A destination wedding sounds fabulous – in theory. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate the best day of their life with family and friends in a faraway tropical paradise? But in reality, a destination wedding can be expensive and time consuming for guests.
A wedding at the Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch, New Jersey is like a destination wedding, only it’s close to home. The setting is as beautiful as you’ll see anywhere. The hotel sits on its own beach, with palm trees fluttering in the continuous breeze, and the ocean waves crashing gently on the shore. Long Branch is about an hour and a half drive from northern New Jersey. A train or ferry from New York City takes you close to the hotel. So Ocean Place Resort and Spa can be your destination just for the wedding or for an extended stay.
Kosher caterers with insurance certificates are welcome at Ocean Place Resort and Spa. The resort has two magnificent ballrooms, which combined can hold over 700 people, and many smaller rooms that can be configured according to your needs. There’s no problem with all the different spaces needed for a wedding. There’s a large room for the bride and one for the groom to get ready, near the ballrooms. The wedding party can arrange for their hair to be done through the salon at the spa. There is space for the badeken and shmorg, the tisch, the ceremony, dining and dancing. There’s even a fire pit on the beach for the couple and friends who want to keep the party going.
A room for the bride and groom is complimentary. A block of rooms can be saved for guests at a reduced rate. If you stay over a Shabbat, there are hard keys for the rooms, something that’s almost nonexistent elsewhere. Each room has a balcony overlooking the ocean, with bistro seating so you can have a drink or a bite and watch the sun set. There’s a good-sized mini fridge in each room for supplies. Parking is private and plentiful. Wedding guests will have the fees waived. Other hotel amenities include a spa, an indoor and an outdoor pool and a fitness room. Want to relax on the beach? Each morning the hotel staff brings out lounge chairs and umbrellas. Some of the outdoor amenities are only available seasonally.
If you have the time, you can take a short walk to nearby Pier Village. Browse in the shops or grab a bite at one of the kosher casual spots, or the top-rated Salt restaurant.
To find out more about planning a wedding at Ocean Place Resort and Spa, visit https://www.oceanplace.com/weddings-celebrations/request-for-proposal or call 1-732-571-4000.
