Weddings in North Carolina

The biggest space available is the dining hall.

Maximum capacity is 200 people. Meeting space accommodates 150.
Day Use – 1-60 people: $330 per day, 61+ people: $5.50 per person, per day

The Dining Hall is a large open room with a central fireplace and a front wall of windows letting in natural light. The room is uniquely sectioned into three parts; partitions can be used to close off part of the room or left open to utilize the entire space. The tile flooring is newly re-finished! The building has central heat, air conditioning and bathroom facilities. The kitchen is closed for renovation, but a large refrigerator is accessible for rental use. The Dining Hall has a covered front porch that is the width of the building with rocking chairs and has picnic tables on its front lawn.

Maximum capacity is 150. Meeting space accommodates 125.
Day Use – 1-50 people: $250 per day, 51+ people: $5.00 per person, per day

This building is 1800 square feet and is one large, open space with central heat and air conditioning, two bathrooms, and a galley kitchen. Fleming Hall boasts hardwood floors, a large fireplace, large windows and a covered front porch and open back deck.

Meeting space accommodates 50.
Day Use – 1-25 people: $135 per day, 26+ people: $5.50 per person, per day

Oak Lodge has a large open room and full kitchen. Oak Lodge has meeting space for 50, bathrooms, wood stove, piano, heat and air conditioning. Oak Lodge also has a large private back deck overlooking woods.

Overnight capacity is 23. Meeting space accommodates 40.
Day Use – 1-25 people: $135 per day, 26+ people: $5.50 per person, per day

Dogwood Center is a multi-use building that can be rented for day-use or overnight. The building is T-shaped with a meeting room in front, a kitchen at the end, and two bathrooms and bedrooms on either side. The building has heat and air conditioning, fireplace, piano, kitchen, and meeting room.

For information on other buildings and outdoor spaces at the center: New Hope Camp and Conference Center. The center is located on 86 between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. For more pictures, see my previous post.

As I pointed out in the other post, the camp has its own tables and chairs, so that saves you a considerable expense and bother. I believe there is also a discount for church-related groups.

Of the places we considered, Camp New Hope was my preference for my daughter’s wedding next year. It is big, informal, outdoorsy but with nice indoor space, very close to where we live, and inexpensive.

I took these pictures yesterday – it’s late August so everything is kind of burnt up from the sun.

The guy who runs it is very kind and accommodating. I’ve played a number of weddings there and found the venue very pleasant.
There are two biggish cabins on site which can be rented for the weekend of your wedding, for people who don’t like to drive. The cabins have kitchens so you can settle in and have a vacation weekend!
[caption id="attachment_408" align="alignleft" width="475" caption="New Hope Camp and Conference Center dining hall"][/caption]The dining hall is large, air-conditioned, and L-shaped, so you can have one activity at one end and another at the other. Also, they have chairs and tables so you don’t have to go to the trouble and expense of renting them.Fleming Lodge, which is close by the dining hall, is smaller but nicer: it has a wood floor, I’ve done contradances there. It has a porch where people sometimes put food and/or drink.
There are several pavilions, some larger, some smaller; I’m a mentor with the Blue Ribbon Mentor-Advocate program in Carrboro NC and they sponsor family get-togethers at Camp New Hope, with volleyball on the grass and tons of people in the pavilion for a fried-chicken feast.

Also, having the pavilion means if it rains, or if it’s very hot, there’s shelter for you and your guests.

My daughter decided the camp was too rustic for her, but for an informal affair it would be wonderful. The next post will give prices.

My daughter finally decided on Duke Gardens as the location for her wedding. It’s a very popular location, so you have to plan ahead. On the first day of June, the year before her wedding (which is June 2010), there is a “lottery.” All the people who want weddings at the gardens the coming June get pulled randomly in a lottery and the first person gets first pick, etc.

This may seem odd, but it used to be worse – a mother-of-the-bride I met told me that just a few years ago you actually had to camp out at the office on the first day of the month the year before – she got there at 6 am and there were already people there!

Anyway, the first date my daughter chose was taken by the time her lottery number got pulled, but she got her second choice. Her wedding is on a Sunday, which is less popular than the Saturdays…

When the kids were in town, we went to see the building and the grounds and to talk to Jennifer Copeland, the coordinator there (seen in the picture on the left).

There is a list of caterers from whom we must pick (except it is supposedly possible to get a new caterer on the list, and we’re working on it) and Duke Gardens takes a 7% surcharge – cut of whatever the caterer charges. They rent the place empty – you must rent tables and chairs.

This back patio is covered, which makes it great for hot weather or mild rain, and it can be extended by a special tent so your whole large wedding can be under cover – BUT you must use their special tent company, and the tent costs an appalling $2,000. It gets left there all weekend, so theoretically you should be able to coordinate with the other bridal party of the weekend and split the cost – but the tent company won’t tell you if somebody else is using the tent, they would rather get $2,000 each for the two days.

120 or so is the maximum number for a sit-down dinner. There are not extensive facilities for the caterers, so they must come pre-prepared.

The ceiling (above) is beautiful!

Sites available for weddings at the Gardens are:

Doris Duke Center Locations*	Ceremony	Standing Reception	Tables of 8	Theater	Classroom
Kirby Horton Hall	150	160	120	160	90
Isobel Craven Drill Classroom	-	-	32	50	25
North Terrace	175	200	160	250	-
North Lawn	225	300	240	-	-
Angle Amphitheater**	150	200	-	150	-

*Based on set-up, numbers may vary.

**Rental of the Angle Amphitheater is at the discretion of SPDG’s staff and is based on availability or in conjunction with rental of the Kirby Horton Hall.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens Locations	Ceremony	Standing Reception
Pergola	150**	150
Fish Pool	150**	150
South Lawn	150**	150
Iris Bridge	65	65
Blomquist Pavilion	20	-
Pond-Viewing Shelter	10	-
Bird-Viewing Shelter	10	-

**A maximum of 50 chairs are allowed at these Garden locations. For example, if 150 guests are present, 50 will sit and 100 will stand.

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Note that, if you rent the building, you have it for the day, but if you rent one of the outdoor spaces, you have it for, perhaps, only a couple of hours, and I have known of bridal parties being hustled away because a new batch was coming in.

Ceremony Times: Friday: 6 pm; Saturday: 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm or 6pm; Sunday: 12 pm, 2pm, 4pm or 6pm

Parking is $1 an hour and they tow. If you rent the building, you get 100 parking passes.

Some of the spots are a hike from the parking area, but there is a little trolley to take folks around.

Cost of renting Duke Garden locations (2009 prices):

Duke Gardens Ceremony and Doris Duke Center Reception: $2500 $250 each additional hour
Includes two-hour use of: The Gardens (50 chairs) or Amphitheater (100 chairs)
Includes six-hour use of the Kirby Horton Hall, the North Terrace, the Adult Classroom (for caterer’s use)
Also includes: 100 parking passes

Doris Duke Center Reception: $2000* $250 each additional hour
Includes six-hour use of: The Kirby Horton Hall, The North Terrace, The Adult Classroom for caterer’s use
Also Includes: 100 parking passes

Duke Gardens or Angle Amphitheater** Ceremony: $650 $250 each additional hour
Includes two-hour use of: The Gardens (50 chairs) or Amphitheater (100 chairs)
Also includes: 1 hour rehearsal, 100 parking passes

A tent on the lawn costs $500, you have to use their one preferred vendor.

My daughter has been looking for a place where she can have a party the night before her wedding. She wants space for 80-100 people, and wants to cater it with Mexican food from Torero’s, and she wants to be able to serve beer or margaritas.

We’ve looked at several spots. It appears the Recreational Center facility at the Forest Hills Park (they also call it the Forest Hills Neighborhood Center) might be good. There’s plenty of parking and a big front yard. The center itself is a little run down, but not too bad.

According to the Parks and Rec brochure, the cost is $90 for three hours with additional hours at $25 per hour. There’s a kitchen fee of $50, or, if you plan to bring in food, you pay a $25 “food fee.”

There’s also a picnic shelter, rental fee is $80.

Note that if you want to serve beer, you have to hire TWO REAL POLICE OFFICERS to stand around, one inside and one outside, $25 per hour for each, minimum of three hours. So that’s a $150 policeman fee, and I believe there is a $50 alcohol permit fee as well.

I played a wedding here a couple years ago; the bride had her dog walk down “the aisle” (see above) with the wedding ring on a pillow around his neck. Bob and I, the Pratie Heads, played English country dance tunes and Irish waltzes and O’Carolan tunes and then we accompanied the bride’s son as he sang “The Wedding Son.” It was a pretty, quiet location.

A bride has posted a great photo tour of Duffy’s event venue. She notes:

Duffy Gilligan
Valhalla Retreat Center
9423 Charles Lane (off Orange Grove Rd.) Chapel Hill, NC
(919) 929-2045

downstairs outdoor fireplace gazebo $1500 includes 99 chairs and 12 round tables up to 10 ppl each and

upstairs 4 bedrooms, bathrooms, sleep up to 18 ppl, $200 a night
THEY set up tables!
catering will need to include table stuff
stereo system and portable bars are included
no permit needed

After the wedding on the raised deck, we all repaired to the barn and had a sumptuous feast. The bride had provided disposable cameras at every table and we took lots of pictures.

I was in Hillsborough today so I swung by Ayr Mount, a historic site where I have played a number of weddings. It’s within easy walking distance of downtown. A house tour is offered every day at 2 pm but the place was closed up tight when I was there.

There’s a grand, winding driveway up past the gate…

… and there’s parking enough for more than 250.

My daughter was quoted a price of $1000, the cost for 50 people. She also received this information:

Caterers have to locate on gravel surface yet the event tent can be located wherever you choose. Event must take place during daylight hours. And portable toilets must be rented if you have more than 50 attending or there is a handicap need. If it rains then everyone stays under your tent.

There is a handicap ramp into the house from the rear.

We did a Scottish wedding here once and the bridal party processed up this grass walkway to the house, and Ken played bagpipes to escort them, and the little flower girls all had plaid sashes, they were so cute.

Ayr Mont was built in 1815 and was restored in 1985 as part of the Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, an architectural conservancy. It’s gorgeous inside, but they’re very finicky about folks using it. All the weddings I’ve done have been outside, and while you’re allowed to walk around inside, be careful.

You’ll be dealing with the manager, Bill Crowther – his business phone number is (919) 732-6886. He writes: “Our goal is to share Ayr Mount with the public while protecting the integrity of both the structure and the setting, so we are opting to attract ceremonies only with an occasional reception included.”

The grounds (265 acres) are spectacular. In one of these pictures you see a pretty pond down the hill to the left. It’s quite quiet and if it isn’t raining you’ll have a spectacular site.

Why do I mention rain? Because the rainiest wedding I ever played was at Ayr Mount. Some of the wedding party, including the rabbi, got trapped in the house when the deluge began; others were in the tent with the food and with us, the musicians. We played and played and played while they waited for the rain to let up. The chupah got drenched. There was a break in the storm, they rushed out and dried off the chairs and had a very, very quick service, and then it rained again. We were sort of pushed to the very edge of the tent and water dripped/gushed into our instrument cases.

We’ve seen the back patio used successfully used for dancing. One time, though, we were hired to play background music and then contra dances. But the guests wanted to eat and schmooze, they didn’t want to dance. The bride got quite annoyed and actually stamped her foot about it.


Ayr Mount, 376 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278

I’ve seen Carol’s Garden Inn recommended by a number of satisfied brides, but I haven’t visited it myself. There are a lot of pictures on the website, I’ll try to go investigate for myself.

Carol responded promptly to my inquiry; here is the information she sent me, as well as the cost of her various packages. You can see they are less expensive than most alternatives! There are additional perks, check her site for more detals.

General: You can have up to 150 people. We have a covered pavilion for the reception. You will have to rent tables and chairs. We have an outside restroom that is handicap accessible. You can use any caterer you want. Music will need to be turned down by 10 PM and off by 11 PM. Clean up by noon the day after the event.

Wedding and Reception with use of guestrooms day before and the day of, house for wedding party only, rehearsal, 100 to 150 people: $975.00

Same as above but fewer than 100 people: $650.00

Wedding or reception only (no use of the house), up to 4 hours for the event: $500, $50.00 an hour after that. Includes 2 hours before the event to setup and 2 hours after the event to cleanup.

I went to a party in Greensboro today and met a woman whose daughter married at the Carolina Club a couple of years ago. The Carolina Club is on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, near the Bell Tower. This lady told me that graduates of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can use the Carolina Club for functions, and the space is free – but you must use their food, drink, and service.

Her daughter’s wedding was for approximately 120 people, and they ended up paying the Carolina Club – for catering, service, and drinks – something in the neighborhood of $15,000. (Not including cake, see next paragraph.)

Mother of the bride: “They let us bring in a cake from the outside, but I had a friend who wanted to donate some wine and the Carolina Club would not allow it.”

I have done quite a few functions at the Carolina Club, including weddings. The approach is nice. Parking is not great but adequate. This would not be a difficult location for somebody in a wheelchair, because you can drive up near the lobby and I am pretty sure everything is on one level.

The lobby is impressive, the setup is high-class. As for the space – there is a big stage at one end of the room typically used, you can get an 8-piece ensemble up there, and the room is large enough that it can be partitioned. There is a nice back patio so people can wander in and out at will.

While I’m reporting, this MOB spent $2,000 on her daughter’s wedding dress and $5,000 on a photographer.

The Inn at Celebrity Dairy (I used to think its name was the Celebrity Goat Farm) has some real advantages. It’s a lovely spot, and the food is fabulous. (I didn’t take the pictures in this post, I found them.)

The people who run the place are friend, intelligent, and accommodating.

I wrote about the place in 2005 after we did a wedding there:

We did a unexpectedly lovely wedding at the Celebrity Goat Farm in Pittsboro (to your right, an actual Celebrity Goatlet, picture by Gerry). They didn’t tell us whether this was a celebrity farm for ordinary goats, or an ordinary farm for celebrity goats.

Anyway, I would direct you to their website, but they don’t have one. [Now they do: The Inn at Celebrity Dairy.] They sell great (and very expensive) goat cheese and also hats that say “Celebrity Goat Farm” and you would be the only one on your block to own one.

The Inn at the Celebrity Dairy

The guy that owns the farm and the 60 goats has a nice B&B there (except there’s that smell of 60 goats) and is a GREAT cook and puts on weddings.

We mostly do non-mainstream weddings, specializing in “More-or-less Traditional Music from the Northern Hemisphere and the Previous Millennium” as we do. (When we started it was the Current Millennium, but then Y2K happened and we had to order new business cards.) That means if somebody Scottish is marrying somebody Jewish, they can Google “Scottish Jewish Wedding” and our band will pop up on the screen.

So this was a Polish Russian wedding but they wanted medieval music for the prelude. Just our kind of gig. When we got there the bride and groom were sweeping the floor and setting up chairs but they soon disappeared and changed into their lovely garb. They had made their own outfits, sort of SCA-esque with flowing sleeves and wreaths, and the bridegroom had sewn himself a green velour Russian sort of tunic. It was a Unitarian Universalist ceremony, candles and stuff. A Unitarian minister once told me Unitarians don’t consider themselves Christians since they don’t believe in God, I hadn’t known that.

Afterwards we played oboreks and mazurkas and waltzes and everybody danced, young and old, mostly dances they were making up on the spot, and the food was absolutely wonderful. For once, instead of lurking in the back we sat at the banquet table with the bride and groom and their parents and got treated like royalty. At a goat farm. Isn’t life good?

A possible disadvantage is revealed in this quote from their publicity: “Just a few steps from the Inn you’ll find the ‘Goat Hilton’ – home to the Celebrity Goat Dairy herd of 100 Alpine and Saanen goats.” Depending on the wind…

I’ve played a few weddings there and I was absolutely blown away by the food. The buildings and the farm fields are lovely, too. It’s gotten very good reviews from online brides. My favorite wedding there was a Polish/Russian/Celtic/Renaissance affair – the bride and groom had sewn their own sort of medieval costumes and danced like crazy.