Preston Woodall House

e family and friends can spend this memorable time together. Then there is the owner, Joel. Joel and his staff cover every single detail so you have nothing to worry about on the day of your wedding. Everything went so smooth, I was able to spend every minute with my friends and family. The chef, Brian, is fantastic. Our rehearsal dinner had all of our guests talking because the food was amazing. Brian even comes out and interacts with guests to ensure everything tasted as it should. The Preston Woodall House staff is like a family and during the wedding planning process you become part of that family. I really cannot praise them enough. I would highly recommend them. You will not be disappointed and are getting way more service than you pay for. When you are in Joel's hands, you will have nothing to worry about!

tter person! We fell in love with him and his staff! They helped us every step of the way, from the moment we started planning until we left! They were incredible, the venue was gorgeous, and all of my guests have said nothing but great things!

cted this venue. He has such a passion for his couples and does everything in his power to make sure that you have the most wonderful experience. He would constantly check in with us to make sure that everything was going according to plan. He is a kind hearted, genuine man who wants nothing but the best for anyone who has an event as his venue. Second, Brian the chef is OUTSTANDING! The food was absolutely delicious and carefully planned and prepared. My friends and family continue to comment about the delicious meal and cocktail hour they had at our wedding. Third, the venue itself is breathtaking. The Preston Woodall House is perfect for any type of wedding you are envisioning. The best part was that my family and bridal party were able to stay with me in the house and cottages near by for the weekend. It made the event that much more intimate and enjoyable. The outside garden is perfect for a ceremony and you and your guests will be taken care of throughout your entire wedding/event. Stephanie ran the event on our wedding day impeccably! Last, but not least, if you are looking for a venue that can provide you with almost everything you need to have a perfect wedding day, look no further! I highly encourage thinking about this venue to take a meeting with Joel. I am almost 100% sure you will book the venue before you leave! Thank you to Joel, Brian, and the entire Preston Woodall House staff for the perfect day! -Ginger-

to Preston Woodall House. They were also the most beautiful and affordable venue within 50 miles!

edding, and the house, gardens, and property were so beautiful and unique that I literally jumped up and down when I booked our wedding date. The planning process with the PWH was so easy. Joel (who also serves as a wedding director) gave me homework that let me know exactly what I needed to do, and he helped keep me on track. He was comforting and easygoing when I realized how much there is to do or when I couldn't make a decision, and he went above and beyond to look into options for the reception and to suggest vendors when I was having tough time finding a hairstylist. The entire staff was helpful, especially Chef Brian. When we showed up to our testing session and I had forgotten to mention that I was a vegetarian, he brushed it off and quickly whipped me up a vegetarian meal with no complaints. We paid for the ultimate destination package, which includes an entire weekend (Friday through Sunday) of wedding festivities. From our arrival to our departure, the weekend was perfect. The rehearsal went smoothly, and even though Joel had the flu he managed to pull himself together to make sure that the rehearsal and ceremony staging went smoothly and was perfectly timed. We planned our rehearsal dinner at the last minute, and the meal was phenomenal, and Chef Brian even made a vegetarian option for me even though I wasn't expecting anything special. And, our wedding day Saturday was perfect. So, so perfect. I came down for 30 minutes on Saturday to explain what decorations went where and who should be seated where, etc., and the staff took care of the rest. Stephanie (who is another phenomenal member of the PWH team) took care of everything and made sure that the reception was set up correctly. The PWH staff was great at setting up the staff and keeping us on schedule. Right before the ceremony, as I was waiting in the hall for my parents and as the bridal party was preparing to walk in, I was incredibly nervous. Stephanie was there to keep an eye on me and to reassure me, she made sure the bridal party knew what to do, and she fluffed my dress before I walked down the aisle. It is those little details that make the PWH a fantastic wedding venue. The staff made the transition between the ceremony and reception very quickly, and other than leaving flowers outside that were intended for the inside tables, our reception was perfect, and when we made our entrance I could see that it was decorated beautifully. We had a seated/plated dinner and the staff was very attentive: drinks were filled, plates were brought out quickly, and the service was top-notch. And again, the food was amazing. When the evening was over and our guests were gone, we had the house (mostly) to ourselves, so our closest friends were able to stay late into the night with us before eventually going home. The staff even had a turn-down service in the bridal suite, with candles, flowers and extra plates of food/cake in case we hadn't had the chance to eat. Again, wonderful details. It was a perfect, perfect weekend and I don't regret a thing. Our guests kept commenting how beautiful it was. A summary: amazing venue, delicious food, fantastic staff, wonderful weekend, a perfect wedding. Thanks for everything!

ng day. From the first time we stepped into the Preston Woodall House to the day we said “I do”, the staff was absolutely amazing. Joel and Kaitlyn made us feel more like friends than clients and that was a huge selling point for us. Joel and his staff worked tirelessly around the clock to meet our demands. We even threw in a monkey wrench a couple weeks before our wedding and Joel was very understanding and made it happen. The staff was always accessible via email and phone and their response time was very timely. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect and everything we dreamed it would be. We are still receiving compliments from friends and family regarding how beautiful our wedding was and how great the food was, thanks to Chef Brian! Not only did we choose the best venue to celebrate our marriage, but we built friendships along the way. We will be recommending the Preston Woodall House to all of our friends!!! Love, Garrett and Heather Davis

ue (and then some). We opted for the Platinum Package (keys to the estate all weekend long) and, if we could only recommend one thing, it would be to do the same! The platinum package allowed us the comfort of knowing everything would be taken care of & truly enabled us to focus on all the fun details of planning a wedding. Some of our favorite memories from the weekend came after hours with our overnight guests, an experience you cannot get at every venue. We knew we were on to something special when we met with other vendors and they got just as excited as we were when they heard we were planning our event at the Preston Woodall House! There is nothing more assuring than to hear what a wonderful reputation the PWH has in the community. And the foundation started with Joel, whom is literally the best Wedding Director you’ll find anywhere on this planet. He made us feel like we were part of the family throughout the planning process; he guided us with confidence & class and had phenomenal recommendations along the way. He was extremely flexible with our vendor selections, allowing us to truly personalize our event to our vision. Brian, the executive chef, adds an element of luxury to the menu with personalized recommendations & the best food your guests will have all wedding season (we literally got the most compliments about the food all weekend long, from the cheese grits at breakfast to the late night snacks after the reception). Not only is Brian an incredible chef, but he was also an extension of our event planning team, making sure everything came together perfectly, even after having a baby boy the same week of our wedding! The staff at PWH found ways to make our event sincerely unique all weekend long, from the personalized ice cream bar at the rehearsal dinner (something special for the groom) to the cotton candy mimosas served to the bridal party the morning of the wedding, to the customized vegetarian & kids menus and the special touch of a personalized drink for one special guest (and our very own signature drink for everyone else). If you can dream it up, this team can make it happen. Stephanie, the front of house manager, is the glue that put all the pieces (we’d worked on for months) together. Her and her team put countless hours in to each and every detail for our event, placing each decoration as if it were her own & pulled off our vision to perfection. It was so refreshing to be able to just enjoy the weekend with friends and family & not have to worry about who was going to hang the pictures in the hall, or place the favors in order. This is a gift we did not expect on wedding day, but turned out to be a true blessing. The facilities are well maintained, intimate & comfortable for all guests. The staff was extremely accommodating all weekend long, they were flexible to our requests, kind to our friends & family and really made everyone feel like a special guest. Including us! We walked in the bridal suite late on wedding night to a bed of flowers in the shape of a heart, candles lit throughout the suite & trays of wedding dinner, cake & drinks (just in case we didn’t get enough to eat). It is these special touches that warmed our hearts & welcomed us into a marriage full of love

where people needed to be, and what the best use of the space and facility was. He did well with communicating with our bridal party and all of our guest with respect, kindness, but a sternness that made people confident in following his instructions. He did an awesome job! The weekend went amazingly smooth! Everything from the rehearsal, to the rehearsal dinner, to the wedding, and even the reception was just amazing and more than what we could of hoped for. He was there orchestrating over 250 guest and staff making the weekend as smooth and as stress free as it could possibly be! Joel even called me (the bride) the day before the wedding just to see how I was doing and to ask if there was anything else that I needed upon arrival to make the weekend everything I expected. This meant the world to me and was right on time. There isn't a better venue or staff to have serve and enjoy your special day with! CATERING: The catering and meals were simply AMAZING! Not only the flavors and the taste of the food but the layout and presentation of the food was by far better than any restaurant or any other wedding (bride has been a part of 4 and groom a part of 5) that we have been to in the last 5 years that we have both lived in NC. We repeatedly get compliments from our guest in relation to how all the food was so delicious and presented so beautifully. The Chef, Brian, came out several times HIMSELF to be sure that everything met our standards of satisfaction and to ask if there was anything else that he could do or prepare! Needless to say there was absolutely nothing more that we could even fathom asking for. Brian is hands down one North Carolina’s best-kept secrets!!! REHEARSAL DINNER/CEREMONY/RECEPTION VENUE: Not only Joel (the owner), but also the entire staff went above and beyond: a. Helping to carry in decorations b. Getting sprite and crackers late at night the night before the wedding when I (the bride) fell sick the day before the wedding. c. Setting up all the decorations. d. Being sure all of the details were taken care of so that we could enjoy friends and family.

where people needed to be, and what the best use of the space and facility was. He did well with communicating with our bridal party and all of our guest with respect, kindness, but a sternness that made people confident in following his instructions. He did an awesome job! The weekend went amazingly smooth! Everything from the rehearsal, to the rehearsal dinner, to the wedding, and even the reception was just amazing and more than what we could of hoped for. He was there orchestrating over 250 guest and staff making the weekend as smooth and as stress free as it could possibly be! Joel even called me (the bride) the day before the wedding just to see how I was doing and to ask if there was anything else that I needed upon arrival to make the weekend everything I expected. This meant the world to me and was right on time. There isn't a better venue or staff to have serve and enjoy your special day with! CATERING: The catering and meals were simply AMAZING! Not only the flavors and the taste of the food but the layout and presentation of the food was by far better than any restaurant or any other wedding (bride has been a part of 4 and groom a part of 5) that we have been to in the last 5 years that we have both lived in NC. We repeatedly get compliments from our guest in relation to how all the food was so delicious and presented so beautifully. The Chef, Brian, came out several times HIMSELF to be sure that everything met our standards of satisfaction and to ask if there was anything else that he could do or prepare! Needless to say there was absolutely nothing more that we could even fathom asking for. Brian is hands down one North Carolina’s best-kept secrets!!! REHEARSAL DINNER/CEREMONY/RECEPTION VENUE: Not only Joel (the owner), but also the entire staff went above and beyond: a. Helping to carry in decorations b. Getting sprite and crackers late at night the night before the wedding when I (the bride) fell sick the day before the wedding. c. Setting up all the decorations. d. Being sure all of the details were taken care of so that we could enjoy friends and family.

, a Virginian, if she would help. Fortunately she said "yes." I found PWH on Internet. It was built @1910 and is on the National Registry of Historic Places. In October, my fiance and I met with co-owner Joel Hurley for a tour of the facility, and we both loved what we saw. From the moment I walked into the foyer and saw that photo of Scarlett O'Hara, I could imagine myself walking down the staircase and into the arms of my very own "Rhett Butler." We were also very impressed with Mr. Hurley's professionalism, the price was in our budget, and we decided PWH would be the perfect place for our wedding. We got the Ultimate Destination Wedding Package, which gave us use of the main house (5 bedrooms) and 3 on-site guest cottages (for a total of 13 bedrooms). Knowing zero about NC, Mr. Hurley was of immeasurable assistance for my mother and me during the planning process. He suggested a minister, a bakery, a florist, a DJ, and a photographer--all of whom I used and was 100% satisfied. Instead of a rehearsal dinner on Friday night, December 20, we opted for a cocktail party for out-of-town guests. PWH was beautifully decorated for Christmas, with 13 trees throughout the main house all lit up for the holiday! It was absolutely breathtaking. Chef Brian Stillwaugh did a fabulous job preparing the hors d'oeuvres we had selected (spanikopitas; brochettes topped with pesto, alloueette, and smoked salmon; deviled eggs topped with caviar; mushrooms stuffed with corn, cilantro, peppers and Asiago cheese; cajun chicken, shrimp, roasted vegetable and ham and cheddar cheese smoked turkey pinwheels). Everything was delicious! The wedding and reception were both held in the 2,800 beautifully decorated Cora Lily Ballroom, which had plenty of room for the ceremony at one end and dinner/dancing at the other. Dinner following the ceremony was equally as delicious as Friday night's cocktail party food. We chose the chardonnay chicken and beef bourguignon for entrees, and garlic mashed potatoes, and zucchini stuffed with asparagus and julienne carrots. Breakfast was included for Friday and Saturday night guests (scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, bacon, sausage, blueberry pancakes, an assortment of fresh fruit, cereal, coffee and tea). All yummy! Overall I would rate my experience as exceptional. Mr. Hurley and his staff are friendly and accommodating. I cannot thank them enough for everything they did to help my mother and me with the wedding. I highly recommend PWH to anybody looking for a beautiful setting for a wedding or any other type of celebration. My heartfelt thanks to Mr. Joel Hurley, Mr. Brian Stillwaugh, and all the other PWH staffers for making my wedding such a beautiful day. Sincerely, Lauren and William Atkins

asked for better accommodations. The wedding was gorgeous and the food delicious. Chef Brian is the bomb. The staff were very attentive and a pleasure to work with. Owner, Joel Hurley was also my wedding planner and my director and all I can say is it wouldn't have been as wonderful as it was without his help and guidance. PWH is the best place to have your wedding and reception.

al and helpful; they truly made our day something special. The garden area for our ceremony was beautiful in September and the way the area is enclosed by trees, shrubs and flowers made the ceremony very intimate. The wedding party as well as our family and guests were treated with the utmost care and respect. Chef Brian is phenomenal and the buffet dinner we had was delicious. We had a guest list of approx 140 including children and it never felt crowded at any point during the ceremony or reception. We had sparklers for our exit and the staff coordinated the lining up and lighting/disposal of the sparklers which was extremely helpful and a great touch! Joel and his staff were always available and accessible throughout the entire planning process and leading up to the big day. Preston Woodall also has multiple package options for a variety of price ranges, so it truly can work on almost any budget for any bride. It can be stressful planning a wedding but after every meeting with Joel and his staff I always came away less stressed and on the wedding day they truly work to make it run smoothly and as stress free as possible! The total cost of service included the venue for the rehearsal, ceremony, and reception as well as the linens, chairs, food, and drinks.

beer bottle get dropped on the floor and within seconds there were three gentlemen there cleaning it all up and it was done without interupting the events. We would definatley reccoment them to our friends and family for their events and revisit them ourselves in the future!

wedding planner were the BEST!! Everything went so smooth. Everything from start to finish was elegant, top- notch and breath taking! The staff was excellent, food delicious! Thanks to Chef Brian! If you're looking for a wedding venue/reception for your up-coming wedding/reception you can't go wrong with Preston Woodall House in Benson, NC. It was a magical wedding reception! Thanks again Tracy Adams from Adams & Events. The perfect wedding planner!She was FABULOUS!!!!

ressed Bride that questioned everything. I never imagined that everything would come together as it did. I was truly taken care of when I chose this venue. My guests told me this was the best wedding they had been to. Thank you PWH for an amazing experience that was absolutely unforgettable.

perfect just because of the house, but my wedding was outstanding because i didn't have 1 thing to worry about. It was all handled by diane and the food was perfect. We stayed in the house that night and had a meal, a piece of our wedding cake, and wine glasses waiting by our bed. They are good at what they do and the place is perfect.

fun they had. The food was AMAZING, the staff were a BLAST, and the house and grounds were so unique! I loved that they had the cottages which most of my family stayed in for the weekend, the stories of the after party are still rolling in! All and all my wedding was the best party I have ever been to in my life and the Preston Woodall House made that happen!!!!

our goal. The ballroom, house, and grounds were gorgeous and made a very nice backdrop for our pictures. The beds were very comfortable. The staff was so friendly and helpful. They never tired of answering my many questions, and on the day of my big day, there wasn't anything that they wouldn't do to ensure perfection. I honestly cannot say anything bad about this place... everything was great. We got married on 4/2/11 and hopefully, we'll be able to use this venue again in the future.

e bridesmaids and I spent the night after the rehearsal dinner and were fed an incredible breakfast wedding morning! Diane let us make the house personable as if the wedding took place at my house and everyone loved it!! The food was fabulous from the tasting to the reception. Adam is a wonderful chef! The PWH is the perfect one-stop for your wedding day!! It allows your guest to feel at home for the day!! Thank you PWH for making our dream wedding come true!!

ll and requires me to do little coordination! My planning process has been very easy and stress free so far. GREAT venue!

work with.

venue is beautiful, and made a lovely backdrop for the lace and pearls wedding I had planned. We were there for the entire weekend and although the shower situation was a little tricky in a 100 year old house, it certainly added to the memories. During the weekend of the wedding, the wedding coordinator - Diane - was there to help us organize and set-up. Sh actually did all of the set-up with her staff and saved me a huge amount of time and energy. She was amazing and true asset to the venue. The day of the wedding Diane worked with us to keep everything in line and on track and it all went off without a hitch. Overall we were very satisfied and have a wonderful memories from the entire weekend.