We caught up with bride Kayla Ward, who said “I do” at The Carolina Hotel last April. During this Q+A, we live vicariously through Kayla as she reveals details on her dream day.
Q: Why did you choose to get married at The Carolina Hotel?
I knew I wanted to get married somewhere different. I also knew that I wanted the process to be stress-free. We own our own business, and we have so much on our plate. We chose The Cardinal Ballroom for the ceremony because it was large enough to accommodate our large families. The Carolina Terrace was right below the ballroom, so that worked out perfectly for our reception.
Q: What was it like working with their event staff?
It was very stress free. If I had a question, they always had an answer. When we toured, we met with wedding planner Bailey Grinde (read reviews about Bailey’s awesomeness here), who explained each package in detail. She told us how each one worked and provided us a list of vendors she recommended. Everything was right in front of us.
Q: What kinds of things did they provide for the event?
They provided all the linens and chairs, but if there was something they didn’t have, Bailey knew where to get it. The package we purchased also included the food and cake.
Q: You had us at food. What did your menu look like?
There was SO much to choose from. We chose the Pinehurst chicken, the New York strip steak and salmon. Our cake was a coconut rum cake with cheesecake in the middle. The cake actually ended up being a special combination of two different cakes we tried while planning. We also had a signature drink — the Alabama Slammer. I’m not even sure what was in it, but I do know it was good.
Q: What kinds of help/services did they offer to you on your wedding day that made things easier?
They provided us with a suite for the bridal party to stay in the night before the wedding. They really provided anything and everything we needed.
Q: Would you change anything about the venue? Why or why not?
No, not at all. I would highly recommend it to anybody who already has a lot on their plate, and wants to have their dream wedding in a one-stop-shop.
Dying to walk down the aisle at The Carolina Hotel? Check out their package options.
