Laurita Winery

the venue was perfect. What made it even more perfect was BJ from Branches! From the first day we met her, she explained every intricate detail from pricing to food choice. We booked the venue that day... 1 1/2 year ahead of time! She was in constant contact with me and very easy to get ahold of. She provided suggestions and up until the day of the wedding, ensured that I would have the most amazing wedding. Upon arrival to Laurita the day of the wedding I was greeted by the amazing Michael who was our right hand man all night long. He filled our bridal suite with wine and champagne, cheese plates and veggies and constantly checked in on us to make sure everything was okay. Unfortunately it rained lightly an hour before our ceremony and to play it safe, we had the ceremony in the top loft. Michael and BJ made sure that although it was a last minute change, everything was just as beautiful! Everyone at our wedding RAVED about the cocktail hour... Most saying it was the best they've ever experienced. Once my husband and I walked into the reception area after our pictures, I was blown away at how beautiful the Branches team set all of the tables up and especially our sweetheart table. All of the staff was extremely attentive and friendly. Dinner was FABULOUS!! The food was amazing and the Prime Rib was cooked perfectly! I can go on and on about how perfect the day was! At the end of the day, BJ and Michael are an amazing team and provided nothing but top knotch service. I would confidently recommend Branches and Laurita any day!!

g come together was truly a moment I will remember forever about our wedding day. From the tables to all the small details, it all came together seamlessly. I can't thank them enough for such a beautiful day.

dal suite, etc. We could not have asked for a better set-up for 150 guests. Upon meeting our planner, Bille Jo, a.k.a. BJ, and discussing the wedding a little further, we were sold. She gave us the assurance of the picture perfect wedding and on the day of, she and Maitre d' Michael delivered! The candy bar display was a crowd favorite. The preparation of every tiny detail whether it was the decor of the ceremony, the gift table, the sweetheart table...all of it was like something you would see in a Hollywood movie. The food catered by Branches was delicious. We received nothing but positive feedback from our guests. Thank you to the staff of Laurita Winery and Branches Catering for your professional yet very personal service.

ta Winery. Branches Catering has been near and dear to my family for a very long time. My parents actually married there many moons ago and my sister’s wedding reception was held there 6 years ago. The fact that Branches and Laurita are connected the way they are made our choice that much easier. Branches Catering provided a cocktail hour and wedding menu like you’ve never had before. We’ve always heard that the bride and groom often don’t get a chance to enjoy their meals. The food was delicious! My husband and I made sure we sat and enjoyed every last bite. If you book here we suggest you do too! It’s been two weeks already and our family and guests are still raving about how great the cocktail hour was and how incredible the meals were. We visited the winery a handful of times leading up to the big day to discuss logistics, options, our ideas and creative vision. Billy Joe was our main contact and she deserves a million hi-fives and thousands of hugs. She was completely open and excited through every step of the process. If you’ve been to Laurita before, you know that the winery is a beautiful space in itself. The decorative setup and execution for our wedding reception was breathtaking. She took every one of our thoughts and ideas and built us a masterpiece. She is one of the nicest and hardest working people we have ever met. We could not be happier with the final result. As with family and friends revues of the food, same goes for the venue, its staff and wine. Our maître d was a young guy named, Mike. Throughout the night he was constantly running around, checking on us while also bussing tables, cleaning, and directing the flow of events. He worked his butt off and was a genuine nice guy to us and our guests. I could easily type pages more about our experience and how absolutely happy we are with everything. It was a perfect evening from top to bottom that we wish we could relive every single weekend. Words cannot express how thrilled and thankful we are. The venue itself, setup, food, wine and staff were all stunning. Best wedding ever!

h a touch of elegance. Our guests felt like they were on vacation.. we loved that Laurita became an experience beyond just being our wedding. The wines are amazing and the food was great (we went with Branches Catering - see my review for them separately) :) Our pictures look like something out of a movie.. the backdrop of the vineyard during sunset (AHmazing!)

-prepared as it was during our tasting...quite a feat for a 165-person wedding! We worked with Billie Jo from Branches...she is so talented and truly made our day. What I found most touching/meaningful is that, at numerous points throughout our wedding day, she pulled me aside to remind me to stop and take time to appreciate our decor, our displays, and the night in general. I couldn't have asked for a more capable person to work with and she truly helped to create the wedding of our dreams. I highly, highly recommend Laurita and Branches if you want excellent food, service, and an atmosphere that guests will remember!

agement! A month before our wedding she went over every little detail, and double checked to make sure everything was in place! Food was fantastic, I woukd DEFINATELY recommend this venue to any bride and groom!

d, and BJ is who you want to work with for planning a big, important event! The winery- the winery is an unbelievable space. Guest were free to roam around and were not all packed into a room for the whole night- we had tables and food stations in the dining room and the cocktail hour/bar then dance floor/bar in the tasting room and fire pits and s’mores (a fun suggestion from BJ) on the terrace. The space is so great that it does not need a ton of decorations, but you can bring as much as you want to personalize it. Our wedding pictures with the vineyard in the background are absolutely beautiful. The food- Generally, I don’t have high expectations for wedding food, but I was very pleasantly surprised when we went for the tasting at branches. We were able to bring 4 others to the tasting without an additional charge, which was helpful. The hors d’oeuvres were just awesome and the presentation of each different choice was cute and creative. We went the food stations options and everyone seemed to really enjoy all of the choices and the station chefs. The staff- BJ and the entire staff from Branches were incredible. There was no detail that was to big or to small, and they just had this we will make it happen attitude about everything. BJ works all of the winery events and she knows the space so well and has great suggestions and really knows what will work and won’t. We were able to drop stuff off to them the day before which made the day of less stressful, and they just took care of everything and made the space look even more beautiful. Everything went so smoothly the night of. I can’t thank them enough. I know I am bias because it was my wedding, but we have had several people tell us that it was the best, most fun wedding they have ever been to. I highly recommend Laurita Winery, Branches, and BJ for your special day! Now, I’m really hoping I can talk someone I know into getting married there so that I can go as a guest!

leading up to my wedding, I was not sure that things would go as planned. From the beginning, I was told the managing partner of Branches Catering in Long Branch would be my point of contact; however, I was in contact with about 4 different people. The information was never organized in such a way that each knew the updated plans. I was sending and resending information multiple times to multiple people. Some of the information shared with me during the tour and food tasting appointments were not correct. The communication with Branches was not ideal. Still, a month and a half after my wedding day, I am still working on resolving a financial issue with Branches. Things that Branches did not drop the ball on are as follows: 1. Always contacting me about which payments were due soon (Funny how that side of the communication never failed) 2. The food was absolutely fantastic (Though I barely ate at the wedding, our tasting was top notch and our guests still rave at the cocktail hour and dinner selections 3. The catering staff the day of the wedding were wonderful (Though I heard complaints that one bartender was a bit snoody, he always handed me my drink of choice when I walked up to the bar) The staff really made sure (on the day of my wedding) that my wife and myself were pleased. Though, at times, I had to pull the catering company's teeth during the planning process, my wedding did turn out wonderful. If Branches reads this, I would offer this advice: work on having one employee who deals with the wedding planning process from beginning to end. Allow that one employee to focus solely on weddings, not other events going on at Laurita. Communication, with myself, was key, and I was not confident in the days leading up to my wedding. To the future brides and grooms: I hope this review helps you in your planning process. May your wedding be as fulfilling, fun, and beautiful as mine was. I wish you a lifetime of happiness. Remember, love is a feeling, not a choice. You're choosing to spend the rest of your life with that one special person, make it count.

we had to book Branches and Laurita Winery. The wedding planning process with BJ was amazing - she helped us plan the day perfectly and even took time from setting up for another wedding to walk me through the winery when I came by to visit. The food was AMAZING and I really hope I can attend another wedding Branches is catering just so I can enjoy the food again. Thanks again for everything! Laurita Winery was the perfect venue for our wedding - from the picture perfect vineyards and areas of the winery to the entire building, we couldn't be more pleased. If you're looking for a unique venue in NJ, then this is your place for your wedding! Our guests loved the wine that we chose and we look forward to coming back to attend the various fun events Laurita holds!

n extremely overpriced (ie. they wanted to charge my husband and I additional $$$ for everything...including an additional $400 just to have a TASTING!) Just when I thought Laurita was out of the question for us, a passer-by mentioned that they knew Branches recently began catering indoor winery weddings at Laurita. (Branches is Laurita’s main caterer, but primarily do outdoor tented weddings.) We immediately gave John from Branches a call, and I am 100% serious when I say that they were the BEST decision of our ENTIRE wedding! John met with us right away, went over menus and set-ups in detail, and accommodated any personal touches that my husband and I wanted to add to make our wedding extra special! (ie. We replaced our cake with an ice cream sundae bar, and instead of having a dessert table, we had chocolate chip cookies with shooters of milk.) No idea that we suggested was EVER a problem for Branches—whether it was changing the arrangement of tables, incorporating long wooden farm tables into our table set-up, or modifying the food menu being served! Just to attest to their incredible professionalism: our original event coordinator (Stasia) left Branches a month and a half before our wedding, and the transition to our new event coordinator (BJ) was smoother than ever. BJ was absolutely fabulous and executed every detail of my wedding night perfectly (and trust me when I say there was a lot of them.) To add to that, she's been at EVERY Laurita event, so if you run ideas by her, she knows what works and what doesn't. I’m actually convinced that she’s superwoman dressed in regular clothing. Branches gave us a complementary tasting for my ENTIRE family (we’re talking 6 people) prior to our wedding with food that was absolutely to die for…but believe it or not, the food served at our wedding was EVEN BETTER. Don’t ask me how Branches did it, but literally every dish was cooked perfectly and served to each guest not only hot, but beautifully. Guests kept coming up to my husband and I during our reception and telling us it wasn’t just the best WEDDING food they’ve ever eaten, it was the best FOOD they’ve ever eaten…period. Do yourself a favor: if you want incredible food for your wedding and want to work with the most professional and courteous vendor ever, go with Branches. They’ll knock your socks off. (And so will their Beef Chateaubriand.) Guaranteed.

ny, and the reception was amazing throughout. Everything was so perfectly elegant, and the food was absolutely amazing! Cocktail hour was amazing, and the reception dinner was out of this world. We highly recommend Branches, they made the wedding day phenomenal, all our guests were very happy and impressed! The only downside is that they dont have a restaurant to eat there on a regular basis!

hey all deserve a star!

r & did her job well! The food was DELICIOUS & the service impeccable! Thanks for making it such a perfect day!

day was great and we have no complaints and never had any issues with Branches or any of its staff. They made our dreams come true.

we had only EXCELLENT reviews of all the food. Our guests are still talking about how great the food was! I would recommend Branches to anyone for a wedding venue!

y timed processional (I wanted to hear the entire song), she had her watch ready! We were married in the Waterfall garden the photos are spectacular (even the non professional photos) and the compliments still pour in 2 1/2 years later. We ran into a guest a year after (a friend of my inlaws), who is use to the finer things in life and HE (yes he!) made it a point to tell us how "special it was for him" - WOW!!! Our cocktail hour was suppose to be in one room, but they spread it into two. Some guests didn't even realize there was MORE food in the second room and were already saying how "over the top" it was in room one!!! We actually booked and picked a package very early, but over the 2 year engagement Branches changed and upgraded their packages. I was concerned about not getting some things, but instead, we got EVERYTHING... there was more than we contracted for. The maitre'd (sorry cant remember his name) was fabulous! My husband uses a cane and is disabled after multiple back operations. He did not want to walk in using the cane and wanted to get through our dance and parent dances without it. The maitre'd worked out a small hand gesture so that if my husband needed the cane or assistance he could go right to him. The food was FABULOUS, and again we are still receiving compliments. The only "complaint" - there was so much food and it was soooooo good, they couldn't eat it all - not much of a complaint, right? I enjoyed myself at my wedding! I ate the food at my wedding! I was relaxed and confident that everything would go smooothly, and it certainly did! It was above and beyond what we expected! Pair an event with Joey "Kidd" Marino of NJ's Best Dj's and you'll have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE!!! (Our last song - coincidentally) We are seriously considering having a 5 year anniversary party with my brother and his wife (who got married in July of the same year). But none of us are thinking about their venue....... Branches is a shining star in everyone's memories. We want to have a cocktail party & a DJ (Joey Marino of course) with open bar and recreate the fun we had that night!!! Not wishing time away, but I really cant wait to do it again!!!

ery helpful with planning and were very quick to reply to any inquiry we had. Our wedding day was perfect, we were married in May and the outdoor area was so perfectly landscaped that all of the flowers and trees were blooming. We had so many comments from our guest as to how beautiful the location was. The staff was very attentive throughout our day and were always a step ahead for all of our needs. A week before our wedding our honeymoon plans were changed due to an airline strike which forced us to leave for our honeymoon meer hours after our recepetion and the staff at Branches was SO helpful getting us ready for our flight and packing up all of our things for us. As soon as our recepetion was over all of our bags were packed and our clothes were layed out to change for our flight. This was above and beyond what we expected of them, we were so touched. Overall we had an excellent experience working with the staff at Branches and our wedding day was beyond perfect.

commend) and service was amazing(and I dont use that word lightly :) ) Alissa ( was wonderful!) was especially helpful and understanding-and very flexible- with me planning the wedding 6 hrs away and only being able to correspond via email most of the time. Prime example of the priority they give to clients: my husband's mom mentioned that she would love coffee when she got to the reception (it was 12-5 so she 'needed' her mid day caffeine kick) and Alissa said she would have it for her as soon as she stepped in the door-and she did, with the two creams and sugar as jokingly requested-my mother-in-law couldn't believe it. Overall a great experience!!

rything ran so smoothly on the day of our wedding and the maître ‘d we had was amazing. Everything was handled professionally and we just felt they went above and beyond what they had to do. An example is during our cocktail hour the servers that were passing the hors d'oeuvres found out my grandfather loved shrimp. From that point forward they went to him first so he could have the first pick. It made his night and showed us how much Branches cared.

issues with ours and was not 100 percent happy with the service we recieved. And make sure that they can account for you parting gifts if you have them. Every person that I talk to from my wedding never recieved the gift on their way out and over half of them were gone the next morning. We have a feeling they were put by the door that people were not allowed to go out because there was another event in the other room and we have a feeling that the poeple from that event ended up with our gifts

s food and attentive service they received.;There is nothing negative to report.