Danielle & Eric | Maritime Parc | Jersey City, NJ

"Absolutely Incredible"

Eric and I met through mutual friends in a sort of girl-chases-guy situation. I assumed he wasn't interested in me or that he was in a relationship, because after meeting each other a few times he never asked for my phone number. It turned out I was wrong and Eric is just the quieter, more-reserved type. I built up enough courage, got Eric's number from a friend, and we never looked back after I sent that first smiley-face text.

After a few weeks of talking, he asked me out to dinner. We picked a local restaurant which became a staple in our relationship. We had brunch there the day Eric popped the question. The proposal was perfect, with just us two on a random block in Astoria, Queens on our walk home. Afterwards, we couldn't wait to tell our family and friends and begin all the fun celebrations to come.

We chose Maritime Parc for our wedding because we knew we wanted their beautiful city view and modern feel. They host only one wedding at a time and we immediately fell in love with the staff and the food! Another wow-factor was being able to get gorgeous wedding photos on the grounds in Liberty State Park, with a perfect city backdrop.

The day of, we went straight from our hotel to Maritime Parc to do our wedding photos, and not having to travel again all day created a seamless flow of activities. Priscilla Gruberman, sales manager, and the whole team at Maritime Parc, were absolutely incredible. They are efficient and professional and also warm and welcoming. Even having to reschedule our wedding, there were no difficulties and we couldn’t be happier with the way things turned out.

We got married on our original date in a small family ceremony in my recently deceased grandmother’s backyard. It was incredibly special. On our wedding day at Maritime Parc, big beautiful windows let in sunlight and showcased the gorgeous city skyline. We had a quick, symbolic ceremony officiated by a close friend. It was absolutely perfect.

Our cocktail hour was just as amazing. The wrap-around outdoor patio allowed for endless photo-ops for our guests, who really enjoyed taking advantage of the beautiful weather. We stepped away to enjoy a few minutes alone with each other and all the delicious cocktail hour food. Some highlights were the grilling station with slow-roasted ribs, cilantro skirt steak, mini-cedar-plank salmon, duck confit risotto, and the Asian station with Bahn Mi style pork meatballs, mango and duck summer rolls, Thai beef stir fry, and pad Thai noodles.

For our reception, we wanted as much dancing time as possible! Our speeches and dances, short but sweet, began the evening. Then our DJ opened the dance floor and the fun didn't stop until the end of the night! The energy of our guests was amazing! They danced the night away in the gorgeous ballroom, filled with our beautiful floral arrangements. Our light, neutral tones and amber lighting looked incredible with the NYC night sky.

Dinner was delicious. Our first course was heirloom tomato and burrata cheese followed by entrée options of pan-seared branzino with broccoli rabe or a duo plate with NY strip steak and braised short rib, accompanied by creamed spinach and truffle potato purée. I can't express enough how amazing the food was. The duo plate was melt-in-your-mouth delicious and we received so many compliments. Our wedding cake was simple and elegant, and tasted so fresh.

Every aspect of Maritime Parc is amazing beyond words. Our wedding weekend could not have been more perfect. In our wildest dreams, a more perfect group of people to be there for us on our wedding day does not exist. To our families, friends, and talented vendors, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Maritime Parc, Jersey City, NJ, 201.413.0050, maritimeparc.com