An Introduction to Melissa O’Hara and Carolina Grove!
WHAT? A NEW VENUE?
Today’s Bona Fide Buddies chat is with Melissa O’Hara, owner of the new event venue, Carolina Grove. Located north of both Hillsborough and Durham, NC, Carolina Grove is due to open later this summer and, I, for one, can hardly wait! The venue, which refers to itself as “relaxed luxury in Hillsborough, NC,” will be a spectacular place for both a wedding ceremony and the celebration to follow. I recently had the opportunity to tour the site with the hospitable Melissa and, I must say, although not finished yet, it is already stunning! I am so excited about this gorgeous venue and, of course, my chat with Melissa! So, here we go, folks, enjoy the read.
Thanks, Melissa, for taking the time to chat with me. Can you tell me a little bit more about Carolina Grove?
Absolutely - thank you for showcasing our venue Heather! Carolina Grove is a brand-new event venue located in Hillsborough, NC just north of Durham. The venue has a classic barn design but instead of being rustic or farm-like, it has a modern, airy feel. It was designed to take advantage of its secluded, natural surroundings by letting in tons of natural light and the ambiance of nature through our many indoor and outdoor spaces.
In addition to weddings, is Carolina Grove open to holding other events?
Definitely – we welcome all events and celebrations! Our space is incredibly versatile.
What is your favorite detail about the venue and the property?
It’s hard to narrow down just one so I’m going to do two! I love our large glass and steel roll-up doors that completely open up the main space to the porch and our outdoor grove area beyond. This makes for events that can flow nicely between the indoors and our al fresco courtyard, but also creates so much flexibility to use our space in really fun ways. My second favorite feature is the large picture window in the upstairs dressing suite. I’m so excited for bridal portraits in front of it – it’s so elegant and pretty.
Since Carolina Grove is close to some homes in the area, do you have any restrictions?
Since we are located in an area of sprawling horse farms and rolling hills, we don’t have as strict noise regulations as residential neighborhoods, but we do want to be respectful and considerate of our neighbors and community. We require music to be off outside by 10pm and indoors by 11pm.
When thinking about out of town guests and hotels, what is the closest city to you? How far away? Are you partnering up with any transportation companies?
Durham is the easiest and closest area for accommodations and nightlife. Hotels ranging from 3 to 5-star are located within 15-20 minutes of our venue. We like to encourage our couples to use transportation services as it is so much easier for guests, but it’s not required. We provide options for transportation companies on our vendor recommendation list.
Speaking of vendors, do you have a preferred vendor list? Or, do you require particular vendors? Do you require that your clients hire a planner?
We do have a list of vendors that are highly recommended and will do a great job! We allow our couples to select their own vendors so our list is not required, but is designed to be helpful in starting the planning process. We do require at minimum our couples to have a day-of or event management coordinator – it will help their wedding go so much more smoothly!
Since Carolina Grove is not open quite yet, are you giving tours of the space and booking events? When do you expect to open your doors?
Yes! We are open for bookings and welcome tours during construction, which we typically schedule on weekends. I’ve gotten a photo of many of our couples in the space as it looks now and I think it will be so fun to get another photo of them in the finished space at their wedding and see the difference! We will be done late this summer – sometime in August.
What is the best way to inquire about availability, pricing, and touring Carolina Grove?
Our website has tons of info about the venue spaces and packages so that’s a great place to start and then filling out the contact form on our website is the easiest way to get in touch. Other options are to call or email me directly anytime: melissa@carolinagrovenc.com.
Thank you, Melissa! I cannot wait to see the finished product!
Carolina Grove continues to post pictures of its progress on both Instagram and Facebook. Please give them a follow and check it out! And honestly, I am itching to plan a fabulous bash at this beautiful and unique venue. Soon, very soon!
and, finally, Pinterest!