Haywood Hall Museum House & Gardens Reviews

Haywood Hall Museum House & Gardens

Raleigh, NC

4.9 out of 5 rating, 36 reviews

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4.9 out of 5 rating

4.9

Excellent

36 reviews

Recommended by 98% of couples

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4.9 out of 5 rating
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Lindsay Sent on 12/26/2022

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Haywood Hall - October 2022

We were married at Haywood Hall in October 2022 and recommend it to anyone looking for a romantic, dreamy and quintessential Raleigh experience to share with your loved ones. After living here for years, we knew we wanted to share something really special with our guests. After numerous venue visits, we went to Haywood Hall and were enamored by this incredible gem of a historic site.

The grounds at HH are welcoming and offer variety for however you choose to set up your ceremony and reception all while being perfectly snuggled in a charming, downtown location. Upon entering the home, you are wrapped by the inviting interior from centuries past. Rich tones of blue and green, Federalist period furniture, carved trims and artifacts are found throughout, while the garden has a canopy of large trees and lights at night. The only tradeoff with this venue is that all tables, chairs, tents and serving needs must be brought in via an external vendor, but keep in mind that the aforementioned traits offer a stunning, built-in backdrop for your festivities so decor expenses can be kept to a minimum here.

Meeting with Caryll Poole, Event Coordinator at HH, is an absolute delight. She is the gracious, responsive and accommodating soul who communicates with you along the way. Ben, the on-site personnel on wedding day, was a superb presence to have just around the corner for any input or hiccups. Many thanks to them for showing the utmost care for our day!

To summarize, this venue was the best possible location for our fall wedding with moody, yet sophisticated elements. It photographs beautifully and our guests raved about their time. We felt honored to be there on our day and Haywood Hall now is a monument in our story that we will surely revisit throughout our lives.
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Emily Sent on 11/22/2021

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Beautfiul venue in heart of downtown!

I highly recommend Haywood Hall for any couple looking for an outdoor venue in downtown Raleigh. We chose Haywood because it was affordable and the house/grounds are stunning. We did not decorate at all and the photos are beautiful because the scenery is so nice all year round at Haywood. The tent rental recommended by the venue was seamless and Caryll at Haywood was very pleasant to work with. Even if the weather isn't perfect on your wedding day, there is so much space for tents in the garden that you will still be dry. And the house itself is very cool - all of our guests were milling around in there and talking about how cool it was. Great, hidden-gem sort of place steps away from the Capitol building.
Sutton Sent on 08/06/2019

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Awesome Venue!

I worked with Carryl and she is wonderful. We haven't had our wedding yet but already she's been so kind, flexible, and fun to work with. They're extremely professional and the venue itself is so unique and gorgeous with a ton of character. I love that it's right downtown but won't end up costing us an arm and a leg!

Allyce Sent on 02/21/2018

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We loved having our wedding at Haywood Hall! When we were venue searching we were disappointed with how many venues basically control every aspect of your day for triple the cost (or more) or what you would get with Haywood Hall. We were able to select all of our own vendors, which kept costs down and we were able to keep the leftover alcohol we brought in for ourselves ;) Greg is super responsive and helpful in suggesting vendors.

With NC weather, anything can happen during any season, and this venue does not have another option for a rain plan. Just something to consider. The day before our wedding was 80 and sunny, our day was 65 and cloudy with a threat of showers, but it never happened. I recommend getting a clear tent because you can see all of the beautiful greenery in the garden! We could also see the PNC building lit up after it got dark.

Our guests were all from out of state so they loved being in Downtown Raleigh and also getting to experience a piece of Raleigh history. We received so many compliments on the house and the gardens.

Choose Haywood Hall! :)
Katelan Sent on 10/23/2017

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We got married in a beautiful ceremony out front and had our reception in the gardens. This place is amazing for the simple fact that when you rent Haywood you honestly do not have to decorate because of the natural beauty it comes with. All of our guests loved the 'big white house'. Greg helps you out tremendously and even suggests vendors that he knows are within your budget. I would 100% recommend.
Hannah Sent on 05/05/2017

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Such a special and beautiful venue right in the heart of downtown Raleigh. The house manager, Greg, is an absolute pleasure to work with--so accommodating and always available to answer questions and offer advice. We had a magical spring wedding in the garden and could not be happier with our choice of venue.
Megan Sent on 04/13/2017

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We had our ceremony/reception at Haywood hall and LOVED it. We had everything outside and the pictures do not do this place justice. The location is perfect, you will not be able to find something like this anywhere else in downtown Raleigh. It was great for out of town guests because there is an abundance of hotels for them to choose from and several of our guests made a weekend trip out of it. Even though you are in the heart of downtown it still has a secluded feeling because of the beautiful mature trees. I loved the historical and southern feeling of this house and it was so close to the Capitol we were able to take some photos there as well. The grounds are well maintained and gorgeous which allowed us to save money on flowers and decorations. We were able to choose all our own vendors instead of being limited to a select few the venue allows. This allowed us to control the total cost of the wedding.

Greg was a blessing to work with; he answered any question we had promptly and had a list of recommendations for vendors if we didn’t have an idea. We had our wedding on an April evening and was debating about whether or not we would need a heater and siding on the tent once the sun goes down. Greg was amazing and I decided last minute at our Rehearsal that yes we should get those items and he called the rental company himself and not only was able to get us the equipment but also a great deal!
Andrea Sent on 11/19/2016

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There couldn't have been a more perfect venue! Between the house and the gardens, it all turned out wonderful! Greg was amazing from start to finish! Super helpful and always responded quickly! If you are looking for an awesome venue for a great price, pick Haywood Hall!
User2696411 Sent on 06/06/2016

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We had our wedding at Haywood Hall the first weekend in May - ceremony & reception. It was absolutely beautiful! We got lucky with the weather. Greg was very responsive and helpful. The grounds were manicured the day before and looked perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better setting!
Jessica Sent on 05/21/2016

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Greg, the manager and resident of Haywood, could not have been more helpful. In the midst of an unexpected move to NYC due to work we needed all the help we could get and Greg went above and beyond. Also, his florist recommendation, Janet, was a complete miracle worker. I will never forget my bouquet- it was more than I could ever have imagined. She also helped us with all the set up and trash removal. The venue, vendors, and of course the weather all worked out to make our 4.30.16 wedding a complete success!
Lace Sent on 05/18/2016

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I had a wonderful wedding reception at Haywood Hall & Gardens. Our ceremony took place across the street at Christ Church and our guests came directly from the ceremony to the reception. The reception was indoor/outdoor and the outdoor portion was mostly tented due to uncertainty about the weather (and of course it ended up being a beautiful evening!). We were married in April and the gardens were just gorgeous! We hardly needed flower centerpieces, as the gardens were in full bloom.

I worked with the resident manager Greg very closely during our 16 month planning process. He made the grounds available to us with little notice on many occasions. He had a lot of insight about placement of tables, chairs, food stations, & tents. He made sure the grounds were clean and neat before our wedding weekend. He also went above and beyond on my wedding day, helping my bridesmaids keep their belongings secure, and generally helping keep the event flowing smoothly.

Haywood Hall is very special to my new family. My husband's mother is a Haywood and what is now a museum & gardens was once her family's ancestral home. It was touching to talk with and dance with so many members of the Haywood family at Haywood Hall. I would recommend Haywood Hall to anyone looking to get married in a beautiful indoor/outdoor space in downtown Raleigh!!
Britney Sent on 11/19/2015

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Greg was so wonderful to work with! He was very hospitable, accommodating, and flexible! The new lighting that was added to the gardens is wonderful; however, we left many lights off and supplemented with candlelight throughout the garden and it was just beautiful! So many of our guests commented on how gorgeous the grounds were! I thought that the rental fee was completely reasonable and I felt good knowing that my money was going towards the preservation of a historical venue in my community!
User2423601 Sent on 10/26/2015

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I got four compliments from nearly every guest on my wedding day: beautiful dress, good DJ, good food and BEAUTIFUL VENUE. Haywood Hall is truly a hidden gem in Downtown Raleigh. I never would have known it existed had I not thoroughly researched Downtown Raleigh wedding venues. The property is near the Capitol, but tucked away on a side street with an abundance of large oak trees, shrubs and flowers to block out all the city noise. If you're looking for a garden wedding in an excellent location, Haywood Hall is the perfect setting for you. Further, the groundskeeper, Greg Mobley, has an in-depth knowledge of local vendors and the downtown area. He's incredibly nice and willing to help in any way that he can. He referred me to the best florist, Janet Cross, and gave me some other helpful tips in the wedding planning process. For such a beautiful property in such a convenient location, the cost of hosting a wedding at Haywood is a bargain. One caveat is that you probably need a good year 1/2 to comfortably plan a wedding at Haywood since the venue doesn't come with anything but the property (you must book your own rentals, caterer, etc.). Another downside would be that the site doesn't offer the best rain plan. In the event of inclement weather, you would just have to order more tents for the backyard. However, if you don't mind a little extra work in the planning process and you're willing to "go with the flow" in case the weather doesn't cooperate, this couldn't be a more perfect venue for you and your guests.
Chelsea Sent on 10/15/2015

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It was an absolute pleasure to have our reception at Haywood Hall! The grounds/gardens are beautiful and especially so on our wedding day with all of the rain we had in weeks prior. Greg, who manages the home and events, was amazing to work with. I couldn't imagine working with someone more accommodating, flexible, patient, responsive and willing to help because Greg is truly the best of the best! We had 150 guests, which is pretty much the max capacity for this venue but I managed to come up with a design that was comfortable, even with needing to implement our rain plan. The inside of the home is gorgeous, so I highly recommend having an indoor/outdoor cocktail hour before the reception if your plans allow for it. That way, the guests are able to enjoy all that this beautiful venue has to offer. Greg, thank you again for a perfect, memorable day! This would not have been possible without all of your help!
Jillian Sent on 07/10/2015

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We LOVED our wedding reception at Haywood Hall. Although it rained almost the whole night, we were prepared thanks to the groundskeeper, Greg. We had 104 guests, so we rented the 40x40 tent for dinner/dancing/bar and the 20x20 tent for the buffet/gift table. The gazebo was lit up that night, so when it stopped raining my husband and I jumped in there and get a few photos. The price was amazing for being so close to downtown Raleigh and we were allowed to bring our own alcohol, which also saved us a lot of money!
User1626513 Sent on 05/20/2014

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Greg is great and I had so many compliments on the venue :)
Amanda Sent on 09/14/2013

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We had our September wedding at Haywood Hall, and it was such a wonderful experience! Our wedding had only 50 guests, so the venue was intimate and the perfect place. My husband and I loved that we could pick our own caterer and bring our own alcohol.

Greg, the site manager, bent over backwards to assist with the wedding. He was very responsive and flexible. Overall, the experience was great and I'd recommend Haywood Hall as a wedding venue to anyone looking for a cozy, outdoor wedding!
Shannon Sent on 10/24/2012

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Greg, the Hall Manager,bent over backwards to assist with my wedding. I visited the hall probably 30 times in the last year and he was there everytime. He sent me emails and even called a vendor for me. I had a great experience largely because of him.

As for the hall---simply amazing. It is very well kept and cozy.
Meredith Sent on 01/23/2012

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It was absolutely beautiful! I couldn't have asked for a better ceremony and reception venue. We were allowed to visit as often as we liked to get ideas for our receptions decorations. Everyone was very helpful!
Carly Sent on 10/30/2011

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A friend of ours suggested Haywood Hall while we were planning our wedding and I am so glad they did! It is such a beautiful place for an outdoor wedding in downtown Raleigh. We also really enjoyed working with Greg! I love his enthusiasm for both the home and weddings in general. He was so helpful and accommodating throughout the entire process, always answering his phone when we had questions. It did happen to rain on our wedding day, but Greg and our catering company did a fantastic job implementing a rain plan. The show did go on and everyone had such a great time! Many thanks!
Jane Sent on 07/12/2011

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We had our wedding at Haywood Hall and it was the perfect venue! Greg worked with us on all our requests and helped make the day perfect. Thank you!
Lu Sent on 02/23/2011

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Haywood Hall is a gorgeous place for a wedding! We had an evening party with a surprise ceremony in the middle of the party. Everyone we worked with was just incredible. They tried to accommodate our wish to make our night special.
Brandi Sent on 10/28/2010

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i was planning my wedding from afar (nyc) and i booked this place after seeing some photos that my mother-in-law had taken. the house itself is quirky and beautiful without being stuffy. the gardens are well-kept but not perfectly manicured, which i like. this place definitely has some personality. the house manager we worked with, greg, was more than accommodating and was always available to answer our questions. the only thing that may be a problem for some people would be if you pick a time of the year when it might rain...the rain back up plan for this place is not ideal. so, i'd make sure that you check a weather almanac to see what the chances are that rain will fall on your wedding day. but, we got so many compliments on this venue and it's such a deal at a little over $2K!
Casey Sent on 11/09/2009

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Haywood hall and the staff there gave me my absolute dream day! i can't say enough positive things about it=i HIGHLY recommend it to any and everyone.
Lauren Sent on 11/08/2009

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Haywood Hall was an amazing venue for our ceremony and reception - the house and gardens were absolutely beautiful!

The Manager, Sheryl was wonderful to work with - she met with us multiple times before the big day to answer all questions we had and worked with all of our vendors to make sure everything ran smoothly.
Aubrey Sent on 12/20/2017

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I cannot say enough good things about Haywood Hall. Greg was so incredibly flexible - we basically had free reign with decor and layout, just had to run it by him for approval. Renting the venue is extremely cost effective, but remember you have to bring in all of your own vendors. We really appreciated the option of bringing our own alcohol in, that saved us thousands (definitely a lot more work than leaving it up to the caterers, though). We loved having our wedding here and would recommend this venue to anyone!
Leah Sent on 06/21/2015

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Loved this venue and Greg was very helpful and accommodating!
User1634370 Sent on 05/13/2014

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Haywood Hall has so much charm, I immediately knew we had to get married there! The location also sold me... it is downtown, right near the capitol (so make sure to take some pictures there!). We used it as our ceremony and reception venue, which helps with costs. It's such a beautiful house inside and outside. I loved getting ready upstairs while seeing all of the guests arrive for our wedding through the windows :) We had the reception outside in the garden area, but we made sure guests visited the inside of the house (since it's a museum)... we had a fruit and cheese station inside, as well as a place for the guest book and gifts. They have recently installed more lighting outside which makes it look even more beautiful at night! It is very do it yourself, so be prepared to spend $$$ on rentals and lots of time deciding everything else.
Jennifer Sent on 12/03/2013

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It was such a delight to have our wedding and reception at Haywood Hall! The grounds are well kept and beautiful. Greg, the house manager, is incredibly great to work with. He was always available to answer any questions and provide advice from the get-go. He emailed me pictures of weddings they've had at Haywood around the same time of year as mine, so I knew what to expect with the changing of the leaves in the Fall. One regret I have, was not having enough lighting in the gardens so my guests could see once the sun went down. We had our tent very well lit, but not enough lighting outside of it. We also had to do our rehearsal in the dark because Greg could not be there to keep the lights on infront of the house, so that was very difficult. Regardless, Haywood Hall is a great venue to have a wedding, reception, or party. I will always recommend it to anyone!!
Cathryn Sent on 11/01/2011

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We had our October wedding at Haywood Hall, and I can't say enough good things about it! The front walkway was the perfect site for our outdoor ceremony, and the gardens have plenty of room for a huge tent, plenty of tables, food, and mingling space! I loved that we were able to choose our own caterer and bring our own alcohol; everyone loved our home-brewed beer and I couldn't imagine our reception without it! Greg was extremely helpful in helping us find the perfect vendors (especially the cakes and photographer) and was a great presence on the day of the wedding. At the end of the day, our local friends were already talking about what other types of parties we could have at Haywood!
Kortney Sent on 11/08/2009

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Sheryl was so wonderful to work with and made the entire process very fun! She responded very quickly everytime I had a question. Both the house and gardens are a beautiful place for a wedding/reception at any time of the year! Mt friends still talk about what a great time they had!
Karin Sent on 12/30/2014

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Greg (runs the house) was very helpful in the beginning - turns out it was the perfect place for our fairy whimsical wedding. Our family, friends and guest all loved the ceremony on the front stairs as well as the gorgeous grounds all around the wedding. Affordable and yet priceless. Great wedding photo opps all over :). Thank you so much!!!!
User1011987 Sent on 11/11/2012

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Loved Haywood Hall as our ceremony/reception site! One downside I would give this place is that it does not have much of a space for rain. We thought we had a plan for our wedding of 110 people, but if we had had the ceremony under the tent (the same area as our reception site) it would have been a tight fit. The cost of Haywood Hall can add up fast since we had to rent several tents (for fear of rain that day) all of our chairs, tables, linens etc. We also had to make sure it was all cleaned up ourselves...when you rent here mostly all you get it the space, nothing comes with it. I hired a coordinator for the day of who set things up for me and cleaned up that night, so that made it easier. You can hire anyone you want as a caterer so that offset some cost and you can bring your own alcohol, so that helped justify the price as well. It would have been even easier to do the reception at a place that did full service catering, but I feel like a lot of the charm of the house was worth the work involved. Also, Greg was so so great to work with. He really loves what he does at Haywood Hall and always happy to answer emails, lets you visit and check out the space and even will give tips of his own as he has seen lots of weddings done at this venue. Some things are a little odd-our receipt for the balance paid was just a letterhead with a handwritten letter that said we were paid plus a follow-up email that could be used as our receipt, didn’t look very official, but since there were no problems it never became an issue. Greg even called a few days before the wedding when it looked as if it may rain to make sure that I had a rain plan that worked. He was able to recommend what tents I should get and even was willing to call the company himself to make sure I got what I needed. He even let us come by the day after the wedding to get our leftover cake!! I would recommend this place for sure if you are willing to spend some money on rentals. they do book fast!
Madison Sent on 06/03/2015

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Our experience at Haywood Hall & Gardens has been very nice so far. We did not want the traditional venues that are so popular for weddings and very much wanted something historical, outside, and nicely priced. We could not ask for more and fell in love with the place after only 1 visit in which it was pouring down raining. The gardens are beautifully kept and offers weddings so much natural decor without having to pay a steep price. In addition, there is a lot of space to work with and you feel as if you are in your own oasis despite being in downtown. It is also nearby parking decks which are free on the weekends, a nice convenience for guests. While it is not all inclusive, the resident manager is able to work with wedding parties and refer them to many vendors that have frequented Haywood Hall. We cant wait to be married here and are so excited we found this hidden treasure! (:
User1231742 Sent on 07/08/2013

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Beautiful historic home right on the edge of downtown Raleigh. I wanted my friends and family from all over the country to be right in the heart of my hometown and I got what I wanted! The site manager is super friendly (SUPER friendly... he will absolutely talk your ear off) but was very laid back so we got to do pretty much whatever we wanted. Our wedding was extremely low-key and we barely needed any decorations because the grounds are stunning. I would absolutely do it again - but I would rent fans! It got HOT outside!
Kc Sent on 05/23/2012

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  4 out of 5 rating
Lovely place, hidden gem in downtown Raleigh, on a cul-de-sac with beautiful private garden. Inside is interesting, but I wouldn't want to have an indoor wedding there...a bit gloomy. Outside is peaceful and naturally beautiful.

They are seriously low-tech there. Couldn't get an electronic version of the contract, wouldn't accept scanned images, barely used email, wanted only cash because they couldn't process credit cards and even checks gave them heartburn. They even warned us that the power may go out if the DJ drains too much (Hello, it's no longer 1992!)

Their charges for a dinner party are minimal, but when they hear it's a wedding, cha-ching! Get ready to spend 4 times as much. They book up quickly on Saturdays, so book early. Be prepared to spend a fortune on rentals. We had to rent several tents, chairs, tables, linens, dishes, silverware, lights, mugs, coffee maker, serving dishes, tongs, barware, wine glasses, oven, fryer, and on and on. They have absolutely nothing there already. It's not like a catering hall. You're basically renting a lawn and a bathroom.

Getting ready inside the house was awkward. They have almost no 3-prong electrical outlets, the upstairs is hot and stuffy, they don't allow food or liquids upstairs. We got ready in the parlor downstairs, which was OK, but there was only one mirror. There is also no way to easily get from the inside/back of the house to the front center aisle for the ceremony without driving around the block. There should be some sort of pathway to make it easier to arrive unseen.

The front yard makes a pretty ceremony setting, but your guests will have to walk through grass and uneven mulch to get to their seats. The giant trees are beautiful and block direct sun quite nicely. The garden is a nice setting for the reception. The brick area is used for the tent and dance floor. The lights on the gazebo are a nice touch. Has a genuine nice Southern feel to it.

The caretaker seemed a bit rigid. We couldn't enter the house on our wedding day until 2 hours before the ceremony (no clue why). He was supposed to provide tours of the house, but didn't do so. The music had to be completely off at 11pm.

Overall, it was lovely, but an expensive headache to coordinate. They don't make anything easy for you. They don't even have a plan of the rental area, or a map for parking, either.

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