a spread so large and diversified. It really made up fir the awful dinner.
  • M
    Marissa Sent on 11/29/2020
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    lead up the wedding= POOR day of the wedding= EXCELLENT!

    The lead up to the wedding was a disaster. The wedding day performance was a 5/5.

    My situation was very different given the fact that my wedding had to be postponed to a later date because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
    The communication from Bear Brook leading up to the wedding day was very poor. I had to change my date from a Friday in May to a Thursday in November. The prices stayed the same and no one honored a Thursday night price.
    I had 3 wedding coordinators since the day I booked which was back in 2018. This made the communication so much more challenging.
    My husband and I were very understanding through the process as we know they are a business trying to make their money but at the same time Bear Brook Valley had 95% of our money when we had to postpone our wedding back in March. It felt like we were just another check and money being deposited and didn't feel that they were just as understanding as us. I thought they could've been more accommodating during the process, but i know everyone, even Bear Brook, was trying to figure out everything given the unprecedented circumstances. I thought their approach during the lead up to the wedding was unprofessional. We met with our wedding coordinator, at the time, and the owner Perry to go over some of our concerns and to review the contract. We came to an agreement and my husband and i left the meeting feeling better. Two weeks later we had a different wedding coordinator starting. When I informed her of our meeting and the discussion we had with Perry she wanted to double check with him. He denied our meeting outcome and told our wedding coordinator that "he doesn't remember having that conversation." We were appalled. We kept telling ourselves that we just want to get through our wedding and at this point we were only a few weeks away and to be honest we were mentally drained from the wedding planning.

    It was a tough decision for every bride getting married whether or not to keep their date or to postpone. My husband and I postponed and finally got married November 5, 2020. I do not regret having our wedding during a Pandemic. Bear Brook made it happen and it was everything I could've asked for and more!

    The day of the wedding was AMAZING. The staff was on point! They decorated the venue exactly how I wanted, Juana the maitre d, was awesome to work with. She knows how to run a wedding. I wish she was the person responding to my e-mails from the beginning. She knows all of the ins and outs of the venue.

    The staff were accommodating the day of. My Uncle brought his old Ford pickup truck and we decorated it with Fall decor (pumpkins, mums, hay, etc. ) Bear Brook was accommodating and let us bring the truck over the day before and set it up. Anything I needed the day of they did for me and made sure I had.

    Overall I was pleased with the venue on my wedding day. The food was delicious and the event ran very smoothly. The staff are very nice and will make sure you are satisfied with everything the day of.

    My recommendation for future brides is to read your contract and KNOW YOUR CONTRACT. Make sure there are things written in your contract that you are okay with signing and agreeing to.

    Bear Brook will absolutely give you the wedding of your dreams.
  • R
    Robert Sent on 01/11/2021
    2.4 out of 5 rating
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    Poor business practices

    This place has very poor business practices. I'll start with the good- We chose this venue because it is gorgeous inside and out. The staff the day of the wedding was great. The food choices, drink pairings, and bar were fantastic. The food is good, not great, but the options and display make up for this in value. The bad- From day 1 I felt lied to. During the initial tour they promise you so many thigs that just aren't true, such as "48 beers on tap" and you can "choose your favorite beer". This was later deemed false. They also implied we could utilize a golf cart on site- again, this was false as we had to inquire numerous times the day of our wedding until finally someone brought it out for us yet didn't even let us drive it. The list goes on...The handling of the COVID-19 situation was most disappointing. We were pressured into choosing a postponement date within 24 hours (not enough time to check with all vendors), and were only given the option of weekdays in the winter despite paying for a weekend in the summer. They then felt the need to tell us that they had to spend $10,000 on a tent for the wedding to be outdoors, and that they already put a $5,000 deposit on it for our wedding date without our agreement to continue with that date. They further implied that they would lower the minimum if we continued with the wedding, stating that some weddings were having "as little as 100 guests" and they were "working with them". This was false hope as they didn't lower our minimum anywhere near this, and they tried to say they would "let" us allow for our vendors to count towards plates, even though we still pay for them. They also said that we couldn't take our $5k+ worth of plates to go as its "against code", yet they sell an upgrade for to-go food, so how does that make sense? They made us reschedule out entire day and told us our band couldn't play past 10pm. They promised us they could move the piano outdoors and then the day before our wedding they said they couldn't- we had to change our band around because of this. Also they charge for "uplighting", which is them turning on the lights. You better believe they have these lights on during their tours and they don't tell you it's an upgrade, then they try to sell you this upgrade later on. One staff member told us they were working on making the uplighting free. We ended up getting it free because we added on a late-night to-go food station. Funny thing though is that because the wedding was outdoor the uplighting was now useless, yet I had to ask what we were getting in return, you know, because it's $500 worth of value. We asked for the groom's lounge (~$700 value), their response was that the groom's lounge was too much money, then they offered us a $100 s'more station instead. So essentially they were not ok with giving us $200 but had no issue taking $400 from us. We ended up paying for the groom's lounge anyway- it was not good. When we arrived there was no proper explanation as to what was included and there wasn't much of a service of any kind. The food came very late and we didn't know where or how to set up the lawn games. Basically this upgrade was a ripoff. Overall I am very disgusted with how the admins/management treated us by taking advantage of us in a vulnerable situation and lying to our face. I also don't appreciate them complaining to us about their problems resulting from a lack of good business management (why wouldn't you invest in a outdoor tent from day 1?). I hate to say it because this place had so much potential, but I would NOT recommend this venue.
  • M
    Margaret Sent on 04/08/2018
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    Service needs a definite improvement.
  • R
    Rita Sent on 06/11/2018
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    Giving 1 rating for business practices leading up to wedding and a 4/5 for day of experience. Be careful with these guys. We booked our wedding right after they officially opened, wedding day almost a year later. 3 months before the wedding I realized they had changed menu offerings, liquor selections, & pricing for upgrades in “the wedding package.” They refused to honor the pricing they had given us in the package from our booking & again at our tasting (package is given to you upfront but you don’t have to submit your selections until a few weeks before the wedding). I understand demand has picked up & now they can get the higher prices, but the right thing to do would be to honor the original pricing given or at least give me the heads up that it was going to change. Like most couples, we selected a venue not only based on the per guest pricing, but also on the overall package presented. I’ve never heard of a wedding venue changing their pricing/package after the event is booked. When I asked for everything in writing regarding the enhancements I did end up selecting so they couldn’t change the pricing again, they sent me a new contract with newly added language & fees (e.g. fee for not including meal selections on RSVP cards when my invitations were already out). If I'd known that the changes to the enhancement pricing would have increased my venue budget by about $3K, maybe I would’ve paid a higher per person price at another venue that included everything from the start and didn’t make me feel taken advantage of. As a new establishment, I thought they would treat us with respect, but they made us feel like just another check to be cashed. If you select them, read everything very carefully and get everything written/signed so they can’t switch things later! It’s unfortunate their lack of professionalism on business dealings made the planning process so painful because the venue is beautiful & the wedding day staff, especially Katrina & Brooke, were wonderful
  • A
    Amber Sent on 02/06/2026
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    Do not recommend

    If you’re a couple looking for a venue that will make your wedding day smooth, special, and stress-free, Bear Brook Valley is not it. In our October 2025 wedding, Bear Brook Valley let go of our wedding coordinator the week of our wedding and didn’t bother to tell us until the day before, when they abruptly informed us that we would have someone new. This last-minute change had a significant negative impact on our day. Because of their lack of communication and coordination with us and our vendors, they missed a vital part of our wedding—something that can never be replaced. When we tried expressing our concerns afterward, we were met with responses that were disrespectful, unprofessional, and completely unethical. Instead of taking any accountability, they attempted to put the blame on us and even on our photographer. Bear Brook Valley truly made us feel like “just another couple” and not like two people experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime moment. They constantly reassure you not to worry and claim they “handle everything,” but in reality, they do not follow through. Their priority feels far more like taking your money than genuinely caring about your wedding day. I would never want another couple to experience the devastation we felt on our wedding day—and continue to feel to this day. Bear Brook Valley did not make us feel valued, cared for, or supported. They failed us in the ways that matter most.
  • S
    Samantha Sent on 05/25/2021
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    Bad Experience as a Bride

    absolutely stay away from this place. I’ll keep this short and sweet, the venue is run poorly and understaffed and it shows. As a bride I never felt they were there to make my day less stressful and they never went “ above and beyond” it’s more like bare minimum. The amount this venue costs you would think they would be attentive but they were the opposite of that and almost avoided me all night because of the things going wrong at the venue. I could go on and on about specific details and things that were just absurdly horrible but really how I was treated is why I’m writing this. As a bride to help out anyone into making this huge decision to trust a venue and to feel special your day PLEASE don’t go here they are after the money and to crank out weddings, not here to make your day memorable.
  • S
    Sarah Sent on 05/08/2020
    1.2 out of 5 rating
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    Stay away!

    This venue does not care about it's clients, especially during this covid 19 pandemic. Their only focus is their bottom line. They are not accomdating or flexible with the postponement/ cancellations of upcoming wedding that are a direct result of government regulations and uncertainty due to the pandemic.
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    Sade Sent on 05/08/2020
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      1 out of 5 rating

    The worst experience I've had with a vendor, especially during the covid 19 pandemic

    I am writing this review to alert people of the unethically business practices of the Bear Brook Valley Wedding venue in Newton, NJ. They are callous and only care about their bottom line. They are unaccommodating and not flexible in anyway shape or form. They don't care about clients. This is by far the worst experience I've had with a vendor. When awareness of the pandemic first became prominent, I reached out to my contact at the venue Heather Truesdale in March, to ask about what their procedures were on handling upcoming events during these unprecedented times. My concerns were dismissed due to my wedding being in July, with no consideration for the other facets that goes into executing an event of this magnitude (sending out invitations, dress fittings, food tasting, other vendors, etc). Hi reached out to the venue again in April after they began "rebooking" March and April dates. I was told as of right now they were only rebooking through May. I reached out again in April expressing my frustrations, but again I was dismissed and the reason being, that they were "waiting on answers from the state as to when [they] can or cannot host". However, at this point the governor of NJ placed a ban on all large gatherings until further notice and to date that hasn't been lifted. So to me that clearly states that you cannot host until further notice. Nonetheless, yesterday May 7th I received an email from Heather stating that the venue plans on staying open for July, (even though on their website it states they are currently closed) and I had 24hrs to decide whether to keep my date and put a tentative date on hold or completely rebook to a new date based on the currently available dates. I paid almost the full balance for a peak month and weekend day wedding date, to only have the winter season or Thursday's options to choose from within 24hrs. I asked for more time to think about my options and that was denied. I asked to be better accommodated financially given that July weddings are a peak month and pay higher than most months and that was denied. The best they could offer was 5% off our subtotal which is a mere $1,600. At this point we've made a deposit of about $25,000. This is what they consider fair. We eventually got to the point where I asked for a full refund, giving that we couldn't come to a mutual agreement to rebook and the uncertainty of the venue being able to perform the service they are obligated to in our contracted July date. I was then directed to their legal them, as according to them it would be a cancellation on my part. I never reached out to cancel or mentioned anything about cancellations. I requested a full refund based on the fact that we couldn't come to a mutual agreement on rebooking a new date and on the CDC, government regulations, the environment of uncertainty and unpredictability that we should not hold any large gatherings until further notice. I spoke with Steven A Loeb from the legal team who was very unhelpful and unprofessional. He stated that he would recommend that Bear Brook Valley terminate our contract. I asked him on what basis, he said he doesn't represent me. So I asked if that meant he couldn't explain on what basis our contract would be terminated? He repeated himself and eventually we got no where. I reached back out to Heather to inform her of how my call went with Steven and to let her know at this point I can't make a decision. We went back and forth a bit for her to basically say if I keep my July contracted date and they are unable to perform the venue will keep my full deposit based on their force majeure. Given the recent COVID-19 pandemic and shelter in place mandates across the United States, it is not ethical for vendors and venues to capitalize on such misfortune of human beings. It's not our choice to cancel.
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