The Oaks at Salem Reviews
Reviews
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![Megan]()
Megan Sent on 12/31/2023Perfect venue!
We absolutely loved our July 2023 wedding at the Oaks at Salem! It really was the perfect venue. I wanted a green outdoor space, and it was also a priority that we be not too far from the airport/hotels for the ease of our guests. We love that it was right near downtown Apex but felt like we were in the country. The ceremony and reception spaces are GORGEOUS! It rained during our ceremony, but it felt magical (they do have a rain plan under the reception tent). There is also plenty of room for both bridal parties to get ready on-site and not risk seeing each other. We also felt like we were getting a great value because the venue comes with some decorations, which we used for our ceremony and reception. April, the owner, also gives out a preferred vendor list when you book. This made booking all of our vendors so much easier! We can't recommend the Oaks at Salem enough!! -
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Rebecca Sent on 11/26/2023
Gorgeous Vendue
TOAS was a GORGEOUS wedding venue! We've received so many compliments on our venue from our guests. April was great to work with, answering any questions and being responsive. We really felt like we got our money's worth as TOAS were including items in the base price that other venues would charge extra. They also provided a list of their preferred vendors which was super helpful for planning. You do have to work with 2 specific vendors when at TOAS - Southern Skies which they are amazing and Curated Events which I personally would have preferred another company but not major complaints. PLENTY of room on the premises, never felt like our guests were overcrowded and also had lots of options for pictures. Be mindful of transportation as only certain size buses can fit in the driveway (which April includes in a wedding package) With fall/winter weddings, keep at eye on the weather as heaters may be needed but with the tent flaps closed, the heat stay very well inside. I was sweating during out Nov, 55 degree outside wedding. 100% would recommend TOAS. -
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![Erin]()
Erin Sent on 10/29/2022The best venue there is!
I went to an event (not a wedding) at The Oaks at Salem in 2019. The venue was so beautiful and I said “I will get married here one day”. Fast forward 2 years to when I got engaged. I knew I didn’t want to tour any other venues. We went straight to The Oaks to meet with April and immediately booked our wedding for the following year (2022). We got married at The Oaks at Salem last weekend and I can not say enough wonderful things about this venue and the team behind it. If you want your wedding to go off without a hitch, book The Oaks like yesterday! It has a wonderful bridal sweet for your entire bridal party to get ready together. It has a great groom suite with a tv so the men can watch football (or whatever else) while they get ready (I may or may not have snuck down there to watch my tigers play while my crew got ready). It has so many options for great photos. It really is a wonderful, wonderful venue. I’m genuinely sad that our day is over. If I could relive it every day, I would. -
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![Erin]()
Erin Sent on 08/14/2022Fantastic venue with perfect rain plan!
I couldn’t have asked for a better venue. It rained during our ceremony and the rain plan under the tent was still absolutely magical. This venue has it all and made our wedding dreams come true! -
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![Alyssa]()
Alyssa Sent on 04/18/2022Beautiful site and great help planning
The Oaks at Salem was amazing as a wedding venue. We booked them for our ceremony and reception, and everything was great. The venue itself is gorgeous and everyone was a treat to work with. Their vendor barn and list of recommended vendors made planning so much easier. I would highly recommend them if you're looking for an outdoor venue. -
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![Christine]()
Christine Sent on 10/23/2021Look no further! The venue of your dreams!!
The Oaks at Salem helped us to execute our dream wedding!! We had been planning since 2019, and live in Charlotte NC. We wanted an outdoor tented venue surrounded by greenery and nothing in the Charlotte area really sparked our interest. Once we found the Oaks, we immediately knew that day we wanted to book it.
Over a long two year process (postponed due to Covid), April and Aubriana were wonderful to work with the entire time.
Aubriana was our coordinator and was in touch frequently, and made sure we had every detail squared away, and she was in constant contact with our vendors. She did an incredible job with communication, and on day of was so helpful in keeping to the timeline and ensuring there was nothing to worry about!
Look no further if you want an amazing outdoor venue for your big day!!! We were so pleased and would highly recommend The Oaks!! -
Udeshi Sent on 01/08/2021
Gorgeous venue!
The Oaks at Salem is an absolutely beautiful wedding venue. As a professional violinist, I have been performing at weddings here for over a decade, and I can say that the property is always impeccable, and the staff is top notch. April and her staff are focused on giving their best, and go above and beyond to make their couple’s dreams come true. Having performed at many places world wide it is rare to find a venue like the Oaks at Salem that is both beautiful (oh my gosh, it’s so picturesque!), and provides excellent service. My team and I highly recommend it for any event! -
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![Wendy]()
Wendy Sent on 12/29/2020Beautiful wedding in the middle of a pandemic
Our daughter was to be married on March 21, 2020 at the Oaks of Salem. Unfortunately due to the pandemic it was canceled 6 days before. It was an extremely trying time but I must give credit to April and Aubriana. They were both incredibly helpful, professional, and most importantly supportive. To sum up, we were offered several alternate dates and when all was said and done we worked through 4 dates. Both April and Aubriana contacted every vendor on each occasion and checked availability. We never felt abandoned or neglected. Ultimately my daughter and her husband married on November 13th with approximately 100 people. Although we were limited due to restrictions on dancing, etc. the wedding was beautiful. Thanks to Aubriana, Rocky Top Catering, Elite DJ Solutions, CJ Rentals, Ariel Kaillin Photography, and Mews Designs we were able to host a beautiful wedding. Unfortunately rain covered the area for several days before the 13th. The skies cleared a couple hours before ceremony time and all vendors worked diligently to make this wedding happen. Spencer McAvoy with Elite DJ Solutions did an amazing job entertaining our guests and keeping everyone engaged, not an easy task when dancing isn't allowed, it was wonderful! Our guests had a wonderful much needed night out and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time. Rocky Top Catering did an amazing job. The food was out of this world, the bar service outstanding, and the staff excellent! We are so very grateful that our precious daughter and new son-in-law were able to marry and have their dream wedding and reception. Thank you to the Oaks, staff, and their amazing vendors! -
![Camille]()
Camille Sent on 03/27/2020Absolutely Amazing!!!
April, Aubriana and Julie were amazing from the moment we started working with them. The venue was breathtaking and absolutely perfect. -
![Vicki]()
Vicki Sent on 03/20/2020Amazing Venue, Incredible Team!
As a vendor in the Triangle area, we love working at Oaks at Salem!
The venue is GORGEOUS with an incredible bridal suite to get ready and the most picturesque views! April and Aubrianna are a dream to work with. They are both extremely organized, communicative, flexible, and the most gracious hosts. They make the whole process of coordinating a wedding so easy for their clients and for us vendors. We receive everything right on time and could not ask for a better partner for our clients. Choosing Oaks at Salem and their team is a guaranteed home run for any event! -
![Alexandra]()
Alex Sent on 11/11/2019Wouldn’t change a thing
I can’t count the amount of compliments I received about how beautiful the venue was and how perfect everything was set up. The grounds are so pretty and well kept, the bridal suite is giant and gives enough room for everyone to get ready. Becky was my coordinator and she was absolutely amazing; I can’t thank her enough for all of the hard work she put into making our day absolutely perfect. Becky and April make the process seamless and I can’t thank them enough! -
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![William]()
William Sent on 11/04/2019A beautiful wedding
The staff at The Oaks at Salem are highly professional and ensure your wedding day is perfect. Between the location, support, benefits, and courtesy they provide, The Oaks at Salem makes sure your special day will go on without a hitch. Even if you are running behind, their coordinators will make sure everything gets back on schedule. We would highly recommend them for any event! -
![Kim]()
Kim Sent on 10/29/2019Get married at The Oaks!!
I cannot review The Oaks highly enough!! If your budget can fit The Oaks, get married at The Oaks! They made it so easy leading up to the wedding and the weekend of! I felt so relaxed and happy all day on our wedding day, thank in no small part to their excellent day of coordination! We ended up working with multiple Oaks coordinators throughout the process and everyone was absolutely fantastic (thank you all!!). They helped us implement some nontraditional ideas, in addition to all the normal things - including a t shirt toss on the lawn!! When it rained day of they flipped the tent for the ceremony so it could be inside in such a quick turnaround, we still managed to run ahead of schedule! The Oaks is absolutely beautiful venue, and convenient for any Triangle folks. Their recommended vendors list was also so useful, as was their vendor marketplace and the vendor shows they host! I'll say it again - choose The Oaks!! -
![Stefanie]()
Stefanie Sent on 10/11/2019Amazing venue and team
It was truly a pleasure to work with April, Aubriana and the entire team at the Oaks at Salem. I had many questions, which were always answered promptly. I felt at ease on the day of my wedding because of how organized everything was. Everything ran smoothly and all of my guests commented on how beautiful everything was. It was a perfect day and one that I will never forget. Thank you so much for making it special! -
![Janelle]()
Janelle Sent on 09/15/2019A Hidden Gem!
We are so glad we found The Oaks at Salem. We worked directly with April (owner) and Aubriana was our wedding coordinator. Both were extremely personable and thorough. Not a single detail was missed, and everything was so organized and ran smoothly.
The grounds are breathtaking and close to home! Living in Cary and having the majority of our guests flying in from around the country (as well as outside of the country), it was important to us to secure a location near plenty of things to do but within reasonable driving distance to the airport.
The Oaks at Salem has a "vendor marketplace" that was incredibly helpful to us as this was the first wedding we were trying to plan. April was incredibly informative, friendly, and professional. Any questions that we had that popped up, we would email and they would get back to us usually within a few minutes!
Aubriana did a phenomenal job doing day-of-coordination for our vendors as well as letting guests know where to go, etc. She and the rest of the staff really went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we needed.
We can't say enough about our experience at The Oaks at Salem. The property is gorgeous, and there is ample parking, with plenty of space for guests to hang out and be comfortable. It was especially helpful that the Oaks at Salem had a preferred vendor list. It made planning and working with all of our vendors so seamless.
We highly recommend The Oaks at Salem for your next wedding event. We were not disappointed, and we're still receiving compliments from guests nearly 2 weeks later about this beautiful, hidden gem!
With gratitude,
Janelle & Greg Studdard -
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![Jennifer]()
Jennifer Sent on 07/29/2019gorgeous Southern venue, top notch planning
I do project management for a living, but it was so hard to plan a wedding while working. Veni really knocked my socks off with her attention to detail. She obviously has this down to an art, knowing exactly who needs to be where and when, and what sort of things to look out for. She is even able to be sensitive to certain family dynamics if need be. I had 9 bridesmaids, and she handled our large wedding party with grace and ease. The venue is unbelievably beautiful, and people are still commenting to me about it 7 mos later - even men haha - how beautiful it was. I am so appreciative for Oaks at Salem being the place where we had such a magical moment. -
Susan Sent on 06/09/2018I am the mother of the bride. This is not only a beautiful site but the service from The Oaks staff and especially our wedding coordinator, Veni, were perfection. I was not stressed out at all, before or the day of the wedding because we were in such capable and professional hands. It all began when we were provided a list of preferred providers who we were assured were professional and reliable. That reduced the work from the beginning, important since my daughter and her fiance were planning and arranging the wedding from south Florida for a wedding in North Carolina. In comparing sites, we also realized that many items were included in the price at The Oaks that were extra at other venues. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Questions were quickly answered, reasonable advice and direction provided when solicited, everything we needed when we needed it. We wanted an outdoor wedding but knew to plan for all types of weather, after all, this is NC. A month before, we had a meeting with Veni at the Oaks and walked through the entire wedding day, hour by hour and minute by minute, ironing out any issues before the big day.
The day before, in the rain under umbrellas, we rehearsed the outdoor event as well as what we would do under the pavilion if the rain did not stop. All contingencies were covered and we were ready. The day of the wedding, everything was smooth and perfect, the sun coming out just before the ceremony. Those "preferred” vendors arrived and did their work efficiently. Everything was done, as promised!
I could go on and on but I highly recommend this venue and cannot say thank you enough to April, Veni, Katie and the others who made my daughter's wedding a perfectly magical event. Our only complaint was that it had to end, we could have stayed all night. Thank you so very much.
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![Heather]()
Heather Sent on 04/16/2018Three weeks later and I still feel like my wedding at The Oaks at Salem was a dream. You are provided a coordinator who makes sure that your day runs smoothly so you do not have to. The list of preferred vendors takes the guesswork out of planning and you are guided every step of the way. Many decor items, linens, as well as tables and chairs are included. The venue is even more beautiful in person. It is the perfect combination of indoor and outdoor spaces. The bridal suite is every girl's dream! I loved my wedding as did everyone in attendance. -
Ashton Sent on 03/20/2018The Oaks at Salem is a beautiful venue! We had a wonderful experience there for our daughter’s wedding. Rolling hills, a pond, beautiful trees and gentle breezes were all a part of our day. Our TOAS coordinator did a beautiful job directing the day and taking care of our needs! The reception space was perfect! We totally enjoyed our experience there and would highly recommend them.
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Jennifer Sent on 12/31/2017This venue was amazing! They are very accommodating and professional. All of my guests could not say enough compliments about the venue. It’s also nice that they include so many things like chairs, tables and lights. I highly recommend this venue and team!
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Brandee Sent on 10/03/2017The perfect wedding venue! I can not say enough the venue is gorgeous and the wedding coordination helps to make your dream day a success! The day of my wedding went smoothly thanks to Joslin and the staff at The Oaks! I did not have to worry about one thing and enjoyed every aspect of my wedding day!
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![Erica]()
Erica Sent on 02/06/2015Southern hospitality meets stellar planning & wedding expertise!
My wedding, reception and planning process with The Oaks at Salem were fantastic! My husband and I wanted to get married within 4 months of our engagement and at my first meeting with April I asked if this could even happen - her response, "Yes! Brides that have the shortest engagements have the most fun!"
She was right! I loved every minute of my wedding day & reception at The Oaks at Salem. I cannot recommend this venue enough! They have thought of everything and can accommodate a variety of requests. Both April & Joslin were very responsive to emails and questions throughout the planning process. And from start to finish, it was THE PERFECT DAY!
I appreciated how hands on they both were the day of the wedding...from helping with setup, to directing us on where to put the guest book, and raving about my linen selections, they were so supportive and fun. Joslin bustled my dress, made sure we had a few minutes to ourselves between the ceremony & reception, and put our sparklers in a pretty vase! (And a MILLION other things that I didn't have to worry about!)
These two go above and beyond and they know how to do weddings well! If you want to enjoy your wedding day, let the professionals at The Oaks at Salem take care of you! -
![Jocelyn]()
Jocelyn Sent on 06/28/2013My husband and I recently had our wedding ceremony and reception at The Oaks at Salem. It is one of the most BEAUTIFUL venues in the area -- believe me, I looked at all of them! Not only is it a gorgeous venue, but the owner, April Maness, is awesome to work with and the level of service you receive with this venue is unmatched. She is professional, responsive, and willing to answer any questions you have about the venue, vendors, etc. She is very organized and helped us create a day-of timeline to make sure that everything was exactly how we envisioned it!
Our actual wedding did not go off without a hitch: there was a tropical storm the day before our wedding, which left the grounds too saturated to get married under the Oak tree, and the whole street lost power in the middle of our reception. Neither of these things were under April's control; however, she did everything in her power to accommodate us and make our wedding celebration fabulous regardless! We ended up getting married under the tent with the lake as our backdrop -- it was still a beautiful setting and many of our guests even commented that they preferred being under the tent because it kept them out of the heat! And when we lost power, April turned into superwoman and lit what seemed like 1,000 candles in a matter of 5 minutes inside so you could still see to the bar and the bathroom (very important! Plus, it looked so romantic this way!), and she used a backup generator outside so that we could congregate in the tent. Our guests have not stopped talking about how memorable and beautiful our event was! Don't hesitate to book The Oaks at Salem for your wedding, you will not be disappointed! -
![James]()
James Sent on 02/17/2020All-in One Ease
The Oaks at Salem team was incredible from start to finish, being a LGBT couple, it was important for us to have welcoming vendors and the team at the Oaks was very accepting and we did work with them to update their paperwork to be more inclusive. We loved the ease of working with the Oaks as linen, tables/chairs, and floral/candle glassware was all included, making planning from afar easy. Becky and April were always available to answer any questions and the day of the wedding, we had nothing to worry about and were able to enjoy ourselves as well as our guests! Recommendations for other vendors were top notch and made for a cohesive, stress-free planning. -
User1371413 Sent on 10/09/2013Beautiful venue! April is very accommodating and sees to your every need. She's great with responsiveness; if I sent her an email it was answered within minutes. It's a tad expensive but you are well taken care of. Thanks April for putting up with all my emails.
Andrea -
![Kimmie]()
Kimmie Sent on 11/13/2012I am so happy that we had our wedding at The Oaks. The owner April is the sweetest and super responsive. She genuinely cares about brides and making their special day come true. She has lots of items onsite that you can use (candle holders, mirrors, etc). The only reason I docked the value a bit is that there are a few things you have to add on- any cocktail tables and linens, any additional tables beyond what she has. However, the space is absolutely gorgeous and makes for breath taking photos. The major expensive surprise for us was the cost of having the wedding across the lake and under the tree. You do have to rent a professional whisper generator in order to have the wedding out under the tree if you want any music or microphones. (Cheapest we could find was around $400). Also, if you want the tree lit, you would need the generator out there, plus the cost of the lighting (we used Peelman Productions for around $500). It would be great if the venue owned a generator that brides could use for cheap or free, as I imagine most want to be married out near the Oak. If you want to hang anything from the tree, such as flowers, lanterns, etc., a vendor with a liability license would have to do it for you- you are not allowed to bring your own ladder, etc. On the upside, the standard twinkle lights on the tent covering the patio were more than enough lighting for the reception, so we did not have to add any costs there. Also, the tented patio was a FABULOUS back up for a rain plan- it ended up torrential down pouring at our wedding, and the space was still perfect. I docked just a bit for flexibility because the venue is in a residential area- the music cannot be above a specific level and there is a pretty strict policy on the time that you can leave. However, April is super flexible with other aspects that are within her control. Overall, I 100% recommend the Oaks at Salem. It was exactly what I had visioned, and I can't imagine a sweeter Event Manager than April. -
Lindsay Sent on 07/11/2018The Oaks at Salem gave us the wedding of a lifetime. Overall we were thrilled with the venue and satisfied with the service we received. Here are the pros and cons of our experience with The Oaks at Salem.
PROS: Undeniably gorgeous venue, good location, amazing photo opportunities and scenery, excellent rain plan and options for ceremony site, top-notch bridal suite and groom’s retreat, parking/valet service, beautiful bar, elderly-friendly (golf cart on grounds), table/chairs/linens set up included, coordinator and planner included. We wanted a garden party style wedding and this place delivered! If you choose this venue, make sure you hire an equally great photographer because the opportunities for breath-taking photos are everywhere. The staff are clearly organized and experienced as a team; for example, they provided a thorough wedding planning packet and created a detailed and thoughtful timeline – as a very “type A” person, this was a huge plus for me.
CONS: No cars may be left overnight, no beer kegs allowed inside or at the bar, party must end by 9:45pm and guests gone by 10pm, and there is some room for improvement with coordinators’ service/communication with client. These things are certainly not deal-breakers in my mind and overall we were very satisfied. Our coordinator did well with the vendors and kept us mostly on schedule but could have been firmer about getting us out to the reception on time. I was happy to have a coordinator at all but if having an experienced, elite wedding coordinator is a priority for your wedding, do some research. Last thing, if having an alcohol-fueled late-night rager of reception is on a priority for you, consider your other options.
Even though there were a few imperfections, overall we are very happy with our experience at The Oaks at Salem and glad we went with them. It was expensive but worth the money and overall they know what they are doing. Plus, The Oaks hosts some wonderful year-around events. -
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![Lexi]()
Lexi Sent on 05/14/2019Terrible venue
I was supposed to get married May 18 2020. However then COVID-19 happened and I was forced to cancel and move to a new date they would only offer me some dates and were very rude when I mentioned a refund. The only date I was left with was November, I had planned for a May wedding not November. They would NOT offer me May 2021. I will not being having my wedding in November which I explained to them and I had already paid $4000 dollars they were trying to force me to pay the rest which was $2000 by May even though they made me change my date to November. I was out of work because of the COVID and they were trying to make me pay $2000 still. I will not be having my wedding at this venue as they keep stating there is a non-refundable deposit stated in the contract, however it does not state on account of a pandemic or state of emergency.
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