Best Wedding Venues within 2.5 Hours of Charlotte, NC
Separk Mansion in Gastonia, NC
This beautiful wedding venue is about 35 minutes outside of Charlotte, NC. This venue is a wedding photographer heaven! It is the perfect choice for couple’s who want a timeless and elegant aesthetic for their photos. The staircase landing provides a stunning and gorgeously lit place for first looks and portraits, without having to take the couple outside. This is perfect on rainy or windy days, when the couple wants to avoid early arriving guests, or the bride just doesn’t want to risk getting her dress dirty before the ceremony!
The ceremony space is stunning, and situated in a private garden outside of this history mansion that was built in 1919. I love how the couple is elevated above guests while at the altar, and there is plenty of space and unique angles for us to move around as a photographer.
The bridal suite has a separate area for the getting-ready bridal portraits, and being able to get ready without having to worry about cleaning up clutter before photos is definitely ideal. I can’t tell you how time-consuming it can be to clean up after the wedding party before these portraits. It can be tough to get those gorgeous, mirror portraits without a mess in the reflection, but that is never an issue at Separk. It’s the perfect place to have an intimate moment with those the bride chooses to help her get ready (like mom) as she takes in the moments before the ceremony when the final look comes together and everything becomes real.
Another reason to love Separk is the bright and neutral backdrop it provides, which is perfect for offering couples on even the most limited budget, a very upscale feeling for their big day. And did I mention? They are fur-baby friendly!!
… and the groom room is pretty sweet too!
This stunning and vintage wedding venue is about 40 minutes from central Charlotte, and boasts so many unique qualities. I especially love how it is broken up into many different rooms and spaces within the main house, just as it was built in 1792. Outside of the main house, there are also many options for where you would like the ceremony to be, and who doesn’t love options?
If you want to have a covered ceremony for off-season weddings or as a back-up plan for rain, the open-air chapel is a beautiful option! It can also serve as the your space for cocktail hour, as your guests mingle during your portrait time. This allows your photographer to capture your reception details before the guests find their seats and lay their belongings down and disturb the scene.
For an intimate wedding or elopement, you can opt to have your ceremony overlooking the river that runs on the property, and I can’t begin to tell you what a serene environment this is for an intimate affair.
The grand front porch is a show-stopper, and one of the more popular spots to hold the ceremony at the venue. I would like to add that, from a photographer’s perspective, the light can be tough at certain times of the day, sometimes leaving the bride in the light, and the groom in the shadows, but I do recommend the porch at golden hour and I love a good silhouette at night!
I have the hardest time choosing my favorite thing about this venue, between the old staircase for first looks, all of the separate spaces and options for cocktail hour, ceremony and reception, the many rooms in the big house, and the many outdoor portrait spaces as well!!
Homewood in Asheville, NC
A little over two hours away from Charlotte is venue number three on our list, and well, you guessed it. . .
It’s a castle!!! Well, its actually a manor that was originally built in 1922, but it gives ALL the castle vibes.
I don’t know that I really need to say anything else here, because the pictures speak for themselves, but yes, we have our own little ‘castle’, right here in NC, and it have a very rich and interesting history that is definitely worth a google if you have a bit of time to go down that rabbit hole.
Not only are there so many fun nooks and crannies to explore, but there is even some fun to be had in the elevator that takes you from the getting ready spaces on the upper level to the lower level, where the reception is held. You can find several private spaces at this venue for a first look (or touch) as well.
Getting married?!
If you are still in search of the perfect wedding photographer for your wedding, be sure to check out my work and send me a message! – Charlotte Wedding and Elopement Photographer – The Shutter Owl
