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Merri-Makers Catering Reviews

Merri-Makers Catering View more information

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 rating
88 Reviews
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    4.7 out of 5 rating
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89% Recommended by couples

Awards

88
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2018 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2017 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2009 Winner
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    Alexa P. Sent on 10/23/2022
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    Delicious!

    Everything was so delicious! There’s lots of flexibility in the menu selection, but you’ll find it hard to go wrong with any of their standard stations/ selections. As a bride I thought I’d miss out on the cocktail hour food but to our surprise the staff arranged mini plates for us to try a bite of everything! It was so thoughtful and the food was so yummy! My personal favorite was the ramen bar!
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    Michael R. Sent on 09/12/2022
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    Exceptional event

    My daughter's wedding was this weekend. The event went off perfect . A huge thank you to Mary,Ellie,Robert and Cindy who assisted in orchestrating our perfect day. I would highly recommend them.
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    Pamela C. Sent on 06/20/2022
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    The food and staff are top notch!

    This catering business was nothing short of phenomenal. They are extremely professional, their staff are kind and attentive and genuinely happy doing what they love to do, and that is to create joyful experiences for their customers. The food is far superior to any event I've ever attended. The guests raved about all of the appetizers and main dishes, and not a single plate was left with food on it. It was all prepared perfectly, and and it was all served with such pride and grace. Beautiful work!

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Thanks for your kind words Pamela! We have wonderful staff and are so happy they treated you and your guests well. We hope you'll come back and visit us !
  • illustration stars

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  • Lisa
    Lisa Sent on 12/21/2021
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    The best wedding food we've had!

    When we first booked our venue (a Weddings of Distinction property), we were a little nervous that they had a caterer we HAD to use — what if we weren't impressed with the food? Well, we should never have worried! We were floored by the variety, quality, and quantity (!!) of food that our guests were treated to on our big day.

    We got our first taste of how lucky we were at our tasting, where we sampled a little bit of everything and were able to make little adjustments, like mixing and matching the various meats and sauces, to customize the menu to our exact taste.

    As for the big day, it exceeded all of our already high expectations. Starting with cocktail hour, the spread was truly eye-popping — there was something for everyone, and each hors d'oeuvre and station-based dish was as beautiful as it was tasty. The Chinese food station, the mini tacos, and the grilled cheese/tomato bisque shooters were the biggest hits — we had guests cornering the staff to chase down seconds of their favorite dishes.

    The entrees, though, are what really differentiates Merri-Makers from the competition — they were by far the best wedding mains we've ever had. People loved the fish, the filet mignon, and even the chicken and the vegetable napoleon. They accommodated every dietary restriction, even the more unusual ones. Dessert was the cherry on top. It was such a treat to have passed sweets in addition to our wedding cake. A little something for everyone!

    Really, I'm so impressed. So much better than the other wedding food we've enjoyed. We never thought people would walk away from our special day still raving about the food, but here we are!!!
  • Cassandra
    Cassandra G. Sent on 11/12/2020
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    Best Caterer EVER!!!!!!

    We hired Merri-Makers when we decided to change our wedding from an indoor venue to my parents street in a tent. We had worked with them before (not for a wedding) and knew that they were awesome. Let me tell you, everything happens for a reason. They made our wedding more amazing than we ever could have hoped or dreamed possible. The food was off the charts. I am still getting calls with compliments about the food. They made sure that I had everything that I needed. I never felt stressed out when I was working with them. They really created an unforgettable experience for us and our guests. Patty is the most amazing. She made sure everything was taken care of at all times, that I had no freak outs, and throughout the night any time I needed anything I would turn around and she was there. We were sad to have to change our initial plan, but after all was said and done I am so so happy that everything worked out the way it did. It was the best day of our lives, and a huge part of that was Merri-Makers.
  • Nicole
    Nicole Sent on 12/24/2020
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    Best caterers to work with

    Planning a wedding during a pandemic is not easy by any means. Without Merri makers, I probably wouldn’t have had my wedding in October. They are extremely accommodating, supportive and helpful while rearranging plans and working with me to ensure our guests were safe. We had to move everything outside and change a lot of things but all in all, it was a successful day. Gianna, Rick and the rest of the team went above and beyond to make our wedding day truly special and memorable. I can’t recommend them enough!
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    Alyssa B. Sent on 08/24/2020
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    Nothing short of exceptional!

    My review will likely be a little long, but my experience with Merri-Makers Catering was nothing short of exceptional, and in a time when there are a lot of brides feeling unsure, I hope that this provides some comfort and confidence in your decision-making because if you book with Merri-Makers, you will not be sorry. When I booked my wedding at The Mallard Island Yacht Club for June 19, 2020, at that time Merri-Makers was not the caterer for the property yet but were going to be as of 2021. In the early days of COVID-19, my original wedding date was cancelled, and we picked a back-up date of July 24, 2020. Just about 8 weeks before the new date, the original caterer ended up having to close their operations and Merri-Makers took over earlier than their scheduled date. As stressful as it was to have to start over with a new caterer on top of everything else, I cannot even begin to express how much it turned out to be the greatest blessing in disguise. We were introduced to Gianna, who over the course of the next 8 weeks became our lifeline, our greatest cheerleader, our strategist, and most importantly, our friend. I can't imagine anyone else putting in the time and effort that she did and being so dedicated to making our wedding how we were envisioning it and keeping it within the ever-changing constraints set by the state. At one point we had 3 different plans, layouts, and menus. She had a back-up plan for her back-up plan and she and the team at Merri-Makers were not going to give up on giving us our dream wedding. We ended up bringing the entire wedding completely outside, utilizing the beautiful veranda for our seating instead of the ballroom and it was gorgeous. We were able to have all of our family and bridal party there to celebrate with us, and it was the perfect evening. I haven't even gotten to the food yet, which was absolutely fabulous. We have two big (and opinionated) Italian families, and all we heard from everyone was how incredible the food was. I've had multiple people tell me that the filet was not just a good "wedding filet," but one of the best filets they have ever had, period. There is a reason Merri-Makers has been around 40 years, they are the best at what they do. The best part of all of this was not only did everyone walk away saying that it really felt just like a completely "normal" wedding, but because Merri-Makers took every precaution possible (temp checks, masks, gloves, sanitizing stations, etc.) every single guest at my wedding also walked away completely safe and healthy. There just aren't enough words to express how grateful we are to Gianna and her staff at Mallard Island, as well as all of Merri-Makers for making our dream wedding happen. If you are considering Mallard Island, or any of the Merri-Makers properties, do not hesitate at all and know going in that you have the best of the best catering your special day.
  • Emily
    Emily M. Sent on 10/12/2019
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    Beachside in Belmar

    We used Merri-Makers for our wedding last weekend at Taylor Pavilion in Belmar, NJ, and we are so glad we did. Our maitre'd Patty was incredibly helpful, responsive, and executed our event flawlessly. The food was great -- especially the appetizers/burrata bar (they offer a tasting after booking) -- and the waitstaff was incredibly friendly (including the head chef, who came down to the beach to personally deliver my now husband and I appetizers while we were taking some post ceremony pics). Taylor Pavilion was the perfect venue -- from the floor to ceiling ocean views, to the beach ceremony, to the late night bonfire -- and Merri-Makers was super accommodating when we wanted to bring in a few special items of our own (including a larger than life antipasti station and dessert platters for the tables). Thank you Patty and team, for helping to make this day the best one ever!
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    Julia A. Sent on 10/30/2019
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    Delicious and creative

    Everything from Merri-Makers was absolutely delicious. Everyone said it was the best food they have ever eaten at a wedding. The team was wonderful to work with and helped us tailor the menu to our own tastes and traditions!
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    Darah Sent on 09/13/2019
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    wow just wow... truly amazing food

    The food at our wedding was UNREAL! Merrimakers catered our wedding at The Ashford Estate and truly the food was MOUTHWATERING. Thank you for making my wedding such a tasteful, delicious event!!! xo
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    Kyle Sent on 10/19/2019
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    Amazing service

    Patty was the MVP for our wedding planning process. She answered all of our questions thoroughly, and helped to keep us sane. Every little detail was handled with care, and her hard work was a crucial part in making this the best day of our lives. The chefs at Merri-Makers make delicious food! They even let us customize our menu in very specific and unconventional ways-- and the flavor did not disappoint! Furthermore, the servers were all helpful, exceptionally courteous and friendly.
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    Melissa O. Sent on 07/15/2019
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    Amazing! Above and beyond

    Merri-Makers was outstanding!! They not only catered our wedding at the Taylor Pavilion but their catering package includes a wedding coordinator. We had Patty as our coordinator and she was absolutely fantastic; from when we first met with her when we were just thinking about booking them and then all through our year long planning process Patty answered our millions of questions as well as thinking of details and solutions before we even had questions. The whole company was easy to work with and quick to respond for every interaction, and everyone we met at Merri-Makers was friendly and super helpful. The actual day-of the wedding went without a hitch because Patty and her team saw to everything and we didn't have to worry about a thing. The food was DELICIOUS and was served so nicely, we even got special bride and groom plates delivered right to our table! We would 100% recommend Merri-Makers to anyone looking for the best catering service and wedding coordinators.
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    Michael H. Sent on 02/13/2019
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    Repeat Customer

    We have used Merri-Makers Catering three times in the last year and we would not keep coming back if they were not outstanding. From set-up, hors d'ouevres and dinner to service, dessert and clean-up the Merri-Makers team was incredible. Cindy and Rick Bott have a terrific organization top to bottom including most especially Patty K. who was our event manager for all three events. We were able to relax because we knew Patty would manage everything, solve every problem and make sure we were able to enjoy our event. The best recommendation we can give is to say we will use Merri-Makers again and again at all of our future events.
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    Joe Sent on 10/16/2017
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    Merri-Makers were by far the best decision we made for our wedding day - from start to finish, with the planning, consultation, food selection and overall day-of service we couldn't have had our day go as smoothly as it did without them! Gianna, our planner, was fantastic - very responsive, helped us turn our vision into reality, worked with the chef to help everything was within our budget. Geri, our day-of planner, was just as great - super responsive and dedicated to making things go very well and helped my wife and I relax and enjoy our day. Rick (co-owner and chef) and Cindy (co-owner) were on-site the day of our wedding to make sure everything went as planned - and the servers and other chefs helped feed their excellent food to our happy guests. Couldn't be any happier!

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Thank you Joe! We loved being a part of your day!
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    Elizabeth Sent on 10/25/2017
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    My husband & I are still on cloud nine from our dream wedding that MerriMakers brought to life. Moreover, my family & friends endlessly rave about the food, service, & amazing atmosphere that Chef Rick & his team delivered. After a relative recommended MerriMakers for catering, I met with Gianna and Chefs Rick & Jack and I knew instantly that I was in good hands. I was immediately sold with this group of passionate, creative, dedicated & incredibly talented professionals as they explained their mission & operations and encouraged me to share my own. Chef Rick & Gianna genuinely listened to our ideas & hopes for the wedding, which was off-premise at the Seaside Park Yacht Club, and immediately understood the flow & feel we were looking for. Moreover, they helped us fully formulate our vision for the wedding & opened our eyes to all that our big day could be. As our coordinator, Gianna answered our questions, asked us important questions we hadn't previously considered, and routinely communicated with me & my vendors to ensure all was on track for a perfect event. Any logistical issues or concerns that came about throughout the process were quickly solved by Gianna & the incredible Chef Rick. When Rick returned to the club both in the weeks ahead & the day before our wedding, my fiancé, family and I were in awe of his layout & plans for the big day and his ability to truly connect with us. On the eve of our wedding, we became even more energized & excited thanks to Chef Rick. When our wedding day rolled around, I cried twice: the moment my father hugged me & handed me over to my husband, and the moment I walked into the venue & saw the unbelievably beautiful wedding that MerriMakers had brought to life. Chef Rick, Gianna & their incredible team put the many wedding planning puzzle pieces together and gave me and my husband the greatest day of our lives. You will not find a company that values their clients, quality of service, or food, more than Merrimakers does.

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Thank you for your kind words Elizabeth. The pleasure was all ours !
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    Claire Sent on 09/21/2017
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    Merri-Makers Catering was a dream to work with! Gianna was extremely professional and organized; she really did much more than we ever expected of her on our wedding day. She kept everything running smoothly, from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception, and we couldn't be more grateful. We had multiple food stations at our wedding, and people are still raving about the food! Everything we had was delicious. The dessert options were also fantastic - I loved the cookies and milk! We are so happy that Merri-Makers was involved in our wedding day!

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Thank you Claire! We loved being a part of your special day!
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    Meredith Sent on 08/18/2017
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    Oh. My. Goodness! The food and level of service provided by Merrimakers was UNREAL! So many options and an attention to detail that we have never experienced with food! The number of stations and the variety of food provided was unlike anything we had ever seen before and they did not disappoint! Our only wish is that they had a restaurant we could visit! Their staff was also fan-freaking-tastic! From planning sessions with Laura and Kelsey who are FABULOUS -- quick to respond, accommodating, friendly...we could go on and on, to our incredible MVPs of the day: my bridal attendants Taylor and Lisa, to the extremely friendly wait-staff...they just helped to make our day a serious dream come true! I personally am so sad I won't be working with them anymore.
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    Joan Sent on 08/12/2017
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    We had a fantastic experience with Neshanic Valley Golf Course from start to finish. Gianna was truly amazing! They did an excellent job helping us set everything up, and were so organized. Gianna was super responsive any time we had questions. The wedding turned out exactly how we wanted! Our guests all had an amazing time, and everyone raved about the food. We really could not have been happier with the service!!! Thank you so much!

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Thank you so much for your kind words Joan! We loved being a part of your big day! We are thrilled you and Chris had the Fabulous day you both deserved!
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    Bryannah Sent on 08/11/2017
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    Merrimakers catering with Weddings of Distinction is unreal. The food is just incredible and the service is unmatched. They do not make mistakes and it truly is fine dining. I was married in July at the Bonnet Island Estate and my guest are still raving about the food - it was the best they ever ate!

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Bryannah,
    It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of your big day! Thank you for your kind words and taking the time to write a review. We are thrilled you are happy with our services. Please feel free to come back and visit!
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    Bryannah Sent on 08/11/2017
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    Merrimakers catering with Weddings of Distinction is unreal. The food is just incredible and the service is unmatched. They do not make mistakes and it truly is fine dining. I was married in July at the Bonnet Island Estate and my guest are still raving about the food - it was the best they ever ate!
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    Ashley Sent on 06/06/2017
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    Laura was an absolute pleasure to work with from the moment we booked our wedding at The Ashford Estate. She was there every step of the way and we could not have done it without her, making the process so much easier. The entire staff beyond exceeded our expectations the day of our wedding. My husband and I received exceptional service the entire day and our guests are still raving about the food. We would recommend them to anyone!
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    Samantha Sent on 07/20/2017
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    Delicious! We are very satisfied with their service.

    Merri-Makers Catering's reply:

    Thank you so much Samantha! It was a pleasure to be a part of your big day!
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    Allison Sent on 01/02/2017
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    Merri-Makers Catering deserves 5 starts across the board. Their staff exceeded all of our expectations with a smile on their face. From their tasting to the wedding, my husband and I could not be any happier. They were so flexible when it came to meeting our vision. We were able personalize our menu in way that best suited us. All of our 225 guests ranted and raved about the quality of service and magnificent food. Merri-Makers truly is exceptional!
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    Carley Sent on 10/24/2017
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    Our wedding was almost a year ago, and I feel ashamed that I have not written a review until now. I am actually shocked that this staff does not have 5 stars. They are the most professional, attentive, passionate and lovely group of people that you could ever trust leading up to your wedding, and on your wedding day. They anticipate your every move, get to know you so that they can do everything they can to make your day better... they simply go above and beyond. Andrea & the crew at Bonnet Island Estate deserve every credit. Of course, the catering and the food is amazing - the best on the East Coast, I assure you. You won't get better quality anywhere else. I highly, HIGHLY recommend Merri-Makers and their Bonnet Island team. I wish you all the best and THANK YOU!!!
    -Carley & Mike (11/5/16)
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    Ashley Sent on 12/28/2016
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    My husband and I held our November wedding at the gorgeous Neshanic Valley Golf Course, using Merri-Makers Catering. It was wonderful - we couldn’t be happier! We received compliment after compliment from our guests regarding everything from the delicious food to the stellar service. The food was fresh, tasty, and of the highest caliber. Gianna Verdoni was our event specialist, and she was EXCELLENT! Gianna and her team were friendly, patient, professional, and flexible. Gianna kept in touch with us throughout the planning process, making herself available whenever we had a question, concern, or simply needed advice. She made us feel so comfortable, it felt as if we were working with an old friend. As soon as we stepped into our reception, Gianna and her team put us at complete ease. Merri-Makers truly made the vision for our wedding a reality, and we couldn’t be more grateful or pleased. We highly recommend their services!
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