Nicole & Drew | The Park Savoy Estate | Florham Park, NJ

"Natural Splendor"

Drew and I met through Instagram, sort of. A mutual friend of ours was scrolling through his feed, when Drew stopped him to ask, “Who was that girl in the picture?” The girl was me! Our friend gave him my contact information and we went on a first date a few weeks later. We dated for nine months and then moved into an apartment together. After about eight months, we bought a house and that same week, we flew to Las Vegas and got engaged!

When we arrived at our hotel in Vegas, I opened the door to our suite to find rose petals leading from the door to the bed. On the bed was a note saying, “Will you marry me?” When I turned around, Drew was on one knee. After I FaceTimed everyone to tell them, I stopped crying, showered, and got ready for dinner at Lavo. When we got there, I saw my whole family waiting at the table. They had come to surprise me!

As a teacher, I am a planner. We were engaged for over two years and had the time to pick the best of the best. We saw over 10 venues before The Park Savoy Estate, and as soon as we walked in, we met Sam Tillawi, general manager, and knew it was the place. Looking around at the décor, I didn’t want to change a thing! Working with Sam was a joy. He made us feel like family and was there the day of the wedding to make sure everything was perfect. Mary, my bridal attendant, knew what I needed before I did. She was there to help with every aspect of the night, including making sure I always had a drink!

We had an outdoor ceremony with a string quartet playing lovely music and a beautiful flower altar with candles and lanterns. Our ring bearers walked down the aisle with ring security brief cases and sunglasses to match! Drew and I wrote our own vows which was emotional and beautiful.

The quality of food was impeccable, starting with the cocktail hour. The fresh mozzarella station, the grilled lobster station, and the mac and cheese your way all served as a mouthwatering testament to the meal to come. We also had a martini bar with six different options which were poured through an ice sculpture into your glass.

Everything we did to decorate the ballroom only added to the splendor. Our florist created three versions of centerpieces with purple and white flowers, incorporating candles for a natural glow. The band was unreal. The dancing never stopped, but the staff made sure everyone was able to eat and had plenty of food and beverage available. Every time we turned around someone was there to help.

For an appetizer, we served The Park Savoy’s Estate signature salad. As an entrée, we offered our guests the choice of Chilean sea bass, chateaubriand, chicken Sorrentino, or a vegetarian meal upon request. The dessert hour was something to rave about. The entire cocktail space was transformed into a whimsical dessert room with cookies, pastries, hot zeppoles being made fresh, bananas foster being lit on fire, shots being lit on fire, an ice cream sundae station, fried Oreos – and this all on top of our wedding cake with chocolate-covered strawberries!

A special thanks to Sam and Mary who were thorough from start to finish in making the event seamless. We certainly made the right decision in choosing The Park Savoy Estate. To all my vendors, my florist, DJ, and photographer, we couldn't have chosen better to create the wedding of our dreams. To our friends and family, thank you all for being there to celebrate with us and help us kick off our marriage with the greatest night of our lives!

The Park Savoy Estate
Florham Park, NJ, 973.377.7100, www.theparksavoy.com