Sunday Stroll features four wedding venues
A bride and groom dance among the vines at Childress Vineyards.
{Contributed photo/Childress Vineyards}
With fall becoming the new wedding season for many couples, the owners of four Davidson County wedding venues decided to host an event this coming Sunday afternoon to showcase their amenities and vendors.
The extravaganza, called Sunday Stroll, will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. (floating) Sunday, Aug. 8. The venues are Adaumont Farm in the county, T. Austin Finch House in Thomasville and Holt House and Childress Vineyards, both in Lexington.
Couples, their families and friends are invited to see what each venue has to offer in terms of space and décor, on-site amenities as well as meet with preferred vendors of catering, wedding cakes, entertainment, photographers, florists and others who help make the day special.
Members of a bridal party laugh as they pose on the grounds in front of the historic T. Austin Finch House in downtown Thomasville. {Contributed photo/Sunday Stroll NC}
Andrew Clement, director of Finch House, said he got the idea of the special event venues jointly hosting the showcase from a similar one he and his wife, Hilary, attended in Wilmington, N.C. called “Courtyards and Cobblestones.” That event was an open house for half a dozen wedding venues in the historic district.
“When we travel, we venue shop,” he explained. “I thought we can do this back home.
“We’ve got four great venues within 30 minutes of each other and we’re all different from each other and at different price points.” Clement noted the owners of various venues refer people to others if they can’t accommodate the size of the party or the favored wedding date. One might be best for a wedding while another might work well as a rehearsal dinner or bridal shower location.
“Our hope is to do one in August and one in January each year,” he shared. “I think everyone is excited about it.
“We’re calling this a wedding experience — not just a tour of the house and a meet and greet with vendors,” Clement proclaimed, noting the facility will be decorated as if a wedding were planned, a harpist will play in the lobby as attendees arrive and catering, cake and flower purveyors will have displays.
The director of the Finch House said the historic home, at 17 E. Main St. in downtown Thomasville, offers a historic and elegant location for a wedding. The 7,000-square foot Renaissance Revival home, built in 1921 and on the National Register of Historic Places, can accommodate both indoor and outdoor ceremonies. Many couples choose the library, with an ornate fireplace as a backdrop for smaller indoor ceremonies with an adjacent room for the reception. Behind the home for outdoor ceremonies is a pergola, patio and a tent that can accommodate up to 175 for a reception.
The Holt House, at 408 S. Main St. in downtown Lexington, offers a historic and elegant setting in a Greek Revival mansion built in 1834. The oldest home in Lexington, also known as “The Homestead,” the house is on the National Register of Historic Places.
A wedding party gathers for photos on the front lawn of the historic Holt House in downtown Lexington. {Contributed photo/Sunday Stroll NC}
Nia Ward, one of the owners of the venue along with Jera Hawn and Britney Cowan, said they want to have attendees feel like they walked into someone’s wedding. “We’re trying to show guests what a real wedding here might look like,” she said.
Preferred vendors will decorate the house to show off how an indoor and outdoor ceremony could be accommodated. Karina & Co. will decorate with balloons in part of the Grand Parlor where a fireplace is located. An expansive bay window flanked by columns is also often used as a focal point for indoor ceremonies, she noted. Flowers from Lamp Post Florists will entwine the front columns of the home for those thinking about an outdoor ceremony on the front lawn. In the back yard, a reception area will be set up with caterer Cuisine Kathleen and Sinfully Delicious Custom Bakery. A couple of people will model wedding attire from Dawn’s Bridal and Bruce’s Tuxedo. Alana Kaye Photography will be on hand to immortalize the day.
“We want people to almost feel like they crashed a wedding — so they can see the potential here,” Kaye explained.
Ward said guests will be able to tour the whole house, which includes suites for members of the wedding party to prepare for the ceremony. Part of the Grand Parlor will be set up for a tea party, which is also one of the home’s other special events. As an Airbnb site, the whole home can be leased for special occasions.
Another venue in Lexington is Childress Vineyards, a large property with a winery in the Italian Renaissance style. The winery offers many special wedding packages for ceremonies large and small and indoors or outdoors. The Grand Pavilion, which can seat 300 people, is popular for large receptions while the back lawn, courtyard and gazebo are suitable for outdoor ceremonies. Small, intimate gatherings can be held in the barrel cave.
Chelsea Manring, event sales manager for Childress Vineyards, said the winery will not be decorated for a wedding since the bistro will be serving lunch and people will be attending the Music in the Vineyards musical performance that afternoon.
“Ours is going to be a little simpler,” she said, noting Sunday Stroll attendees will be directed to the bistro terrace where they can gather information on countless wedding packages, preferred vendor information and sip a glass of wine.
“We’re more of an all-inclusive venue.” Manring added all catering and beverage service is done in-house. “But we have a lot of different options. We’re very flexible. We’re excited about it and will look forward to doing it again.”
Adaumont Farm, located at 4941 Finch Farm Rd. in Davidson County between Thomasville and Trinity, is a luxurious countryside wedding venue on 500 acres with a lake. Indoor spaces available include a renovated barn with both rustic and elegant designs, including antique chandeliers and wood paneling. Outdoor spaces include a lakeside pergola on a stone patio. Dressing areas, lounges and kitchens are available at the venue, which can accommodate more than 300 guests.
As preferred vendors at Adaumont, Pepper Moon Catering and Proper Pour will be on site for attendees to sample food and drinks. There will be a DJ and tours of the property.
For information and directions to all venues, see www.sundaystrollnc.com.
