Hawkesdene Reviews

1000% recommend Hawkesdene as a venue for your wedding. There is nothing my husband and I would have changed about our day, and I don’t think our vision would have been achievable anywhere other than Hawkesdene. Food was objectively delicious (not just “good for a wedding”), the staff are delightful, and the setting is perfect.

My wife and I got married at Hawkesdene last March and could not have asked for a better experience. The entire team was absolutely incredible and they made sure that we had everything we needed from opening night to the moment we left. A special thank you to Jami, Elizabeth, and Rob for helping with all the planning and organizing and making sure we had every detail covered, and to Chloe as well. Once Chloe found out one of my groomsmen was stranded an hour away she completely took over the situation and had a shuttle headed his way in under 20 minutes. Everyone made sure that we had nothing to stress about the whole weekend. On top of the incredible staff, the food was absolutely phenomenal and the entire estate is gorgeous. We truly could not have had a better wedding weekend and are already planning on going back with friends and family for our 5 year anniversary.

Hawkesdene is INCREDIBLE to say the least. Their staff is organized, accommodating, kind, and flexible. Jami, Rob, and the rest of their wonderful team truly could not have made our wedding weekend more perfect. Their attention to the small details is definitely evident and so appreciated.
The food!! We had countless guests tell us it was the best wedding food they have ever had, and the wedding day brunch was the cherry on top. You don't get to try the food beforehand, but you don't need to! It will exceed your expectations.
Lastly, the grounds and cottages. Hawkesdene is stunning during all seasons, including winter. You and your guests will have so many things to do to relax and explore during the weekend including hiking, lounging in the hammocks, walking the grounds, playing corn hole, visiting the alpacas, and sipping coffee on one of the adorable porches attached to the cottages. The cottages are beautiful, clean, and thoughtfully designed.
I cannot recommend Hawkesdene enough. Book them today for the wedding weekend of your dreams!

When beginning the planning process the only thing we knew was we wanted to get married in North Carolina. We're from Central Florida and we wanted to have a weekend experience with our closest friends and family that felt like a vacation. During the planning, I worked with Jami and Rob primarily but upon arrival, everyone felt like family. It was the perfect experience. Our guests could not believe we found this location. I know they will be talking about it for years to come. Especially, because the food was the BESTTTTT. Everything was fresh and the croissants, just chef's kiss. One of my favorite parts of this property was the stream behind the house, it travels through the property and just offers a peaceful atmosphere. Hawkesdene has a special spot in my heart and I can't thank them enough for all they did to make our day perfect.

Cannot recommend Hawkesdene enough!!! The staff, the service, the planning, the guidance, the privacy, the cottage setup, all 10/10. Our entire wedding weekend was seamless and no detail was missed by the staff. I was beyond impressed when I walked into each of the events that we had planned and my expectations were exceeded every time. I felt like a guest at my own wedding. Would 1000% do another family event here

Our wedding experience at the Hawkesdene estate was nothing short of magical and a perfect 3-day stay. There is genuine heart in this place and the team there goes above and beyond to make your experience wonderful. We felt tremendously supported throughout the entire process. Jami and Elizabeth, the venue coordinators, are experts at what they do. From the beginning, all communication was prompt, thoughtful, clear, and made you feel important. As we got closer to the wedding, we were speaking to Jami on an immediate text basis, which was such a luxury before we arrived. Once we arrived, we were treated and taken care of like guests, not having to lift a finger and truly able to sit back and relax. Their team was proactive and never looked to us to act, which alleviated all stress and when everything came together like we envisioned, it was magical. The staff took care setting up all décor, including things we brought ourselves. The estate constantly felt clean because staff promptly grabbed dirty plates, cups, and trash without inhibiting the guest experience. The staff works together like a well-oiled machine and it is clear that they are happy to be there and therefore are authentically friendly to you and your guests. Some examples were when the kitchen staff made special plates for some who missed lunch, the housekeeping staff scheduled turn-down service around newborn naps, and a member of the staff made a special trip on the Kubota for one of our parents. It felt like they genuinely cared about making our wedding special. These strong relationships within the team also reflect their strong relationships with local vendors, which meant arranging florals, a photographer, wedding cake, and entertainment so seamless. I highly recommend using their preferred vendors, especially their pastry chef, Deborah, who made a stunning wedding cake for us on-site. There is a reason why this place is booked out a year and a half in advance and has such an excellent reputation. For instance, we didn’t get to try any of the food before we booked and we have very high standards, but they assured us to just read their reviews…well…they were right. THE FOOD! Guests were constantly coming up to us saying “this is the best (insert any food) I’ve had in my life”. We had their Southern Comfort and Barbeque themed dinners and it was some of the best comfort food (they know cheese and potatoes) and smoked meats we have had. Beyond that, breakfasts and lunches were excellent and felt fresh, thoughtful, and everything was from scratch. The food was catered to our guests including all dietary restrictions and preferences and it never felt like they were the exception, but rather that the menu was thoughtfully curated to include them. Even simple things like explicit labels detailing the dietary considerations (GF, Vegan, Lactose-free), made it clear for our guests what they could eat and that they were being taken care of. We had a friend’s birthday while we were there and the chef even prepared their favorite dessert for them! None of this is to overstate the natural beauty that exists within and around the Hawkesdene estate. There was plenty of space and the pavilion, wedding site, and main house all served as wonderful places where our guests could cultivate genuine connections. Hawkesdene was decked out with beautiful landscaping, even late into the fall season, making the grounds lovely to walk around. The overlook on the property is well worth the hike and the views are stunning. Cottages were well appointed and EVERYONE talked about how comfortable the beds were. Guests told us that our wedding felt like a vacation. Even though we chose them for all their amenities of available décor, accommodations, and staff, they offered so much more to us than we initially anticipated. Not for a price, but out of the genuine care and love of what they do. A month out from our special day, and we are still finding ourselves reliving the wonderful experience in our heads.

There are no exact words I can use to describe this venue.
I don't know what was more breath taking, the food? The views? The professionalism and kindness of the staff? The attention to detail?
If you are looking for a reunion style wedding, look nowhere else but Hawkesdene. Working with Rob & Jami was easy, and they treat you like you're their #1 priority.

I had guests of all ages and from all regions and not a single person could find something to complain about. The food was AMAZING! Even so much that I had guests asking for recipes.
Like all weddings, things went wrong, and timelines were skewed but under Jami's direction, it felt like everything went according to plan.

I left some things up to the discretion of the staff and I would do it the same way all over again. You feel like it's your own paradise while still having someone anticipating your needs. The bridal suite is incredible as is the "Bride & Groom" cabin.

Thank you so much to the Hawkesdene team.

The entire weekend was incredible! We got married at Hawkesdene a few weeks ago and our family is still telling us how amazing the whole weekend was from the comfortable cabins to the delicious food. The staff is INCREDIBLE and ensured our entire weekend (Thursday to Sunday) was as smooth as possible. Once we showed up and unpacked Jami and Elizabeth took care of everything, from finalizing all our details to keeping our timeline organized the entire weekend and even setting up the most perfect reception space. We could not have imagined doing our wedding any other way and are so thankful we could spend the entire weekend togetheri with our friends and family all in one place!

It's been a week since we were at Hawkesdene for our daughter's wedding and I am STILL getting texts daily from wedding guests telling me it's the best wedding they have ever been to, and that no other weddings will ever be able to live up to this one. I have to agree with them!

Hawkesdene Estate is simply magical - the entire estate, from the beautiful entrance, to the meticulously manicured grounds, to the incredible interiors of the cottages, to the cozy and inviting main house - when you arrive you are immediately immersed in what feels like your own little world. Then you add in the incredible staff! Jami was so kind and patient with our daughter as they planned for her big day and made her feel so confident that things would be exactly as she had hoped, then Elizabeth was wonderful throughout the weekend making sure everything was ready and going exactly how we needed it to! She checked in with our daughter often and was such a ray of sunshine. And the chef - holy moly - people started talking about the food immediately at the welcome dinner on day 1. The food was absolutely incredible the ENTIRE weekend! There is literally nothing about this weekend that wasn't done to perfection.

I can't say enough good things about our experience at Hawkesdene ~ when looking for venues many many many reviews were read, and they were all so positive it almost seemed too good to be true. But now I understand it completely! We were blown away by the location, the staff, the food, the accommodations - EVERYTHING!

If you are looking for the perfect way to celebrate one of the most important days of your life, this is the place!

We had an amazing wedding weekend at Hawkesdene! The venue is absolutely stunning and we loved having hiking trails right off the property for guests to explore. The food was delicious and beautifully displayed. Jami was easy to work with throughout the planning process and helps to customize the perfect weekend. A huge thank you to Elizabeth who coordinated during our wedding weekend and made sure everything ran smoothly. We had a wonderful time and cannot wait to come back!

We had an unforgettable wedding weekend at Hawkesdene in June 2023 and the prior year planning and leading up to the event.

The planning and coordination provided by Jami and Elizabeth was top-notch. Not a single detail was forgotten, and they raised many ideas throughout the planning process to make our wedding special and enjoyable. Just a couple examples: we had a unity ceremony where we poured glass beads during the wedding, and they neatly packaged it up with the USPS address and everything; they re-boxed all our extra alcohol and left it by a car pickup for our Sunday departure; and, they accommodated a slightly different chair for our mothers at the ceremony (just because our moms wanted them :)). Moreover, if you're looking to plan a wedding where you don't have 1,000 complicated decisions to coordinate and become the logistical master of, Hawkesdene is set up to accommodate a nice balance of choosing vendors but letting the venue planners execute.

The venue itself was gorgeous, with well-maintained grounds, inviting cottages and a clean environment across every space. We did get lucky with beautiful weather, as well.

The food was just as others have noted: extraordinary. Importantly, it was always right on schedule, leaving guests to want for nothing. They allowed us to customize each meal and prepared it exactly correctly. Yum, we are salivating just writing this. Also, having available snacks (m&ms, fruit, bars) 24/7 in the main house was a great lift for guests who brought little ones.

We were able to bring 8 dogs across our guests, and the large outdoor spaces allowed that to happen with no issues! Having our own pup there for the wedding took stress away from the weekend planning.

Throughout the weekend, many of our 65 guests came up to us and shared that the combination of the venue, the environment, and the planning led this to being the best wedding they've ever attended. Of course, many folks talked of either having their wedding or reunion at Hawkesdene in the future, and if that opportunity arises I'm sure we'll be blocking out their schedule in the future!

I chose Hawkesdene for my wedding the last weekend of this passed April. We had a total of 76 guests, all coming from different parts of the country, so I was very nervous about the logistics. Jami and Rob did ALL the thinking for me. My husband and I both run companies and we needed a venue that was as all inclusive as a resort, where everyone could be free to enjoy the property but be organized enough where we spent quality time together. Hawkesdene hit it home in every single way possible AND more! I come from a family of cooks and I was so nervous about my grandma, aunts, and mom criticizing the food. I am so happy to say that all of them were non stop complimenting the delicious made from scratch meals, the cleanliness of every single area on the 54 acre property, and the 5 start level of attention to the guests by the staff. I was 13 weeks pregnant on top of all of this and I surprised everyone Friday night. The staff made it so easy to have all of our equipment set up all weekend to do the games and speeches, they were always updating me on the schedule, asking if everyone was fine, I just can’t begin to express my gratitude. I want to specifically thank Elizabeth, who was so caring and thoughtful, always asking if I needed anything else at the moment. We had so much fun every single day and I can not forget how Friday night everyone kept saying they can’t believe the wedding hadn’t even happened yet haha. It was the best 4 day, 3 night weekend I could have ever dreamed of. Please do yourself a favor and have the ultimate mountain wedding of your dreams here.

I cannot sum up in words how wonderful Hawkesdene and their staff are. They truly made our wedding a weekend one we will never forget. Our family and friends cannot stop talking about how incredible the weekend was from the food, which is delicious, to the staff, who are the sweetest. You will not regret having your wedding here. This place is one of a kind and cannot recommend this enough.

I came across this venue purely by chance when going through a list of “all inclusive” venues state by state. From the pictures alone I knew this would be the one. You truly can not beat a gorgeous mountain retreat!

Hawkesdene truly was the perfect venue for our wedding. It had everything I was looking for- guest accommodations, delicious meals, lovely decorations, gorgeous scenery, the nicest staff to help everything run smoothly, and the loveliest wedding coordinators. We had the best weekend and all of our guests are still raving about our wedding and Hawkesdene. I can’t recommend them enough!

We had a March Wedding at Hawkesdene and it was everything we hoped for and more! The venue exceeded our expectations…literally everywhere you look there’s a beautiful backdrop for photos or relaxation! The website doesn’t do it justice. The Main House is laid out in such a comfortable design, everyone commented on how comfortable and convenient their room/cabin was! Jami and her team were so easy going about everything, I never felt an ounce of stress! We had everyone dress up in Western Wear and hired a local line dance instructor on the night we had the Smokey Mountain BBQ - so much fun for all ages! Everyone says the wedding day flies by but having a few nights at Hawkesdene with everyone before the wedding day truly allowed us to enjoy the wedding and take everything in. Highly recommend hiring a band - The Retreat via Sam Hill Entertainment, our reception seriously felt like a concert! 5 stars isn’t enough for Hawkesdene - give them 10!

This destination venue was found by chance. But it was the only place we looked at for our magical and special weekend. Jami, Rob, and Elizabeth all made my dreams come true as a bride.
Our friends still talk about it as the best wedding they’ve ever been to. We will be back for a reunion!!

On Dec 17, 2022, our daughter had the wedding of her dreams at the Hawkesdene Estate in North Carolina. Although it has been 3 months since that beautiful day, the memories are still vivid, and we are so eternally grateful for the venue, staff and vendors that made it all possible. Let me start off by saying the Hawkesdene reviews are all true!! In fact, they can’t do this amazing estate justice, as their wedding weekend was incredible, and we still get emotional when thinking about it and reliving all the memorable moments.
Anna & Jason live in North Carolina but planned to have their wedding back home in Indiana. After touring many local venues, nothing was meeting their expectations. So thankfully, on their way home for Christmas in 2020, they decided to stop in Andrews and tour Hawkesdene. They immediately called us after their visit and said, “we found our venue”! They were excited about the prospect of having a wedding weekend rather than a wedding day, and it could not have worked out more perfectly.
Yes we were a bit nervous about hosting a winter wedding, but due to schedules, this is the time of year that worked out best for Anna & Jason. And even in winter, the estate is simply beautiful. The Christmas decorations in the main house and on the grounds are understated, yet lovely. They added that touch of holiday cheer and warmth to an already welcoming home away from home. And the outdoor fireplace in the pavilion is a mainstay! We had it burning every day, all day and evening, and it was a wonderful gathering place for our friends and family, even into the wee hours of the night. You truly feel like the entire estate is your home where you can come and go as you please, and simply enjoy the lodging, food, and all the amenities they have to offer. For 3 days it was so nice to take a break from the busyness of the holiday season and enjoy the company of close friends and family, while staying in cozy cabins and eating amazing food. We were all spoiled, and no one wanted to leave!
Jami is a Godsend! She answered all emails promptly and was always willing to have phone conversations to review our plans, offer suggestions and calm our anxieties. She was an invaluable asset throughout the entire planning process and was on-site the entire wedding weekend. Along with her assistant Elizabeth (who was equally as awesome), they made sure everything ran smoothly and all our needs (and the guests) were attended to. When you have your early afternoon check-in with Jami, she reviews EVERYTHING for the entire weekend – schedule, décor, vendors, food, ceremony, etc. – and she and the staff execute to perfection. The table set-ups and additional decor Anna wanted, from the welcome dinner to the wedding reception, were even better than she had envisioned, thanks to their experience and expertise. Their goal is to make sure the bride has a stress-free weekend that she can just enjoy with the guests, and believe me, they deliver on that promise!
God blessed us with sunny days. Even though the temperature was mid-40’s and the air was crisp, it was completely comfortable being outside and we were able to do everything we intended. Basketball was played, llamas were fed, waterfalls were found, and most importantly new friendships were formed. Also, the hot beverage hike to Hawkes Nest is a must. They served hot chocolate and hot apple cider at the top of the mountain, and the group photo-up can’t be missed.
Hawkesdene knows food! Every meal was delicious, and I don’t think you can go wrong with whatever menu you choose. The Smokey Mountain Barbeque was a fan favorite and the charcutier board at the wedding reception is still being talked about by the guests. There was always PLENTY of food for everyone to enjoy and they catered to all the guests dietary restrictions. Jami was especially accommodating to my 91-year-old father and had special meals prepared for him on both Thursday and Friday evenings. Now that is service!!
Can you tell how impressed we are with this wedding venue? Anna smiled the entire weekend, and it brought us such joy to see her so incredibly relaxed and happy. The true testament was when our guests were leaving, they were thanking US for inviting them! My husband & I drove home to Indiana the Sunday after the wedding in tears, reminiscing over every moment of the weekend, and so very thankful that Anna & Jason chose Hawkesdene to host their Marriage in the Mountains. Many thanks to Jami, Elizabeth, Rob, and the entire Hawkesdene staff for a helping us create a magical wedding weekend for our daughter and one that we will never forget!

When we first found Hawkesdene online, they seemed too good to be true - but from our first tour all the way through our wedding weekend, they absolutely lived up to the hype! The grounds, cottages and main house are all so meticulously cared for. They truly have thought of every little detail you could possibly need for a gorgeous wedding and a top-notch guest stay. The staff was incredible and the food was to die for. Seriously, we had so many compliments from all of our guests about every facet of our stay at Hawkesdene. Our wedding weekend was 100% perfect and from the moment we arrived, the staff made sure that all we had to do was sit back, relax, and enjoy our time together with family and friends. Stop searching. You've found your dream venue!

Hawkesdene is an absolutely perfect venue! We recently had our wedding there, and everything about our wedding weekend was absolutely amazing! The entire estate is beautiful with so many options for where to have the ceremony and to take photos. All the cottages were very clean and well maintained. All of our friends have told us how much they enjoyed staying at Hawkesdene, and the food is delicious! Rob, Jami, and all the staff at Hawkesdene went above and beyond to help create an amazing weekend for us and our guests! Jami quickly answered all of our questions during the planning process, and she and her team handled all of the details on our wedding day! We had an amazing and stress-free wedding weekend because of them!
We highly recommend Hawkesdene and are so happy with our decision to have our wedding there!

If you want your guests to have a wedding they will remember forever, this is the place. If you want to have the ability to spend quality time and enjoy an entire weekend on an absolutely beautiful estate, this is the place. Hawkesdene venue knocked it out of the park in every way possible. The scenery, the cabins, the FOOD, decor, etc... everything was just perfect, ... Magical, really. And of course, there's Jami. Jami and her team make the place & the experience just phenomenal. So many of our guests have already asked to have a reunion sometime. "Best wedding ever".... was the feedback we received from family and friends. We truly had an amazing time from the we arrived, through the morning we left. We thank you Hawkesdene!!

Jami and the team at Hawkesdene were incredible. My wife and I love the outdoors and we love playing yard games. This venue gave our friends and family a huge playground for all kinds of activities. We hiked, played volleyball and every yard game imaginable, and at night we had s'mores at a campfire by the creek. There's no curfew, so your wedding guests will enjoy staying up late and really getting to know each other.

This venue kept our friends and family well fed throughout their stay. The food here is INCREDIBLE. People are still talking about how good the food was at our wedding.

Jami and the owners of Hakesdene were extremely responsive to our emails (and there were a lot). Jami played a big part in helping us plan the wedding of our dreams and we can't thank her enough for all of her thoughtful input and taking the time to listen to our ideas.

We had the best night of our lives and we know the photos will be incredible. Highly recommend this venue for your wedding.

Hawkesdene was the first wedding venue I ever saved (ok, even before we were engaged - I saw it on instagram and pinned it for the future). When the time finally came to pick a wedding venue, I knew deep down my heart was set on Hawkesdene - it just felt so right. And I'm so glad I stuck with my gut because we had the most magical, beautiful, dreamy and fun wedding weekend - it was beyond anything we could have ever imagined. 80 of our closest friends and family spent the weekend celebration with us starting with cocktail hour, dinner, s'mores & music by the fire on Friday. Guests enjoyed the property on Saturday (one of my favorite parts of getting ready was opening the doors to the bridal suite to say hi to my guests ALL DAY as they walked by). Our wedding ceremony and reception were absolutely perfect - everything was seamless and exactly as we imagined it. We absolutely could not have done it without the help of Jami and her team. They all went above and beyond to create the weekend of our dreams. The ONLY downside is that the weekend went by so fast. I wish we could have stayed for a week! Once you settle in, you'll never want to leave!

From a recent bride dealing with the stress of planning a wedding & the big finances that come with it - Hawkesdene is all inclusive with food (you can also order the cake & desserts directly through them as well) (also, the culinary team was so sweet and amazing), is BYOB (a huge cost savings), has a huge decor closet (don't be afraid to ask - there is a ton of stuff to use in there!), has an amazing staff to help with all needs while on-site, and has unlimited snacks and mixers available for guests all weekend. Booking Hawkesdene allowed us to have our dream wedding within our budget. 10/10!!!

Words cannot describe how incredible Hawkesdene is. We chose Hawkesdene because we wanted a small destination wedding. It turned out to be just that and so much more. The communication between us and the staff was unbelievable. Jami was the most amazing coordinator I could have ever asked for. She went above and beyond to make our day so special. She has a great eye for table decorations and took all of my inspirations and created beautiful table settings for me. The staff members who had to clean the rooms everyday and set up/clean up every meal served, they were so polite and welcoming. Hawkesdene gave us a preferred vendors list to help us chose who we wanted and who was familiar with our venue. Our guests had nothing but wonderful things to say about our wedding. They could not stop talking about how amazing the food was and how beautiful the venue was. We wish we could relive our wedding day over and over again because how amazing our experience was. We WILL be back to celebrate our anniversary with family and friends. It would be a mistake not to book your wedding here!

Lives up to the hype! We booked the Hawkesdene sight-unseen after glowing reviews from another couple we know, I am happy to report that they EXCEEDED expectations. Not only was Rob, Jami and team wonderful to work with during the event, every vendor they recommended was incredible and went above and beyond to make our weekend special. The food is excellent. The service is amazing. It is the perfect venue if you want a beautiful, comfortable, welcoming weekend in the NC mountains.