FAQ

Yes, the venue offers ample parking for you and your guests. We have 90 paved spaces plus overflow parking in the driveway and grass. We ask that all cars are removed at the completion of the event. If overnight parking is required, cars must be removed by 10am the next day or will be subject to being towed.

Getting-ready suite access starts at 10 am. Exclusive Vendors on our required vendor list may begin early setup at 10 am, and all other vendors may begin setup at 12 pm. If additional time is needed for set-up, or getting ready, additional hours can be added in advance and may require an additional fee.

Our Rose Garden is a protected horticultural collection, curated and maintained to preserve the health and integrity of our heritage rose varieties. To safeguard this space, we do not allow outside flowers, plants, or greenery to be brought onto the property. Outside botanicals can carry pests, soil-borne diseases, or invasive species that could harm or permanently disrupt the garden’s ecosystem.

Our floral partners are carefully vetted to meet our horticultural standards, ensuring that anything brought onsite is safe for the garden and landscaping. If you have a specific floral vision, we’re happy to connect you with trusted partners who can bring it to life while protecting this special space for years to come.

No, we require that you use our in-house caterer, Donovan’s Dish, for your event. Donovan’s Dish is an award-winning catering company with menus and service that are the best around! Cakes and other dessert items are welcome from other licensed bakers.

If your event requires Halal meat or traditional Indian or South Asian cuisine, we do offer one coordinated cultural catering option for an additional fee. This allows us to maintain our standards, service flow, and guest experience while accommodating important culinary traditions.

Please inquire with us online if your event requires this accommodation.

Included in our Wedding Package are two beautiful, spacious, and fully separate dressing suites that our couples may use for getting ready on the wedding day. We also have a separate ADA private dressing suite with wheelchair lift available upon request.

Wedding party access to the Main House and suites begins at 10 am. Additional hours for earlier access can be added upon request for a fee.

The Main House can accommodate intimate groups of up to 50, the Trestle Lounge can accommodate 220 standing and 150 seated, and the Grand Ballroom can accommodate up to 299 guests seated and 440 standing.

We also have beautiful outdoor spaces with an indoor/outdoor bar connecting the spaces to allow for even more seating. Outdoor space can be tented to accommodate larger groups.

Yes, a wedding planner is required. At a minimum, all couples must select either a day-of coordinator or a month-of coordinator from our required planner list to ensure the event runs seamlessly. These planners are trusted professionals who know the estate and have proven experience managing weddings at Donovan Manor.

For South Asian weddings, a full planning package with one of our required planners is necessary to coordinate the unique elements and extended timelines of these celebrations.

You must use Donovan’s Dish for your catering and Donovan Manor for your bar. We have a required list for your essential rentals, planner or coordinator services, and florals. For your convenience, we also include in your rental packet a list of our preferred vendors for other categories, such as photographers, transportation, officiants, etc., but for those categories, you may choose a vendor outside of our list if desired.

The ultimate cost of a single-day venue rental will be influenced by various factors, including the time of year, the day of the week, and the services you choose.

• Monday - Thursday: $3,000 - $4,500

• Friday: $7,000 - $10,000

• Saturday: $9,000 - $14,000

• Sunday: $6,000 - $9,000

A beverage minimum applies to all weekend events. Please inquire here for our pricing guide.

We provide tables and chairs for 175 guests, but you will rent your linens, plates, glassware, and flatware. We want you to be able to customize your event to fit your style and vision, and renting the tabletop items is a fun part of the design process! We will connect you with our preferred event rental company so you can set up your showroom appointment to choose your tabletop rentals.

While many clients choose to incorporate a dance floor into their design, renting one is not required. Dance floor rentals must come through one of our rental partners.

Events conclude by 11 pm, followed by a dedicated one-hour window for vendor breakdown and cleanup to ensure a smooth and timely close to your celebration.

One of the perks of Donovan Manor is the peaceful and spacious surroundings while being just 12 miles from downtown Raleigh. There are many hotels to choose from for your hotel blocks in Fuquay-Varina, Raleigh, Cary, and Holly Springs. We are happy to share our list of recommended hotels listed by distance at your request.

Yes, a pre-arranged, one-hour ceremony rehearsal is included in the venue rental. Rehearsals generally occur at 11 am the day before the wedding. Please contact your venue representative if you’d like to inquire about a different time.

Donovan Manor offers a variety of wonderful ceremony and reception options, both outdoors and indoors, so nothing needs to be sacrificed in the case of inclement weather.

We are so happy you’d like to host your special day at Donovan Manor, and we can’t wait to work with you! Please reach out to us to inquire about the availability of your event date. To secure your date, we require a signed contract and a paid retainer. We look forward to hearing from you!