The Highlawn

My husband and I planned a last minute wedding at the Highlawn. We cancelled our wedding many times in the past due to covid and decided to try once more at the Highlawn. Planning a wedding in 4 weeks generally isn’t easy, but the whole team was all hands on deck. We were in contact with all of the members constantly, they recognized concerns and addressed immediately. We ended up having the most beautiful wedding and are very grateful for this amazing experience. The venue looks gorgeous, the food was unreal, and the views were breathtaking. It was perfect.

My husband and I got married at the Highlawn in October and we cannot say enough great things. From the first time we met Chris, we knew that he would be wonderful to work with. Not only was he great throughout the planning process, but he was amazing the day of our wedding, making sure every detail was taken care of and making sure that everything ran smoothly. He continuously checked in with us throughout the night making sure that there was nothing we needed. We both knew that we could relax and enjoy ourselves as Chris was coordinating all of the details of the evening. Although the weather didn't cooperate with us for an outdoor ceremony, Chris and his staff did an amazing job setting up the inside. It was absolutely gorgeous! The food was amazingly delicious. The wait staff was attentive. The cake was exactly what we wanted! We couldn't have asked for a better day! Thank you Chris-you're amazing!

Our wedding on 4/6/2018 at the Highlawn Pavilion was a dream come true. We worked with Paul each step of the way to ensure all aspects of the wedding came to fruition. Our maître d' Norma and staff were unbelievable and went above and beyond. Norma even helped with my dress! Between the fabulous food, ambiance and ballroom overlooking the NYC skyline we truly felt blessed to have chosen this venue. If you are looking for a one wedding at a time more intimate place with a professional staff, incredible food and gorgeous view go to the Highlawn.

We cannot say enough great things about the Highlawn! Paul and the staff were great to work with, very accommodating. Everything was absolutely perfect, from the food to the view. All of our guests are still talking about how amazing the place and our wedding was!

We had our reception at the Highlawn pavilion and we were so pleased. All the staff were excellent making sure both me and my husband had everything we wanted and needed. The food was delicious and the view is excellent. We were so pleased we choose Highlawn pavilion to host our wedding.

I cannot say enough great things about the Highlawn Pavillion! Christopher made our small reception of 50 people feel just as important as if we had 175 guests. The views of NYC are stunning and the food is top notch. Nothing is worse than a wedding with crappy food, and you won't have that problem with this venue! My guests are still raving about their appetizers and dinner. We got the opportunity to take a great variety of pictures both inside and outside the venue. The waitstaff were friendly and helped set up my decor. We also love that it is a restaurant as well, and plan to celebrate our anniversaries with dinner there for years to come! Finally, (and probably the most important factor to my review) two of my cards were left behind and we thought they were long gone. The next morning we went to pick up items we had left there for the reception and our cards were there!!! That is an example of a classy and professional venue in my opinion. Booking our wedding at the Highlawn was one of the best decisions we made in our wedding planning!

I don't even know where to being - Highlawn Pavilion was absolutely amazing. The venue is beyond stunning and the staff is attentive, professional and amazing. The food was delicious and their pastry chef was absolutely amazing. We found a photo of a cake we liked online and e-mailed it to the manager we were working with, and the pastry chef absolutely nailed it. It was not only the most beautiful cake I ever saw - it was delicious. Everything was delicious - all of our guests have not stopped commenting on how good everything was and how beautiful the space was. The whole day was absolutely perfect. Stephanie and Norma helped keep things running smoothly the day of, and Stephanie was always available to answer questions and help make decisions throughout the whole planning process. The best decision we made was choosing this venue - it set the whole tone to have the most beautiful, elegant and perfect wedding.

The Highlawn Pavilion exceeded our already high expectations. Beyond the wonderful food and unique venue, the staff were incredibly professional and our wedding day went more smoothly than we could have imagined. Banquet director Christopher Gellings was first-rate in all of our dealings with him, as were the other directors and all the staff. They indulged a number of special requests, including making a grand piano-shaped wedding cake (it looked and tasted awesome) and were flexible with a few smaller details up until the last minute. For a venue that probably handles at least 2 or 3 weddings per week for most of the year, the level of personal attention was impressive; we always felt well taken care of. We strongly recommend Highlawn to anyone looking around for a wedding/event venue. Many thanks again to everyone at Highlawn for a great wedding day! Natsuko & Evan, 5/8/16

Had my wedding at the Highlawn in April 2016. Working with Paul was absolutely THE BEST. Such a pleasant experience. Paul answered all my questions in a timely manner over the year that I spent planning for my big day. Food at the Highlawn is delicious. We received so many compliments. The view is spectacular and the convenience was also a selling point for us. We received what we paid for by having our wedding at the Highlawn - an elegant affair, with remarkable food, a fabulous view and fantastic wait staff.

My husband and I celebrated our wedding reception at the Highlawn this past summer, August 2015. Leading up to the day we had incredible service and help from Stephanie. Unfortunately, she had a family emergency and was not able to be there on the actual day, however, Norma and Chris did an excellent job making sure everything ran smoothly the day of. They also let me drop off all decorations and favors the week of the wedding, and were extremely receptive to all my requests about personal decorations and pictures I wanted displayed that night. We had 185 guests who all could not stop talking about how wonderful the wedding was and the stunning views from the room! They worked within our budget and delivered gourmet food and great drink service for our cocktail hour, as well as dinner. We opted to have a private cocktail hour for the bridal party, being that our party was so large. I am grateful for having had the chance to sit, taste some of the food and have a drink before venturing upstairs to our guests. At first glance the set up of the room concerned me a little. The room is L shaped, and the dance floor is not visible from every seat on the left side of the hall. However, I loved the feel of the entire venue, being that is it quite different from your typical ballroom. Our guests were too impressed with the spectacular views of the skyline on a beautiful summer night to have the room shape be any kind of concern. As for the table set up, I had my grandmothers and those I knew would be less inclined to be on the dance floor in the seats closest to the action, and it worked out very nicely! We were also pleasantly surprised when we showed up the week of the wedding to discovered that they had just put in all brand new gorgeous marble floors! Compared to the old wood they had, the room was even more beautiful than when we had booked our party! Overall,my husband and I had a wonderful day and a beautiful reception! I would recommend anyone with a larger bridal party opt for the private room downstairs, as the bridal suite is TINY. It was enough to leave personal items in and keep close by, but it really is no bigger than a walk in closet. Also, we had a very unfortunate cake incident. The cake was prepared with several layers separated by fresh flowers provided by our florist (as per our request). The cake was clearly not very sturdy, it was put together as our guests were arriving for cocktail hour, and it ended up crashing down to the floor half way through the night before we were able to cut it :( I would suggest sticking to a more basic cake lay out, the cake is made on the premises and included in the per plate price which is wonderful, but I assume the baker would be better at something less intricate! Also the cake was placed directly next to the dance floor. No one bumped it or anything, but the staff claimed the vibrations from the floor may have played a part in its demise. Therefore, I would also suggest better placement, maybe near the bride and groom's table instead! Yet, everything else was flawless and I would highly recommend this venue to any couple seeking a picturesque, beautiful, classy and different atmosphere for their special day!

Our wedding day was the most perfect day ever, thanks to Chris Gellings and the staff at Highlawn. The view is absolutely breathtaking, the food is delicious, and the staff is professional. Chris was a pleasure to work with and truly takes pride in what he does. He really put our minds at ease and treated our 100-person wedding as though it were a royal wedding. Every little detail down to the cake design was absolutely perfect. And no need to worry about the food being good -- it was beyond restaurant quality. Make sure to ask for pastrami at the carving station. Everyone said it was the best pastrami they had ever had. I know that the shape of the room is a concern for some people, but it did not pose a problem for us at all. The T-shape allows all guests to have a "good" seat with a fantastic view. Also, Chris was flexible with the seating and did not ask us to fill every table, which really helped when it came time to do seating. My husband and I would recommend Highlawn 1,000 times over and were so pleased with how everything turned out. It is not your typical gaudy North Jersey wedding venue -- the decor is elegant, classy, and somewhat vintage. They also host one wedding at a time, which was really important to us. We were able to stay within budget and still have an amazing wedding at a beautiful venue. Thank you to Chris and the rest of the Highlawn team!

We got married at the Highlawn Pavilion at the end of August 2015. It was truly a fantastic experience with this venue from top to bottom! We worked with Chris Gellings in the banquet department, who is a fun, friendly guy and was a great help to us in the whole process. He worked with us to find ways to secure our top choice venue within a budget we could afford. On wedding day, the entire staff of the Highlawn was extremely helpful and professional. The service was first rate, especially from Chris and Norma, the maitresse d'hotel, who ran a tight ship and kept everything going smoothly. They got everybody in order for the ceremony and made sure that happened on time. It was a gorgeous day for our outdoor ceremony, which I'd had my heart set on after seeing the garden area with its stunning view. The setup, both indoors & out, was great for our wedding w/120 guests. The presentation was impeccable, drinks were plentiful, and the food was amazing - I only wish I'd gotten to eat more of it! Norma kindly prepared a tray of food in the bridal suite for me and my bridesmaids who'd missed cocktail hour, but I was too busy to eat much. I should add that Chris made me sure my husband & I did sit down for the dinner portion and at least get to eat, and I admit that after tasting a tiny bit of the butternut squash soup that I thought I was going to skip while greeting folks, I sat right back down in my chair and wolfed it all down... it was delish! My only suggestion would be a larger bridal suite. They expanded recently, but it's still very small. With me, 5 bridesmaids + 2 person hair/make-up team we were suffocating, and 3 bridesmaids prepped in the bathroom, which didn't allow for good photos of all the girls getting ready together. Overall, I unreservedly give this venue and its staff an excellent 5 star rating!

My husband and I are very happy with our venue choice - The Highlawn was excellent on all points. The ceremony space is beautiful, the huppah is unique and the view cant be beat. The food is exceptional - not your typical banquet hall catering. The staff is reliable and professional. Last but not least, it is an exceptional value - our wedding looked like it cost 4 times what we paid. If you want a special, intimate, classic and elegant feel to your wedding - The highlawn is an excellent pick. We couldn't be happier!

We had checked out a number of place, trying to stay within our budget while also choosing a nice venue. We came across this place and we were in awe as soon as we pulled into the driveway. The view and scenery is unlike anything I've ever seen. The venue sits on a 9-11 memorial park on the edge of a cliff that overlooks NYC. Words can't describe how beautiful the view is and how beautiful the grounds of the venue itself are. Another huge plus is that the highlawn lets you do your ceremony on their grounds at no extra cost. They set up the seats and very little needs to be done as far as decorating the outside for the ceremony. It looks great even without additional decorations and flowers. The downstairs has a large open bar area and a patio attached for the cocktail hour which also has gorgeous views of NYC. The cocktail hour food was outstanding, as well as the food during the reception. Everything from the views, to the food and the service was top-notch. They wait on you hand and foot like royalty. Every time I put something down or took a sip they were there to refill and replace silverware, dishes, refold the napkins. They provided this service to us as well as our parents. The parents and the newlyweds have their own separate maitre'd. Overseeing the entire process from beginning to end was Chris Gellings, who really makes you feel like you are the center of the universe. He was so helpful, friendly and easy to work with during the entire process and he was very flexible with us when it came to payment dates and things we requested. Just make sure you pay the full amount before your wedding date. Other than that, he's very accommodating. We did not do a rehearsal, nor did we need to, as Chris is very professional and handled it perfectly the morning of the wedding. He made it so easy. We have been receiving so many compliments from guests saying that our wedding was the best they'd ever been to and complimenting that the location, the views, the food, the service and the venue itself were all the best they had ever experienced. It really was the perfect wedding day and the fact that we chose the Highlawn and Chris Gellings to conduct our day has much to do with that. We could not be happier. It literally was perfect, and we did not spend as much as people probably assume we did. We had a Saturday morning wedding and we paid under $115 a head with taxes, fees and gratuities included. This really is a no-brainer considering the value of everything you are getting. We plan on returning there for dinner soon to reminisce about our big day, as well as to enjoy their excellent food again. Definitely give this place a look. It will surely exceed your expectations as I literally cannot describe how perfect everything was. You have to see and experience for yourself to truly appreciate and get an idea of how much the Highlawn has to offer.

I had my wedding at the Highlawn Pavillion this past weekend. It was the most amazing wedding. So many people told me that this was the best wedding they have ever been to. Christopher is so nice and he was so helpful in making sure that my entire day went smoothly. The food was so good! My cake which was included was gorgeous! The ceremony area was perfect and my pictures came out amazing. Even though the room is T shaped the dance floor comes into the room enough so everyone can still see a part of the dance floor. Christopher gave me a lot for my money! Picking the Highlawn Pavillion was the best choice for a venue.

Chris is the best!!!! All went successful, from the food, service,view to every little detail of the wedding.,.. Guests were saying our wedding march 14,2015 is the wedding of the year!!!.. I highly recommend highlawn pavilion..

My Wedding was held at the Highlawn Pavilion on March 20, 2015. Chris was wonderful and made sure everything was perfect. I was so impressed by cake it was amazing.Our Bridal attendant Norma made sure we had everything. She bustled my dress , got our food she was amazing. All my guests raved about the food and said it was the best wedding ever. I could't be any happier.

Chris and the entire staff at Highlawn were amazing and helped make our wedding day wonderful. Chris was receptive to my many questions, my requests for customizations to the menu, and helped make everything run smoothly, including troubleshooting any issues that came up. Norma was fantastic and attentive, checking in with us frequently and getting us anything we needed. Our guests loved the food and the open bar. Considering everything that's included, which were add-ons at the other venues we looked at (open bar, chilled seafood station, etc), and how high quality everything about the wedding was, this ended up being a great value for the cost, too!

Needless to say the view is spectacular and for us there was no other place we would have rather been. We met with Paul and he was very informative and helpful. Throughout the whole process he let us think about things and take our time. We tried the food after meeting with Paul that first night and it was to die for! I'm from Argentina and I love good steak and they outdid themselves and we were just eating at the bar downstairs! We fell in love, the environment the food and the staff! We met our officiant there too! He is just wonderful. As the wedding date got closer Paul kept in touch with us and was very helpful and receptive to all of our questions and craziness! We wanted to have the ceremony at the park just because we are two architects in love with the city, and the Highlawn helped us set it all up! It was soooo beautiful! Paul was there to help my planner through the whole ceremony. When it came time to cocktail hour we were left taking pictures outside and one of the ladies that was working there that night came out with hors d'oeuvres for us! She was so sweet she even put food from the cocktail hour on our table so that we could have something to eat right away. The room looked like in a movie! Everything was perfect! The staff was so attentive and helpful! The best part for me though was the cake! They provided the cake and it was beyond my fantasies! It was sooooo beautiful everything we asked for and more! And it was delicious! I eating it for a week after! Everything was absolute perfection! All of my guest complimented me for the venue and the food and the spectacular view. No one could believe how much good food they had, everyone said that each dish just kept getting better! And the deserts surprised everyone they couldn't stop enjoying it! Overall a fantastic day and night, you can't replace the view, the people that take pride at working at the Highlawn Pavilion and their fantastic food! I want another friend to get married there so I can enjoy all the delicious food they had to offer! Perfect everything! Thank you so much for making our wedding the most amazing wedding ever!

We are very happy we chose the Highlawn Pavilion for our Wedding. Chris was great to work with and very accommodating. From the menu to the cake, everything was what we had asked for. The entire staff was friendly and helpful and professional. All of our guests are still talking about the quality of the food and how much there was. We did have the Venetian hour, and everyone loved our cake too. The pastry chef duplicated the picture we brought to them--it tasted fantastic. During our reception, a guest had a slight emergency-everything was handled with professionalism and kept calm. Once it was handled, the staff went back to being a well oiled machine. We were very impressed with the speed and efficiency to return the situation back to normal.

This venue is fantastic, if you can have the ceremony outside, they have a really cute garden on the side of their building. The interior has a breathtaking view of the New York City skyline. I did not want to have to be worrying about setting up my venue the night before, and hiring a wedding coordinator seemed silly to me. Paul and Norma handled everything! Paul worked with me from the very beginning and made the whole process so easy. His team set up the ceremony outside and the reception upstairs. They were really flexible with letting me drop things off days ahead of time too. On top of how great they were to work with the food was also amazing. We had a morning wedding, and I had a lot of compliments on the breakfast options. The cake alone deserves its own review, it was moist and very beautifully done, I wish I knew their secret to the frosting! They went above and beyond. I asked for special wedding favors to be made by the chef, and they easily accommodated me, I gave them specific instructions and they laid everything out perfectly. I couldn't have asked for more amazing people to help me set up my wedding. Thank you guys so much!

The people there are great! Chris was wonderful to work with, made everything I wanted happen. It was probably the coldest and windiest day of the year, but because the lobby area is so nice I still had awesome pictures. The grounds outside would have been perfect too, it was just so cold out. And there is a beautiful skyline of NYC that's epic at night!

I knew booking our wedding at the highlawn was a great idea! The price was perfect and the service we received was unparalleled! We worked with Chris and he was amazing! Very confident and calm. We got married 1 week after hurricane sandy hit and up until the day before our wedding the highlawn had no power. I was freaking out but Chris remained very calm and very reassuring. He had a backup plan and told us not to worry everything was going to be ok. While very nervous I trusted Chris and he was right! Everything worked out wonderfully! The highlawn got power on friday and we got married on saturdat. The food was amazing, the service was on point, the venue was perfectly clean and Chris was awesome! It was a perfect day!!!

The day we met with Paul and saw the Highlawn Pavilion venue, we knew we would have our wedding here! The ambiance cannot be compared to anything else! It's the perfect size for a wedding of about 150 people. Paul was amazing because he was always cool, calm and collective. He made every decision easy and with no fuss! Norma was a doll the night of the wedding! I think she can read minds because everything was taken care of for us so we could effortlessly enjoy our night!! Our guests raved about the delicious food which was another big reason we went with Highlawn! We can't wait to have our anniversary dinner there!!

I absolutely could not have asked for a better wedding. I am a vegetarian and allergic to shellfish, and my now husband is a carnivore. They worked with us to have both vegetarian and shellfish-free items as well as tons of meat! Everything was extremely beautiful, and they were extremely attentive to us throughout the wedding! I just wish it was longer!

Highlawn Pavilion is EVERYTHING you could possible want from a banquet facility, plus more! First and foremost - you cannot top their food! It is simply outstanding. Second, the staff is attentive, eager to please, and flexible - everything we could have possible wanted, we got. Because of this, plus the romantic view of NYC, my husband and I had a wonderful time at our wedding. Wish we could do it all over again!

NYC/Central NJ: One of THE places to consider!!! I have worked at some of the best wedding locations in the world and Highlawn Pavilion is a gem! My wedding and reception was a dream come true due largely to Highlawn Pavilion. Paul K. and his team are as saavy and experienced as they are kind and polite. The majority of my guests were from Manhattan/NYC area; and they were all impressed by the billion dollar view of Manhattan, Newark and Jersey City (it's the highest point in NJ), the fine cuisine, the garden and building classic Italian villa styling and the nice and accommodating staff!!! We had over 150 people and not one of them felt unattended or left without feeling like a VIP. Paul K. is a gentleman and his experience provided great assurance in planning the cocktail hour menu to the dinner menu to small details in wedding decor. His working relationships with area DJs, photographers/videographers helped me communicating with them on working together as a team. Thank you to the Highlawn Pavilion family!

I just had my wedding July 15th and it was everything I imagined it would be! The highlawn pavilion was flawless, everything was arranged beautifully when I arrived and the staff were all so lovely and helpful! The food was amazing everyone commented on that and i mean the view is just priceless My husband loved the place and we were just so delighted with the way our wedding turned out! ]

The Highlawn Pavilion is not only a gorgeous venue (amazing views), but they offer amazing and delicious food AND over-the-top, personal service. Paul Keenan, catering manager, and his team literally catered to our every desire. Ultimately, the result was the most amazing, beautiful, and delicious wedding reception I have ever seen or been to!

The service and quality are impeccable. They don't nickel and dime the small stuff, which is great. The food was fresh and hot and delicious, from the first plate to the last!

Our wedding at the Highlawn Pavilion was hands down the time of our lives. We had guests telling us all day how amazing the venue was and how perfect everything went. They were not only extremely professional, but super organized and made our day flow effortlessly. I want to strongly recommend this venue for the amazing view of NYC and their spectacular spread and wedding menu. Words can't express how pleased we were with everything they've done for us. Thank you to the Highlawn and their awesome staff for making our special day just like a fairy tale!

I had a great experience having my wedding at Highlawn Pavilion. The cost was reasonable and we got great food, service and atmosphere there on our wedding day. Upon our request they provided extra tables for cocktail hour and even created a white sangria as our special drink for that night because sangria is my favorite. I would definitely recommend Highlawn Pavilion.

Living in Northern New Jersey, there are a lot of venues that have the same look - glass on the walls, tacky glass sconces, weird carpet and you are one of five parties in the place. Highlawn Pavilion is the complete opposite. The space is beautiful - you are the only party there, huge windows looking out to the NY skyline and a grand staircase (which makes for great pictures). It has a vintage charm that I couldn't find anywhere else. Christoper at the Highlawn helped us with our planning and he was amazing every step of the way. We got rave reviews about how delicious the food was from all of our guests. I've seen some brides posts concerns about the T-shape of the room when looking at Highlawn- and I have to tell you, that did not stop any one of my guests from getting up on the dance floor. I was blown away by how great the Highlawn was as a venue and I'm so glad we picked it.

So let me start off by saying that the wedding went off without a hitch, the day was perfect, my maitre d' was a sweetheart and incredibly attentive, always making sure that my husband and I (and our parents) were pleased with the way things were running. The food was incredible, all my guests were commenting on the fact that they have never been to a wedding with such great food. The transition from the cocktail hour to the dinner was seamless. They make the cake for you and it was fine, not amazing, but hey it's included in the cost so you can't really balk at it (we also got the Viennese tables, so the not-so-amazing cake was far from a problem). All that said, I did have issues getting in contact with the events coordinator before the wedding. I repeatedly tried to ask them simple questions and failed to get a response or got a response with some attitude thrown in, free of charge. I would still highly recommend the Highlawn as it has great food, great service, and is very reasonably priced. That being said, don't expect much attention from them until about 2 weeks before your wedding.

The entire staff at Highlawn is great. Everyone was flexible and cared about giving us a good experience, from the maitre d' answering every request with a smile, to the banquet managers who were checking the weather satellites every second, actually encouraged us to have the ceremony outside, and allowed us to use confetti indoors if it came to that. We worked with Paul, who is skilled at his job and kept everything running smoothly. The food (what I had of it) was good and table service was good as well. We went a little over time and they didn't kick us out even though there was another event following afterwards (we had a daytime wedding). Highly recommended!

I hosted my wedding rehearsal here and the service was great. We were late and there were so many complications but the wait staff there helped us out and didn't give us any attitude or problems for being so difficult. The food was good but the dessert sampler was absolutely amazing! It was a great way to relax and enjoy being with family and friends before the big day!

We were very satisfied with the Highlawn Pavillion. The food was superb, the service was outstanding. My only complain is the fact that some of the tables have no view of the dance floor, but other than that they made our daughter's day a dream come true.

My husband and I only looked at 3 venues before we decided to use the Highlawn Pavilion. The view is really what sold us. We had our first date in NYC and it was only fiitting that it be the backdrop for our New Year's wedding. Paul and his staff were awesome! We couldn't ask for a better experience for our wedding. We opted for a cocktail reception and the Highlawn delivered. We have heard nothing but good feedback from our guests and we plan on having many more important events at The Highlawn Pavilion.

Great food and service.

Highlawn Pavilion was very attentive, reasonable, and beautiful. They did an outstanding job on the food and cocktail hour and the scenery was incredible.

From the great view of NYC to the great food, we had the best wedding! They was so helpful in helping us plan our wedding reception.

I cannot give enough praise to the Highlawn Pavilion. The setting could not be more beautiful, with its elegant interior, and impeccable unobstructed views of the city skyline. Costs were very reasonable. The food was phenomenal. The staff (especially Paul) was extremely attentive, and made me feel like a princess, catering to my every need and request to ensure my day was perfect. Six months later my friends and family are still raving about the wedding.

I could not have asked for more from the Highlawn and its staff. The venue was outstanding with a clear view of NYC and had plenty of great areas on the grounds for photos. The food was excellent and there was plenty of it. The Maitre d' was phenominal and made sure that my husband and I were taken care of all night. He even managed the vendors with ease. They had plenty of staff to man our 180 guests. Great price compared to other venues in the same area.