VUE

(201) 399-3656 | www.njeyeandear.com 23 W Palisade Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631 E Y E C A R E R E I M A G I N E D Before its brief hiatus, Battello was quickly becoming the "it" place to have a wedding in New Jersey, and for good reason. Located on its own private pier in Jersey City's Newport neighborhood, the restaurant boasts one of the most idyllic atmospheres for any couple looking to tie the knot: refined rustic elegance overlooking the New York City skyline. And with the duality of the team's high standards and DePersio's culinary brilliance, their execution speaks for itself. Borzomati's process with each client starts eight weeks before the wedding date, a time window she uses to meet with the bride and groom to do tastings, finalize menus and go through all the necessary planning. "Once we're in the full swing of things, and we're doing weddings two to three times a week, we're sitting in these type of meetings every single week," she told me. If you come in for brunch or lunch, it's not uncommon to see these meetings taking place, in addition to engagement photos. "We have our go- to vendors. I don't make it mandatory for wedding parties to use our resources but we definitely cover everything. If you have a request, need a photographer, band, etc—we will help you. You can truly be as hands-on or hands-off as you wish." During the big day—when the restaurant is closed to the public—the space is completely transformed to the couple's preferences. Ceremonies can take place on the patio or the glass enclosure, and the different parts of the venue can be flipped for cocktail hours and receptions. "Being that it's not that typical open ballroom, space is super customizable here. ere are a lot of nooks and ways I can uniquely change the layout for a wedding," Borzomati explained. And as the Director of Events, she is personally on hand for each wedding, which is just another testament to Battello's quality control. When it comes to the food, their menu is distinctively Ryan DePersio-driven style, but something that can be executed on a large scale. Like everything the Battello team offers for their weddings, it can be customized if there are special requests. Mixologist Ray Keane (also of Kitchen Step) and his team curate cocktails geared towards brides and grooms, but can have something created for them as well. "We're super appreciative of our clients who have hung in there during our break. ey are the first official wedding we have in March, but our new bookings start in June. We're already booked up for fall and into 2020. It's been out of the gate and nonstop since we reopened." And with the team potentially opening a new venue in Brielle on the Manasquan River, things certainly don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. WEDDIN GS AT BATTELLO:

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