Martin “Marty” Resnick, a successful caterer who provided a crystal chandelier wedding reception environment for those who could not afford a country club and didn’t want a church basement either, died of respiratory failure Sept. 11 at his Owings Mills home. He was 93.

Born in Baltimore and raised on Lynchester Road, he was the son of Louis and Esther Resnick, who owned Overlea Hall and the old Fleetway Diner. He was a Baltimore City College graduate and enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.

“He began by selling vacuum cleaners at Sears Roebuck and later managed two departments at the Hecht Co.,” said his brother, Yale Resnick. “He was conscientious. He was good hearted and cared about people. Early on he developed an environment where people felt loyal to him.”

In 1964 he rented a hall for social functions, Eudowood Gardens, in the Eudowood Plaza shopping center east of Towson. It was a success and he gave up his Hecht Co. buyers job.

“He became an accidental caterer,” said his daughter, Fran Albert. “At first he did not provide the food but soon my mother and grandmother were in the kitchen. My father always dreamed big and he didn’t always know where it would all lead.”

The women had recipes for beef brisket and stuffed chicken breast that found their way on wedding reception tables, fraternal order banquets and prom suppers.

Mr. Resnick used his experience in variety and department store selling to realize there was an unmet market —- couples who lacked the money for a country club wedding but wanted more than a church basement or union hall for their wedding reception.

Soon there was a Martin’s North Point, and an over-the-top Martin’s West in Woodlawn, a huge hall (six separate function rooms) with damask draperies, a grand staircase and glowing chandeliers epitomizing what became known as the “Martin’s Look.” He provided gold walls, Roman-style alabaster columns and cut glass chandeliers to political fundraisers and chamber of commerce banquets.

Mr. Resnick was proud that his employees could deliver hot meals to 1,500 seated guests in 15 minutes. He estimated that in his career he had served more than 30,000 brides and grooms. Along the way he acquired the name “Party Marty.”

His son Wayne Resnick operates the business in three locations. His daughter Beth Levitt married into the family that operated the Chick and Ruth’s Deli in Annapolis.

Former City Council member Rochelle “Rikki” Spector said: “Marty was philanthropic and his caring made him successful. And if you didn’t have a lot of money for a wedding, he made it work for you.”

Mr. Resnick served on the board of Morgan State University and helped set up the Signal 13 foundation, which provides financial assistance to police officers.

Survivors include his two sons, Mark Resnick, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Wayne Resnick, of Pikesville; two daughters, Beth Levitt, of Crownsville, and Fran Albert of Potomac; a brother, Yale Resnick, of Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. His wife of 69 years, the former Thalia Dragon, died in 2021.

Services were held Friday at Sol Levinson & Bros.