Downtown Raleigh's Newest Rooftop Wedding Venue
Host Your Wedding at The Willard Rooftop Lounge at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown
I photographed The Willard Rooftop Lounge at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown’s first styled shoot on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2021. The weather was hot, but the event space was even hotter. WARNING: You might need sunglasses for some of these dazzling rooftop shots. Meagan Culkin, owner of Magnolia Collective, designed and coordinated the styled shoot and it was featured in the 2022 edition of Heart of NC Weddings . Click here for more information on where to find your FREE print copy of this fabulous local wedding resource guide.
The Willard Rooftop Lounge is downtown Raleigh’s newest gathering place, nestled in between Glenwood South and the Warehouse District. This styled shoot is meant to help couples imagine what their wedding could be like at The Willard Rooftop Lounge at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown. We decorated and documented all 10,000 square feet of this new wedding venue. From ceremony to cocktail hour to reception, explore each of The Willard’s three modern event spaces.
Planner // Magnolia Collective, Dress // Vow'd Weddings, Florist // The English Garden
Located on the seventh floor of AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown, The Willard is a wedding venue with romantic, city backdrops and panoramic views. The Willard Rooftop Lounge can fit as many as 250 of your friends and family comfortably. The best part? Your guests can choose from one of AC Hotel’s 146 rooms to sleep in after the celebration. As far as convenience is considered, hotel wedding venues are a dream. The Willard’s event staff make setting up group room blocks for wedding guests a simple and stress-free process.
BELOW: Jewelry // Diamonds Direct, Stationer // Oakwood Invitations
The Willard Rooftop Lounge offers Mediterranean and Spanish-influence cuisine, cocktails, wine and local craft beer.
Comfort and Convenience for The Willard Rooftop Lounge Couples
You and your guests will both enjoy the convenience of The Willard’s Rooftop’s downtown Raleigh location. Imagine sipping coffee in a crisp, cozy hotel robe with your best friends and family on the morning of the big day. Get ready in luxury while nibbling a gourmet room-service brunch bar. When you and your wedding party are done with hair and makeup, step outside for a fun-filled photo session in the heart of downtown.
My top five favorite public places to take wedding photos in downtown Raleigh are …
No. 1: Between the buildings near the Wake County Courthouse
No. 2: Historic City Market, the site of Raleigh’s first Farmers Market (hello cobblestones!)
No. 3: Moore Square, the historic park across the street from Market Hall
No. 4: Walking around downtown
No. 5: The North Carolina State Capitol building is a great, natural looking background
The Willard Rooftop Lounge is located on the seventh floor of AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown.
My camera could not get enough of models and real-life couple, Kris and Jessica.
Fierce Wedding Fashion For the Win
My camera could not get enough of models and real-life couple, Jessica and Kris. Their authentic chemistry and gorgeous wedding-day attire were mesmerizing. These two were inseparable and completely in love! Energy = unmatched. Their wedding-day outfits were so prim and polished that you couldn't help but swoon.
Jessica looked timeless in a fitted-mermaid Sublime wedding dress from Vow’d Weddings. I love how the clean lines of her gown complemented the contemporary style of the venue. Try on this dress and more styles at Vow’d Weddings’ storefront in North Hills.
Can we please talk about Kris’ white tuxedo and black bow tie? Holy matrimony! I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. It’s good for the groom and/or grooms to stand out on their wedding day. Go big or go home. If you want a striking suit or trademark tuxedo, Bernard’s Formalwear in Durham is the place to go for rental or purchase. General Manager Keith Smith will make sure that you and your wedding party look and feel fantastic on the big day.
Jewelry from Diamonds Direct in Crabtree Valley Mall and beauty by Karen Michelle Clark completed Jessica’s bridal look. Y’all, Michelle is so talented! Jessica's hair and makeup was effortless and fit her so well that you would think this was her natural hairstyle! I always love working with Michelle.
This pink balloon garland by Megan Culkin, owner of Magnolia Collective, adds a colorful photo backdrop and texture to the styled shoot’s design.
The Willard Rooftop Lounge can fit as many as 250 of your friends and family comfortably.
Weddings at The Willard Rooftop at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown
When Jenna Parks, publisher of Heart of NC Weddings magazine, asked me if I was interested in photographing a brand new wedding venue in downtown Raleigh, I said absolutely! I love being a part of all things weddings and I wanted to see the new local event space myself. How amazing that I could photograph it first! Keep scrolling to learn the ins and outs of this new Raleigh NC wedding venue.
The Horizon Ballroom - Welcome to the main, indoor area of The Willard Rooftop Lounge at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown. Unlike traditional ballrooms, The Horizon Ballroom has floor-to-ceiling windows, natural light and a stunning skyline of downtown Raleigh and oak tree canopies. The 2,120-square-foot ballroom can seat 112 and 125 standing.
The Large Terrace - This area offers 10,000 square feet of blank canvas space and can seat 112 and 250 standing. The bigger of The Willard’s two outdoor event spaces is perfect for your ceremony or cocktail hour.
The Small Terrace - Enjoy soft seating, heaters and lush greenery on The Willard’s more intimate terrace. The small terrace can seat 112 and 175 standing.
The venue offers The Willard Wedding package to couples who want access to all three event spaces. I also captured some delicious on-site catering services on camera. The Willard offers Mediterranean and Spanish-influence cuisine, cocktails, wine and local craft beer. I was pregnant at the time of this styled shoot, so I didn’t get to try the alcoholic beverages, but the food was so good!
Magnolia Collective chose a sophisticated, neutral color palette for this styled shoot at The Willard Rooftop. The English Garden designed wildly romantic floral arrangements.
Caterer // The Willard Rooftop Lounge, Cake // The Cupcake Shoppe
How to Get the Dreamiest Downtown Raleigh Wedding Photos
When taking photos around midday, I always think about where the sun is. Since there are tall buildings surrounding The Willard Rooftop Lounge at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown, the sunlight will hit those buildings and bounce back onto the rooftop. With this in mind, I underexpose the camera to minimize glare in the final images (I can increase the exposure later during post-processing to make the photos extra dreamy).
Click here to discover another downtown Raleigh wedding venue that you may have not yet considered. See Raleigh Union Station transformed into a Palm Springs-inspired brunch destination.
Photographer // Fancy This Photography
Venue & Caterer // The Willard Rooftop Lounge at AC Hotel Raleigh Downtown
Planner // Magnolia Collective
Dress // Vow'd Weddings
Formalwear // Bernard's Formalwear
Jewelry // Diamonds Direct
Florist // The English Garden
Party Rentals // CE Rental
Party Rentals // ThemeWorks
Videographer // Mark Maya
Hair & Makeup // Karen Michelle Clark
Cake // The Cupcake Shoppe Raleigh
Stationer // Oakwood Invitations