How to Transform The Elia for Your Wedding in Downtown Wilmington, NC
The Elia is a beautiful venue located on North Front Street in Downtown Wilmington, North Carolina that includes 7000 sq. feet of available event space. It is a blank canvas for the wedding or event of your dreams, and we’ve put together some ways that you can fully take advantage of what the venue has to offer.
(We’ll even show you how we transformed The Elia for our own Miami party.)
The Elia offers several spaces that include: the front half and large statement bar area, a back half large hall, and bridal and groom suites (onsite storage and catering area also onsite). If you’re looking for a more in-depth breakdown of what’s included at The Elia, you can check them out here.
Want to see the space in person? Book a tour!
There are several ways to decorate and accentuate The Elia to turn the venue into the event you’ve always wanted, and we have seen, brainstormed, and collected just a few small, but impactful ways to transform the space.
The Statement Piece
The statement piece is what commands the room. Consider it the framed painting on the gallery wall. It’ll probably be what your guests remember most (besides how beautiful the newlyweds looked), so if you want to go big on a single piece, instead of spreading your budget thin on several smaller things, here’s some options to think about.
The Lounge Set
The Elia can easily accommodate several large, rental lounge sets to provide space for your guest to relax off the dance floor and use during the cocktail hour. It’s fun, it’s fancy, it’s functional.
There are a few places a lounge set can go within The Elia: next to the bar, in the cocktail hour space, next to the dance floor, on the stage, or as you enter the back reception hall area.
The lounge set adds a luxury feel to your event without having to really go big on the luxury price, really pulls in your color palette, and it gives your guest another area to relax and hang out beyond the dinner table.
The Hanging Installation
Over the dance floor is the perfect place to put an impressive, beautiful hanging installation. This can involve whatever you want — florals, greenery, lights, etc. It’s something that every guest can see, and it’s right in the middle of the party.
The Hanging Installation is a great way to pull in elements that you want in your event (i.e. florals and greenery bring in the nature feel and give The Elia a secret garden vibe).
The Vendors
Something that has a huge impact on the party are the people who make it!
Choosing the right vendors will make your event even better and easier than you imagined. They’re the ones who know how to use their craft to really change a space because it’s their job. The Elia has a full list of preferred vendors that we have vetted and love working with, but here’s some type of vendors who truly make a difference:
The Florist
Colorful flowers, large centerpieces, floral installations, and greenery are all things that florists can use to change The Elia. They can make the space feel like a garden, a wonderland, or even a scene from Bridgerton. The brick walls, the columns inside, and the shelves behind the bar are all areas where florals can be utilized.
With a creative florist, the design options within The Elia are endless.
Some of our favorites to work with are Mother Of Wild, Serendipity Floral Designs, and Designs By Dillion.
The Entertainment
The entertainment is the life of the party! They're the ones who keep the party moving, so if you want people out on the dance floor, enjoying their night, choosing the right entertainment company that keeps up the momentum is invaluable.
The DJ or Band is responsible for bringing the music and the party lights, so they can transition your wedding day into a nightclub without you having to bring anything extra. (Bonus: the venue already has a built-in stage, which is perfect for your band to be set up on.)
Some of our favorite entertainment companies to work with are Active DJ Entertainment, Carolina DJ Professionals, Level Up Entertainment, and East Coast Entertainment (for multiple band options!)
The Catering
The way to your guests’ hearts is through their stomach. Good food creates lasting memories and having a menu with a theme can elevate the experience tenfold and really make the party feel like it’s somewhere else.
A themed drink and food menu is an easy way to transform your event in a way that everyone notices.
You can also get creative with how you serve the food – whether it’s a buffet, stations, or a plated meal.
At The Elia to ensure the standards and your wedding is flawlessly executed, we have a list of caterers we work with: A Thyme Savor, Middle of the Island Catering, Salt and Charm, Culinary Creations, Spoonfed, Pine Valley Market
The Planner
The Planner is the one who makes sure that everything you want actually happens. They’re the overseer, your advocate, and the point of contact for all your vendors, so on day-of, you don’t have to worry about a thing. They make a huge difference, and they’re key to ensuring your wedding vision is executed on the day of.
The Elia understands what a crucial role a wedding planner plays, not just on the wedding day, but throughout the wedding planning process. Because of this we do require a professional planner or coordinator be hired to manage your wedding day and have a list of planners that are proven and trusted – including Brittanie Raquel Events.
Working with a full service planner can help you design a wedding that looks and feels even better than what you could create yourself. They have access to ideas and vendors to help you go beyond typical expectations, with options to build custom rentals or design custom floral installations to simply offering new trends to make your party stand out.
Honorable Mention: The Performers
Speaking of trends…this is the newest trend we are seeing in the event and wedding world – live performers! From a saxophonist at cocktail hour, a violinist in your ceremony, salsa dancers at your reception, or even dancers passing out drinks, they can totally change your event and provide some excitement and atmosphere to your party.
Some of our favorite performers companies to work with are: Wedding violinist maura, https://www.susanhoney.com/the-wilmington-pianist, http://elevateperforms.com/
The Elia Goes Miami
To celebrate The Elia’s birthday, the Brittanie Raquel Events team put together a special Miami themed party, and we went all out. With performers, lounge sets, a bar full of specialty cocktails, endless hors d'oeuvres, and a DJ spinning Latin hits, The Elia took the entire party straight to Miami!
Here’s the special group of vendors that helped make this night happen:
Venue: The Elia
Design and Planning: Brittanie Raquel Events
Photography: Heart First Weddings
Videography: Sam Pruett
Florals: Serendipity Floral Design
Speciality Rentals: Martha My Dear Rentals, White Birch Rentals, Design Perfection, Perfect Touch Rentals
Speciality Cocktails & Bartending: Mister Bartender
Glassware: Party Suppliers and Rentals
Food & Bartending: A Thyme Savor
Linens: BBJ La Tavola
Photo Booth: Sociable Designs
Marquee Letters: Alpha Lit Carolina Coast
Vintage Car: Dare To Dream Gypsy
Draping & Uplighting: @
DJ: Active DJ Entertainment
Dancers: Elevate Performers
The Elia knows how to throw a wedding that’ll be known as the party of the year, and while we were at it, we learned a few ways to make the most of your party.
Choose a Venue That Won’t Take You Over Budget.
Certain venues can have a lot of hidden fees that people don’t realize. Some may lock you into expensive catering because of a strict vendor list or you may have to pay for rentals (tables and chairs) if the venue doesn’t offer them. A wedding planner will know the right questions to ask and that leads us to Tip #2.
(The Elia has a vendor list that includes all price points, accommodating multiple budget ranges. We also have all-inclusive rentals – just one less thing you have to worry about.)
2. Have a Wedding Planner.
In order to make sure that your wedding is everything you want it to be, we highly recommend a planner. (For weddings, The Elia requires that you have a wedding planner to book.)
The service they provide is invaluable, and they work alongside you to make sure that your vision is fully realized.
Transforming any space takes a lot of moving parts with multiple vendors, drop off and pick up times, and assembly and installation. It’s critical to have a point person that isn’t a guest to coordinate your vendor teams so your wedding can run smoothly and on time.
3. Choose Your Top 3 Priorities.
When planning your wedding there will have to be compromises in order to stay on budget. In order to make sure the day meets your vision, choose the three most important things to you two as a couple. If you two are huge foodies, choose a caterer that is going to give your guests that experience of your favorite food style. If you want the best dance party around, spend a little more on that band that will keep your guests dancing all night long.
Once you’ve prioritized your must-have’s and could-go-without’s, you know where to spend most of your budget. You don’t need to go big on every vendor to host an amazing, memorable event.
4. Know the Guest Count.
Before you start planning, the most important thing is to figure out what the budget actually is and what the guest list is going to be. The guest count is what affects the budget the most; the higher the count, the higher the budget has to be. The more guests, the more people to feed, the more tables, centerpieces, rentals etc. (The Elia’s guest seated capacity is 175)
Choosing a venue is more than choosing a room with four walls. It’s a location for all your favorite people to gather together in one space, for a moment of celebration that will be cherished for a lifetime.
At The Elia, we’re here not only to give you that but also help push the limits of what it means to give your guests an unforgettable experience, from decor to service.
We’d love to help you plan and celebrate your wedding at The Elia. If you want to chat more, contact us to book a tour.