The Highlawn Reviews

The Highlawn

West Orange, NJ

4.9 out of 5 rating, 58 reviews

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4.9 out of 5 rating

4.9

Excellent

58 reviews

Recommended by 98% of couples

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Jenna Sent on 01/02/2022

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Perfect wedding experience

My husband and I planned a last minute wedding at the Highlawn. We cancelled our wedding many times in the past due to covid and decided to try once more at the Highlawn. Planning a wedding in 4 weeks generally isn’t easy, but the whole team was all hands on deck. We were in contact with all of the members constantly, they recognized concerns and addressed immediately.
We ended up having the most beautiful wedding and are very grateful for this amazing experience. The venue looks gorgeous, the food was unreal, and the views were breathtaking. It was perfect.
Brittany Sent on 09/28/2019

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Amazing Venue!

Highlawn made our day so special. Chris the banquet manager makes everyone priority. All of our guests loved the food atmosphere and the amazing NYC skyline view!
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Caren Sent on 08/10/2019

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Flexible planning, good view, good food

The People: Chris Gellings is our venue manager. Chris was very warm and accommodating. After communicating with Chris, we thought that Chris runs a great team at Highlawn, he's very experienced and caring, and he has attention to details. On our wedding day, the staff gives good directions, and we received good reviews from our guests on the reception serving crew and the bartender(she made me a really tasty and ins worthy drink). We had full confidence in Chris leading up to our big day, and I didn't worry about anything about the venue and the logistics that day(actually I didn't notice anything that day, it was just really smooth...). We did not hire any day-off coordinator or wedding planner.

The Venue: we love the view! Everyone loves the view! It's on a cliff with Manhattan skyline far away and lots of lots of green. It's very relaxing and refreshing for us and our guests from the city. My only complaint is about the ceremony garden. They removed the bushes around the garden this summer and it lost that close and intimate feeling. I didn't like how the setting was changed after we booked the venue. But it was ok at the end of the day.

The Food: yes, cocktail hour shrimp was fantastic! We had a buffet for the reception. Steak, rack of lamb, the crepe, peking duck, and homemade mash potato are very very good.

Others: bridal suite is tiny. There's no suite for the guys. If this is very important for you, then this is not the venue for you.
We had the daytime slot from 11am to 4pm. The restaurant downstairs is not open till 5. So we had the whole venue to ourselves. This is very important for me.

Ashley Sent on 02/08/2019

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A great venue

This was the first venue we went to visit where they were prepping for a wedding & the guests were already on site about to go to the ceremony. I was happy to see things were going smoothly for the bride and groom. Seeing them in action really allowed us to get a picture of what they would be doing for us & I think that helped, not to mention the skyline view that would be during dinner.
Erica Sent on 01/08/2019

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Wonderful Wedding, Awesome Serivce

My husband and I were so happy with our decision to use The Highlawn Pavillion. We were blown away with the service and attention to detail. Chris was fantastic to work with, the food was wonderful, and the wedding cake blew us away. It was such a special evening and we are so happy!
Nicolette Sent on 10/06/2018

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We had our wedding reception at the Highlawn Pavilion on 8-5-18. We were extremely happy with our venue from start to finish. We were looking for a place that had a great view, great food and was a little different than your typical NJ ballroom wedding venue. The venue itself has an incredible view and beautiful grounds for pictures. We worked with Paul to plan the event and he was extremely flexible, helpful and easy to work with. He helped us work out all of our details and made us feel confident our day would go without a hitch. I cannot say enough about how delicious the food was. All of their food and desserts are made in house and I had many guests say it was the best food and dinner they've had at a wedding. The staff was great and it was the perfect venue for our wedding. If you are looking for a place that will wow your guests with its food, view, rustic villa feel and great service, the Highlawn is the place for you.
Danielle Sent on 11/24/2017

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We have nothing but good things to say about Chris and his team at the Highlawn !! They helped to make our wedding on October 27, 2017 flawless and the best night of our lives. The food was great the service was great and the whole night is still being talked about! Chris was always available to answer any of our many questions and took all of our requests seriously, they made all of our dreams reality, and then some! Thank you so much to everyone at the Highlawn! We thoroughly recommend this venue, the pricing was right, the food was impeccable, the atmosphere is romantic and the view is breathtaking!!
Gregory Sent on 09/13/2017

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We were thrilled with our positive experience at Highlawn Pavilion from 11am to 5pm on 3 September,2017. Key to our satisfaction was the cooperation and time extended to us, months in advance, by the Banquets Manager Paul Keenan and his very capable colleague, Christopher. Paul spent all the the time we needed with us going over the details of logistics, food and the ceremonial/religious aspects of planning a wedding for 110 people months in advance of the event. We were thoroughly impressed and satisfied with this level of cooperation.

On the day of the wedding we had rain, but as promised the Highlawn team "made lemonade out of lemons" and assembled the wedding area, including the chuppah, entirely to our satisfaction and the ceremony was very dignified and beautiful. We had a lot of enthusiastic young folks in attendance and the microphones for the speeches were all in working order, the dance floor was full, the food and wine and bar area were impeccably prepared.

It was our first daughter to be married and we were thrilled! When the event was over, the staff had prepared on a cart excess flower arrangements, wedding cake and any other wedding paraphanelia belonging to us, to take home. We didn't even have to ask!

Regarding the transactional aspects, i can say there were no surprises; the rates offered by HP are very competitive.

The key to success was the professionalism of the staff, our primary contacts being Paul Keenan prior to the event, and Norma, the irrepressible Maitre D', during it.

Thanks HP!
Maria Sent on 09/10/2017

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Had to book a VERY last minute rehearsal dinner for a large party. Gorgeous views & great atmosphere. Very attentive staff. Live music was great. Dinner took a tad bit long but we had an extremely large party. The booker and hostess were very accommodating. Highly recommend purely for the location, views & photo ops!
Melissa Sent on 08/07/2017

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Oh my gosh where to begin about this amazing venue. Our wedding day was so beautiful and we have Paul and Norma at the Highlawn to thank for that. They exceeded our expectations! Paul from the very beginning was so accommodating and so chill which I loved right away because I know the day of the wedding I wouldn't have to stress. From the start of it was such an easy planning process they work with you budget wise especially when you guarantee them a certain number. Anytime I had any questions Paul got back to me right away. The day of the wedding was great, the weather wasn't perfect we were hoping for the amazing view of NYC but that was something no one could control. But we were able to have the ceremony outside and everything went perfectly. The room was decorated exactly how I asked it was so gorgeous and the food was delish! Def go for the perogies at cocktail hour all my guests were raving about them. I had the filet mignon and my husband had the Cod and it was perfect. From the wait staff to the bartenders superb service! Cake and Viennese hour was just beautiful. I highly recommend Highlawn I loved the fact that it is not your typical wedding venue very different and vintagy which is what I was looking for. Everything else the venue has to offer speaks for itself, the view, food and service. Very happy Bride & Groom-Melissa & Luis 6-16-17
Michelle Sent on 03/22/2017

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Amazing!!! Chris gave me the most beautiful amazing wedding. He was responsive and responsible honest caring supportive incredible. The highlawn pavilion had amazing food. They made the most beautiful cake. I was a very nervous and controlling pride and at every turn the staff put me at ease. It is beautiful with a great view and amazing staff. Please speak with Chris if you're hoping to make your dream wedding come true!
Alaina Sent on 08/29/2016

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We had the perfect wedding at Highlawn Pavilion! We chose to do a daytime wedding so we started with an 11:30am ceremony outside, followed by a 12:00pm cocktail hour in the ground-floor bar area with access to the outdoor patio, and a 1:00pm reception upstairs in the banquet hall. Choosing your menu is super fun because there are a ton of choices and everything was delicious. I especially loved that they had a Peking Duck station as a choice for one of the cocktail hour station, and a Raw Bar with oysters and shrimp was included!!! Very eclectic options as well as traditional favorites so there is really something for everyone.

The location is beautiful (views of NYC from one of the highest points in NJ), and also convenient to get to from the city. We had many guests who came from NYC and those who didn't carpool or drive were able to take the NJ Transit train to Newark and take a 15-minute cab ride over.

Paul, the Private Dining Manager, was easygoing and accommodating throughout the planning of our event. We wanted an apple cocktail to go along with our New York theme and he was able to make our "Big Apple Sangria" happen! I also had a bunch of decorations I wanted set up for the ceremony and the reception, and Paul's team did a great job accommodating this and following my detailed instructions on how everything should be set up. While this was technically not something they were required to do per the contract, they were very nice to go the extra mile on this especially since I did not have a wedding coordinator/planner.

Five stars for the food, the location, the ambiance, the service, and the overall wonderful experience!
Katie Sent on 07/29/2016

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My husband and I are so pleased we chose Highlawn for our wedding in July 2016. The planning process was stress-free; Paul made it easy to make decisions, and was accommodating to our wishes.
On the night, the food was amazing, and the service impeccable. The cocktail hour flowed and there was plenty of food, I didn't see anything run out. The peking duck rolls were amazing, and my guests raved about the crepes and seafood. The dinner was amazing, we both ate the filet mignon, but our guests loved the salmon and chicken too. My vegetarian guests said that they were very accommodating. The viennese hour for dessert was exquisite, and the cake (made in house) was delicious.
Norma Sent on 06/12/2016

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We had our wedding on May 6th, 2016 at the Highlawn Pavilion. The venue itself is gorgeous and the staff is excellent. I would like to especially recognize Paul, who helped us plan everything up until the wedding. He was very patient and flexible with our time and provided us all the information we needed and more prior to our big day. During our special day Norma took over and made sure everything was well coordinated from the start to the end. Norma made sure that the wedding party was on cue and fed us during the excitement of the reception. Our guests continue to compliment us on the excellent food and the great time they had. There was than enough room for our guests and a huge dance floor. The decor is perfect and we barely needed any extras. Not only would recommend Highlawn Pavilion to anyone seeking to get married in grand style; we are recruiting family and friends to get married there so that we can attend and enjoy the same way they enjoyed our wedding!
Norma and Danny
Erica Sent on 10/06/2015

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We got married at the Highlawn Pavilion at the end of August 2015. It was truly a fantastic experience with this venue from top to bottom! We worked with Chris Gellings in the banquet department, who is a fun, friendly guy and was a great help to us in the whole process. He worked with us to find ways to secure our top choice venue within a budget we could afford.
On wedding day, the entire staff of the Highlawn was extremely helpful and professional. The service was first rate, especially from Chris and Norma, the maitresse d'hotel, who ran a tight ship and kept everything going smoothly. They got everybody in order for the ceremony and made sure that happened on time. It was a gorgeous day for our outdoor ceremony, which I'd had my heart set on after seeing the garden area with its stunning view. The setup, both indoors & out, was great for our wedding w/120 guests. The presentation was impeccable, drinks were plentiful, and the food was amazing - I only wish I'd gotten to eat more of it! Norma kindly prepared a tray of food in the bridal suite for me and my bridesmaids who'd spent cocktail hour outside taking photos, but I was too busy to eat much, and only had a couple tastes before going out to be introduced. I should add that Chris made me sure my husband & I did sit down for the dinner portion and at least get to eat, and I admit that after tasting a tiny bit of the butternut squash soup that I thought I was going to skip while greeting folks, I sat right back down in my chair and wolfed it all down... it was delish!
My only suggestion would be a larger bridal suite. They expanded recently, but it's still very small. With me, 5 bridesmaids + 2 person hair/make-up team we were suffocating, and 3 bridesmaids prepped in the bathroom, which didn't allow for good photos of all the girls getting ready together.
Overall, I unreservedly give this venue and its staff an excellent 5 star rating!
User2321155 Sent on 09/17/2015

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My husband and I are very happy with our venue choice - The Highlawn was excellent on all points.
The ceremony space is beautiful, the huppah is unique and the view cant be beat. The food is exceptional - not your typical banquet hall catering. The staff is reliable and professional. Last but not least, it is an exceptional value - our wedding looked like it cost 4 times what we paid.

If you want a special, intimate, classic and elegant feel to your wedding - The highlawn is an excellent pick. We couldn't be happier!
Kimberly Sent on 01/28/2015

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Our wedding at Highlawn was PERFECT! We had so much fun and didn't worry about one thing! The food was so good--we both got filet mignon and heard great things about all our other options from others. We chose a chicken dish and a fish dish as well. The cake looked beautiful and tasted just as good as it looked (red velvet!). We had a beautiful day, and the view was just unbelievable. The moon that night was incredible--it had this red glow to it. We really got so many compliments on the food and the venue. Paul was incredible to work with. He helped us plan our day and was so attentive to me both for the time leading up to the wedding, as well as on the actual day. We really appreciated our personal maitre d' who was also so attentive and made sure both my husband and I ate a little bit of everything. The cocktail hour was better than anything I've ever been to!

The ballroom is perfect for an average size wedding. We ended up with 141 guests (138 adults) and we had plenty of room for everyone. Highlawn is beautiful--it looks like an Italian villa and is decorated as such. There are tons of windows looking out at the NYC skyline. It is a lovely, intimate, perfect venue located on an expanse of land on the Eagle Rock Reservation.

It was truly a perfect day.
User1897477 Sent on 10/31/2014

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The Highlawn Pavilion was such an amazing place for our rehearsal dinner! If not for the ceremony accommodations, we would have had our wedding there. The view was incredible and everyone loved the food and service!
Lidiya Sent on 08/11/2014

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I reserved the private room upstairs for my mother's 65th birthday party! The food was very tasty with lots of options (including birthday care), great service and amazing view of NYC. That weekend NJ received a significant amount of snow (20+ inches). The restaurant was very accommodating, and did not cancel our party. Thank you for being so flexible!
Amanda Sent on 02/23/2014

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Incredible everything. My friends cannot stop raving. Service, food, value, view and everything else - just a delight and my daughter cannot stop talking about the dreams of her Sweet 16 coming true. Chris, Paul and the whole staff were just amazing. Thanks.
User1417963 Sent on 11/03/2013

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My husband and I cannot say enough how obsessed we are with our wedding! We are so grateful to have chosen the Highlawn. Paul Keenan was so easy to work with. Our guests couldn't rave enough about the food. The room looked breathtaking and thankfully the sky was clear so all of our guests had a view! Omg love this place!!!
Stephanie Sent on 08/31/2013

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This was a great place for a wedding. The view was amazing and staff very accommodating. The food was delicious. .
User1277063 Sent on 04/17/2013

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Hats off to all staff at the Highlawn for making our wedding the best day of our lives. Paul Keenan (Banquet Manager) did anything that we asked and took care of our requests beyond expectations. Norma who ran the party was a true professional. The food at the Highlawn is second to none as is the bar. The scenery is the best around and I can't say enough great things about the place.
Stefi Sent on 10/29/2012

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The day we met with Paul and saw the Highlawn Pavilion venue, we knew we would have our wedding here! The ambiance cannot be compared to anything else! It's the perfect size for a wedding of about 150 people. Paul was amazing because he was always cool, calm and collective. He made every decision easy and with no fuss! Norma was a doll the night of the wedding! I think she can read minds because everything was taken care of for us so we could effortlessly enjoy our night!! Our guests raved about the delicious food which was another big reason we went with Highlawn! We can't wait to have our anniversary dinner there!!
Jeana Sent on 09/24/2012

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NYC/Central NJ: One of THE places to consider!!! I have worked at some of the best wedding locations in the world and Highlawn Pavilion is a gem! My wedding and reception was a dream come true due largely to Highlawn Pavilion. Paul K. and his team are as saavy and experienced as they are kind and polite. The majority of my guests were from Manhattan/NYC area; and they were all impressed by the billion dollar view of Manhattan, Newark and Jersey City (it's the highest point in NJ), the fine cuisine, the garden and building classic Italian villa styling and the nice and accommodating staff!!! We had over 150 people and not one of them felt unattended or left without feeling like a VIP. Paul K. is a gentleman and his experience provided great assurance in planning the cocktail hour menu to the dinner menu to small details in wedding decor. His working relationships with area DJs, photographers/videographers helped me communicating with them on working together as a team. Thank you to the Highlawn Pavilion family!
Kelly Sent on 09/13/2012

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My husband and I just got married in this venue on June 2 of this year. We absolutely loved everything from the food to the outside grounds. The food was everything we were looking for, exremely tasty. The grounds and venue itself are extremely well kept up. The staff was wonderful and attentive to our every needs! I would recommend this venue to anyone! Our guests are talking about it still!
Christine Sent on 09/07/2012

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We booked the Highlawn 2 months after we got engaged and had to wait 15 months for our great day. I saw the Highlawn when I was 20 and i remember looking at that elegant restaurant thinking wonderful events must happen there. It was kismet!!

Christopher Gellings was super helpful and very kind to us the whole way through. Quick with a phone call, all our questions were answered politely and professionally. We got the gift certificate to try the food and wow....their seafood is amazing!

The food is still raved about to this day. Two words: Duck rolls..amazing. The oysters, seafood, and all the meat were amazing and that was only the cocktail hour! We had a little bit of overcast on our wedding day, but it made for amazing pictures! You could see every building all night and at the last hour, our guests gazed out on the city. Upgrade to the Viennese table...even though no one will touch the cake when you have bananas foster!

We are so happy with the Highlawn, I promote it to all my friends. It was classy, elegant, fun, and so warm. If you want a run of a mill banquet hall, go somewhere else. :)
Geri Sent on 07/12/2012

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We had our wedding here on 7/1/12-- we are an older couple but still wanted a classy event with great food. This was it and more! Fabulous views for the New York skyline and a gorgeous venue. All of our guests raved. Everyone we dealt with went out of their way to accomodate our wishes --from Chris the banquet manager to Norma our personal assistant the day of the wedding. It is a "smaller venue" and nice that they only have 1 wedding @ a time.
Zak Sent on 06/26/2012

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My wife and I chose the Highlawn Pavilion for our wedding reception on June 9, 2012. While we had the ceremony in a traditional church, the Highlawn was an exceptional place for our cocktail hour and reception. Chris Gellings, our coordinator at the Highlawn, could not have made for an easier day. They let us drop off a significant amount of items a week ahead of time, and stored them safely for us. This provided great emotional relief to my bride, who was worried about storing all of our favors.

Our guests had the most amazing time, and still can't talking about our wedding. The food was absolutely out of this world. Our cocktail hour had enough food to feed an army, and the quality was excellent. Chris was very accomodating, and worked with us so that we could add all of the special touches we wanted while still remaining within our budget. Dinner was fantastic, and was the best food we ever had at a wedding.

They were very accomodating with our other vendors, allowing our DJ to set up early, and providing space for our rented photo booth.

They assigned us our own wait staff, who even brought food and drink outside to us while we were taking photos on the surrounding grounds. The general wait staff were great as well. Also, the bartenders kept everyone very happy and our guests commented that the drinks were particularly delicious.

They also made our wedding cake, which was beautiful and delicious. We were also allowed to take our extra cakes from the Venetian hour home with us.

We can't recommend the Highlawn enough, in terms of quality, convenience, and also price.
Kelly Sent on 06/05/2012

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The service and quality are impeccable. They don't nickel and dime the small stuff, which is great. The food was fresh and hot and delicious, from the first plate to the last!
Brittany Sent on 03/23/2012

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My wedding cake from highlawn turned out beautifully. They were super easy to work with and the cake was exactly what I pictured for my wedding day.
Emalene Sent on 03/08/2012

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My husband and I celebrated our vow renewal and 50th Anniversary at the Highlawn
Pavillion. Since 50 years ago we eloped we made our 50th much like a wedding. We had a formal vow renewal fully set-up there.
The Highlawn Pavillion was wonderful. The manager Chris could not have been more accomadating and a pleasure to work with.
The day of our celebration the staff was wonderful and we're still getting compliments on how delicous the food was, every aspects of the food service etc,
was perfect.
We had a wonderful time and the the Highlawn Pavillion was perfect.
We had app. 113 guests.
Couldn't have been any happier.
Janie Sent on 09/09/2011

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My daughter was married at Highlawn on 9/4/11 (Sunday). The Ceremony (outside) and Reception were absolutely beautiful. The cocktail hour had fabulous choices and the dinners were magnificent. We had family and friends from all over the country and everyone was so impressed with the attention to excellence and the service. The banquet staff could not have been more helpful and professional. Our family felt that we made the perfect choice and my daughter and her new husband are in heaven! A special thank you to Paul who helped make the day flawless :)
Stacie Sent on 08/25/2011

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Our wedding was amazing. There was not one complain the entire day. The food and service were great. We had an amazing time!
Sophia Sent on 07/13/2011

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The entire staff at Highlawn is great. Everyone was flexible and cared about giving us a good experience, from the maitre d' answering every request with a smile, to the banquet managers who were checking the weather satellites every second, actually encouraged us to have the ceremony outside, and allowed us to use confetti indoors if it came to that. We worked with Paul, who is skilled at his job and kept everything running smoothly. The food (what I had of it) was good and table service was good as well. We went a little over time and they didn't kick us out even though there was another event following afterwards (we had a daytime wedding). Highly recommended! Great service and good value.
Paola Sent on 11/24/2010

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When we went to the High Lawn we had already decided we wanted to be married in the summer, they gave us an available date. We planned a wedding in 6 weeks and had soup to nuts at the most affordable price I could have ever imagined. The men that manage the High Lawn were very understanding of our time and our size concern. They helped us plan and enjoy a beautiful wedding. They were open to our ideas about rearranging some things within the room to help make our guests more comfortable. They only have 1 wedding at a time, and their outdoor garden was a perfect place for us to exchange our vows. I was very happy and felt we had a lovely party with 210guests yet it felt intimate. Its a place that has charm, and character, as well as history. The food was awesome, and my husband is a chef, so he wanted nothing other than the best. You can have dinner downstairs to experience the food for any occasion we have talked about going back every year for our anniversary dinner, because the food was well worth it.
Debbie Sent on 10/30/2010

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The Highlawn Pavilion was perfect ceremony and reception venue for us. We had a Saturday day wedding, which gave us access to the entire restaurant. The ceremony was outside, along with cocktail hour on the patio, and our reception on the 2nd floor. They accomodated gluten free guests with a meal that suited their needs. The food was amazing and guests are still talking about it!
Lisa Sent on 09/16/2010

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We loved the hall, it was beautiful. Paul, our event coordinator, did a great job with everything.
Danielle Sent on 11/14/2008

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A Beautiful experience, everything went smoothly the Food was exceptional. I would recommend it to anyone that wants an incredible view of New York without paying New York prices.
Mj Sent on 11/07/2008

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For a small wedding of less than 200 the "Highlawn Pavilion" has no equal!!! First class service, cocktail hour is amazing, 5 star menu, cuisine is exemplary, as is NYC view! LOCATION is superb!!! The staff is flexible and creative, works with you to create the wedding of your dreams!!
Andrey Sent on 09/24/2008

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The food at the cocktail hour and the reception was outstanding. Their Maitre d' is the nicest person, very attentive to your needs. When we booked our wedding we got a very nice discount even though the place is really worth the money they are asking initially. I WILL definitely come back for another event if need be. Ohhhh, and let's not forget the cake - I would have eaten the whole thing if I could :).
Gina Sent on 08/19/2014

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We were getting married and hosting our reception in Roseland and West Orange respectively. We had a difficult time finding a location to host the rehearsal dinner nearby that stood out and offered a different atmosphere. The Highlawn was the perfect location. We had our rehearsal in the wine cellar downstairs which had a unique character. Our only disappointment was when we discovered the "premium" open bar did not include staples we would expect such as Johnny Walker Black or Grey Goose. The "premium" alcohol served was Absolut/Smirnoff vodka and Johnny Walker Red, had we known this ahead of time we would have upgraded our bar.
Ashley Sent on 06/11/2014

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My wedding ceremony and reception were both at The Highlawn. Phenomenal is the best word to describe my experience. Paul is absolutely amazing! He answered my millions of emails and calls, met with me multiple times, and knew what he was doing. I am in event planning and can be OCD, and he passed all my tests. The day before and of the wedding Paul and Norma were the best wedding pair you could hope for. They went through rehearsals, set-up and answered everyone's questions. They knew I really wanted to get married outside and waited an hour before to see if the rain would stop (it didn't, but if I said I wanted outside, they would have done it four me!) Plan B went into affected and the ceremony was still wonderful, Norma even acted as my flower girl!

The entire night they made sure my husband and I had food, drinks and anything else possible. The entire staff was incredible, the bar tender made amazing martinis and was dancing along to the music, servers were checking in on us, the food was delicious.

I really couldn't have asked for a more amazing wedding!
Jamie Sent on 12/03/2011

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We looked at an embarrassing amount of venues for our reception and none really clicked with us until we found the Highlawn. From our first meeting to the day of our wedding, they were extremely easy to work with. They even called me prior to my wedding because they were going to put up holiday decorations and didn't want to clash with my flower scheme. The food was delicious and plentiful and the service was fantastic. We also had beautiful weather so the views of Manhattan and Jersey City were breathtaking.
Courtney Sent on 11/06/2018

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Wedding of my dreams!!

My dream wedding was with a NYC view, unique, and with amazing food. The Highlawn Pavilion is the most perfect venue if you are looking for that! It also fit within my budget while many, many other venues did not. The price is extremely affordable with what you get including the ceremony, amazing cocktail hour, drinks, incredible food, cake, and service. It is a restaurant so the food is incredible. We had the whole upstairs and the ceremony outside. It was literally perfect and they're so chill with their planning process. We worked with Paul and he was very flexible and is probably the most calm person I've ever met, which is perfect for your wedding day. I got all outside vendors and they worked well with all of them. The Highlawn also helped set up and breakdown everything. It was all boxed up well and ready to take home right after the wedding. They were also flexible if we wanted to pick up stuff the next day. Highly highly highly recommend!
Johanna Sent on 09/19/2011

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I will highly recommend the Highlawn Pavilion. They were so helpful with everything I requested. Chris and Paul are amazing guys that will do anything to make your day special.
Jessica Sent on 10/25/2010

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We worked with Chris and had a wonderful wedding. We were married on a Sunday outside at the Gazebo and then had a reception on the 2nd floor. The cake came out beautiful and we were given a $100 gift certificate to eat at the restaurant after we booked the date.
Inna Sent on 02/01/2010

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Highlawn Pavilion did a great job on our wedding. We had the whole place to ourselves, and it was absolutely beautiful. The location is stunning and the guests were very impressed by the quality. The food was great, and we had rave reviews about the cocktail hour. The even designed our wedding cake to our specs, which was nice. My recommendation to a future bride, is to see if you can pick a weekday holiday and reserve the whole place for your wedding for a great price. We chose Memorial Day Monday. We had our ceremony outside, our cocktail hour running both inside and outside on the first floor, the whine cellar for changing and photography, and the main upstairs hall for the actual reception. The great thing about HP is that it is so beautiful, you don't need to go anywhere else for pictures. Everything about it is just superb!
As another helpful tip, HP let us have food delivered from a local cafe for our vendors. This saved us from paying for them to eat the expensive dinner food - and kept the vendors happy!
Cesarina Sent on 09/09/2009

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I highly recommend the Highlawn Pavilion to everybody! They did a wonderful job and the food was excellent, my friends and family are still raving about it. The cake was beautiful and it was delicious. You will not be disappointed.
Christine Sent on 11/11/2008

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The Highlawn Pavilion did an incredible job delivering on all they promised. The food was excellent and my guests are still raving about it. In addition, they really worked with us to put together a menu and add special touches we requested all within our budget. They were very flexible in terms of customizing special requests. I would highly recommend them for any wedding or special event!
Erica Sent on 08/04/2008

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Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful. Made me feel like a princess. Only one problem; couldn't choose linens, they only had one color. Otherwise food and service was amazing. My friends and famaily still talk about how wonderful the wedding was to this day. Highly, Highly, highly recommend
Heather Sent on 10/09/2020

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Breath Taking Views

The view of this place is what sold me and food was out of this world. Ambiance gave this warm feeling of Italy meets Havana and the wine cellar is a hidden gem!
Ariele Sent on 11/19/2010

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Highlawn was a wonderful choice for our Saturday night, black tie wedding. We wanted a classic venue that would be sophisticated and elegant and Highlawn was a perfect match. The food was delicious and the view was incredible. Paul, our catering manager was highly responsive leading up to the wedding and our entire menu, from cocktail hour to dinner was custom. If you are looking for a unique, non-wedding factory with a classic feel, Highlawn is perfect.
Carissa Sent on 06/30/2009

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The Highlawn was wonderful!!! And I say this after they double booked our wedding date. They made it work and we ended up having our reception downstairs...they closed the restaurant for the night to accomodate us. It was not our first choice but in the end it worked out better than if we had the upstairs as anticipated!!! The food is spectacular. It isn't the mass produced fare that you would have at other venues. Everything was made to order, wonderful. The view sold us from day one. The wedding cake and food was amazing!
Julie Sent on 03/11/2008

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The Highlawn provided an amazing experience. The staff was accommadating and courteous. The view is absolutly amazing. I would recommend this venue if your weddding party is around 150. We ended up with 170 and it was slightly cramped. The food is wonderful as well (which is hard to find at weddings). The cocktail hour had somethign for everyone! Overall, the highlawn made my wedding day so special - I would not have changed a thing!
Patricia Sent on 06/25/2014

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Great venue for reception...the view of NY and NJ is beautiful. Chris our event manager is great to work with.
Joanne Sent on 07/19/2014

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My wedding reception at the Highlawn Pavilion was better than I imagined. Food was delicious, staff was outstanding, very helpful and attentive. Paul and team were extremely helpful throughout the planning to ensure my wedding reception went as planned and it did! Very happy with the service from beginning stages of planning to the day of the event. Everything was perfect.
Juliane Sent on 06/10/2008

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Fantastic wedding reception. A bit set in their ways and not flexible with some of my suggestions. overall, a perfect night, however.

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