How to Book Your Wedding at The Little Chapel at Haven Ridge

Booking your wedding venue is one of the biggest milestones in your planning journey, and we believe it should feel exciting, clear, and fully supported from the very beginning. We understand how meaningful it is to choose the backdrop for one of the most important days of your life, and our goal is to make sure you always know what comes next, which decisions matter most, and how to confidently move forward without pressure or confusion.

Here is what the booking process looks like when you choose to say “I do” at The Little Chapel at Haven Ridge.

💒 Step One: Start with an In-Person Tour

Your journey with us begins with an in-person tour of the property. This is where we truly get to know you and your vision.

During your tour, we:

• Walk through package options in detail

• Review amenities and included offerings

• Paint a realistic picture of what a typical wedding day feels like here

• Answer all of your questions and discuss frequently asked questions (if you’re not sure what to ask)

We want you to leave your tour not just loving the space and being excited for your big day together, but understanding the lay of the land and how your day could actually flow here from getting ready through your final send-off.

We offer private tours of the grounds Tuesday–Friday between events. If you are out of state or unable to travel for an in-person tour, we also offer a virtual tour video followed by a scheduled consultation call. These can be booked directly through the Tour tab on our website.

📋 Step Two: Custom Proposal, Before Committing

Once you decide you would like to explore moving forward, the next step is your custom proposal.

After your tour (or consult call):

• We follow up with you and recap what we discussed during your tour

• You complete your new client intake form

• We build a proposal tailored specifically to your event details

This step allows you to see your full venue investment and event details clearly laid out before making any commitments.

We understand most couples are still in the early stages of planning, and many details are not finalized. Your proposal is built around your guest count, general timeline preferences, space usage, and overall vision, rather than offering a generic template. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all weddings. Every couple and every story is unique, and we love seeing how the venue spaces are tailored to reflect each celebration.

✅ Step Three: Your 7-Day Proposal Window

How to Use This Time Wisely

Once you receive your proposal, you have a 7-day window to review and make your decision. During this time, your date is soft held for you. We temporarily remove it from our website calendar so you can thoughtfully review your proposal, explore vendors, and make decisions without worrying about losing your date while you do your research.

During this period, we recommend using this time to:

• Explore our Recommended / Approved Vendor List

• Identify vendors that align with your vision and priorities

• Reach out for quotes and availability for your desired date

• Begin or refine your overall wedding budget

This step is important because we never want couples placing deposits blindly or feeling rushed into decisions without understanding their full wedding investment.

🥂 Step Four: Proposal Acceptance → Contract → Invoice

Once you accept your proposal, the next step is your contract.

After signing your contract:

• You will receive an invoice for your full balance

• You can make payments anytime leading up to your due date (paid in full 30 days prior to your event)

• You always have visibility into your remaining balance

• You will have up to 7 days after signing to submit your initial 30% or 50% retainer payment (based on package) to officially secure your date

• You will receive access to your Client Portal & Venue Guide, which includes your proposal, signed contract, and invoice, along with helpful planning resources such as Vendor Guidelines, past event layouts, rental partnerships and hotel discounts, event insurance information, and more. Couples are encouraged to revisit these resources throughout their planning process.

Retainer + Payment Structure

To officially reserve your date, we require a non-refundable retainer:

• Minimal + Bold Packages: 30% non-refundable retainer

• Elopement + Microwedding Packages: 50% non-refundable retainer

Your remaining balance is due 30 days prior to your wedding day.

Pricing Transparency

We believe in complete pricing transparency. There are no service fees, corkage fees, cake cutting fees, or hidden venue surcharges. NC state sales tax (7%) is the only required additional amount applied. Optional upgrades, such as an additional overnight stay or in-house décor rentals, are never required. Most couples find everything they need already included within their package of choice.

Thais Ferreira Photography

Our Philosophy: Clarity, Confidence, and No Surprises

We designed our booking process to feel organized, transparent, and supportive, because planning your wedding should feel exciting, not overwhelming.

From your first tour to your final payment, our goal is simple:

To give you the tools, resources, and guidance you need to make confident decisions, be supported by a trusted professional team, and truly enjoy your engagement season.