Food and Service are the Stars of Laurel Manor

On New Year’s Eve in 1988, the iconic Laurel Manor Banquet and Conference Center first opened its doors in Livonia. But the story of this legendary venue begins a few decades before when John Del Signore and his wife, Lina, opened DiGiovanni’s Pizzeria in 1964. The Del Signores would later open the Italian Hut and then their landmark restaurant, Fonte d’Amore.

“John had the immigrant dream. He immigrated to the United States in the ’50s and had been in the restaurant industry pretty much ever since. He and his wife started out with a little pizzeria and then they built their business and their reputation,” says Deirdre Stemmelen, director of catering and sales at Laurel Manor. “Then 15 years into the time they came to America they actually built from the ground up their fine dining restaurant, Fonte d’Amore, which was named after the town in Italy where they grew up. That restaurant was in business for over 25 years.”

Frequent requests from John and Lina’s beloved customer base to open a banquet hall prompted the restaurateur to take the leap. “One of his customers, who was a very good friend of his, and another gentleman, who was an architect, designed the facility on a cocktail napkin one night,” Stemmelen says.

Del Signore’s main focus, from the start, was quality food and service, Stemmelen says. “He designed the kitchen first and then the ballroom space around it. Food comes hot from the kitchen right to your table. And everything is homemade here. We cut all of our own meat. We make all of our own sauces from scratch. It’s all fresh vegetables.”

Today, Laurel Manor, which has undergone many expansions and remodelss over the year, now includes a more than 23,000-square-foot ballroom that can accommodate a sit-down dinner with dance floor for more than 1,000 guests. The ballroom can also be separated into six smaller spaces when needed. A 16-foot chandelier hangs above the dance floor and is a favorite feature of many, as is the presentation balcony. “Couples will choose to be presented as newly married from the balconies and then come down to greet their guests,” Stemmelen says. “It is an architectural element that our owner was adamant about having because it reminded him of the balconies in Italy and in his hometown.”

This past December, the facility underwent its latest renovations. The original marble dance floor was replaced with new, modern wood planking. New carpeting with a lighter and more neutral aesthetic was also installed, as were sleek décor accents, fresh paint in the bathrooms, and much more. “It really refreshed the space and kind of brought it a more modern feeling, but still keeping that classic and elegant [look] it had before,” Stemmelen says.

Laurel Manor, which is now run by John and Lina’s son Luciano, a local restaurant industry veteran, also offers two ceremony spaces for their couples. The second-floor mezzanine ceremony space features two dressing rooms and seating for up to 200 guests. On the first floor, a smaller ceremony space offers seating for up to 150 guests, clear acrylic chairs, chiffon drapery, and a dressing suite. “When clients hold their ceremony with us, we include a ceremony coordinator. That person is here to help them go through the pre-ceremony rituals; getting everyone where they need to be; helping them walk down the aisle; and helping to clean up,” Stemmelen says.

The event center also offers decorative rentals to couples. From linens to chairs and so much more, Laurel Manor can be “a one stop shop,” says Rachel Bocek, sales manager at Laurel Manor. Working with various companies to acquire the décor and essentials you’ll need helps to relieve a tedious task for couples. “[Couples] can get all of that done through us and then we manage the finalization, delivery, quantities and everything with the company, so they don’t have to worry,” Bocek says.

Stemmelen adds, “We tell our clients, we want you just to come in, relax, enjoy and let us take over.”

Great service has been key to the founders since the beginning. At Laurel Manor, couples can expect the staff to go “above and beyond,” Bocek says. “Our service outdoes many other venues that I’ve experienced. And that’s one thing that when couples are first touring, we hear a lot. We’re not just showing up and having them just look at the space. We’re actually giving them an immersive tour and asking questions and showing them previous photos that match their décor.”

Through the years, though, it’s the food that continues to set this landmark venue a part. “[John] wanted to bring restaurant quality food into the event [industry], which is really hard to find,” Bocek says. “Our chef has been with us for over 30 years. He is pretty flexible and our clients can be really creative with what they want. We can do a plated meal service. We can do buffet, family style, station style — really any type of meal service. We have a menu that people can choose from, but we also offer the option to get creative and customize different dishes or come up with unique ideas.”

Stemmelen adds, “the focus of both John and Luciano has been restaurant quality food in a banquet venue. There’s nobody in the area that can duplicate that.”

To learn more and contact the team at Laurel Manor, click here.