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701 Whaley

4.7

(20)

701 Whaley St, Columbia, SC

About This Vendor

Located in the heart of Columbia's Olympia Mill Village. The property includes a lovely paved courtyard that surrounds the building, spacious catering area, Grand Staircase, a well appointed Bridal/Green Room, magnificent windows and many original historic features. Impressive entry doors, period style restrooms and original textured walls provide a distinctive backdrop. The Grand Hall, 6,000 sq.ft. with large windows, grand staircase, a glass storefront, original columns.The Olympia Room upstairs boasts hardwood floors, tall windows and original turn buckle queen trusses and at 2000 sq.ft., is a more intimate space for ceremonies or parties. The Granby Room is a street level glass storefront space with 2 double door entrances and raw character of its own. It is approximately 2600 sq.ft.

Amenities + Details

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Indoor Event Space

Reception Area

Handicap Accessible

Liability Insurance

On-Site Accommodations

Outdoor - Covered

Outdoor - Not Covered

Wireless Internet

Guest Capacity

300+

Settings

Backyard, Ballroom, Historic Venue

Venue Service Offerings

Food & Catering

701 Whaley Reviews

Reviewed On 8/27/2020 by Lisa C

Tom and Victoria are so easy and Greta to work with! 701 is so beautiful and a huge open space to turn your dreams into a reality! I had my wedding reception there and it turned out so beautiful! Highly recommended!

Response from the Vendor on 08/27/2020

We are so glad we had the honor of hosting you for your special day! Thank you for your kind words.

Reviewed On 1/12/2019 by Christine D

When my husband and I first got engaged, I already knew that 701 Whaley was one of my top choices - and for good reason! The venue space is flexible, so we were able to really transform the space into something really unique (something we could...

n't find in other venues). Tom is great to work with, including his team too. Because we rented out two rooms (one for ceremony and one for reception), the third upstairs was open and would not be rented out! So it was a perfect place to have our first look. I would recommend this space for anyone looking for a blank canvas venue!

Response from the Vendor on 01/14/2019

Hey, Christine! It was such a pleasure to have the honor of hosting you! Please let us know what we can do to earn 5 stars.

Reviewed On 5/10/2018 by Stephanie T

Best venue for any event! Tom and Victoria are super responsive and helpful. Booking is so easy and you can choose all of your vendors.

Response from the Vendor on 05/11/2018

Thank you so much! We are so glad we could make it an easy and enjoyable process.

Reviewed On 1/18/2017 by Brandi W

We used 701 for our ceremony and reception. Everything was awesome! Tom is so easy to deal with and willing to accommodate to what you need! You're able to do whatever you'd like with the space and there was plenty of room for our guests of 200...

. We had a beautiful wedding at 701 and couldn't have asked for anything better!

Reviewed On 12/28/2016 by Ashlynn M

If you're looking for a beautiful, vintage feel - 701 Whaley is a hit! We reserved the Grand Hall (6000 sqft!) and the Bridal Room (lovely, roomy loft area) for both our ceremony and reception. It was more than enough room for both! With this ...

venue, it comes with the perks of being able to do any type of decorating style you would like; however, you wouldn't need to do much because of the natural beauty that is already there! The only con is that because it is such a popular venue, you would have to book a room for the night of your rehearsal as well to guarantee that you will have it. We got lucky and the event the night of our rehearsal was cancelled, so we were able to have the room. Tom is great to work with, and is able to answer any questions you would have. HUGE thank you to 701 Whaley for being the setting of such a beautiful night!

Reviewed On 5/04/2016 by Laura W

Gorgeous space and Tom was so easy and helpful to work with. I couldn't have had a better space.

Reviewed On 7/29/2014 by Julie L

I just had my wedding here at 701 Whaley. The venue is very unique and all the guests loved it. As the bride you are responsible to bring in your own vendors (food, flowers, etc).

Reviewed On 1/30/2014 by Valene S

701 Whaley is the perfect place for a large wedding reception. There was a ton of space for all of our activities, a place for the bridal party to get ready, etc. And, it's a blank canvas so you can really do whatever you want with it. Also, th...

ey weren't strict about time, which was great because I never felt rushed.

Reviewed On 8/07/2013 by Ashley M

This was our second choice, but it worked out so well! We had enough space in the grand hall for our ceremony and reception! Blank canvas that can be turned into anything.

Reviewed On 6/10/2013 by Jessica W

This place is a blank slate you can do anything with. I absolutely loved it, and it was exactly what we were looking for! It's a little pricey and fills up quickly, but we thought it was worth it.

Reviewed On 5/17/2013 by Kristen

I loved my venue!!! Highly recommend anyone who wants an indoor wedding and reception to look into 701! Beautiful building!

Reviewed On 4/05/2013 by Kristen H

701 Whaley has lost of character and will make any reception beautiful.

Reviewed On 7/12/2012 by Julie S

My husband and I loved having our reception at 701 Whaley! The venue offers a wide open space that allows you to make it everything you want it to be and more! I also LOVED the rustic view and feel that the building provides! For a beautiful...

reception, I highly recommend 701 Whaley!

Reviewed On 1/22/2012 by Christine

I had my heart set on this space. When I pictured my wedding, I pictured it here. So, when I became engaged I had my name added to a list for a particular date. I was not ready to commit immediately because I felt like I should compare price...

s. I was told if someone else wanted that date I would be given a courtesy call so I could make my final decision. One day, I called, to check in, and find out, to my surprise, that my date was given away, and I never received a courtesy call. Even though, they suggested another date, I knew the level of professionalism shown was not a good fit for me.

Reviewed On 11/28/2011 by Bailey W

I knew about the place a long time ago and told myself i would get married there. Tom is easy to work with, and the place is well worth the money. We did our ceremony upstairs, and reception downstairs. The only problems were lack of parking ...

(because its a downtown area) and you have to book at least a year or more in advance.

Reviewed On 9/11/2011 by Rachel L

Tom was so helpful in making sure everything was exactly how we wanted it. The venue is the most versatile in Columbia.

Reviewed On 8/25/2011 by Peggy, StepMom of Groom, Chris M

We had 300 guests & seated most. Had food stations, double sided bar, band, dance floor, 2 lounge areas, & still had plenty of room. Books up a year in advance. Well worth the wait. Can choose your own caterer. Tom Chinn was great to work w...

ith.

Reviewed On 8/17/2011 by Katie S

I really like the style and location of this venue. I wanted to consider this for my wedding/reception, but even at a year out, they didn't have any Saturdays available for the month I wanted. They were very responsive to my email questions and...

suggested alternative dates. You also have to option to hire your own caterer in addition to other vendors, which can be a great money saver.

Reviewed On 6/30/2011 by Dell P

wonderful space for a reception - open and airy. renter very easy to work with and accommodating

Reviewed On 4/03/2011 by Kimberly N

Great open space with stunning architecture. It was the perfect setting for my architect daughter and son-in-law's wedding. They included 100 Chivari chairs and 10 round tables as well as 3 banquet tables that reduced the amount of rentals Th...

ey were very accommodating and the venue was very convenient to the downtown Vista hotel accommodations.