the fiancée and i are looking at the possibility of a wedding venue in the mountains...obviously, a google search will give us a fair number of hits, but most of them aren't what we're looking for (i mean, obviously cost will be higher in a place like asheville, but many of them REQUIRE you purchase a silly package instead of just renting the venue itself since they're owned or managed by event companies)

i figured some of y'all might know of some lesser-known or out-of-the-way places that will accommodate 150-200 people...obviously, we want it to be pretty

any suggestions are welcome...it doesn't have to be around any particular city...anything within 5-6 hours of raleigh would be nice, though

thanks

11/7/2009 6:43:46 PM

john c campbell folk school in brasstown?




they might not rent any space out now, but it was a viable venue a few years ago

[Edited on November 7, 2009 at 6:48 PM. Reason : /]

11/7/2009 6:44:54 PM

^ i was checking the website and about to ask you about that

that might be pretty cool if they'll do that, though it's not immediately apparent on the website...i'll call them this week...thanks for the suggestion!

11/7/2009 6:48:50 PM

What time of year? If it's winter, I assume you don't want to go outdoors. But if it's summer or early fall, a lot of vineyards will rent out space, and the view can be incredible.

11/7/2009 6:59:52 PM

bluebird cottage

11/7/2009 7:04:20 PM

^^^we looked into renting space from them for prom


they were willing to rent the space and didn't require us to purchase any kind of decorating or catering yadayada package from them--idk if it made a difference that it was local and a school function, roughly the same size gathering

i did look at the website after i posted and edited since it wasn't apparent if they would

11/7/2009 7:09:17 PM

^^^ we're thinking september/october of next year, though we haven't decided for sure, yet...the vineyard idea is a good one, i hadn't thought about that

^^ i'm not finding that online

^ i'll give them a call and see what's up...it could be a great option

[Edited on November 7, 2009 at 7:12 PM. Reason : .]

11/7/2009 7:11:00 PM

This is from the wedding planning thread:

Quote :

"http://www.mybelovedhomewood.com "beautiful outdoor wedding + the venue for the indoor reception. the hall was gorgeous yet dark like a castle...very intimate. wedding was probably only 100 people seated for dinner. had a great area for the bar during the cocktail hour. wedding was in June of 2007--perfect mountain temperature for an outdoor wedding. they had a dj, but there could've been just enough room for a band.""

Quote :

"Grove Park Inn (probably not going to be what you're looking for--very cookie cutter I would guess)"

Quote :

""I've toured Hidden River Estates and didn't like it to much. The price and property was good but the lodging was terrible. I'm also looking at Claxton farms but didn't have time to tour the property yet.""

[Edited on November 7, 2009 at 7:22 PM. Reason : ]

11/7/2009 7:19:07 PM

I hear the lesser-funded Lovell blew a bunch of money on bad wedding venue investments in the NC mountains.

11/7/2009 7:26:28 PM

The chapel at Camp Greenville is absolutely amazing:
http://www.campgreenville.org/chapel.php

It's where my family goes for Easter service but I know they do weddings there as well. It's not too far out from Brevard.

11/8/2009 8:03:49 AM

If you're looking for warmer weather and outdoors I personally think Price Lake Park up near Boone would be a nice place. It's only 3.5 hrs from Raleigh

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Price_Memorial_Park

11/8/2009 11:57:16 AM

ibelkaybie

11/8/2009 12:15:41 PM

^didn't have to...gzsufrk quoted me from the other thread

11/8/2009 2:48:27 PM

you should look around the sapphire valley and cashiers area

and lake toxaway

11/8/2009 3:14:59 PM

a good friend is getting married next month out at lake lure here:

http://rumblingbald.com/

11/8/2009 3:24:54 PM

maybe Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock? It's about 1/2 mile from downtown Blowing Rock and has nice lakes and fields and stuff
http://www.chetola.com/weddingceremony.html


or Westglow Spa, between Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain.
http://www.westglowresortandspa.com/22/accommodations-rates/specialty-spa-packages.html#wedding-packages

I have no idea what the rates would run on either of those places. Chetola might be reasonable, I suspect Westglow would be quite expensive.

Mast Farm Inn in Valle Crucis, outside of Boone http://www.mastfarm.net/mfi-weddings/index.html

and there's several country clubs in the Boone/Blowing Rock area that could probably do it too, although again, not sure of the prices or if would be only for members
Blowing Rock Country Club
Hound Ears
Yonalassee

11/8/2009 4:28:56 PM

How far west are you wanting to go? My wedding reception was at a place called Vesuvius Vineyards in Lincoln County. Not really mountains but beautiful rolling hills.

http://www.vesuviusvineyards.com/

11/8/2009 4:45:52 PM

deerfields in asheville is pretty baller.

http://www.deerfields.com/pages/weddings.html

11/8/2009 9:18:29 PM

Getting hitched at the Lake Lure Inn & Spa this Saturday.

Don't know if it qualifies as "lesser known" or not, though.

11/9/2009 11:38:05 AM

I went to a wedding last weekend at the Switzerland Inn in Little Switzerland (on the Parkway). It was really nice, and the rooms were pretty damn big for the price.

http://www.switzerlandinn.com/

[Edited on November 9, 2009 at 11:40 AM. Reason : a]

11/9/2009 11:39:16 AM

i know this real subtle out of the way place...


or here

11/9/2009 11:43:27 AM

I'm getting married at Homewood next July... it's pretty sweet

11/9/2009 11:51:24 AM

http://www.helencvb.com/members/weddings/


not in nc, but not too far off of the 5-6 hour radius

11/9/2009 11:57:34 AM

Make sure you ask if you can have booze. My buddy switched his to Switzerland Inn because the first place they planned on having it neglected to tell them it had to be dry.

11/9/2009 11:59:31 AM

moparnum5 & I got married here...
http://www.blackberryfields.net

Beautiful location and Doug (and his staff) are very helpful and friendly.
We could not have found a better location!

1/19/2010 3:51:45 PM

Montreat has a few places that are pretty nice. Assembly Inn, Anderson Auditorium, and Gaither Chapel. I'm not sure if you have to be a Presbyterian or not, but those are really neat places. Black Mountain has a lot of hotel space, b&b's, and near an interstate.

1/19/2010 8:49:27 PM

i hear there is a lesser-known wedding venue owned and operated by a lesser-funded Lovell

1/19/2010 8:57:31 PM

I saw a wedding reception being done in the biltmore winery basement, but I bet it was Texa$.

1/21/2010 4:59:39 PM

im getting married at the biltmore in july.

it is $texas and you do have to buy a package. the good thing is that the package includes pretty much everything except flowers, decorations, entertainment and maybe transportation.

1/22/2010 11:28:21 AM

Quote :

"includes pretty much everything except flowers, decorations, entertainment and maybe transportation."

That's a lot of things to not include if the price is $texas.

1/23/2010 12:41:40 AM

I don't look at it that way. Feeding 200 people and having an open bar reception is a huge cost. Not to mention the rehersal dinner which is also included.

There are "standard" wedding decorations included but you have to provide your own if you want something different.

2k here and there for a dj and flowers isn't that big of a deal

1/23/2010 8:13:24 AM