On May 15, Marissa and I got married. You always hear people reference their wedding day as the best day of their life—we fully understand now.

We got married at The Butcher’s Block in Long Branch, NJ. Known for their high quality steak selection, exclusive reservations, and gorgeous space, it’s one of Jersey’s most iconic restaurants, certainly in the central Jersey area. It is not a wedding venue. And for all of those reasons, it was perfect for us.

Despite the many challenges that come with hosting a wedding at a place that does not typically host weddings, the one thing we knew was a given was the culinary excellence. In other words, food was the one aspect we didn’t need to worry about, despite the importance of it. Curating the menu was very collaborative, including foods that we love, a vision that they had, and some classics from The Block for obvious reasons. Here’s the menu: