Highgrove's First Wedding of the Season

After a much needed break, we are back and excited for a fabulous 2013 wedding season! We have been blessed with great weather for our March weddings and they have been as beautiful as ever.

Photo by Image Mill Photography

March 3 was our very first wedding this year and it was a stunning affair! Guests from all over the world attended the celebration of our couple. The vows were exchanged overlooking the lake and under the pergola, which had been decorated with kissing balls and flowers. The bride looked lovely in her lace and tool gown, and even though it was a bit chilly-- the couple were so excited to be married. Cocktail hour was held in the garden ballroom where guests dined on Shrimp and Shallot stuffed Mushrooms, Fresh Fruit Cosmos, and Coconut Shrimp. Dinner was "strolling style" and was a food feast including: Beef Tenderloin carving station with Rosemary Potatoes, Salad Display featuring four types of fresh salad and Grilled Chicken, Pasta Station with cheese Tortellini and 3 types of sauces all cooked fresh for the guests, and our Crepe Station with two Savory fillings and then our Sweet Almond Cream and Berry Crepes for dessert. Following dinner the champagne toasts were made in English and Russian as both families shared encouraging words for the newlyweds. Delicious wedding cake finished off the evening before the couple headed out under a sparkler departure. Congrats to our couple! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Flowers: Flowers on Broad, Cake: Sweet Memories; DJ: Touch of Class; Photographer: Image Mill

Highgrove Awards

We are thrilled to announce that we have been selected for two very prestigious awards!

Highgrove has been chosen as Wedding Wire's Bride's Choice Venue Award for 2013-- voted by our very own brides and grooms as the top venue in Raleigh, NC! Click on our award below to visit our Wedding Wire page.

 

We are also excited to announce that we've been voted as The Knot's Best of 2013 for best venue as well! Also chosen based on our 2012 reviews from actual Highgrove couples-- we just want to say thank you for the honor!

Highgrove Winter Open House

Join us tomorrow, Saturday December 15 from 10am-1pm for our Holiday Open House! We will have food and drinks and booking specials for our 2013 weddings! The house is all decorated for Christmas and we would love to see you there!

November 17 Highgrove Wedding

Two more beautiful weddings for November at Highgrove, and we were happy to celebrate with these two sweet couples!

Our Saturday wedding was a fabulous event for 140 guests-- all there to celebrate the marriage of Ashley and Travis. The couple welcomed their guests with Hot Apple Cider on the patio before being escorted to the ceremony area. The couple so thoughtfully provided warm fleece blankets for the ladies during the chilly afternoon ceremony. The pergola was decorated beautifully with autumn colored flowers adorning the wood and a live string quartet played the lovely music. Following the service, guests made their way up to the patio and into the ballroom for cocktail hour. Ashley surprised her groom with an impressive Petey the Pirate ice sculpture next to the bar-- which was just another nice touch to the already beautiful patio. Guests dined on our Fried Green Tomatoes with Homemade Pimento Cheese, Crab Cakes with Aioli Sauce, and Risotto topped with Braised Short Ribs in mini eclipse bowls. The ballroom was warm and welcoming for the reception, with the fireplace lit and the uplighting just breathtaking! Following the first dance and champagne toasts, dinner was served 'Strolling Style' with our Crepes (Chicken Cordon Bleu and Seafood), Carved Beef Tenderloin alongside of our Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes and Pecan Crusted Bourbon Chicken, and Carved Pork Loin with Homemade Bleu Cheese Chips and Carolina Slaw. The food kept coming... with Dessert Crepes after dinner, our S'Mores Station outside on the patio, and a cupcake table. The party continued on with lots of dancing and sparklers to end the night. Congrats to the happy newlyweds! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: Brides and Bouquets, Cupcakes: Sweet Memories, DJ and Uplighting: Island Sound, Photographer: Tara Parker

The beautiful pergola during the ceremony

The bar with ice sculpture

The head table and fireplace

The cupcake table

A little blurry... the ballroom

Highgrove 11.10 Wedding

Another beautiful weekend with two beautiful weddings at Highgrove. Our Saturday wedding was a lovely affair for Kacy and Andrew with an ivory and navy blue color scheme. The couple shared their vows in a simple ceremony overlooking the lake while 100 close family and friends watched on. Cocktail hour was enjoyed on the patio and featured our Crab Cakes with Aioli Sauce and Cheddar Biscuits with Honey Mustard and Ham. The bride and groom also treated their guests to two signature drinks-- a special Whiskey and Coke (the groom's favorite) and also a Cranberry and Vodka. As the sun set, the ballroom doors were opened as guests were invited in for the dinner reception. Following the first dance, dinner was served Family Style and included our Garden Salad, Salmon Poached in White Wine, Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish, Carrots in Vanilla Bean Butter, and Roasted New Potatoes. The dance floor opened for a while before guests took part in the champagne toast and then enjoyed cake. The night ended with sparklers on the front porch. Our best to the newlyweds! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Flowers: Family and Expressions of Love, DJ: A Touch of Class, Cake: Cinda's Creative Cakes

The ballroom in ivory satin table clothes

The beautiful cake

Sweet heart table in front of the fireplace

Garden Salads for dinner

Highgrove November Wedding

The weather was gorgeous this past Saturday for our first wedding of November; the skies were clear and a chill was in the air for the evening ceremony. We rarely have a ceremony take place at night, but it turned out lovely for Laurie and Billy with a mantle backdrop and tons of twinkling candles adorning the pergola. Following the sweet ceremony performed by the bride's grandfather, guests made their way into the ballroom and house for cocktail hour. Hot Apple Cider was butler passed to help guests warm up, in addition to our Fried Gulf Oysters with Remoulade Sauce, Fried Green Tomato Crostini with Pimento Cheese and Artichoke Salsa, and Carolina Pulled Pork on Corn Cakes with Collards. The live band provided wonderful jazz during the hour before the bridal party made their way into the party. After the announcement, cake cutting, and toasts, the buffet dinner began and included our Pecan Crusted Bourbon Chicken, Poached Salmon with Lemon Buerre Blanc, Green Beans with Shallots and Almonds, and our Risotto with Leeks and Parmesan. The band then opened the dance floor full swing as guests made their way onto the floor. Following a while of dancing, guests headed outside to have some fun roasting our Homemade Marshmallows and putting together their own S'Mores at our S'Mores table and fire pit on the patio. The happy couple exited the event under sparklers on the front porch. Congrats to the wonderful couple! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: Flowers on Broad St., Cake/Desserts: Sweet Memories, Music: The Common Clay Band, Photographer: Sweet Life

Our Carolina Pulled Pork on Corn Cakes with Collards

The buffet in the house

Hard to capture on film-- but this was the evening ceremony at the pergola

The ballroom-- silver, black, pink, and white were the colors

The dessert table

The beautiful sweet heart table in front of the warm fireplace

Our Fried Green Tomato Crostini with Pimento Cheese and Salsa

October Highgrove Weddings

Our Saturday wedding this past weekend turned out so perfect... even though the weather forecast was not so perfect. Hurricane Sandy was passing by on the coast, but even though rain was predicted all day, we didn't have a drop out at Highgrove-- we were so thankful!
Jaclyn and Patrick put together a beautiful event for their guests, beginning was a welcome table of Hot Apple Cider on the front porch as their guests arrived. Everyone then made their way outside to the ceremony, where the wind was fierce, but the lovely Pashmina shawls that the bride provided for her female guests kept all warm. The ceremony was overlooking the lake and colorful fall trees-- Jaclyn looked beautiful in her Princess style dress! Cocktail hour was held on the upper patio where guests were treated to our Crab Cakes with Aioli, Beef Tenderloin Bruschetta, and Coconut Shrimp with Pepper Sauce. There was a photo booth inside the house during cocktail hour where guests could take a fun picture to add to the guest book.
The parents of the bride welcomed everyone to the reception and toasted the bride and groom before dinner began. Dinner was served buffet style and featured our Fall Spinach Salad with berries and walnuts, and then our Braised Short Ribs with Cheese Grit Cakes, Pecan Crusted Bourbon Chicken, Creamy Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans Almondine. Wine service was poured with dinner as well so guests could stay seated while they ate-- a nice touch! Following dinner the band began playing and kept the crowd dancing before dessert. Following the cake cutting, our famous Krispy Kreme Flambe Donut Station opened, complete with our Homemade Maple Ice Cream and Himalayan Pink Sea Salt-- always a hit with the guests! Sparklers saw the couple off at the end of the night into the amazing antique getaway car. What a great way to end a month of fabulous weddings at Highgrove! Food and Drink: Highgrove, Linens: CE Rentals, Flowers: Flueressence, Band: The Shakedown, Cake: Sweet Memories

The wedding ceremony-- it was a bit windy, but beautiful!

The start of the buffet 

Guest book table

The bar on the patio

The seating charts- creative idea!

The ballroom looked beautiful!

The wedding cake, bridal pictures and the groom's navy sword

Part of the band during cocktail hour