The Retreat @ Chapel Hill

When my fiancé and I first started scouting for wedding locations, we were overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices to be made, let alone any of the other arrangements that needed to be organised to pull a wedding together. We sensed that Chapel Hill would be a location worth investigating, after several other wineries in McLaren Vale recommended it to us. We were immediately welcomed by Hope, the events manager, and as we discussed our vision of our perfect wedding, the impossible started to turn into possibility. We were convinced beforehand that our unconventional desires for our ideal wedding were going to be impossible at so many other venues, and it is perhaps with a strike of irony that Hope helped us find the path forward. When we first set eyes upon the Retreat, we knew this is where we wanted to get married. Upon Hope's recommendation for our unique requirements, we worked together throughout the whole process to plan, adjust, and craft the perfect venue for the perfect day. There was no challenge that Hope did not shy away from, and wildly inclement weather did not dampen any of our plans, nor our spirits. When the day finally came, on a cold, wet and windy winter's day, our wedding at Chapel Hill warmed our hearts. We and our guests treasured a truly special day, and everything else fell into place. The catering at the Salopian Inn was universally praised by our guests (and ourselves!) as the best wedding food we'd had the good luck to dine upon. The drinks selection was exemplary, and being able to remain behind after the day was finish and enjoy the fine accommodation allowed my wife and I to spend a quiet and precious evening with close family, and reflect upon the day. My wife and I are so very grateful for all the staff at Chapel Hill to have hosted our special day. We thank Hope for being such an incredible support throughout, and her diligence and attention to detail made the arduous experience of organising a wedding feel effortless and comfortable. We can only hope that in years to come, some of our friends decide to come to their senses and host their wedding at Chapel Hill too!

Hope was super easy to deal with and worked amazingly well with us and all our vendors to make our day extra special. She gave us some helpful ideas on the set up and running of the event. Hope and all her staff were all really calm and efficient on the night even when the kitchen had an issue. Our guests also commented on the friendliness and how amazing the venue was!

Hope at Chapel Hill was amazing. She made us feel relaxed about the day and did so much organising for us so that we had little to stress about. The whole planning process was very smooth. Hope gave us plenty of suggestions and was always there to answer our questions. The venue is beautiful, the staff were all fantastic and the food was incredible. We highly recommend the retreat at chapel hill for weddings. We had the best day thanks to Hope and the team at chapel hill and can’t recommend them enough.

Our experience with chapel hill from start to finish was amazing. Hope, the venue coordinator, went above and beyond and ensure our day and the entire lead up ran smoothly. Knowing she was there to help made the whole process easier. She was always able to answer any questions I had and put my mind at ease. Hope also helps with setting up on the day and we were able to come up the day before the wedding to bring items up. At chapel hill we also loved that they only did one wedding a weekend. This meant that once the wedding was over at the end of the night we didn’t have to rush off and work out where all the decor etc was going. We got to stay on site the night of the wedding with all our bridal party and had breakfast at the venue with them the next morning. This was a highlight, it meant once our guests had left we didn’t have to get in a bus or taxi and just could be with our bridal party. They also have additional accomodation on site to stay the night before. The space was perfect, we set it up for cocktail and it flowed perfectly inside to out. The view over the vineyards for the ceremony and reception is stunning and made for some breathtaking photos. We loved being able to use the vineyards as well for the photos. The food was catered by the Salopian Inn and it was phenomenal. My husband and I are big foodies so food was important to us. All our guests raved about the food and my husband and I were so well looked after by the staff and had plenty to eat. It was all delicious! I could not fault the venue and the staff at Chapel Hill. It truly exceeded any expectations we had and would recommend it to anyone!