Venues

TX2NC

I'd be grateful for any information/experiences/photos anyone has about the following venues: The SaltaireAdrianna'sMallards Marsh108 BudleighHilton Garden InnWe are hoping for a wedding next spring/summer for about 40-50 people and they are our top options right now.  I've never even been to the Outer Banks but we would like a beach ceremony and it's the best place considering where everyone will be coming from.  Any information is greatly appreciated!

RedheadMofB

My daughter's wedding will be at the Hilton Garden Inn in a few weeks.Some of the benefits are that the wedding party and guests can stay right there at the Inn. And even if they stay elsewhere, there are no parking problems. And it is the closest venue on the Outer Banks to the nearest airport -- Norfolk. And it's easiest to get to.It is an all-inclusive venue, in a beautiful setting. The Pier House is just gorgeous. Her ceremony will be on the pier, but other brides choose the beach (we have elderly grandmothers attending, so the beach itself would be difficult). The reception will be in the Pier House.We looked at all of the other venues you mentioned, and also the Whalehead Club, the Sanderling, Duck Woods Country Club, Currituck Lighthouse, NC Aquarium and First Colony Inn.At all the ones you mention except HGI, you will have quite a trip if you want a ceremony actually on the beach. Adrianna's and 108 Budleigh are near water in Manteo, but not beach. Mallard's Marsh is in the marsh. The Saltaire is several blocks from the beach, a problem if you have any elderly guests, or any concerns about dragging your dress in the sand.Since your group will be fairly small, another option for you might be renting an oceanfront beach house. But then there are a lot of other hassles with that -- like an extra fee for an event, renting tables, chairs, dishes, etc., and maybe a tent. Some places make you rent a port-a-let, too. Spring would definitely be cheaper than summer for a beach house. Prices jump after Memorial Day. Good luck!

BonnieHudgins

You will be pleased with any venue you choose on the Outer Banks... talk about Paradise. 108 Budleigh is a perfect location for a wedding/reception. The building is yours to use for the ENTIRE DAY, you can come in as early as 7am- as long as your are out by midnight. You are able to have a bridesmaid luncheon, ceremony and reception at the same location if you choose to do so. With only one bride a day, and all day long to decorate, you and your crew can relax and take your time getting everything just perfect for your special day. They include tables and those nice gold chiavari chairs. The veranda gives your guest an area to relax outdoors while listening to the fountain, enjoying the smell of jasmine and the shade it provides. They allow outide vendors to make each wedding as unique as the bride. Allowing for your own food, flower, photographer, and music preferences. I would definately suggest using 108 Budleigh for your wedding reception. Like I said the Outer Banks is a magical place, you will be happy with any location you choose for this special day.

goo_2563

TX2NC -- I know it wasn't on your list, but thought I'd give you a recommendation - I will be getting married at the Roanoke Island Aquarium on May 2, 2010. The outside lawn is waterfront where we will have the ceremony then our guests will move inside to the Graveyard of the Atlantic room (shark tank room) for dinner, then into a larger room for dancing. It was such a unique idea, me and FI jumped on it! Michele at the aquarium is the BEST to work with, very sweet, and took two hours out of her day to show us around the facility. After the ceremony, our guests will be able to tour the entire aquarium during cocktail hour while the wedding party takes pictures. I thought the shark tank was a great backdrop for dinner and can't wait for the big day!! Just thought I'd pass it on!!! Good luck! 

ginlei

We checked out all of those places when doing our research earlier this year. The Saltaire was nice, but the owner seemed like kind of a jerk. The house was expense, you must rent it for a week and then on top of that you have to pay an event fee just to have a wedding there. That is how most of the event rental homes are in the OBX. The other turn off was the parking issue in Duck - no cars are allowed to be parked on the street. We just didn't want to deal with a shuttle service. The Hilton Garden Inn was really nice. They have a really cool pier house on the boardwalk. The cost for us personally was a little high and our ceremony location is The Elizabethen Gardens in Manteo, so for us it was also a bit on the far end to drive. Adrianna's and Mallards Marsh are both owned by Beach Ball Events. Mallards Marsh had the feeling of a Wedding Factory. I wasn't too impressed with the facility at all. Both locations do multiple weddings each day and reserve the weekends for their larger packages. Adrianna's was a nicer location with pretty views of the water. It was still a package deal and I wasn't interested in buying a wedding a box. For some brides it is great, they do everything for you, you just have to make a few choices. For me, it was not what I wanted with my wedding. We ended up choosing 108 Budleigh. It is BEAUTIFUL. The fact that we had the location for the entire day really sealed the deal for us. It is also a great back up location for the ceremony if the weather does not cooperate. The owner is wonderful to work with and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I have several pictures of most of those locations if you would like me to email them to you. All of those locations are nice, you just have to go with what works for you.

TX2NC

Thanks everyone, this continues be be super helpful!!!  We are going up in a couple weeks to look at the venues. ginlei,  I'd love to see pictures if you're willing to share.  If you want to email me directly you can at ar48@txstate.eduWe are supposed to go look at the Saltaire, but there is a wedding there that weekend, so he'll take us around the outside but we won't be able to go in.  I understand not interrupting the wedding but I don't see how I'm supposed to pick a place without seeing it.  THANKS!!!!

cavs2001

Any idea on how much the HIlton Garden Inn is for a wedding?

TX2NC

The lady I talked to at the Hilton Garden In said that it was $3500 for the Pier house plus a food minimum - I think it was a $5000 food minimum... but I will probably have 50 people or less and she said she might be able to lower the food minimum b/c of the smaller party.  That's all I know so far.

chrisanderin32809

When are yours guys weddings? I had mine at the Hilton on March 28th, 50 people was the lowest I could go and it was $2000 for the room and $2000 food minimum which covered the food and alcohol completely for us and we drank a lot, had a cocktail hour, and we went about middle of the road for what liquor that they had on hand and the food we served.

TX2NC

We haven't set a date yet... we are waiting to see when places are available.  We'd like to have it next spring or summer.  Did you have it in the Pier House at the Hilton Garden Inn or in their other room??Thanks!

chrisanderin32809

I recommend the spring mainly because they will bend over backwards to make you happy since they don't book up usually off season and they want your money. So most likely you will be able to haggle down the price if they give you a higher one than what I had. Because they include everything and don't charge a cake cutting fee they where at least $5,000 cheaper then having it in one of the houses. They where willing to give us a free getting ready room for either us or the guys, which they usually don't supply, unless you want to use one of their bathrooms. They gave us our honeymoon suite for half the price the night of the wedding, and eventhough they where suppose to charge us for breakfast for everyone the next morning, they didn't. But we used the Pier House and it was beautiful! We didn't like their banquet rooms at all because they where too impersonal. If you have any other questions let me know :-)

cberesfo

I'm planning a wedding next October at the Pier House at the Hilton in Kitty Hawk and would LOVE to see anyone's pictures of their event at the venue! Please send anything you would be willing to share to caitlin-beresford@hotmail.com Thanks!

allisonmseward

This board seems to have been abandoned for a while, but I'm looking at the OBX as a possible location too. Any information on locations is great! We were looking at the Saltaire and the Hilton Garden Inn is beautiful as well! Any suggestions from brides-to-be or a married woman with experience in the Outer Banks?