The Upchurch is a wedding venue situated in Cary, NC. This historic six-acre estate dates back to 1905 and is home to spacious grounds that include scenic lawns, magnificent magnolias, and a picturesque pond. The Main House and Conservatory overlook the waterfront and gardens and provide an idyllic setting for refined and romantic celebrations. Classic elegance blends with modern elements, and each event space has been reimagined as the perfect backdrop for weddings and special events.
Begin your wedding journey at The Upchurch in the beautifully appointed dressing suites inside The Main House, which exudes homely comfort with an upscale twist. Then, make your way to The Magnolia Lawn for your outdoor ceremony, where guests will await your arrival at the altar, surrounded by stunning magnolia trees. The ceremony site features a 2,000-square-foot circular lawn surrounded by tall trees, greenery, and views of the Main House. Afterward, while you roam the estate and pose by the pond for photographs, guests can enjoy cocktail hour on The Magnolia Lawn and The Main House and Terrace. Evening receptions take place in The Conservatory, an airy, spacious ballroom that seats up to 225 guests. Here, minimalist decor and pristine white paintwork combine with touches of traditional charm. Statement light fixtures shape the ceiling while large windows on three sides offer scenic vistas of the grounds. The dedicated staff supplies a locally custom-made bar, cocktail tables, round and banquet tables, 200 Bentwood beech chairs, and more. This is a wheelchair-accessible venue with luxurious restrooms and ample parking onsite.
The event team at The Upchurch collaborates exclusively with premium caterers, Rocky Top Catering. For over 20 years, the talented culinary team has designed customized menus for private parties and wedding events. You can connect with the team to share your vision and cuisine requests. A member of the in-house team will recommend trusted suppliers and wedding planners to facilitate the planning process. A venue host will oversee the smooth running of events on your wedding day, ensuring that guests feel welcome from start to finish. The wedding package includes the use of both indoor and outdoor event spaces, access to a wedding rehearsal, the provision of reception and ceremony furnishings, and more. You can connect with Cara Powell, owner and operator, and her esteemed team to begin bringing your vision to life!
Yuna Kim(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-05-2022 The Upchurch is FANTASTIC. We only have the highest praise to offer them. Cara and Hannah and the Upchurch team are responsive, intentional, so SO kind, professional, and so understanding of their clients. They are thoughtful in the curation of their events and how to best serve each couple. I'm so happy I trusted Cara when the Upchurch was first being built and took that leap of faith because the venue is the PERFECT place to get married. EVERY corner of the venue has a purpose and provides a seamless wedding experience. The venue is gorgeous, but the team behind the venue is what really makes Upchurch stand out. As the first couple to get married at Upchurch, we are so excited to see how the space continues to evolve and change and become a place where other people tie the knot!! I would 100000% recommend the Upchurch for ANY of your events, especially your wedding! I can't speak enough about how prepared the team was for any potential obstacle that could have come our way. Upchurch for life!! Reviewed on 29-05-2022
Abbie Duke(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Wow!!! We got married yesterday at The Upchurch and I couldn’t have asked for a better day! Cara and Hannah are truly amazing and kind people. They are very responsive and fun to work with. I have been to The Upchurch ever since it was under construction and I knew that when Cara’s vision came to life it would be beautiful! We had about 160 people and there was an ample amount of space in the dressing rooms, the lawn, downstairs in the main house and the conservatory! If I could do it all again I would be right back at this venue as it is truly beautiful and accommodating for any party size. Jake and I thank you for such an awesome time and helping us each day to make our wedding day perfect! Reviewed on 10-12-2023
Brittany Schroeder(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Choosing The Upchurch as our venue was the easiest part of our wedding planning process. Beyond the stunning venue and impressive amenities, one of the early draws that won us over was Hannah’s charm and dedication to clients. During our tour she took the time to get to know us as a couple and had an extensive knowledge of the venue and the industry that made us want to work with her. When we did sign she remembered small details from our initial encounter such as what my husband calls his grandma and so on, and that level of attention to clients did not go unnoticed it was beyond appreciated! Hannah makes you feel like you are the only couple getting married there! The owner of The Upchurch, Cara, has put so much intention into curating pieces for the venue. The grooms suite is often forgotten or last on the list for venues but that is not true for The Upchurch. The grooms suite was actually one of the highlights for us because of how thoughtfully decorated and stocked it was. The decor on the walls, the gorgeous mirror, the stunning couch upstairs, and the incredible bridal suite are just some of the details that showcase Cara’s thoughtful attention to detail and prove that her career in wedding photography was put to use in thinking through the design and decor of the venue. Both Hannah and Cara were quick to respond to emails and were open to sharing recommendations throughout the process. These impressive ladies are industry experts and it shows, they have so many connections and recommendations to share that are such value adds to the couples that book with them! We enjoyed seeing our guests use the porch for cocktail hour and dance the night away in the conservatory. The Upchurch is a venue that offers a combination of indoor and outdoor giving you that southern charm with so many flexible options. We could not have planned for a more magical day than had and we owe it to The Upchurch team for their help throughout the process! Reviewed on 04-12-2023
Elise Marvin(other)5 out of 5 Rating
The Upchurch was the perfect venue for our November wedding!Cara and Hannah are both so knowledgeable about all things weddings and were willing to answer all of our questions and provide guidance. We were planning the wedding from a distance and they were accommodating to our needs and very responsive to emails. The venue is only about 15 minutes from the airport which was a plus for our guests who flew in for the wedding weekend.I liked the romantic yet modern style. Cara’s photography expertise is evident in the design of the venue. We loved that the venue has different spaces for the different parts of the wedding day to help the event flow well. We had so much fun on our wedding day and our guests did too. So glad we chose the Upchurch for our wedding! Reviewed on 29-11-2023
Ammu Vijay(other)5 out of 5 Rating
I recently had my wedding in Oct 2023 at the Upchurch and could not have been happier that I did! We had a big, multi day, multicultural wedding and it was difficult to find one venue that had everything that we needed (indoor, outdoor space for 130 people and 3 different events).The venue itself is unique because of the history of modern but vintage vibe it has. Because of the different spaces, we were able to create a different feel for each of our unique events: 1) a hindu ceremony outdoors, 2) a welcome reception outdoors, 3) catholic ceremony indoors, 4) cocktail hour in the house, and 5) reception indoors. The possibilities are endless and I feel like we really maxed out the spaces they had available to us! The bridal suite was spacious and had everything we needed for 1 bride, 8 bridesmaids, and 2 moms - a speaker, stocked fridge, great lighting, outlets, and plenty of space. The guys room was also great (albeit smaller) and had everything they needed.Aside from the venue itself, the staff is so sweet and incredible - Cara and Hannah are the best part about the venue because they are so helpful, kind, and responsive. We had a lot of back and forth questions via email/phone and they were quick to find an answer for us regardless of what it was. I can't say enough good things about them, their attention to detail, and the overall experience.One note to other brides, especially those having a multicultural wedding - we weren't able to come into the venue space as early as we wanted prior to our morning ceremony, which ended up costing me extra to move our hair/makeup team over in the middle of their services. It ended up being okay, but would just clarify early if you need to get into the venue earlier than a \"standard\" wedding day! Reviewed on 30-10-2023
Gauri Kallianos(other)5 out of 5 Rating
I’m someone who appreciates reviews so when I have a noteworthy experience, it feels important for me to share my thoughts. I had my fusion wedding at The Upchurch in April 2023 (South Asian, Italian, Greek). My partner and I first met Hannah and Cara, the owner, at The Upchurch right after they hosted their first wedding. From the moment we met them, we knew they were special. There are two things to address here: 1) the people of The Upchurch 2) the venue itself. From the beginning, Hannah and Cara made us feel like family. They spoke to us with kindness and respect, giving us their full attention when engaging with us, and expressed a genuine willingness to help, brainstorm, and support. They are just downright amazing humans. Our experience only got sweeter when we booked The Upchurch and they continued to amaze us by being allies for us through every aspect of wedding planning. This extends all of the way through wedding week and wedding day, when they surprised us with a very thoughtful gift at the rehearsal, and jumped in ready to rescue me on wedding day when I needed additional support. Now, let’s move on to the venue. Because of Cara’s experience in wedding photography, she has an eye for design that is evident in many aspects of the venue. We’ve noticed that Cara, her husband, and Hannah all treat this venue like their baby with a lot of attention and care. Indian weddings often have multiple events that are in different locations. Before finding The Upchurch, we looked at farm-like venues that required a lot of walking between spaces or gravel paths to navigate which would have forced us to get creative trying to figure out how to smoothly transport older relatives to each part of the property throughout the day. The Upchurch has it all. We were able to plan multiple events on the same day in different locations on the property that all had unique vibes. Overall, it was smooth and easy for our guests to flow through the day and the property. For example, you could have a ceremony on the Magnolia Lawn, cocktail hour at The House and Patio, and a reception in The Conservatory. We also had a really fun baraat to honor my Indian roots in the parking lot at the start of the day! I am a nature lover so it is also wonderful that The Upchurch has greenery, a beautiful treeline, gorgeous flowers in front of the house, and a water feature in the back of The Conservatory. It’s hard to believe the venue is right off the road given all of that, but we loved how easy it was for our guests to get there and take advantage of their large on-site parking lot. The coolest thing about all of the spaces on the property is that they are pretty on their own and can serve as an amazing framework if you’d like to elevate from there. Our wedding party enjoyed the bridal suite and the guys loved the vibe of the groom's area. Our vendors appreciated that there was a room dedicated to them and their things throughout the day. We feel really lucky to have found this venue and its people. Our big day was absolutely more special because of their presence, impact, and thoughtfulness. We love The Upchurch and we hope you do too! Reviewed on 30-09-2023
Jennifer Medina(other)5 out of 5 Rating
The Upchurch is a wonderful venue and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone! We had our wedding there in August 2023 and have only great things to say about it. Cara has created a wonderful venue that keeps the historic nature of the beautiful house with modern updates and additions. The total look and furnishings of the house inside and out made for perfect backgrounds to our pictures. The bride and groom suites were well thought out in design and worked out perfectly for getting ready. We had our ceremony on the lawn which provided with plenty of room for our guests. Though the day ended up very hot, the house accommodated everyone during the cocktail hour. And the conservatory provided with plenty of space for dinner and dancing at our reception after. Cara and Hannah were wonderful to work with and we could not have planned our wedding and had it turn out so well without them. They are both very kind and thoughtful people! Both provided us with lots of recommendations, advice, and overall help during our planning process with greatly decreased our stress. They are easy to get into contact with and answered all of our questions. Highly recommend choosing the Upchurch and working with them for any event (especially great for weddings!). Reviewed on 30-09-2023
kelsey summers(other)5 out of 5 Rating
100% book this venue!! Cara and Hannah were WONDERFUL and The Upchurch is the perfect location!! Beautiful property that is secluded without having to drive over an hour outside of RDU. Your guests can enjoy the inside of the house which was a huge hit. You will absolutely have your dream wedding here! Reviewed on 23-06-2023
Hannah Chambers(other)5 out of 5 Rating
I love the upchurch! Me and my husband had a great experience and Cara and Hannah were great to work with. Always helping us no matter what it was. It’s such a beautiful venue and I’m so happy to say I got married in such a beautiful historic house. Reviewed on 12-06-2023
Regan Lane(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 13-05-2023 We absolutely loved having our May wedding at the Upchurch! We booked in early 2022 when the venue was still under construction. From the very beginning, Hannah and Cara were absolutely fabulous to work with! They were always available for questions via email, meetings in person, etc. We ended up booking the same day as our initial tour because I loved it so much, even unfinished! Leading up to the wedding, Hannah and Cara were on top of all the details, working with our wedding planner seamlessly. Our wedding was even more perfect than I could have hoped for! Our guests were all talking about what a beautiful venue it was. Could not recommend the Upchurch enough!!!! Reviewed on 30-05-2023
Danielle Bajorek(other)5 out of 5 Rating
I could not recommend The Upchurch and their incredible team more as the perfect place to host an event, especially if you hope it exceeds your wildest dreams. Hannah (main contact) and Cara (owner) absolutely went above and beyond in guiding us from start to finish with every little detail to ensure we hosted the wedding reception of our COVID dreams, while also encouraging us to find our style and ensure the venue complemented our style perfectly! All of the special touches provided an extra thoughtful addition to our day and your hard work from before we booked the venue to after the event ended did not go unnoticed. The venue is absolutely gorgeous and they were so easy to work with when it came to providing ideas and customizing the space to work well for our group of ~180 guests. They were flexible regarding finding times to communicate to accommodate our work schedules and were always there to assist with reaching out to vendors to make the process as smooth as possible. The modern yet classic feel of the venue was exactly what we were looking for and close to Cary/Apex/Raleigh where none of our guests were traveling out of the way to get to our event. The staff truly has such a gift and I look forward to seeing the space continue to be used to capture and create incredible wedding/event memories for many others over the years to come! Reviewed on 17-05-2023
Allie Whisnant(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 29-04-2023 My husband and I got engaged the week before The Upchurch’s first wedding in May of 2022. I had not yet heard of the venue and I am beyond thankful that my sister found out about it and showed it to me! The aesthetic is a nice change of pace from the extremely industrial or barn style venues that seem to be the main options in the triangle. With a historic home, lawn, modern yet classic building (the conservatory) and a pond, you really get a little bit of everything with this venue. The restored home is absolutely stunning, as is the rest of the property. The various features and furnishings provide just enough for you to keep your style simple but decorated without spending a ton of money on speciality rentals, but there is plenty of space to bring things in if you’d like to go all out. As for the people, I can’t say enough about Cara (the owner) and Hannah. Cara has been in the industry for years and is very knowledgeable about the ins and outs of everything, including local vendors. They were very communicative and always willing to help and even go the extra mile when I had questions or needed advice. I highly, highly recommend the Upchurch! Reviewed on 17-05-2023
Amanda Naughton(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-12-2022 Cara, Hannah, and the rest of the Upchurch team helped give us the wedding of our dreams, and we can't say enough good things about their team and venue.We locked our wedding date in while it was still under construction, and to see their vision come to life was an absolute treat. The house, reception hall, and grounds are simply stunning and so well maintained.Their team was always communicative and flexible with any changes, helpful with making suggestions and pointing out details to incorporate based on what had worked at previous events, and kept everything organized and running smooth on our wedding day.If you're considering the Upchurch as your venue, you will be beyond ecstatic with your event if you choose them. Reviewed on 21-02-2023
C Carmichael(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-11-2022 We had such an incredible time having our wedding and reception at the Upchurch. The venue was beautiful. It encompassed both an old and new feel with the historic house up front and the newly designed conservatory in the back. The site is surrounded by gorgeous lawns and gardens which added to the ambiance and looked beautiful in our photos. Working with both Cara and Hannah was a great experience. Hannah was amazing as the Venue Manager and our Wedding Coordinator. She made every effort to accommodate us, was super friendly and helpful, and was quick to respond to questions. Hannah did a fantastic job coordinating the various vendors and keeping them informed of all the details. It really simplified the process. She also did an awesome job keeping things running so smoothly the day of the wedding which let us just enjoy the day. There were many highlights, but we appreciated the flexibility to build a do-it-yourself photo booth for the reception in the front room of the house. It was a truly special day that we will never forget!Crissy and Bob Reviewed on 16-02-2023
Ali Dougherty(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 26-11-2022 We absolutely adored getting to celebrate our wedding ceremony and reception at the Upchurch Venue! It is an absolute stunning venue. We had a ton of space to get ready in their bridal and groom suites upstairs. The grounds were perfect for our outdoor ceremony. Lastly, the Conservatory was stunning for the reception! Hannah and Cara were extremely helpful and wonderful to work with along the way! Reviewed on 29-12-2022
Emma Spurr(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-10-2022 The UpChurch is an incredible venue. We held our wedding here and our guests were raving about it for months after! The historic home is beautifully decorated, the owner, Cara, poured her heart and soul into the venue and it is evident in all the beautiful pieces of artwork she selected for the home. There is a conservatory space which is the perfect reception space! It is an open canvas, so brides can create the space of their dreams. Not only is the space amazing, but the owner and venue manager are some of the kindest people you will meet! You can tell when someone is doing what they love, and all the staff of The UpChurch truly care about their clients. I had such a great experience working with The UpChurch team. I will 100% recommend The UpChurch to anyone looking to get married in the Triangle! Reviewed on 08-12-2022
Kristen Joseph(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-11-2022 I cannot even begin to explain how amazing The Upchurch is. My husband and I booked The Upchurch while it was still under construction - the reason being the two ladies that are the face of the venue, Cara and Hannah. We had the absolute best experience working with both of them, from their VERY timely responsiveness in emails to the several scheduled tours, up to the wedding day, they were fantastic. I think it's so important to not only fall in love with the look and feel of your wedding venue space, but also the people behind it. It really transforms your experience and I am so lucky that we found them. The wedding venue itself is stunning, the Main House is the perfect space for cocktail hour, and the artwork inside of it was carefully selected by Cara - she has a story behind each selected piece of artwork, which is so cool. The Lawn is dynamic with different lay out options, we chose to face the trees which I thought was amazing given the bride's walk from the Main House. And finally, the conservatory is beautiful - overlooking the pond with the fountain, the detail inside and outside of this space is incredible. I feel like The Upchurch is one of the more unique venues in The Triangle area as it pulls in different styles from modern to traditional, which is what really interested my husband and I. Above all, these ladies are so invested in making your day perfect and I could not recommend getting married at The Upchurch more! SO excited to get our photos back and see how beautiful their venue was captured! Reviewed on 18-11-2022
Erin McGovern(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 30-09-2022 Cara and Hannah are AMAZING! We cannot recommend The Upchurch and working with them enough. We booked at The Upchurch when it was just the house on a dirt lot. At our initial tour, Hannah made us feel so comfortable and helped us to see Cara's vision for the spaces and we are so glad that we decided to book! We were married on the Friday that hurricane Ian came through Raleigh and everyone at The Upchurch went above and beyond to make our day so special despite the hurricane rain and winds, including being more than prepared for anything that could have happened! Cara called us the night before to give us some encouraging words about the weather and it was so special to hear from her and is a true testament to how much they care about the couples getting married at The Upchurch! The spaces at the venue are beautiful and you can tell that every detail was carefully thought about. Cara and Hannah are so kind, thoughtful, and patient and truly went above and beyond to make our day special. I cannot speak highly enough of them and you will not regret booking your wedding at The Upchurch! Reviewed on 24-10-2022
Madison Hansen(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 09-09-2022 This venue is the most gorgeous place to hold your wedding or event. There are so many spaces in just one location, the main house we used for cocktail hour, the magnolia lawn for the ceremony, and the conservatory for the reception. It was absolutely perfect. Every detail of this venue is so well thought out and it’s beauty helps elevate your wedding vision. Aside from how perfect this venue is visually (especially the bridal suite, ugh I love it), the owner Cara and manager Hannah have got to be the most organization, prepared, thoughtful, and incredible people I have ever met. They went above and beyond to make our day perfect and I know they treat every couple like they are on top of the world, which is a beautiful way to run this business. Please take a tour, you will fall in love! Reviewed on 16-09-2022
Lilliann Mathews(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 13-08-2022 From start to finish, working with the Upchurch for our wedding reception was absolutely fabulous. What first drew us to the venue was the opportunity to have an authentic North Carolina feel to our special day. The the outdoor space is tucked between staple pine trees and beautiful landscaping. It also offered ample indoor space which was important to us hosting a summer event and really makes it a great choice regardless of what season you are considering. Working with Cara and Hannah was a pleasure, they were always responsive to questions, helpful with suggestions and recommendations, and flexible with us during the planning process. Though they are a new venue (as of 2022), the staff and preferred vendors are veterans in the wedding industry and that was apparent throughout the planning process and event execution. Highly recommend considering the Upchurch for you wedding or other special event! Reviewed on 26-08-2022
Katie Stroud(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-06-2022 We left our venue with only 6 months to find a new one and luckily came across the Upchurch! Cara met me and my family in the snow to show us around the property and instantly fell in love! Cara and Hannah are both amazing to work with and made us feel so comfortable in our desicion, we knew we could trust them with our wedding day! The venue is perfect from the getting ready suite, to the light fixtures, to the conservatory! Each space is so unique And little details are everywhere! We had such a great time and all of our guests are still raving about the Upchurch! Reviewed on 19-06-2022
Chelsea Hand(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-05-2022 The Upchurch exceeded expectations in so many ways! Not only is the venue absolutely stunning, the owners and manager were so easy to work with, responsive, and really went above and beyond to make the day perfect. The Conservatory is breathtaking- from the natural light to the view overlooking the pond. All of our guests commented on what an amazing space it was. I can not recommend this venue enough! Reviewed on 10-05-2022
Hello!! I am the Venue Sales & Operations Manager here at The Upchurch! It has been such a gratifying experience connecting with couples over the past several years. I love thinking of ways we can make your wedding/event unique... after all, this is YOUR special day and it needs to reflect what YOU care about! Please do not hesitate to reach out! We can't wait to hear from you!