Alexa & Rich | Nanina’s in the Park | Belleville, NJ

“So Many Affordable Options”

It all started at the annual picnic at The Liberty Corner Fire Company, where I had met Richie in the summer of 2013. For the next three years, Richie and I kept in touch, until we started dating in 2016. Fast Forward to December of 2020. Richie planned a trip to Peddlers Village in New Hope, NJ and arranged a secret photographer to greet Richie, our dog Charlie and I at the gazebo for a photo. That’s when Richie got down on one knee and proposed.

When we were choosing a venue, we visited Nanina’s In The Park. When entering, we  looked at each other and laughed, thinking, "We can't afford this place.” After meeting with Julian Reyes, general manager, we realized there were so many affordable options. We were excited about what Nanina’s had to offer for our wedding, including the breathtaking ballroom, the beautiful grounds, and the incredible cocktail hour spread.

Planning a wedding can be stressful, but from day one up until the big day, the staff at Nanina’s was so helpful, especially Liz Simanski, hostess, and Julian Reyes. On the day of, Gisele, one of the bridal attendants, truly made me feel so special the entire night. As our wedding was on a Thursday, the bridal party was able to spend the entire morning getting ready at Nanina’s. We decided to do the more traditional route so we did not do a first look on our wedding day.  The staff at Nanina’s was more than accommodating about shuffling us around the morning of so we did not see each other prior to our ceremony at The Church of St. James in Basking Ridge, NJ.

Richie currently serves as the Fire Chief of The Liberty Corner Fire Company. Following our ceremony at the church, we exited with bubbles of good wishes and continued to take photos with our friends, family, and members of the fire company alongside a Ward LaFrance Antique Fire Truck and with Tower 40. We are so thankful for our extended family at Station 40 and all their support on our wedding day. We then returned to Nanina’s, where the staff were dressed in formal attire and offered valet parking for our guests. However, nothing topped the staff greeting each of our guests with a glass of champagne as they arrived.

Our family and friends still rave about the cocktail hour that Nanina’s offered. Our favorite cocktail dishes included the mac and cheese bar and the seafood spread consisting of lobster and oysters. In the ballroom, Crest Florist provided high centerpieces of white flowers on gold stands with floating candles on the tables. We had low centerpieces on the tables located on the dance floor to allow our guests to see the dance floor from anywhere in the room.

Our theme consisted of white and gold colors throughout the ballroom including gold accents on our wedding cake. We were hesitant to spend the extra money on the lighting package that Nanina’s had to offer; however, it really brought everything together and set the ambiance for the ballroom. We also had a white flower wall with help from Posh DJ, who hung a custom neon sign with our last name for the photo booth.

For dinner, our guests chose from chateaubriand, grilled salmon, chicken saltimbocca, or eggplant Napoleon. Our wedding cake was made by Calandra's Italian Bakery who did an incredible job in creating a three-tier all white cake with cascading rose sugar flowers and hints of gold. The cake was included with the venue; however, we added strawberries and Italian custard filling with the addition of sugar flowers for an extra cost. For dessert, Nanina’s made it personal for my groom and I by preparing a table in the empty cocktail room with all the desserts offered. It created a nice break from dancing and added a memorable moment for the night.

All the vendors went over and beyond, creating a day one we will always remember. John Bacolo and his team from Gabelli Studios were amazing. Evan Ruga from POSH DJs kept everyone on the dance floor throughout the evening. During our first dance, we opted to do dancing on the clouds with sparklers which started the night off with pure excitement from guests. Erin and Elisa from Beauty on Location did an amazing job with makeup, the bridal party looked natural, yet beautiful. JC Hair Designs is beyond talented.

Our wedding day was a day that we will cherish for the rest of our lives with our family and friends. We were so lucky for all the support planning our wedding and we could not have asked for a better venue and selection of vendors to celebrate our big day at Nanina's In The Park.

Nanina's in the Park, Belleville, NJ
973.751.1230, naninasinthepark.com