Highgrove 4.28 Wedding

What an amazing wedding we had this past Saturday.. for the sweetest family! Shannon and William celebrated their special day along with 120 of their closest friends and family from NC and all over the US (even a few friends from England). They exchanged their vows under the beautifully decorated pergola in a personalized ceremony, entering in to a quartet and walking out to a fun tune on the banjo and fiddle. Cocktail hour featured our homemade Cheddar Biscuits with Honey Ham, Crab Cakes with Aioli Sauce, and Fried Green Tomatoes on Crostini. Guests were then invited into the fabulous ballroom that was adorned with a breathtaking display of yellow, white, and green florals and lit up with over 200 candles. After a served Caesar Salad, guests enjoyed a buffet of our Pecan Crusted Bourbon Chicken, Beef Tenderloin, Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans Almondine. Following dinner, a groom's cake and wedding cake were served, along with a special Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean display that the bride and groom served their guests as a parting favor. This was a perfect day from start to finish! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: Fresh Affairs, DJ: Island Sound, Cake: Simply Cakes, Photography: Sweet Life

Highgrove 4.22 Event

Our other event this weekend was a beautiful affair... even though the weather was not so beautiful. Our Sunday event featured a display of all of our new specialty tables at Highgrove. Our Cookies and Cork table is a gorgeous display of all homemade savory and sweet cookies that are paired with specialty wines- this is popular for a welcome table before the wedding ceremony begins or as an after dinner treat. Our Cookies and Milk table features shot glasses of cold milk served with warm homemade chocolate chip cookies. Our S'Mores table is such a fun after dinner treat for guests and comes complete with all the fixings, including wooden sticks, tin dishes, and a fire pit. Our other new table is our Sno Cone display where guests can enjoy "adult" sno cones with flavors including Cosmo, Lemon Drop, and Margarita. We also showcased our Crepes Station, our Carving Station, our Pastry Table with all homemade desserts like French Macaroons, Whoppie Pies, and Tartlets. It was such a wonderful evening and a glorious display of our best! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: Flowers on Broad, Photography: Azul Photography, DJ and Lighting: Island Sound.

Highgrove 4.21.12

This past Saturday we had a fabulous wedding for a sweet couple who knew how to throw a party! Our couple exchanged their vows underneath the pergola overlooking the lake in front of 130 guests. The weather had been a concern all day, but the skies were clear for the 5:30 ceremony and what a beautiful day it turned out to be. Guests were then invited up to the upper patio for cocktail hour where they were treated to specialty signature drinks and delicious passed appetizers including Bacon Wrapped Potato Cups with Cream Fresh and Cavier, Coconut Shrimp, and Fresh Fruit Cosmos. The party then moved into the ballroom, were family style dinner was served. The menu included Medditeranean Salad and Spring Green Salad, Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes with Pecan Crusted Bourbon Chicken, Salmon with Tropical Salsa, and Seasonal Fresh Vegetables. After the cake cutting we were thrilled to open two specialty tables for the party. Our Cookies and Cork table featured all homemade savory and sweet cookies paired with different wines- guests were raving about this unexpected table! Our other fun treat was our S'Mores table with all the toppings and a fire pit for guests to roast their own marshmallows. It was a perfect wedding from start to finish! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: Dogwood Tree, Cake: Sweet Memories Bakery, DJ: Touch of Class DJs

April Highgrove Wedding

This weekend we held a beautiful wedding on a gorgeous Spring day! The weather was perfect as Carol Leigh and Chad exchanged vows under the pergola; the bride was very emotional and both bride and groom were so excited as the officiate announced them Mr. and Mrs. for the first time. Guests then moved up to the patio where the string quartet played while our wonderful staff passed delicious appetizers of Homemade Cheddar Biscuits with Honey Ham and Beef Tenderloin Crostini. The live band welcomed guests into the ballroom where after the first dance, salads were served and the dinner buffet opened. The menu included Fresh Garden Salad, Smoked Beef Brisket, Pecan Crusted Bourbon Chicken, Rosemary Potatoes, and Seasonal Vegetables. The candy bar was a huge hit for dessert, along with the Chocolate and Lemon wedding cake flavors. The band rocked the night away as the crowd danced and had fun until the sparkler send off to end the night! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Cake: Sweet Memories, Music: Blue Sands Music and The Shakedown, Flowers: Flowers on Broad St.

March Wedding at Highgrove

We had two fabulous weddings this weekend, but I was only able to capture pictures from one. We were worried that the rain would keep us from holding the outdoor ceremony, but a few hours prior to the start time, the skies cleared up and it turned out to be a beautiful day for a wedding! Brandy and Carey exchanged their vows overlooking the lake in a sweet ceremony with adorable flower girls! Cocktail hour was held on the upper patio where guests were treated to Pecan Crusted Chicken Skewers, BBQ Pork Sliders, and Coconut Shrimp. The reception doors to the ballroom were then opened, and guests found their seats at the beautifully decorated tables. After a welcome by the newlyweds, the "Strolling Reception" began where guests could stroll from one food station to the next. The menu included a Crepe Station with savory (seafood bisque and chicken volute fillings) and sweet (almond cream with blueberries and raspberries). There was also a carving station with Beef Tenderloin, Rosemary Potatoes, and Ciabatta Bread and also a Pasta Station where guests could choose from Cheese Tortolini or Penne pasta and a selection of Pesto, Marinara, or Alfredo sauces. It was a delicious feast! Cupcakes and coffee were served for dessert as guests enjoyed the rest of the evening with dancing. What a beautiful end to a busy month of weddings. Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: English Garden, DJ/Uplighting: Island Sound, Cupcakes: Sweet Memories

March Wedding at Highgrove

Our wedding last weekend was an intimate affair filled with beautiful touches and tremendous food! Our couple first began the day exchanging vows underneath our outdoor garden pergola. Guests then moved up to the patio where they were treated to Hand Dipped Coconut Shrimp, Fried Green Tomato Crostini, Crab Cakes, and Cherry Tomato/Basil/Mozzarella Skewers. After the first dances, the dinner buffet opened, featuring Carved Beef Tenderloin, Salmon with Butter Dill Sauce, Roasted New Potatoes, Carrots and Snow Peas, Green Beans Almondine, and an action station where our chef prepared Seared Scallops over Risotto with Truffle Oil. If that wasn't enough to fill guests up, alongside the wedding cake and candy table was our Dessert Crepe Station, where an attendant prepared fresh Crepes filled with Sweet Almond Cream and Fruit Toppings. The evening ended in dancing and then a sparkler send off on the front porch. Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals.

Below is what the bride had to say about her enchanted evening!

My wedding at Highgrove was absolutely perfect. The venue was gorgeous, the garden and lake were beautiful, and it was just beginning to be lovely spring. The ballroom has beautiful crystal lights and mirrors. All my guests raved at how delicious the food was (hand breaded coconut shrimp, crab cakes, beef tenderloin, scallops and melt in your mouth risotto, dessert crepes). Ann, one of Highgrove's coordinators, was such a sweetheart. At various points of the night, I could see her working furiously making sure everything went smoothly behind the scenes. She fluffed my dressed, cut my cake, set up my tables and candy bar, and was an absolute joy to work with. Highgrove does everything for you. They have their own tables, chairs and linens, their own catering staff and servers. It was fabulous not having to worry about if there would be chairs arriving on time. I highly recommend Highgrove. Years from now, I will always remember how perfect my wedding was thanks to them!

Nga Le
March 10, 2012

Highgrove February Wedding

Our first wedding of 2012 and what a beautiful event to kick off a year of fabulous weddings! Michelle and Joe hosted a wonderful party on a chilly Saturday in February with family and friends from NC and NY. The ceremony was held outside under our pergola, where guests were gifted with fleece blankets on their seats to help keep warm -- it was a special touch that was much appreciated. The groom's father performed the marriage ceremony and then invited everyone in the warm ballroom for cocktail hour. While the bridal party took pictures, guests enjoyed Crab Cakes, Bruschetta, Beef Tenderloin Crostini, Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms, and Fresh Fruit Cosmos. Dinner was served Family Style and featured Mediterranean Salad, Roasted Pork Tenderloin over Rice Pilaf, Seasonal Vegetables, and Chicken Frances with Light Lemon Cream Sauce. Wine service during dinner allowed guests to enjoy their meals and following dinner wedding cake and coffee were served. Guests enjoyed dancing the rest of the evening, ending it all with a sparkler departure on the front porch. Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, DJ: Island Sound, Cake: Sweet Memories Bakery

The comments below were written by the mother of the bride. It was our pleasure to be a part of this couple's special day and we were thrilled that the family and guests felt the same way!


"I do not know where to start! Michelle and Joe’s wedding was like a fairy tale in your own back yard. It was the most amazing time of our lives. Susan, from the beginning you were an absolute amazement! Angela, I don’t know how you kept your cool with all our crazy family and friends. Ann, your support and always smiling face could not have been any better…..and to Vicky, all I can say is she is one tremendous chef. Not one person complained, all we heard all night and after the wedding was it was the most amazing wedding with the best food and entertainment they had ever been to.

Thank y’all so much for all the time, attention and help you gave our daughter; and for making it truly a dream come true for her. Much love, and huge hugs, and many blessings to all the staff at Highgrove on Laurel Lake, we will never forget you!"

Peg Meredith (Mother of the Bride)