Heights House Hotel: A Fabulous Downtown Raleigh Wedding Venue, From a Photographer's Perspective
Wedding Venues / Downtown Raleigh, North Carolina
A fabulous venue, captured beautifully.
If you've been anywhere near downtown Raleigh wedding planning lately, you've probably heard the name Heights House Hotel. It's a historic Victorian mansion turned boutique venue and hotel, and it's quickly become one of our favorite places to shoot in the Triangle. We wanted to walk through what makes this venue so special, what the space actually offers, and why we love photographing weddings here.
First, the architecture.
Heights House sits on about an acre in the heart of downtown Raleigh, and the house itself is close to 10,000 square feet. Arched doorways, a rotunda staircase, original fireplaces, and detail work throughout the first and second floors give the whole property a rare sense of scale.
The foyer opens onto a staircase that photographs like it was built for it, and the arched front porch has become the venue's signature. It works for a first look, a portrait, or that walk out to the ceremony.
Inside the house.
The first floor is built around cocktail hour and reception flow. Guests can mingle through the library, parlor, sitting rooms, and front porches, and every one of those common spaces has a working fireplace. The parlor has a custom built bar, and there's a mobile outdoor bar option too if you want a blended indoor and outdoor cocktail hour.
When it's time to dance, the dining room and adjoining library get cleared out for the DJ or band, and every light in the house is dimmable. For smaller weddings, up to 35 guests can be seated indoors in front of one of the marble fireplaces, an intimate alternative when the forecast doesn't cooperate.
Then, the lawn.
For weddings up to 149 guests, the East Lawn is where the outdoor celebration happens. The property is landscaped around old magnolias and oaks, and a tent up to 30x60 feet fits comfortably for a seated dinner. Electrical hookups make it easy to hang market lights, and the whole outdoor property has uplighting that can be adjusted to your vision.
There's also a fire pit tucked into the southwest corner with cozy seating and blankets, and s'mores are available as an add-on if your guests want to linger into the evening.
Getting ready, considered.
A lot of venues treat the getting ready space as an afterthought. Heights House does the opposite. The upstairs suite is about 500 square feet across two rooms, with large windows, soft seating, a working fireplace, a double vanity, and multiple mirrors, exactly the light we look for when photographing hair and makeup.
Downstairs, a second lounge offers its own windows, a flatscreen, a baby grand piano, and a record player, a relaxed space for the wedding party before the ceremony. Worth knowing: Heights House also operates as a boutique hotel, so those suites can be booked as an overnight stay even if the ceremony and reception are happening somewhere else entirely.
The practical details.
Heights House has ten guest rooms across the first and second floors, including Standard Kings and Queens, a Historic Double Queen, a Historic King on each floor, and the Historic Luxury Honeymoon Suite in the rotunda. On-site parking covers up to 20 vehicles, with free street parking around the neighborhood, and there are several hotels and Airbnbs within walking distance for overflow guests.
The venue requires a professional wedding planner, worth building into the budget early, and amplified music has to move indoors after dinner. Events wrap by 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays, or 10:00pm Sunday through Thursday. Since Heights House only hosts one wedding per weekend, both the venue and its rooms book up well in advance.
Heights House also has an explicit non-discrimination policy covering race, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital and family status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran status, and citizenship status. They describe themselves as a safe and inclusive venue, and if you're searching for an LGBTQ+-friendly wedding venue in downtown Raleigh, this is one we can recommend without hesitation.
Why we return.
Between the architecture, the light in the getting ready suites, and the choice between an indoor ceremony by the fireplace or an outdoor tented reception under the magnolias, Heights House gives us more to work with than most venues in the Triangle. It is a rare property that photographs beautifully and runs this well on the actual day.
Common questions.
Does Heights House have a getting ready suite?
Yes. Heights House has two dedicated getting ready spaces: a 500 square foot upstairs suite with natural light, a double vanity, and multiple mirrors, and a 400 square foot lower level lounge with a baby grand piano and record player.
Can you book a getting ready suite at Heights House without hosting your wedding there?
Yes. Heights House operates as a boutique hotel, so its historic suites can be booked as an overnight stay even if your ceremony and reception are happening at a different venue.
How many guests can Heights House hold?
Heights House hosts weddings from 36 to 149 guests, with all-inclusive micro wedding and elopement packages available for 35 guests and under.
Is Heights House an LGBTQ+-friendly wedding venue in Raleigh?
Yes. Heights House has an explicit non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, and describes itself as a safe and inclusive venue for everyone.
Who photographs weddings at Heights House?
Fancy This Photography, led by Nikki Whitt alongside partner photographers Amanda and Sarah, regularly photographs weddings and getting ready sessions at Heights House in downtown Raleigh.
Nikki, Amanda, and Sarah, Fancy This Photography.
Planning a Heights House wedding?
Whether you're getting married on the lawn under the magnolias, hosting an intimate ceremony in front of one of the marble fireplaces, or booking a suite to get ready in before heading to your venue across town, we'd love to help you make the most of this house.
Get in touch