Being a film teacher and spending most of my time behind a camera, having a great photographer is monumentally important.
That is how the first email that I ever received from Kristen began, and I knew I loved her right from that second! It was a huge joy and honor to have such a responsibility, but even more so to get to know this incredible couple and tell their story. It would be hard to put my finger on my favorite part of the day – was it Kristen getting ready at her parents’ house? The beautiful Spring Lake church they got married in? The portraits by the lake, and at the beach across from their home? I guess if I had to choose, it would be when their reception slideshow ended with the announcement of their new addition : Kristen and Greg will be parents before the new year, and they are going to be amazing.
Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel Wedding Photographer
The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel on Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park is a Beaux-Arts landmark designed by Whitney Warren — the same architectural firm behind Grand Central Station — built in the 1920s and standing for over 100 years on the Jersey Shore. Five ballrooms, 30,000 square feet of event space, 257 guest rooms, steps from the Asbury Park Boardwalk and beach. I started my career photographing weddings along the Florida coast. Every beach wedding brings that back. The Berkeley, with those ocean views and that architecture, is one of the most distinctive venues on the Jersey Shore.
About the Venue
1401 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, New Jersey. Beaux-Arts architecture by Whitney Warren, the firm behind Grand Central Station. Over 100 years old. 257 guest rooms and suites. 30,000 square feet of event space across five ballrooms. Up to 500 guests. Falco’s Catering as exclusive caterer. In-house wedding coordinator. Rooftop Lookout deck for outdoor ceremonies. Steps from the Asbury Park Boardwalk and beach.
The Ballrooms
The Crystal Ballroom at 4,500 square feet is the signature grand ballroom. Cathedral ceilings, crystal chandeliers, the largest and most formal space in the hotel. For couples who want traditional grandeur with ocean context, this is the room.
The Versailles Ballroom at 2,900 square feet has Palladian windows framing ocean views. Elegant, intimate, and the most visually distinctive interior in the hotel for photography.
The Kingsley Ballroom at 6,300 square feet is the largest event space on site. Includes a marble pre-party area, divisible for different configurations.
The Oval Room at 2,550 square feet is used primarily for intimate ceremonies and cocktail hours. Its proportions make it one of the better ceremony spaces in the building.
The Continental Ballroom at 2,000 square feet has Old World European details and is well suited for rehearsal dinners and smaller receptions up to 100 guests.
The Rooftop Lookout deck provides an open-air ceremony option with Atlantic Ocean views. Popular for first looks and portraits as well as small ceremonies.
Photography at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel
The Versailles Ballroom under those Palladian windows with the ocean light coming in. The Crystal Ballroom’s cathedral ceiling and chandeliers for reception coverage. The mezzanine, which has exceptional natural light for portraits. The Rooftop Lookout deck for first looks with the ocean behind the couple. And then outside — the Asbury Park Boardwalk, the beach directly across the street, Spring Lake and its lake path for couple portraits, and the character of Asbury Park itself, which photographs unlike any other town on the Jersey Shore.
Frequently Asked Questions: Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel Weddings
Where is the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel located?
1401 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey, steps from the Asbury Park Boardwalk and beach.
What is the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel?
A Beaux-Arts hotel designed by Whitney Warren, the firm behind Grand Central Station, built in the 1920s. Over 100 years old. 257 guest rooms. Five ballrooms across 30,000 square feet. Crystal Ballroom at 4,500 square feet, Versailles Ballroom at 2,900 square feet, Kingsley Ballroom at 6,300 square feet. Rooftop Lookout deck. Up to 500 guests. Falco’s Catering exclusive.
What makes the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel distinctive?
The architecture is the thing. Whitney Warren designed Grand Central Station. That pedigree shows in the proportions of the ballrooms, the Palladian windows of the Versailles Room, the cathedral ceilings of the Crystal Ballroom. And then you walk outside and the Atlantic Ocean is directly across the boardwalk. The combination of that architectural seriousness with the Jersey Shore context is unusual and it photographs beautifully.
Is catering exclusive at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel?
Yes. Falco’s Catering is the exclusive caterer for events at the Berkeley.
Can ceremonies take place outdoors at the Berkeley?
Yes. The Rooftop Lookout deck is available for outdoor ceremonies with Atlantic Ocean views. Beach ceremonies are also possible steps from the hotel on the Asbury Park beach.
Do you photograph weddings at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel?
Yes. I started my career at the beach and this venue brings that back every time. If your wedding is here, I would love to hear about it.
