Andrea Maturo has been with Hotels Unlimited since April 2012. She started at our Freehold wedding venue, Crystal Ballroom and Emerald Ballroom in the Radisson Freehold, and now works in our East Windsor location, Windsor Ballroom in the Holiday Inn East Windsor. When Jim popped the question back in 2015, they both knew they wanted to host their special day at one of Hotels Unlimited’s award-winning venues. Andrea and Jim booked their wedding at the Crystal Ballroom (where Andrea worked for 4+ years!) for November 12, 2016. With their one-year anniversary quickly approaching, we took some time to interview Andrea because we wanted to know EVERYTHING about their special day.

Rewind almost seven years ago to when Andrea and Jim first met. They worked together and became best friends, but didn’t start dating until two years later! It was definitely worth the wait. On September 26, 2015, Jim surprised Andrea with a super-sweet, complete surprise, romance-movie worthy proposal! Andrea came home from work like any other day to roses lining the floor, leading her from the front door to their bedroom. When she opened the door, there he was, down on one knee, with bouquets of roses and candles that lit the entire room! Of course, Andrea said YES! And the best part? Jim caught the whole proposal on his GoPro, so they could relive the entire moment over and over.

For Andrea and Jim, picking the Crystal Ballroom was a no-brainer. Besides being a beautiful ballroom with cascading chandeliers and an enormous dance floor, Andrea couldn’t stop boasting about the service they knew they would receive. “I worked there for years, and I know what we do for our couples. We go above and beyond, and the attention to detail we provide is unmatched anywhere else. I knew Jim and I would be in great hands knowing our past brides and grooms had.”

Andrea and Jim booked the Platinum Package (which includes Crystal Ballroom’s Outdoor Patio) with a couple upgrades. “We decided to add a third entrée selection for our guests, as well as wine service with dinner, coffee and cordials station, and the ambiance bundle. Jim and I both LOVE dessert, so we also added the Sundae at the Boardwalk station in addition to our wedding cake!”

Following their stunning wedding ceremony at St. Justin the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, the newlyweds and their bridal party headed to Monmouth University, where Andrea graduated from, to take their formal photos. If you’ve never been to Monmouth University before, you’re missing out! It is a beautiful campus with large stone buildings and perfectly manicured landscaping – the perfect backdrop for jaw-dropping photos. Plus, Andrea and Jim timed the photo session just right to coincide with the most amazing sunset!

Andrea and Jim’s wedding reception décor was absolutely gorgeous! Perfectly coordinated purple hues from the napkins and menu cards to the lighting and chair wraps, they incorporated personalized touches everywhere, and added a touch of sparkle. (PS: you can customize pretty much everything at the Crystal Ballroom. We want to help you create your wedding vision without breaking the bank). We can’t forget to mention all the FUN that everyone had at the reception! After the newlyweds sweet first dance and heart-felt speeches, the dance floor was packed the entire night!

Most brides and grooms would describe their wedding day as a whirlwind and stressful, but Andrea and Jim made sure this was not the case. “Our wedding day was completely stress-free! I didn’t let anything get to me that day. No matter what the day was going to bring, it was going to be perfect. It was relaxing, fun, and everything we could have ever imagined.”

Congratulations, Andrea + Jim!

Photos by Ashley Mac Photography.