A pair of newly dedicated Lakewood wedding halls — Ateres Blima and Ateres Esther — held their kvias mezuzah on Sunday, marking the beginning of a new era in local simcha planning. Located at 400 Oak Street, in a building named in memory of Mrs. Matel Leah Schron a”h, the halls were built to address a pressing need in the community: lowering the overwhelming cost of weddings. Backed by numerous donors and overseen by a board of askanim including R’ Mordy Schron, R’ Menashe Frankel, R’ Ari Stern, and R’ Avraham Meir Retkinski, the project was designed with a clear purpose — to reset community expectations and bring weddings back to a simpler, more manageable standard. At these new halls, the complete wedding package will cost just $13,000, a fraction of the tens of thousands of dollars that families usually pay to marry off a child. The all-inclusive package at Ateres Blima and Ateres Esther is designed for peace of mind: it includes hall rental, catering by Glatt Gourmet, photographer, videographer, musician, singer, kallah’s bouquet, artificial floral arrangements, a lavish smorgasbord, and a main dish to energize guests for dancing. A well-planned schedule will allow weddings to flow smoothly from photos at 4:30 p.m. through to the final dance, with music ending by 11:30 p.m. Each hall will comfortably seat 250 adult guests, with accommodations for children and an on-site shul for davening and learning. Families expecting larger crowds can pay a modest upgrade fee of $500 to expand food options, or $1,000 for a mitzvah tantz celebration, complete with extended refreshments. The halls have already booked 75 weddings, with many more inquiries pouring in — a clear signal that Lakewood’s families are ready for a more sustainable approach to simchas. The initiative extends beyond the halls themselves. Plans are in motion to coordinate affordable options for other wedding expenses, including sheitels, gowns, jewelry, and invitations. A gown gemach, a jewelry gemach, and an interest-free loan program are being developed to help families avoid financial hardship. Organizers also hope to shift community thinking more broadly. Education efforts are planned for local high schools and community gatherings, with the message that the current wedding standards are unrealistic for the majority of families, and that there is no shame in scaling back. An information hotline and a centralized guidance center will help families navigate all aspects of making a wedding affordably, from the vort through the sheva brachos. Ateres Blima and Ateres Esther are poised to become a model for how Lakewood can celebrate its chasunos with simchah, dignity, and achrayus — without burying families under debt. To book your simchah or learn more, call 732-952-1200 or email bookings@ateresestherblima.com