Venue Spotlight: Top of the Hill

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a fabulous weekend :) Today we're going to take a glance at a new space in town...

Chapel Hill is a hot location for weddings and there's a new kid on the venue block. Opening first as a restaurant, Top of the Hill recently added event space to their repertoire.  

The Great Room at Top of the Hill is located at the heart of downtown Chapel Hill, perched above the Franklin Street and Columbia Street intersection. Building a rich tradition in the Carolina community, this space is and will continue to be an ideal venue for UNC students, alums and Chapel Hill natives alike. Here are a few facts about hosting an event in this space:

•  The space is broken up into four space options: The Great Room, The Tank Room, The Franklin Room and the entire facility.The Back Bar is also available for private rental (a more casual bar setting).
• Seating for these spaces goes as follows:
• The Great Room: 140 Seated, 200 Standing
• The Tank Room: 40 Seated, 60 Standing
• The Franklin Room: 40 Seated, 50 Standing
• Everything: 220 Seated, 300 Standing
• The "Seated" option is maximum, without buffet setup
• Food: menus are available for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner. They have several tiered seated dinner menus and a "limited Top of the Hill"menu option. You cannot provide an outside caterer.
• Bev: Beer, wine and spirits are available. Beer is limited to house brewery options only.
• Coordination: for weddings, they request that you provide your own event coordinator to serve as a point of contact for the restaurant/event space.
• Linens: white tablecloths and black cloth napkins are provided. 
• Cake: You can provide your own cake, but there is a cake cutting fee of $2.00 per person.
• Rehearsal fee: There will be a separate event fee should you need the space for any type of ceremony rehearsal.
• Parking: Top of the Hill will validate the new Chapel Hill valet parking initiative. Thought parking is not guaranteed (with the exceptions of UNC Home Football days). Also, there is elevator access to the third floor space.

Here is a look at the layout of the space and a few wide shots.

all images via {here}

Top of the Hill is located at 100 East Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (on the third floor). For more information visit www.topofthehillrestaurant.com or call 919.929.8676. If you're looking to have your event smack in the middle of the Franklin Street action, this is one of your best options. What do you think?

xoxo,
Kat

SMP feature for GLE/Kellie Kano!

I've mentioned this wedding before, but this morning I must bring it up again because this is so special. My heart leapt today, LEAPT, out of my chest when I saw that my mentor, Grace Beason, was on Style Me Pretty! The featured wedding was captured by the amazing Kellie Kano (she's wonderful - you MUST check out her work!). I mean just look at these images, well you can stare if you'd like...

all images by {Kellie Kano Photography via SMP}

Matt & Elizabeth are such a special couple. The personal touches on this wedding were sublime to the occasion. Elizabeth's mom, Jenny, worked tirelessly on decor and flowers, Elizabeth's sisters helped with the stationery and photobooth. Every time you turned around the family was pitching in to make the day special for those two lovebirds. I was so excited to be there with Grace and help the day unfold.

*Sidenote*, all wedding vendors can attest to the fact that when your work shows up on SMP, you do a lil' happy dance. Well, maybe a big, jump-for-joy, hallelujah dance. But a jig nonetheless. So BIG congrats to Grace Leisure Events and Kellie Kano for your hard work and this awesomesauce feature!

Okay, enough - if you haven't done so already - head over to SMP and check out the feature and image gallery in its entirety! Enjoy :)

xoxo,
kat

flowers at the Inn...

Flowers have a whimsical way of pulling a reception together. Whether you're in a grand ballroom, a tent or an outdoor space, the thread that often pulls it all together are the floral arrangements. Elizabeth Wahl & Jake Appelbaum did a great job, with the help of Watered Garden Florists, choosing color and texture for their ballroom reception. Here are a few photos of the Hill Ballroom:

The lilies gave every-other centerpiece wonderful height and drew your eye up to the impressive chandeliers and intricate molding on the ceiling.

The spring colors were highlighted well with the set lighting and the chandeliers' warm light.

I had an amazing time coordinating Elizabeth Wahl & Jake Appelbaum's May 30th wedding in Durham/Chapel Hill. The ceremony was at Beth El Synagogue in Durham and the reception was at The Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill.

Thank you to David Watson, of Get Lit Special Event Lighting, for these fantastic photos!

xoxo
Kat