Bear Brook Valley Reviews
Reviews
4.6 out of 5 rating
4.6 out of 5 rating
58 Reviews
92% recommend it
Awards
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Nicole M. Sent on 04/03/2024
The best day of my life, thanks BBV!
Bear Brooke Valley speaks for itself. This is truly the most beautiful venue I have ever been to. This venue was the first venue I visited. During my tour I can recall standing on the back porch and just envisioning having my reception there. I left BBV feeling like that was the venue that I absolutely wanted to book with. I visited the others that I had appointments for and after every one concluded I would say "Its nice, but it's not Bear Brook". I compared all the other venues to BBV and just knew that BBV was the the one for us. Something about the grounds, the people and the atmosphere drew me in. I found BBV to be one of the more affordable venues in North Jersey and one that had so much included in the final price. There were no hidden fees, the number they gave you at the first meeting was the number you paid for at the end (with the exception of add ons if you so desired to add things on, we did) BBV is the total package. Truthfully, you do not need any add ons because what BBV includes is more than enough, but we did opt to add a few more things to enhance our experience even more. The entire team at BBV is incredibly professional and helpful every step of the way. Ensle was amazing to work with. He helped me though every part of the planning process, I can't thank him enough. On the wedding day I had the pleasure of being assisted by Amanda and my husband, by Kyle. They both exceeded expectations. They were by us throughout the entire night to help with anything that we need. Amanda steamed ALL of the dresses, held my dress while walking around the grounds and always made sure there was a drink in our hands. The bartenders made amazing drinks, the spicy marg was one of the best I've ever had! The service staff were fantastic, I had guests coming up to me all night to tell me how great you all were.
My husband and I are over the moon about our BBV experience. We speak so highly of BBV and their staff. Truly, it was a night we will NEVER forget. Thank you for the amazing memories at your beautiful venue.
P.S: My dog came to take pictures with us when we got back from the church and he would not stop barking (*eye roll*). BBV got our dog FRESHLY COOKED BACON as a treat to get him to stop barking... BACON!! Amazing (and hilarious), you guys are awesome. Thank you so much for going above and beyond for us (& Maui)! -
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Michael P. Sent on 01/17/2023Beyond Exceeds Expectations!!!
My wife and I had our wedding at Bear Brook Valley in December and the day was a true dream come true. Our wedding coordinator, Ensle, was so amazing to work with leading up to the big day and was always responsive to all of our questions. On the day of, Ensle and the bridal and groomsmen suite attendants were essential to how perfect our day was. I felt like nothing could go wrong with the coordinators by my side. The grounds at Bear Brook valley are absolutely stunning even on days with inclement weather. -
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Liz Sent on 12/05/2022The most perfect day
This is the perfect venue! The entire Bear brook team is amazing! We worked with Christina and Ensle and they were so responsive and personable. They made our day so perfect. When rain was a potential threat, they kept us calm and helped us think of every case scenario. The grounds are absolutely breathtaking. All of our guests had so many amazing compliments and it all started at the venue. My bridal attendant, Rebecca, was also amazing. Anything we needed was perfect and she gave us the greatest advice day of and helped us stay calm in all the craziness. It is a hidden gem and if you are able to get married here, they will do anything to make your day perfect. -
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Kristyn O. Sent on 08/29/2022The Perfect Venue
Picking a wedding venue felt like one of the hardest choices for while wedding planning because so many other decisions would come as a result. While searching online I found Bear Brook and knew from the photos and other reviews that I had found the one!
When touring Bear Brook for the first time Christina was incredibly through to show us all of the details that come with a Bear Brook wedding; 1.5 hour cocktail hour, on site bride and groom suites, standard open bar, the list went on and on. After booking our date Christina and her team helped to guide us every step of the way. It was so great to have someone that I could ask silly question to and who went above and beyond to make sure our day was special.
When looking at venues I didn't realize how important it was to find a place that only did one wedding a day. This ultimately became a huge factor! I never had to worry that my day would be anything less than their priority.
On the day of my wedding, I took advantage of their bridal suit. Upon arriving, all of my girl's getting ready gifts were set up on the table and breakfast was out. My hair and make up teams were also all set and ready to go! I had a bridal attendant with me all day and she did everything from steaming dresses to making sure I had my comfy shoes ready post ceremony. My groom and his guys felt equally as cared for as they spent the morning playing yard games and hanging out with each other.
No detail was spared. Every one of our guests is still talking about how beautiful our wedding was and how much they enjoyed it! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get to attend a BBV wedding as a guest so that I can come back! No need to look further than Bear Brook Valley for your wedding. -
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Sami T. Sent on 08/07/2022Dream Venue!
Bear Brook was an absolute dream from the minute we toured it. On my wedding day they truly exceeded my expectations.
Our guests still cannot stop talking about how good the food was from cocktail hour until dessert. The attendants (bridal suite attendant, groom suite attendant, maitre d, day of coordinators) were truly amazing. They were all sooo attentive and I did not worry or stress once the entire day. They helped with literally everything and even reminded us to make sure we eat!!
Book BBV now 😍 -
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![Michelle]()
Michelle T. Sent on 07/12/2022Thank you for the perfect wedding day!
Obviously, the venue is gorgeous. It is somehow even more beautiful in person! The amenities were top notch, from the Silo Suite/Woodford Lounge, to the amazing cocktail hour space and gorgeous glass walls in the ballroom. I made a joke that I was looking through the cleanest window I had ever seen in my life. But you can tell it’s gorgeous from photos – what really sets Bear Brook apart is the staff. From the first time we stepped on the property, we felt cared about and important to them. So I’d like to take some time to share some of the amazing people at Bear Brook we interacted with, and how they went above and beyond in their service.
Our day-of coordinator was Ensle. He checked in with us every few months, and responded to even the most mundane emails within 24 hours. He never made me feel silly or small about my questions or requests. On the day of our wedding, he checked with me multiple times to make sure the ballroom was being set up in the way that I had imagined. We chose the tailgate station for the cocktail hour, and even though my husband is a rare Saints fan from NJ, Ensle decorated the station so well! When we went back to collect our decor the next day, Ensle and his team had carefully packaged and cleaned EVERYTHING – such a help!
My husband’s attendant, Rob, was a favorite among the guys. He was helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about whiskey and cigars, which the guys loved. They are still talking about the Japanese whiskey Rob introduced them to. He worked the cigar and whiskey bar later that evening, and even had a tiny little cigar waiting behind the bar for me. When we went back the next morning, Rob was already hard at work behind the bar preparing for the next day’s wedding.
My bridal attendant, Caitlin, went above and beyond for me the ENTIRE day. When we arrived at the Silo Suite, my gifts to my girls were laid out and ready for them. She steamed the bridesmaids’ dresses, and displayed my dress on the wall. Even little things – when I was getting my hair done, she asked if she could bring me a bottle of water. There was a chance of rain on our wedding day, so she kept me at ease and checked Accuweather. During photos, she was there with a drink in her hand for my and my husband. She drove the little buggy for us, and navigated the hell out of those grounds! She even helped me with my veil and bustle, which my MOH was pretty relieved about. It was just Caitlin and I in the suite before the big walk down the aisle, and it felt like I was sharing a special moment with a friend I’d had forever. I will never forget her kindness and humor; she ensured that what could’ve been a very stressful day was nothing I had to think twice about. I want to be friends with her in real life!!!
Our maître d' was Cam. The NICEST guy! The day before our wedding, he introduced himself to us and allowed us to give our shuttle service his number so that he could ensure all our guests were safely transported. Not only did he check in with us all night, making sure we had drinks in our hands and water at our table, but he did the same thing for our parents and immediate family. I never had to search for Cam. When I wanted the photographer to take a picture, I found Cam first, who grabbed him for me. When one of our shuttle tried to leave with only 2 people on board, he stopped them and made sure the van filled up before leaving. When some extended family members were a little too intoxicated to drive, Cam asked for their keys and allowed them to park on property overnight for their safety.
THE FOOD. The food!!! Just absolutely over-the-top good. My favorite question to my guests in the days after our wedding has been, “what was your favorite thing you ate?” Some of the top favorites included the doughnuts from the add-on doughnut wall, the hanger steak from cocktail hour, and the mahi-mahi entree. One of my favorite moments from the day is when they allowed my husband and I to walk around our cocktail hour before officially closing it up for the reception. My guests said that basically everywhere you turned all night, there was more food. “Fantastic” isn’t even a strong enough word.
If you can swing for some upgrades, our favorites were the Silo Suite/Woodford lounge, the cigar and whiskey bar, the doughnut wall, the boardwalk station, and the late night food option as your favor. These are things our guests are still talking to us about!
We had the PERFECT wedding day, and it was only possible through the efforts of Ensle, Christina, Jen, Rob, Caitlin, Cam, and the entire staff of Bear Brook Valley.
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Lynn G. Sent on 10/03/2019Amazing Wedding Venue
Booking with bear brook valley is so easy! And staff is very flexible and helpful!Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Thank you so much Lynn for taking the time out to write such lovely review! We really do try to simplify the wedding planning process- there's no reason why it should be so hard! We look forward to working with you and Carter for your big day in March 2021! :) -
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![Michelle]()
Michelle D. Sent on 11/18/2020Dream Wedding Venue
Our wedding at Bear Brook Valley was a dream come true. The beauty of the venue speaks for itself, but the staff truly go above and beyond to make your day special. Leading up to our wedding day, every phone call and email was answered promptly and thoroughly which put us at ease knowing we were in good hands. My husband and I didn't have to worry about a thing on the day of the wedding or even the day after since the staff packed up all of our items and decor. The entire day was unbelievably organized and everything ran according to plan. Juana, our Maître D', was absolutely incredible, and we are so thankful for her. She hyped us up, kept the drinks flowing, and was ready and willing to help with anything we needed. Bear Brook Valley's rustic chic vibe, delicious food, stunning grounds, and spacious getting ready suites made it our dream venue. We really couldn't have asked for more, and we hope to attend a wedding here as guests one day!Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Michelle, it's wonderful to hear you felt like your wedding was a dream come true! That is exactly what we strive for. We love our couples so much! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness! -
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Ana V. Sent on 06/09/2021Phenomenal
The staff was great!! Everyone made sure the guests were content, staff was always after me making sure i was eating and staying hydrated.. have no bad things to say!! I keep going around telling family and friends to get married there so i can relive the night 😂Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Ana, thank you for the kind words! We are so happy you felt taken care of! We hope to have you back at another wedding as well!! :) -
Anderson F. Sent on 11/19/2019
The nicest staff
I am a professional florist (ANDERSON FLOWERS, METUCHEN, NJ) and I just did my first wedding at Bear Brook Valley - and the people there are so nice to work with. And - That surely translates into a great experience for the Bride, Groom, Their Families and Friends.
Look forward to being back thereBear Brook Valley's reply:
Thank you so much for the kind words!! It was such a pleasure working with you guys- we hope to see you back here soon! -
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Christine Sent on 12/02/2020
Exceptional, beautiful, and perfect in every way!
My husband and I could not be more thrilled with the decision to get married at Bear Brook Valley. Initially we were supposed to get married at their sister venue but due to the pandemic we had to postpone and have a micro-wedding at a much later date. The staff offered us the option to hold our wedding at Bear Brook and we accepted. It was the BEST choice we ever made. The staff was fantastic. They were so attentive. They made us feel safe, secure and so comfortable. Our guests are still raving about the food, picturesque grounds and stunning interior. The staff at Rock Island and Bear Brook are second to none. They go above and beyond to help you even when in a pinch. Our wedding day was everything we dreamed even in these uncertain circumstances because of Bear Brook!Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Christine, we are SO glad to hear you were happy with your decision to book with us and that you felt comfortable during the pandemic. That's so important to us as a wedding venue. It was an honor to have been a part of our day! Wishing you guys the very best!! -
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Mel C. Sent on 05/04/2020The Perfect Venue
I don't think Bear Brook Valley needs any more 5 star reviews, but here goes. This is hands down the most amazing place you could imagine to have your wedding. It is absolutely stunning! The attention to detail to making this place exclusively a wedding venue is extraordinary. Not a single square inch of the venue is wasted; it was designed to host a wedding from start to finish. Planning with them was so simple! You have your one point of contact the entire time and they handle everything. No worries about rentals, overwhelming options, and hiring multiple different companies. Bear Brook is your venue, caterer, bartender, rental supply, cake supplier (included in contract price but you order at provided bakery), set up and tear down crew, and even day of coordinator! The amount that you are saving by having BBV provide all of this for you is priceless! Like, do you know how much an independent day of coordinator costs? Oh, and their prices are inclusive of sales tax and they don't charge a service fee. Venues we thought were more affordable really weren't after you add on that tax and 22% gratuities. I love the honestly and integrity behind their no hidden fee pricing and their "leave gratuities if you feel moved to" tipping philosophy. At BBV you are a part of their family. Even though they do so many weddings a year, it's always like you are their top priority. For our wedding, we dropped off our decor 2 days in advance and had the place to ourselves with Becca, the day of coordinator, and Juanna the Maitre D, and were able to set some stuff up with them and they had no problem with me meticulously telling them how I wanted everything. They were happy to oblige! After the wedding, we left my husband's truck in the parking lot and they had it packed up ready to go with all our decor the next day. Like, what venue does that?! That's just a little peak into the service the staff will provide to make you feel like royalty on your special day. In all, BBV is just the perfect modern wedding venue. It's rustic yet timelessly elegant. You can get ready in the beautiful Silo Suite that has everything you need, or the Woodford Lounge with all the games your groom will love. You can get married on site and have a perfectly seamless transition from ceremony, to cocktail hour, to reception; guests are never bouncing back and forth between locations. You have an abundant of stunning locations for photos so you have all different kinds of backdrops without ever having to leave the venue. You get a flexible and accommodating staff that says things like "well we've never done that before, but that sounds great, let's do it!" or "we reduced the price of [an upgrade] in our package this year so I credited your account the [few hundred dollar] difference!" And you get the job of 6 different vendors all rolled up into one easy package, no complex tiers to weigh options. You will not regret booking Bear Brook. That's just the honest truth :)Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Thank you so much Mel for such a thoughtful and amazing review!! And thank you for noticing all of the details we put into work to make weddings amazing! We're beyond pleased to hear you enjoyed everything! Hope you and Marco are well and we wish you a lifetime of love and happiness! -
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Lindsay G. Sent on 04/04/2019Upcoming Wedding
I booked Bear Brook Valley for my upcoming wedding. So far the experience has been perfect and with such professionalism. Every so often someone reaches out to see how we are doing and to give us some helpful tips. The place itself is amazing. Can’t wait to marry my best friend there!!!Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Lindsay,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write such an amazing review. We are so glad you are pleased with the planning process this far- planning a wedding is supposed to be fun! We cannot wait for November so we can witness you and Todd tie the knot! -
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Kelly Sent on 08/20/2019Phenomenal experience!
Wow where to even begin about how AMAZING Bear Brook Valley was for our wedding on 8/17/19! Katrina Boyle, our wedding coordinator, was absolutely INCREDIBLE during the entire planning process. From her helpful checklists and suggestions, to her on the spot magic she pulled, she made sure every detail was what we wanted and made sure our wedding was exactly what we dreamed of. Franklin and the bridal attendants were also fantastic the day of as they were SO attentive, helpful, and readily available to help with any request throughout the day. Our food was spectacular, the cocktail hour was raved about, and the end of the night food stand on the way out was a huge hit. I could rave about the beauty of Bear Brook all day, but the people made it that much better and easier to work with. I couldn’t imagine having my wedding anywhere else and I’m SO greatful for Katrina’s patience, flexibility and her eagerness to accommodate our every request. I would highly recommend Bear Brook Valley and once again Katrina was an absolute pleasure to work with as her professionalism and experience is invaluable.Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Thank you so much again Kelly & Frank for taking the time out to write such a lovely review. Please come back and visit us as a guest soon!! Best wishes :) -
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Mauli S. Sent on 07/27/2019The definition of perfection!
I don't know where to start - everything about BBV is perfection. I got married here a few weeks ago in what would be BBV's first "big fat Indian wedding". We had picked Bear Brook Valley a year ago knowing that they hadn't necessarily done a wedding like ours, but regardless selecting them was the easiest decision to make. Katrina was incredibly warm, welcoming, attentive, and so excited - we knew that this was going to be the place for us. The chefs worked with us to create a nearly custom menu that helped us accommodate all of our guests many different dietary restrictions and they executed everything so well - every single guest is still raving about it. We were honestly able to enjoy our entire day at Bear Brook Valley, because the staff made it so easy for us to relax and not worry about any details. Frankly, we're already discussing getting married again so we can be back at BBV ;)! Don't overthink and go with BBV, you will not regret it!Bear Brook Valley's reply:
Thank you so much again Mauli & Smit for sharing your experience with us. Your wedding truly was one for the books (we absolutely love looking back at the photo/video from that day)- please come back as a guest soon :) Best wishes!
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