We never planned on having our wedding at Breakers. As a matter of fact, we were only in the area because we had been looking at other venues. By chance, however, we stumbled across this perfect gem sitting nestled across the street from the o...cean and decided to stop in ... just on a whim that they might let us look around.
And thankfully we did!
As soon as we walked through the doors, my wife and I were captivated by the coziness and elegance of the Breakers, accented by all the natural light beaming in through the windows. We checked with the front desk about taking a look around and they instead offered to sit us down with their Wedding Manager, Eileen Barnetti.
Before we walked out of the building that day, Eileen had felt like a family member we've known our whole life. She literally stopped what she was doing (which was preparing for an on-site conference scheduled later that day) to sit down with us and show us the entire hotel and wedding ballroom. We fell in love with the Breakers immediately, but it was Eileen's sincerity and genuine affection that made the decision for us - we were booking here.
As we continued to meet more of the Breakers staff, we cannot say enough nice things about their friendliness and patience. Eileen and her team were *always* available to answer questions (even on her days off) and made sure to accommodate any request we had - no matter how big, small, or silly.
When our big day finally arrived, we were treated like royalty. Our maitre d, Michelle, was flexible and worked with us to make sure we had time to enjoy ourselves. She effortlessly managed all of our vendors and adjusted our schedule on-the-fly to accommodate us -- never once did she try rushing us or breaking the flow of the night to adhere to a predefined itinerary. She made it *our* night.
We elected to go with a buffet style dinner after passed Hors d'oeuvres during our cocktail reception. The passed hors d'oeuvres were frequent, plentiful, and every plate had a variety of options to choose from. Nobody ever had to look hard to grab a snack. Our buffet was hot, delicious, and loaded with more options than we knew what to do with. Our guests commented at how generous the portions were and thanked us for the flexibility of eating when they were ready (not to take away from the dance floor).
Even as our night winded down, the staff at the Breakers continued to make themselves available. They arranged transportation for nearly two dozen guests to a local bar for an "after party" and were quick to help others to the rooms. They were even so generous as to pack to-go container for my wife and I and deliver additional food to our room, just in case we didn't get a chance to eat during the wedding (which, of course, we didn't).
The Breakers on the Ocean is a beautiful hotel/ballroom combination that offers everything you need for your wedding right in one place. But there are beautiful venues everywhere. What separates the Breakers from any other venue you'll look at is the people inside the building. Without their wonderful team helping us the whole way through, our wedding would have never been as effortless and stress-free as it was.
Thank you Eileen, Terri , Michelle, Shannon, Cesar, and the whole entire staff.