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The Carolina Wedding Barn
The Carolina Wedding Barn
Waterfront ceremony site
Waterfront ceremony site
Reception venue exterior
Reception venue exterior
The newlyweds
The newlyweds
Couple portrait
Couple portrait
Main house exterior
Main house exterior
The bride
The bride
Outdoor banquet setup
Outdoor banquet setup
Reception area
Reception area

Interested in this vendor?

Abilena Plantation

About

Abilena Plantation is a waterfront wedding and event venue in New Bern, North Carolina. Originally constructed in 1927, the property stands over the Neuse River and offers a number of outdoor settings for celebrating special occasions. Couples can set up their celebrations in one of four event spaces decorated to reflect their personal style and vision.

Facilities and Capacity

You and your partner can have a customized outdoor reception overlooking the river. Gatherings of up to 150 guests can be accommodated and the venue has seating for 120, allowing for small and large celebrations. In the case of bad weather conditions, a waterfront pavilion offers protection from the rain while allowing views of the surrounding landscape. The pavilion displays a low-pitched roof supported by a series of evenly spaced white columns and contains a more enclosed barn-style structure to the rear. Furthermore, you and your wedding party can book accommodations in the mansion for the weekend of the festivities. The exterior of the building features tall columns that frame the entrance and support a balcony, as well as dormer windows on the roof. Stone steps lead to the main entrance and large windows allow plenty of natural light within.

Services Offered

The professional team at Abilena Plantation can assist in arranging many details for the big day. The venue offers photography services and can provide connections with a number of recommended vendors. This enables couples to select high-quality service providers to take care of the food, flowers, entertainment, and more at their wedding. Furthermore, the experienced event staff can provide planning services to assist in designing a successful event. Various rental items are available to add finishing touches to the occasion, and the venue can facilitate an outside cake and outside alcohol. Furthermore, shuttle services can be arranged to help guests access the venue on the big day. In addition to wedding ceremonies and receptions, the team at the estate can also accommodate engagement parties and showers.

illustration popular

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Frequently asked questions

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

4

Describe your venue:

Farm/Ranch
Historic Building
Mansion

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Accommodations
Event Planner
Event Rentals

What catering services do you offer?

Outside Cake

What bar services do you provide?

Outside Alcohol

What event items are available?

Chairs

What transportation and access is available?

Shuttle

Reviews of The Carolina Wedding Barn

Write a review
Write a review
The Carolina Wedding Barn - 1
The Carolina Wedding Barn - 2
The Carolina Wedding Barn - 3
+4 User photos
The Carolina Wedding Barn - 4
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Brandi Sent on 10/08/2018
5 out of 5 rating
This was the most amazing Venue you can imagine. The owners go above and beyond to make sure your day is perfect. John was even at the wedding giving my husband and I refills of drinks and napkins when we eating. He helped in setting up table and even putting mums out to make sure that it looks amazing. The venue allows you to start setting up during the week which was a lifesaver! I cannot say enough wonderful things about this venue and the owners. It was perfect for us.
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Alicia Sent on 02/23/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Beautiful venue with amazing, responsive owners!! Me and my husband got married at Abilena in February. We rented the venue and the mansion, which allowed our immediate families to stay with us at the venue for the entire weekend. This option is extremely convenient and the house is beautiful; it is an older house so it takes a minute or two for warm water to reach the showers but there was plenty of warm water for all 10 of us to shower every morning. When we arrived on Friday morning, the owners were prepping the yard and landscaping to make sure everything was at its best for our wedding on Saturday. The location has a pool and a hot tub, and even though it was out of season, they ensured the pool was clean and presentable. The views from the house that overlook the water is breath taking. We had our ceremony down my the water; they have a great set up there with benches and an arch so we did not have to worry about setting up the area for the ceremony, other than our decorations. We planned to have the cocktail hour by the pool; however it was too cold that day so we were easily able to move it into the 1st floor of the house. This space worked well for the cocktail hour and allowed our guests to enjoy the beautiful house. We had our reception in the carriage house, which also overlooks the water. This venue is great for any weather as it is covered and has removable plastic panels and heaters for cold weather. Since it was cold, we had the panels up and heaters running- this really kept the area warm for our guests. The owners, John and Mary Ann, were really a pleasure to work with. We were able to see the venue a few times prior to our wedding to help us plan the decorations. They answered every question we had. They were there the day of the wedding to make sure things were running smoothly. I highly recommend this venue- you will not be disappointed with the location, the spaces available, and the owners.
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Fonda Sent on 01/13/2018
5 out of 5 rating
Our daughter wanted a rustic wedding and this was the perfect place!! The owners were great to work with and very flexible!
Our daughter said her day couldn’t have been more perfect!!
Great price also!
  • The Carolina Wedding Barn - 5
  • The Carolina Wedding Barn - 6
  • +5 photos
    The Carolina Wedding Barn - 7
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Alexandra Sent on 08/14/2017
5 out of 5 rating
We had our reception at Abilena and stayed there with our families a few days before. It was so wonderful taking some time to relax with our families in such a beautiful place! We even had our guests over the Thursday before for a pool party! The venue is beautiful and took our pictures to the next level. John was attentive and came at least once each day to ensure the grounds were looking their best. This was the absolute perfect venue for us and I wouldn't have changed a thing!
Melissa
Melissa Sent on 06/17/2017
5 out of 5 rating
We had a great time at Abilena Plantation. Everything we asked for was taken care of in a timely manner and we couldnt ask for a more perfect setting for our wedding.
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Dave Sent on 03/20/2017
5 out of 5 rating
We held our daughters wedding at Abilena Plantation and it was a great week long event. The wedding party stayed for the week and the ceremony guest stayed locally. We had the rehearsal dinner poolside, next day the ceremony on the waters edge, the reception was in the carriage house and next day brunch in the main house. Everything went off without a hitch. Thank you John and your staff.
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Allyson Sent on 12/07/2016
5 out of 5 rating
If you are looking for an outdoor rustic location for your wedding, the Wedding Barn is the perfect place for you! There is no time limit on how late you can be out the night of your wedding and you have the venue for the whole weekend, which is great for setup and cleanup. There are different options as far as the ceremony location on this site which all have different beautiful backgrounds. Pricing is very reasonable, especially since you have the opportunity to use it for three days. This venue was perfect for our day and we know it would be perfect for many other couples!
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Lauren Sent on 09/21/2016
5 out of 5 rating
Not only is this a beautiful location to get married at and great if you're planning an out of town getaway, but John goes above and beyond to make sure you have anything you need and everything looks AMAZING even if a hurricane happens to blows in. The entire property has many beautiful locations for your rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception and is sure to give you wonderful photographs. I am very grateful for how flexible John and his team were and if given the chance I would choose the Abilena again for any event. Thanks John you're the best!
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Lisa Sent on 05/10/2016
5 out of 5 rating
John and Mary Ann Williams are a joy to work with.......The Carolina Wedding Barn is a gorgeous wedding venue to have that rustic county wedding....I would highly recommend them, they will make the day just beautiful.....

Lisa Vandiford
Sweet Pea's Events & Designs
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User2572738 Sent on 04/10/2016
5 out of 5 rating
Perfect place for a wedding/vacation! Your entire wedding party can stay under one roof! Beautiful view! The owner was super nice and accommodating of our requests. He also recommended rock start vendors who helped make our day fantastic. You get SO MUCH for your money here! Accommodations for 16 people, rehearsal dinner location, ceremony site, reception site... all in one.
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Awards

19

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The Carolina Wedding Barn frequently asked questions

The space offered by The Carolina Wedding Barn for wedding events is known for:
  • Farm/Ranch
  • Historic Building
  • Mansion
The Carolina Wedding Barn offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Carolina Wedding Barn offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
The Carolina Wedding Barn offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Accommodations
  • Event Planner
  • Event Rentals
The Carolina Wedding Barn offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
The Carolina Wedding Barn is recommended by 94% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.7 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.8 in flexibility, 4.7 in quality of service, 4.7 in average response time, 4.7 in professionalism and 4.7 in value.

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